to stroke or not to stroke, finishing off combo

[dukeboy_318]

also did comfirm that this does have 346 casting heads not 452s as it should have had

[73chgrSE]

Looks like a great project. Keep it black.  I'm hoping to get a 472 kit for my 400 too.

[firefighter3931]

I wouldn't worry too much about the cap placement....the mains will need to be studded and align bored when the new stroker crank is installed. Have the caps magnafluxed and if there are no cracks just reuse them. 440 Source also sells ductile steel 400 main caps if you feel the need to replace them.


Ron

[max]

i finished taking apart the bottom end and noticed that the rod caps had numbers stamped on them but cylinders 1-4 were not matched up to the numbers on the caps, for example, cylinder 1 had a 3 on its main cap, cylinder 2 had 4, 3 had a 2 and 4 had a 1,  5-8 were matching,  any ideas, could this have caused any problems   waiting on my micrometer to arrive so i can check the bore, but according to the numbers stamped on the inside of the pistons, they are factory pistons, so it appears that the cylinders were honed and new bearings put in cause the beearings look very very new, local shot says they appear to have less than 5k on them.

if i read this right you are saying the pistons and rods were in the wrong bores, for example #1 rod and piston according to the stampings on the rod cap were in the #3 cylinder and the #3 rod and piston was in the #1 cylinder.

this isn't a problem as long as the odd #'s 1,3,5,7 are on the drivers side and 2,4,6,8 are on the passenger side. they are marked so that the oil holes in the caps spray oil onto the opposite side cylinders to keep the pistons from freezing up in the bores and for the off set wrist pins to be in correct alinement.

coarse this is old technology on the oil sprayers and i have been told and do run the hemi i built with out any squirters in the rods since they were reconditioned and the grooves in the rods were cut out. there's enough windage (moving oil) in the bottom of the engine to keep oil on the bottoms of the cylinders.

now if i misunderstood what you wrote and the caps don't match the rods then that is a problem that needs to be fixed, but if you are going to put a stroker kit in the engine then there's no need to worry about the old rods.

[dukeboy_318]

yep im just waiting to see what the machine shop says when i get the block back from magnafluxing.

[dukeboy_318]

double checked and it seems that the #1 and #3 rods were switched.

[SeattleCharger]

no,    don't do it,   it makes you blind   

[firefighter3931]

double checked and it seems that the #1 and #3 rods were switched.

That's nothing to be too concerned about really....both rod/pistons were on the same bank. Sometimes builders will swap pistons into different bores for a better fit and a desired piston to wall clearance. It's not that uncommon when dealing with cast pistons on a re-honed stock (bore) block.

This motor is getting a new stroker kit anyway....isn't it ?


Ron

[dukeboy_318]

true just kinda struck me wierd though

[dukeboy_318]

wanted to update everone, got the motor back from the shop after hottanking and magnafluxing and found otu it is the factory bore, 4.034 and is crack free,  472 here we come

[firefighter3931]

wanted to update everone, got the motor back from the shop after hottanking and magnafluxing and found otu it is the factory bore, 4.034 and is crack free,  472 here we come

excellent news ! 

[Hot_Rodder]

Congrats. Areyou going through 440 Source for the kit? If so, know what kind of compression you're planning on running?

[dukeboy_318]

yeah ill be going through 440source for the kit and when the heads come out ill eventually get a set, im looking to run between 10.5-12 some where in that range to keep it capable of running on pump gas,(93octane) I just need some help deciding what the best head gasket would be, Id like to run a copper one but im worried about leaks, any suggestions

[Hot_Rodder]

The most suggested is Cometic. Here's there link: http://www.cometic.com/domesticauto.aspx. I plan on running one of there head gasket sets, it's an MLS (or so it appears) which I think is supposed to be the best gasket for mounting aluminum heads on an iron block. On a 4.380" bore, this is there listed gasket: http://www.cometic.com/da_viewimage.aspx?da=313 which is hopefully the one I'm gonna run, if I remember right, that's a .030 over bore gasket. There are others too, check there site out.

[dukeboy_318]

cool, ill check them out, thanks hottrodder, im trying to get my notes together and place my stroker kit order here after xmas. then heads later in the spring.  also gonna start on the body work on my vaction here next week, try to at least get the interior stripped out and the car in primer, get the rear quarters cut out and order replacement ones , then im gonna focus on getting the 8.75 under car as well.   

[Hot_Rodder]

I've read some where thtat they may offer the heads with a stoker kit in a package for a money savings offer.... I'm wondering what will come of this... As for interior, I pulled all of mine out, along with the dash and A/C-heater box stuff.... Found some extra work that I was hoping I wouldn't have to do, oh well, that's how things go, got some floor work to do now too.... . Good luck with everything you have ahead of you, keep us posted.

[dukeboy_318]

hotrodder this is what i hope she looks like when done,

[firefighter3931]

If you plan on using MLS (cometic) style gaskets make sure to follow their deck & Head machining recommendations. The surface are has to be properly prepped or you will experience gasket leakage/failure. 

The Felpro permtorque gaskets work fine for any street/strip type build that runs reasonable compression levels....and there is no special surface finish requirements. 



Ron

[Hot_Rodder]

hotrodder this is what i hope she looks like when done,

Looking very nice. Who did the picture up?

[Hot_Rodder]

If you plan on using MLS (cometic) style gaskets make sure to follow their deck & Head machining recommendations. The surface are has to be properly prepped or you will experience gasket leakage/failure. 

The Felpro permtorque gaskets work fine for any street/strip type build that runs reasonable compression levels....and there is no special surface finish requirements. 



Ron

Hmmm.... Didn't know that there were any special requirements for there head gasket, was never told about it. I guess I was supposed to find that out later .

[dukeboy_318]

ds440 did up the picture, its in sublime, ive actually decide to change the color to sassy grass green. like it better

[Hot_Rodder]

ds440 did up the picture, its in sublime, ive actually decide to change the color to sassy grass green. like it better

I'm wondering if one can be done up of mine, but it's a '72 SE with hideaways, and will be triple black, but the black exterior will have Ice Pearls in it from House Of Kolor. Also will tint the windows, I think it would look nice, and yes it will have chrome wheels....

[dukeboy_318]

you could try pm-ing ds440 and seeing if he can do one up for you. thats what i did,    heres one he did of mine in triple black

[Hot_Rodder]

I'll look him up and see what he says. Thanks for the info, and nice looking Charger.

[dukeboy_318]

took it to shop yesterday to have it bored, hopefully to .030 over, also any reccomendations for converter and flexplate in terms of manufacturer also im looking at the MSD 6AL ignition box with the rev limiter set at 7000, any thoughts on this box, good/bad??