Re-Rebuilding the 440-493 in a 1970 Charger

[Kern Dog]

The rod bearings came in yesterday afternoon but I wasn't able to get out to the shop to do anything.
Today though.....

It is interesting how they are a darker color than the other bearings. No matter....as long as they fit and work.
Many members here are experienced with engine building but some are not. Forgive me if my content seems to cover areas that you already know.
When I installed the crank, I checked oil clearance on the main bearings and they all checked out fine. The goal is to be between .0015 and .003. Some prefer to run their engines a bit "looser: with oil clearances in the .003 range. The story that I've heard is that a looser clearance results in slightly less friction at the expense of lower oil pressure. Factory built engines are often built with tighter oil clearances for durability and long life.
I didn't pick either....I just measured what I have and am going to live with it.
To measure oil clearances, the procedure is the following:
Remove the rod cap. Clean and dry so that no oil or dirt remains. Do the same with the crank journal the rod is on.

Cut a 1/2" section of Plastigage from the strip and peel the paper apart to get the wax strip out.

Lay it parallel with the crank....

Put the cap on and torque it to spec. Most stock Big Blocks call for 45 ft-lbs. These Manley rods and ARP bolts call for 55.
Remove cap and take a strip of the Plastigage paper and place it next to the squished wax on the journal.

A closer look. .0015

Pretty tight but I'm going to live with it. The final step is to clean the wax from the rod bearing and crank. I use a rag dipped in gasoline. It worked faster than carb cleaner.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

 

[Kern Dog]

The goal when I had the block in the shop was to be between zero deck and .005 below. I gave the machinist that range based on the difficulty of the surfacing. He has told me that the Mopar blocks are some of the hardest material he deals with. I didn't need him to wear out his stuff if he could get it to .005.

I used a straightedge and feeler gauges...it sure looks close to zero deck to me.

 

[Kern Dog]

Here is where I hit another snag.
I'm not a cheap *** but I do like to re-use parts where I can. I had 2 timing sets that had relatively low miles on them so I planned to use one or the other. Both are Edelbrock #7804 for the single bolt cam I'm using. The first one was sloppy. Not worn out like a 100,000 mile daily driver but too much for my tastes. The second one wasn't much better:

I compare this to the Howards timing set I pulled out. It had the same miles on it that the 528 cam did and it was still tight as a drum. I would have re-used it but it has the 3 bolt pattern.
I called Summit Racing and ordered a Howards double roller in the 1 bolt pattern. They had 7 in stock but.....Like with the rod bearings, they were ALL in Ohio.
Yeah....I'll be sitting here waiting another week waiting on parts yet again.
Oh....
The 7/16" x 14 bolt that retains the cam sprocket...Is the washer beneath it supposed to cover the cam dowel? I lost the bolt and ARP doesn't list one.

 

[beanhead]

Here is where I hit another snag.
I'm not a cheap *** but I do like to re-use parts where I can. I had 2 timing sets that had relatively low miles on them so I planned to use one or the other. Both are Edelbrock #7804 for the single bolt cam I'm using. The first one was sloppy. Not worn out like a 100,000 mile daily driver but too much for my tastes. The second one wasn't much better:
View attachment 1345101View attachment 1345102View attachment 1345103View attachment 1345104

I compare this to the Howards timing set I pulled out. It had the same miles on it that the 528 cam did and it was still tight as a drum. I would have re-used it but it has the 3 bolt pattern.
I called Summit Racing and ordered a Howards double roller in the 1 bolt pattern. They had 7 in stock but.....Like with the rod bearings, they were ALL in Ohio.
Yeah....I'll be sitting here waiting another week waiting on parts yet again.
Oh....
The 7/16" x 14 bolt that retains the cam sprocket...Is the washer beneath it supposed to cover the cam dowel? I lost the bolt and ARP doesn't list one.

The OEM washer does partly cover the dowel; whether that's critical or not I don't know. I do know the factory washer was an oversized hardened piece, with a slight bevel on one side (not quite a 'Bellville' but in the neighborhood).

I saw in your other thread where a good member was offering one...if he can't find it or it doesn't work out for whatever reason just holler, I can getcha one in the mail tomorrow...

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Oh it’s always the little things that kick us in the nuts when we’re on a roll

 

[Outsider]

Used the bearings with the hole in them in the past and they worked fine in my factory steel rods. Got them from some guys I knew that raced an alcohol car, the fuelers also use those for their aluminum rods that have the dowel pins to help retain the bearings under extreme loads.

Glad your project is coming along, but sorry you missed the summer driving, but it will be satisfying and worth it when you are done. After a summer of unusably hot weather for here, the high 90s, the weather seems to have recently changed up in the Seattle area. There are just some test-n-tune races left next month if the weather stays dry enough. Hoping to test out some mods I've been working on; going to electric wp and fan, and there's another convertor I'd like to evaluate before next season.

 

[Geoff 2]

Post #441.
A lot of fine scratches in the crank journals....

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Post #441.
A lot of fine scratches in the crank journals....

Should those have been polished?

 

[4406bbl]

View attachment 1344456

Here is where I hit another snag.
I'm not a cheap *** but I do like to re-use parts where I can. I had 2 timing sets that had relatively low miles on them so I planned to use one or the other. Both are Edelbrock #7804 for the single bolt cam I'm using. The first one was sloppy. Not worn out like a 100,000 mile daily driver but too much for my tastes. The second one wasn't much better:
View attachment 1345101View attachment 1345102View attachment 1345103View attachment 1345104

I compare this to the Howards timing set I pulled out. It had the same miles on it that the 528 cam did and it was still tight as a drum. I would have re-used it but it has the 3 bolt pattern.
I called Summit Racing and ordered a Howards double roller in the 1 bolt pattern. They had 7 in stock but.....Like with the rod bearings, they were ALL in Ohio.
Yeah....I'll be sitting here waiting another week waiting on parts yet again.
Oh....
The 7/16" x 14 bolt that retains the cam sprocket...Is the washer beneath it supposed to cover the cam dowel? I lost the bolt and ARP doesn't list one.

Durabond part number durfkp-2 gets you a new cam bolt, washer, block bushing, dowel pins, and crank key for $8-9 bucks.

 

[4406bbl]

On those Manley rods, are you sure on the bolt torque? My Manleys said 90 ft lbs with 30wt motor oil and do not use moly. I also think the crank is a little rough, but could just be the pics, mine looked that way and I had it polished by another shop. The rod bearing alignment looks off also, just like mine were, I do not know if that is an issue, but I moved and deepened some of the tang grooves. Stock or race bearings would not line up in mine, all other aftermarket rods had no issues.

 

[Kern Dog]

Post #441.
A lot of fine scratches in the crank journals....

I saw that too. They are finer than they appear in the picture. The old bearings looked fine. I can’t feel any ridges by hand and certainly not by a fingernail. I’ve rotated the crank 20 times since then and pulled a cap. No signs of scuffing.
I know that means nothing but I was curious too.

 

[Kern Dog]

On those Manley rods, are you sure on the bolt torque? My Manleys said 90 ft lbs with 30wt motor oil and do not use moly. I also think the crank is a little rough, but could just be the pics, mine looked that way and I had it polished by another shop. The rod bearing alignment looks off also, just like mine were, I do not know if that is an issue, but I moved and deepened some of the tang grooves. Stock or race bearings would not line up in mine, all other aftermarket rods had no issues.

View attachment 1345382

View attachment 1345383

These rod bolts are 3/8”.

 

[4406bbl]

Ok cool.

 

[Kern Dog]

Durabond part number durfkp-2 gets you a new cam bolt, washer, block bushing, dowel pins, and crank key for $8-9 bucks.

Thank you.
Summit lists them but they are 2-3 weeks out.

 

[4406bbl]

I could send you this set if nobody else has it, maybe competition products? Or I can send you a stock one.

 

[Geoff 2]

Rod bolts. There are at least two different grades of steel used, requiring different amounts of torque.

 

[Kern Dog]

The timing set came in today, the bolt and washer from Beanhead arrived yesterday.
I wish that I had the time to work on this. I am busy tomorrow helping out at a car show/swap/drag event. I might be able to squeeze in some time Sunday....
I need to check piston to valve clearance. I understand that there are a few methods to doing this.
I recall the practice of installing light springs on one cylinder and checking every 10 degrees of rotation. I did this when I installed this cam way long ago. I had different pistons then and also had them .012 below deck. These pistons are right at zero deck to .002 below. I simply can't tell, it is that close. The dish in the piston is pretty deep though.

Even way back when I was but a wee young chap, I recall hearing dudes say their engine was balanced and blueprinted. It is such a cliché to hear it nowadays but it supposedly refers to the practice of careful assembly and modifying parts to meet a common standard.
Equal chambers, equal clearances, balanced parts and careful assembly.
I've read about degreeing the cam but have not read much if anything about what to do if the cam timing is out of spec. So many performance timing sets come with multiple keyways to advance or retard the cam anywhere from 2 to 4 degrees so I guess most people just degree and accept whatever the 0, 2 and 4 degree marks offer?
I had a MP '509 that at "dot to dot", it showed to be 1.5 degrees retarded. At the 4 degree advance setting, it was exactly at 4 degrees advanced so I left it there.
This Lunati 316-326 degreed exactly at the 106 centerline when the timing set was at 0. It was exactly at 4 degrees when set at 4 degrees.
I noticed that it idled better and made more power down low and midrange with it advanced. That is what I plan to do this time.

 

[Outsider]

Light test springs and a little clay on top your pistons are your friends to know for sure how clearance you really have.

 

[Wietse]

I used light springs and adjust the crank by 10 deg increments. With a dial gauge on the spring retainer (set properly in-line with the valve stem) you can push down till the valve contacts the piston. The range you find it closest you can redo per degree of crank rotation and by the same procedure you will find the exact position where the valve to piston clearance is closest and by how much.