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LemonWedge 470 build thread

A lot of cams have some advance built into them. A 104LS on a 102 ICL is gonna build some brutal mid range. My 400 Chevy ran a 105 on a 99ICL. It was amazing. Can’t wait to see the outcome.
 
Nice to see it’s together. It will run like a scalded cat! I had to dig into the wedge pics and yep it looks like the same job.
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I like to look at piston to valve with checking springs installed at the #1 cylinder. Bolt the head on with few bolts snugged up and the gasket installed. Then you can move the valves with a finger. Bring it to 10 ATDC. Leave the exhaust valve out and look thru the exhaust port at the intake pocket clearance. You could probably do the same and leave the intake out to check the exhaust but at 10 BTDC. If it's all good put the two #1 cylinder spring back on and send it.
Doug
 
I like to look at piston to valve with checking springs installed at the #1 cylinder. Bolt the head on with few bolts snugged up and the gasket installed. Then you can move the valves with a finger. Bring it to 10 ATDC. Leave the exhaust valve out and look thru the exhaust port at the intake pocket clearance. You could probably do the same and leave the intake out to check the exhaust but at 10 BTDC. If it's all good put the two #1 cylinder spring back on and send it.
Doug

My valvespring tool requires the head off of the block. So can I snug down on my Cometic gasket, back it off again, then re-install on the same gasket. I do have a single left over FelPro .040 head gasket i could also use, so the Cometic is fresh when I torque it down.
also, where can I get springs suitable for this Process? I would think literally anything that will hold the valve closed is fine, what have you used in the past?
lastly, what is the min clearance I’m looking for?
 
My valvespring tool requires the head off of the block. So can I snug down on my Cometic gasket, back it off again, then re-install on the same gasket. I do have a single left over FelPro .040 head gasket i could also use, so the Cometic is fresh when I torque it down.
also, where can I get springs suitable for this Process? I would think literally anything that will hold the valve closed is fine, what have you used in the past?
lastly, what is the min clearance I’m looking for?
Summit (moroso I think) has them.
 
My valvespring tool requires the head off of the block. So can I snug down on my Cometic gasket, back it off again, then re-install on the same gasket. I do have a single left over FelPro .040 head gasket i could also use, so the Cometic is fresh when I torque it down.
also, where can I get springs suitable for this Process? I would think literally anything that will hold the valve closed is fine, what have you used in the past?
lastly, what is the min clearance I’m looking for?
No problem with using the Cometic. The current motor was done that way. I've even reused them 3 times after running. Using the Fel-Pro would be close enough. Your actual clearance would even be greater with the thicker Cometic. I just got generic hardware store springs about 1"diameter 2" long. Just so they hold the retainer up.
Doug
 
Another random bit is if you are using a Hydraulic cam. Try to find a solid lifter to use for checking. I always had 2 solids I kept for checking due to the soft springs some lifters have. It can throw off your low lift numbers if you're not using the soft checking springs. Solids on a hyd cam let you check with stock springs in place.
 
We had a productive night in the shop last night. Some good news, and more hurdles to jump.
First the good news: I used some simple hardware store springs and mocked up #1 with a couple of length-check pushrods I have. The tightest spot I have is on the intake side @ 9* ATDC; .122”. On the exhaust side it was also @ 9* BTDC; .234”. Andy F’s book calls .100” the minimum with steel rods, so I think we’re good to go on the P to V measurement.
I could see through the exhaust port that the exhaust valve fits nicely into the piston relief. I couldnt see the intake (didn’t remove the exhaust valve as per Doug’s recommendation), but I measured the valve relief against the TF 2.19” valve. It looked large enough. When I push both valves down against the piston, they land at exactly the same ht, intake and exhaust. This tells me the the valve must be in the pocket, since the Icon pistons reliefs are at the same ht.

On the flip side of the coin and as expected, My current 3/8” 440Source pushrods are too short. I mocked up a new length with my length check pushrods, but I don’t have a cup-tip that fits them, so I just used the end of the smallish rod as the cup. I’m not sure exactly how to accurately decipher the difference between this and a properly cupped tip, so while I’m sure I can be close, it does leave a little doubt in my mind.

sidebar: I assume with ball-end adjuster studs, the optimum location of the stud is with the thread barely showing at the bottom For maximum thread engagement, but minimum extension of the ball. Am I correct?

Checking the sweep of the rockers on the valve tips; the rocker roller wheels contact point starts at about the center of the valve, possibly inside of center, moves to not quite 2/3 toward the outside at mid lift, then finish back slightly inside center again at max lift. it’s not optimum, but I don’t believe it’s problematic and I’m going to send it.

Lastly, I learned that my rocker shaft stud kit that worked nicely in my Stealth heads does not fit with these TrickFlow heads. They are too long at the oiling locations, and too short at the blind locations. I cobbled some stuff together last night for the needs at hand, but I’ll have to get a new stud-kit. It’s amazing how these little things add up. $$$$$.

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When ordering pushrods, my Thoughts are to stay away from oil-through units, as a way to divert more oil to the bottom end. My lifters do oil through the cup, but I’m thinking that’s where I would like the lifter galley flow to end. The rockers have an oiling hole at the pushrod side to spray onto the cup & ball. I think that will be sufficient for that area.
Thoughts?
 
When ordering pushrods, my Thoughts are to stay away from oil-through units, as a way to divert more oil to the bottom end. My lifters do oil through the cup, but I’m thinking that’s where I would like the lifter galley flow to end. The rockers have an oiling hole at the pushrod side to spray onto the cup & ball. I think that will be sufficient for that area.
Thoughts?
——
For what it’s worth, both my wedge and hemi have oil-through pushrods from Smith. My wedge has the Victor MW heads with Hughes rocker system. Looking good over there LW.
 
Oil thru are fine as long as the hole is small. I ran .090" and it killed pressure. Those push rods now have roll pins pressed in. The orifice is now about .050" (still probably to large) but it works fine. Make sure you have room for the pushrod cup to clear the under side of the rocker in all lift positions. Also check the clearance with the valve closed between the retainer and rocker. A piece of .060" fishing line works well. If it pulls through the clearance is good.
Doug
 
Uggghhhh……….
Smith Bros is 4+ weeks out. Manton can get it turned around quickly, but they’re $120 more.

What to do.
 
Doug and Mike, what oil pump do you guys use? And how elaborate is your oiling modifications? My setup is pretty rudimentary, with simply a Melling HV pump, and deep pan and windage tray. Everything else is stock. Thus my thoughts of limiting oil to the upper end. This thing is gonna spin, and I don’t want to starve the bearings.
 
Doug and Mike, what oil pump do you guys use? And how elaborate is your oiling modifications? My setup is pretty rudimentary, with simply a Melling HV pump, and deep pan and windage tray. Everything else is stock. Thus my thoughts of limiting oil to the upper end. This thing is gonna spin, and I don’t want to starve the bearings.
I was going to mention, guess I should have. Melling HV pump. Milodon pan and 3/8” tube pick up. No other mods made to the oiling. Oil pressure is 60-70, rock solid and zero issues. I also run a #4 line to my oil pressure gauge so it’s instantly accurate.
** also run the same Melling HV pump on the hemi but with the external oil line to the pickup.
 
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May be overkill. Melling HV pump body and gears. Indy cover single line external feed. Swinging pick up. Johnson Crank scraper. Charlies trap door pan. Screen windage tray.
Doug

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Nice setup indeed. Like everything else with that car….. TOP NOTCH! Reassuring to know that the same Melling pump I’m using is keeping that beast happy.

Manton Pushrods for the win. A set of their Series 5 - 3/8” x .095 wall heat treated sticks is on order. 3-4 days mfg time plus shipping time and they’ll be here.
 
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Again for me maybe overkill 7/16"×.165" . Best Machine built a friends motor with a similar cam to mine. It has 1/2"
Doug
 
I‘m happy to report that I‘ve decided on a path for a refresh of the LemonWedge bullet that will hopefully take place this coming off-season. This will be a budget friendly deal, but should still yield some strong results. The current 452” 400 will be stroked to 471 (4.382 x 3.915). Ill be needing some help with questions and verification of various things here & there, so I’m starting this thread as a place to reach out to guys with experience where mine is lacking.

Build plan: I’ll be re-honing the current bore and reusing my current flat top 1.322 pin ht Icon pistons. They will be hung on new 6.700 rods, and we will offset grind my current forged RB crank out to 3.915, or whatever puts me at 0 deck. Compression should end up just a tad north of 11:1. Heads will be untouched for now; MCH ported and prepped Stealths. Intake and carb will also be the current M1 and 1000cfm annular 4150.

I decided on stepping up to a solid roller this time around, and have already been working with Howards on valvetrain parts. My order is already in for the following cam, lifters, and valvesprings:
Howards Cams 722323-08 Howards Cams Steel Billet Mechanical Roller Camshafts | Summit Racing
Howards Cams 91735
Howards Cams 98816 Howards Cams Pacaloy Mechanical Roller Valve Springs | Summit Racing

Luke at Howards was great to work with. We ran into a stumbling block with the springs, but he was able to find a path that works with new “+.100” retainers to get me the required nose pressure while working with my existing valves Installed ht. With my current 1.6 ratio rockers, lift will be pushed to .660, after lash. I’m pretty excited about this rowdy new valve train combo.

First question I have is for anyone that has worked with a set of 440Source Aluminum Main Caps: My block is already studded, and currently utilizes stock caps. Even though this isn’t a long stroke, I want to strengthen the bottom end of my 400 block to deal with the extra strokes leverage at 6800rpm, which is what I currently trap at and shouldn‘t change. My machinist says that new caps will likely need a mainline bore, a thrust machining process, and machining of the block register. He’s telling me these processes are expensive and push my budget. He doesn’t feel the aluminum caps are necessary.
440source claims their caps should be usable with a simple mainline hone, and possibly some sizing of the caps register width.

Q: who is right? and are the aluminum caps a worthy investment for a build targeting approx. 625hp.
I used 440 Source Main Caps plus their Girdle on my 505" in my 66 Coronet, over 150 runs AND 10.04 at 130.51. No problems. I sold it to a fellow in Denmark several years ago and he has been driving it to car shows, etc for years with no iissues.
 
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