Freshening up my old 383? What to do?

[PT64POLARA]

Hey guys. My 64 Dodge has its original 383 in it with 63,000 miles. The motor is totally stock except for a Edelbrock carb and Mopar electronic ignition. The car runs well and has very strong oil pressure and compression. It is just feeling a little tired and i have some valve/lifter noise starting. I am debating between freshening up the top end this winter or saving some money and rebuilding the whole motor in a few years. If I do the top end, what do you guys recommend doing to it? It is a street car, so no crazy power is needed, just a little more then what I got.

 

[69 Runner]

When I was in college one of my room mates did a top end job on a guy's early 60's small block Impala. Both he and I advised against doing "just" a top end on this high mileage motor. (if yours is really 63,000 and not 163,000 that isn't high mileage) When the "fresh" motor fired up, it blew the breather off the oil fill tube on the front of the intake.

OK...that was a small block Chevy and NOT a big block Mopar. But for obvious reasons I've never been a big fan of top end jobs on old motors. BUT....that motor (if never apart) probably has the metal head gaskets. Change to the composites (such as FelPro blues) and you will drop your compression ratio about 1/2 point. That should protect your rings.

So what I might do at this point is do the heads. Bronze guides, hard seats, and a nice valve job. I'd also check the cam and rockers for wear since you say there is a noise. If there's a problem I'd install a stock Magnum cam and a new timing set (cause it WILL need it) and new rockers and shafts if needed. That should keep you going for a few years.

 

[rumblefish360]

Yonkers! Hey, up the block and over the bridge, How you doin!

IMO, if the lower end of the engine is good, the basic bolt on's are a nice addition.

If your oil pressure is low and the bottom end needs help, I wouldn't add anything to it. I'd wait on the money and rebuild the short block with a set of zero deck pistons from KB and new rods since rebuilding OE old rods will cost more. Have it all balanced up and your good to go with what ever direction you want to go in.

FYI, just incase you didn't know, you can get a re-po cam from Mopar or upgrade to a simlar cam in terms of lift and duration from Comp Cams or the like. It will aslo add a few HP and lbs/torque withoput adversley effecting driveabilty and mileage.

 

[godfatherofchry]

if you jut have the lifter tap at start up try putting straight 30wt oil in it with a can of additive if you have a split wt oil in this that is more than likely your tap wen that motor was built they didn't have split wt oil just trying to keep you from doing something you don't have to do.if it doesn't smoke oil psi is good and has good compression .????? an oil change is chep compared to what an rebiuld will cost.just trying to help. Artie

 

[Meep-Meep]

First thing I would do is a leak down test. That's the only way to get an idea about the condition of the rings and valves. Let the results drive the direction of what you need to do. Only thing is the continued use of unleaded gas and "spirited driving" will pound out the exhaust seats sooner than later. You can sometimes see which valves are sinking badly by pulling the valve covers and look for the highest exhaust spring retainer as compared to the intake.

Ditto on the above suggestions regarding cam, pistons, etc... if you do a rebuild.