Engine Builders and Machine Shops...NorCal/Sacramento??

[cr8crshr]

I need some advise as to who/whom one would go to to have an engine machined, built, dyno'd, etc., here in Northern CA. I am having extreme issues with my 383 that was built by a builder who actually built in failures to my build. I have had the engine disassembled and re-built correcting the issues I found, but I am still not able to get it to operate correctly. So I have decided to pull it "AGAIN" :angryfire: and find a reputable and thorough firm to make it right. Don't like the fact that more $$$ is now going to have to be spent, but I am way too deep into this project and want to get "er" done. :blob1: Also a little "Long in the Tooth" now and cannot crawl around like I used to. Need some advise and help and as always, Thanks to FBBO :hello2:

 

[dryheat]

Inquiring minds need to know ... what "failures" were built in?

 

[99ss]

how quick does it need to be built?

 

[69a100]

Trust him with what he says, it's been a royal struggle and a PITA for him. Besides, even talkin about it gets his BP up, best to let sleeping dogs lie.
As for how quick he needs it built? 4 years ago wasn't soon enough, if not longer.

 

[99ss]

Well my builder can take care of it but he wont be quick at all.. at all

 

[Budnicks]

cr8crshr there were a couple I used when I didn't go to Long Beach Area to get my race stuff done, when I lived in Rancho Murieta, I went to a company Precision Machine in Sacramento area, they were OK, did good work, for basic performance/machine stuff {I don't have the address or phone # in front of me, you can Google it} there was a place that did some aluminum cylinder head repairs for me, they did nice machine work {at least use to, it's been a long time now}, called Motor Machine Super Shop in Carmichael area off Fair Oaks blvd., they have a engine & chassis dyno & allot of very cool machines... also I went to Bailey Brothers in Vallejo, they are more Chevy guys, I used them allot when I was racing Sprint Cars, but have great attention to detail & can build any type engine, if need be, or use to any way, but they aren't cheap either... don't hold me responsible, it's been years since I've been to either.... I would say, go to Sacramento Raceway & ask a local Mopar racer who they use or would recommend, these machine shops change people so often, it's hard to recommend a great machine shop anymore... Look around the shop the cleanliness & tools will tell you allot about an engine builder.... GOOD LUCK do your research

 

[cr8crshr]

Thanks guys for the input. Oregon is a tad too far at this point but I appreciate the offers. Budnicks...Stay tuned as I am working this all out and will update as I know more...cr8crshr/Tuck

 

[cr8crshr]

Right at the moment I can not go into complete details but in a nut shell, I entrusted a local machine shop...CA Street Machines in Suisun CA to put it together for me. This actually took place over 7 years ago while I was being deployed and still in service. The owner's Son was all over me to do the work as in the past I only had farmed out my head work to them and he wanted to do the whole job. I had had great success with my past builds...nothing fancy just a stock 383 clean up and slight upgrade of internals...without any glitches. Well I gave in and after getting the motor back, it sat for a few more years while I finished up my AF career and worked on the rest of the resto of my 66 Ply Satellite. When it came time the first time to install the engine it went in great but I could not turn the crank completely. It would stop suddenly one way and when turned the opposite it would do the same. That is in a 360 degree turn. Almost like stop to stop on steering. WTF????!!! Turnes out that the #1 piston skirt was hitting the forward crank counter weight when the piston would bottom out. Crank was a stock 383 crank 10/10 and was the original to the engine. The builder said to just grind down the counter weight to get clearance and press on. Now I'm a novice when it comes to a lot of mechanical things but I didn't feel right about it after doing it. Something in my mind about "BALANCE"??? I subsequently decided to pull the motor and tear it down to replace the crank with another 383 crank @ 20/20. Took it to Bailey Bros here in CA and they suggested I use the replacement crank and put the #1 piston back in and check for clearance. It worked perfectly???
Completed the rebuild and re-installed the engine. Initial fire up went as planned...all though the roller rockers were noisy and I had difficulty at first with the Valve Lashing. John/Dart4Forte was even present at that time and commented on my work as being really neat clean and good. Any way...after some further set backs...power steering pump failures, fuel leaks, etc. I finally was able to get it all back together and ready for the next fire up. Now initial break in had been done so there was no need to completely re-break in the engine although I did follow the same steps as before. So Monday I fire it up and whamo... Rear Main Seal leak. Damn!!! It didn't happen the first or the other 2 times prior to this last Mondays fire up??? This is not a slight leak either. Over 1 1/2 qts on the floor of the garage. Only way to do it correctly is yank the engine and fix it. So that hopefully brings you all somewhat up to date on this. Why am I looking for an engine builder after doing it all myself you ask??? I am still not convinced that the original build done by CA Street Machines was done properly and correctly...ref first crank piston issue...and now I want a reputable, MOPAR knowledgeable engine builder, to go over what has been done, what I have now, what direction I originally planned for this build to be, to include my parts that were put into it. I cannot afford any more set backs with this build as I have come too far and spent way too much $$$$$$...I am sure we all can relate to that statement...to bail on it. It has been an on-going build now for the past 7 plus years and I really want to see it through. But as the clock keeps turning and I am starting to get longer in the tooth if I cannot get this sorted out, then it will have to go so I can move on to other interests in my retirement. Monday I came real close to it....

 

[Budnicks]

cr8crshr what did Baily Bros do to the engine ?? {they use to have a great reputation}.... Also what gets me, is how did the original builders CA Street Machines, assemble the engine, set the valves or rotate the engine with the crankshaft hitting a piston skirt ?? {I'm assuming they assembled it} even a dumb *** rookie would have caught that mistake, during assembly....LOL... {you would think anyway} when going thru assembly, I personally think I would have said the clearances could have been made to the piston skirt also, instead of the crankshaft counterweight{unless the crankshaft is hitting more than just the #1 piston skirt, only in that one area}, that way not effecting the engine balance anywhere near as much, a fraction of gram or two weight, here & there.... I'm sorry to hear you having so many problems, I feel for you after 7+ years I'd be pissed too... are you sure it's the rear main seal leaking & not the oil pan, or gasket ?? or something else more easy to repair.... By the way, if I haven't said it before, thanks for your long Military Service...

 

[69a100]

Hey Budnick- Bailey Bros just turned the replacement crank for him, we put it back together. Ca. Street said that they had to change 1 con rod, just happened to be #1. The problem mentioned, replacement crank fixed that. It's the rear seal,nothing else as I'm the one that discovered it and told him to kill it. It has been a major frustration for him, and me too cause it's in my garage that this project is being done. BTW if you haven't figured, were brothers that camped together till he went to Fla.

 

[cr8crshr]

Thanks Bro for the input. I got some ideas from MOPARTS.com that I have saved. Didn't even think of these...

"It sounds like a oil galley plug has loosen up and is now leaking, one of those behind the converter flex palte. Main seal leaks normally take a long time to leak 1 to 2 quarts of oil, not as much as you found in that amount of time Normally a main seal leak will leak onto the back of the crankshaft flane an be flung out onto the flex plate when the motor is running, if there is no oil on the crankshaft flange the main seal is not leaking It might have a leak from the oil pan gasket or even a oilpan bolt vibrating out of the main seal holder, if the main seal bolt boss has been broken do do somone using a bolt that was to long breaking the top off of the oil pan bolt hole in the main seal holder Lots of gremlins out there especailly for the non Mopar engine builders"

But it will be easier to pull the engine rather than lay on my back on concrete to see about a fix. My ol' back cannot take much more of that. Stay tuned for more updates...cr8crshr/Tuck

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[68X426]

Mopar Engines West in Newark.

http://moparengineswest.com/

 

[Budnicks]

Mopar Engines West in Newark.

http://moparengineswest.com/

Yep the guy who owns Fastman EFI, www.fastmanefi.com , he's also a recent member here on FBBO, also owns that engine machine shop too {in some form or other}, he's a Hemi/Mopar engine expert, he wrote a book on the Hemi Performance Builds etc., I think he doesn't do much of the actual work on the engines at the Newark facility, I think his employees or partners handle it mostly now, I recently met with him, from what he said, he lives up here in the Sonora, Ca. area now, 100+ miles from Newark area down by Fremont, Ca., I think he mainly deals with the EFI specialist support stuff side of his businesses now........ I could be wrong thou, he's a very nice, very knowledgeable guy & a die hard Mopar Drag racer too...... I would like to pick his brain some more, for sure...

 

[Hemirunner]

Most likely, that oil leak is coming from the valve covers or rear of intake and ending up down around the pan if it wasn't there before but is now. I've seen them leak at the valve cover corners, hug the head and follow it all down to end up at the pan back by the rear main seal. They make an ultraviolet oil dye you can put in and find the trace by using a black light on it. Cheap and easy to do. With that volume of oil, it's most likely valve cover.

 

[cr8crshr]

Most likely, that oil leak is coming from the valve covers or rear of intake and ending up down around the pan if it wasn't there before but is now. I've seen them leak at the valve cover corners, hug the head and follow it all down to end up at the pan back by the rear main seal. They make an ultraviolet oil dye you can put in and find the trace by using a black light on it. Cheap and easy to do. With that volume of oil, it's most likely valve cover.

Nope...Not even close but thanks for the input. I have started disassembly of the engine and will pull the engine next week. No leakage from the valve covers, sending units...there are 2...or heads...But thanks any way...cr8crshr/Tuck

 

[Jeremiah]

Another option is Karl's machine shop in Klamath Falls, OR. They put everything on the dyno to make sure there are no leaks, etc if you want. That way the cam gets broken in properly, etc. PM me for the number.

 

[Budnicks]

Try-Valley Machine in Pacheco Ca., just between Concord & Martinez, They used to be be very good also, there was a guy/machinist & builder Manuel, that was a Super Eliminator racer 7.90et class racing, years ago now, the shop was very good, when I used them, but it's been a while, like 10+ years since I've been there now, I have no idea of the status any more...

- - - Updated - - -

There was a guy Named, William "Bill" Stamorjohn {spelling??} in the Sacramento area, that was very good with Mopars also, I have no idea of his status either

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Yep the guy who owns Fastman EFI, www.fastmanefi.com , he's also a recent member here on FBBO, also owns that engine machine shop too {in some form or other}, he's a Hemi/Mopar engine expert, he wrote a book on the Hemi Performance Builds etc., I think he doesn't do much of the actual work on the engines at the Newark facility, I think his employees or partners handle it mostly now, I recently met with him, from what he said, he lives up here in the Sonora, Ca. area now, 100+ miles from Newark area down by Fremont, Ca., I think he mainly deals with the EFI specialist support stuff side of his businesses now........ I could be wrong thou, he's a very nice, very knowledgeable guy & a die hard Mopar Drag racer too...... I would like to pick his brain some more, for sure...

You guys have wasted ENOUGH time time getting jerked off.This is the man to go to,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

The shop that took my block to and had cleaned up checked out and took my stroker kit to make sure everything was balanced was in Livermore,ca Tech Machine(Mike). I did all my own assembly work from bottom to top. The only other shop I have ever had real good experience with is SS automotive in San Leandro, ca They built some motors for me back in the day that were bullet proof no leaks and fired up the first time every time.

 

[cr8crshr]

Pulled the engine today and it is the Rear Main Seal. Galley Plugs and Cam Plug have no leakage either. I went with the Billet retainer in place of the original...which I still have by the way along with a NOS/New one...and have the 440 source seals. Found some other leakage issues which I will clean up also. Just not looking forward to tearing apart the engine..."AGAIN"...but I really have no choice. If this doesn't fix it then look for the car and project on eBay or Craigslist as I am done with the Hobby as I am rapidly loosing all my enthusiasm and it just ain't any fun any more. Believe me when I say this is the last shot after 8 plus years with this on going project. Thanks for all the suggestions and advise. The amount of time spent and the cost of things now will not let me have a shop do it. Stay tuned and thanks FBBO...cr8crshr/Tuck