Starting the autopsy on the POS 440

[cudaken]

 Well the POS is out. Yanked the steering column and sure came out easyer than going in, I was a little schocked but not by what I found.

People that have been following this jounery of wasted money will know what i was worried about all the long and will know what happend. Boy that extra $700.00 to have the POS short block rebulit 2 times after the first ass hole's sure paid off, NOT!

Have yet to drop the pan, but have yanked the heads, 7 holes look fine. But one does not, want to guess which one?

Yep, number 7! That was the hole I was worried about all the time and was the main reason I had two other shop's pull it a part and double check the 440. I felt a scrathch in that hole when I got it back from the first shop. Every one told me "all it will do is hold some oil". Scott local Mopar guy said it could cause a skirt to break and so far it looks he is right.

Well scrathch is gone, but there are some scuffing on the trust side of number 7 about half way down the bore. Hum, just about where the skirt rides. Will post some PIC Monday and will try to find a  MIC so I can check  the hole as well.

Will pull the pistons as well and look for what is in the pan. Bet I find some fored piston in there.

Sorry if my typing and spelling is wost than normal. But what would you be doing at this point.

               Stock 440 sounds pretty good right now.

                                                       Ken

[CFMopar]

Sorry to hear ken.


Hopefully this all works out in the end. When you go through that much work for something at least it feels real good when its done.

[Chryco Psycho]

could be breaking it in with the timing retarded may have over heated the piston & scuffed the skirt
if I had been there the timing would not have been left retarded during the break in

[cudaken]

 Neil, I was trying to find some local help for that very reason. But with DFS wipping out some cam lops I was more worried about the cam than anything else..

I was thinking the same thing about number 7 as well. The scratch would let more heat down than the other holes and take out the skirt from being retarded.

Well guess there are two ways to look at it.

1 Have a bad hole!

2 Have 7 holes that look fine.

Think at this point, I will look on the bright side.

Will post some PIC later. Battries are dead in the camera.

                                Cuda Ken

[firefighter3931]

It's quite possible the retarded timing-overheating issue caused the problem. Aluminum grows with heat and too much can create a very tight fitting piston. What were the piston to wall clearances Ken ? Mine were installed over the recommended spec to keep things happy inside the bores.

Ron

[cudaken]

 Ron, once again I do not have a answer. Like I said, left it all up to shops to bulid it.

What should the clearances be for forged pistions be, they are speed pro L2266F. Biggest problem this second is finding a Mic so I can check the holes.

I would say "I will let the shop check it" but not this time. Tried the local tool rental, they did not have one, O Rellys, Auto Zone and Alliances none to be had. Bob, the Chevy friend, does not have one the would messuer a 440. Seems 350's use little pistons.

May have a leed on one, will find out Tuesday.

                                  Cuda Ken

[firefighter3931]

  What should the clearances be for forged pistions be, they are speed pro L2266F. Biggest problem this second is finding a Mic so I can check the holes.


                                                 

Ken, according to speedpro the pistons are supposed to have .0015 clearance. One and a half thousandths seems awefully tight to me with a forged aluminum piston. Mine were more like .004 if i remember correctly. A little noisier on startup but it quiets down real quick once the engine reaches operating temp.

Ron

[max]

  What should the clearances be for forged pistions be, they are speed pro L2266F. Biggest problem this second is finding a Mic so I can check the holes.


                                                 

Ken, according to speedpro the pistons are supposed to have .0015 clearance. One and a half thousandths seems awefully tight to me with a forged aluminum piston. Mine were more like .004 if i remember correctly. A little noisier on startup but it quiets down real quick once the engine reaches operating temp.

Ron

Ron is correct, .0005 - .0015 should be the clearance on cast pistons not on any type of forged. .004-.005 would be correct for any type of forged piston coarse those #'s would be dictated by the man of the pistons.

i believe i have .004 clearance on my 426 and it doesn't make any noise when i first start it up.

i would sleeve that bad cylinder and get a new piston for it and then double check those piston to wall clearances and even if they were correct in print i would still open the bores up a bit on them.

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[cudaken]

 Thanks for the answers. Yes all the holes will be checked as well. I now have a MIC and what I think is call a Run out indectaor. Used to check the bore from top to bottom.

Talk with local Speed Shop and they gave me a number to the machine shop they use. Here are the prices I was given.

$100.00 Sleeve block
$45.00 to pressuer was block before and after. Wonder why it need to be done before?
$20.00 To weigh replcement piston and cut to match others
$10.00 To press on to the rod.
$175.00 Total.

Then the there is the cost of gaskets, but think I have most of them.

Will post some numbers Wednesday.

                                        Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

 Thanks for the answers. Yes all the holes will be checked as well. I now have a MIC and what I think is call a Run out indectaor. Used to check the bore from top to bottom.

Talk with local Speed Shop and they gave me a number to the machine shop they use. Here are the prices I was given.

$100.00 Sleeve block
$45.00 to pressuer was block before and after. Wonder why it need to be done before?
$20.00 To weigh replcement piston and cut to match others
$10.00 To press on to the rod.
$175.00 Total.

Then the there is the cost of gaskets, but think I have most of them.

One last questions. As I posted my slugs are Speed Pro L2266F. My extra set are from Brain Sagnasty ill fated 440 Six Pack with 800 miles on them. They are TRW L2266's slugs. They should weigh the same right? I know Speed Pro bought TRW or was it the other way around? But should be pretty much the same piston right? Both are 30 overs, just worried about the weight.

Will post some numbers Wednesday.


                                                           Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

 Humm, have no idea why this got posted 2 times?


                                 Cuda Ken

[Chryco Psycho]

the piston should be Identical , Speed Pro bought TRW 

[cudaken]

 Ney funny Neil.

                                Ken

[max]

Ken, did your problems run over to the board as well

[max]

what the??? now you guys have me doing it

Ken, at any rate i hope there isn't anything else that is wrong with that engine. atleast it sounds like you have the piston you need on hand.

[cudaken]

 Well, one way to look at it, I will have a few more ash trays.

Son of a B-tch, now the Road Runner won't start? What the heck is it with F--king fuel pumps? This one just took a s--t after sitting 4 week?

Think it getting close to a Cuda Ken clearnces sell.

                                   AMX Ken, is starting to sound good to me!

[cudaken]

 Well it looks like the MIC's I had where the wrong kind. Let the sell began.

Pic of the new ash tray, and something looks odd. Well it runs and does not smoke or bang. What can I say.

                                Cuda Ken