Take educated guess?

[ChrycoDUDE]

I pulled the lifter. Damn. The bottom facing the cam has become concave...I don't even KNOW how the hell that happens...and there was a slight ridge around the edge. It didn't just slide out easily. Yes, I know. Bad news.

 

[dieseldazzle]

Ill say it again brother:

Time for a new cam and lifter and to be honest you probably want to look at a few things closer if you keep having flat cam issues with proper break in and lubrication zddp levels etc..such as coil bind, retainer to valve stem clearance etc etc. The valvetrain can drive you nuts if you arent careful.

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Ill say it again brother:

Time for a new cam and lifter and to be honest you probably want to look at a few things closer if you keep having flat cam issues with proper break in and lubrication zddp levels etc..such as coil bind, retainer to valve stem clearance etc etc. The valvetrain can drive you nuts if you arent careful.

Yeh...I've never done a cam before. Plus I've got the a/c system to contend with/get out of the way. I know it is possible to swap the cam without removing the motor....but I've never done it before, so I'm a bit hesitant. I gotta do it though.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Yeh...I've never done a cam before. Plus I've got the a/c system to contend with/get out of the way. I know it is possible to swap the cam without removing the motor....but I've never done it before, so I'm a bit hesitant. I gotta do it though.

Yeah, A/C can complicate things, but you have no choice mate.

You already have intake manifold and valve covers off. Now it's just radiator, ancillaries, water pump and timing case cover...

Think carefully about the cam you want before you leap... Don't just ask here "what cam should I get?" State engine size, other modifications already, car weight/gearing/transmission and intended driving style etc

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Yeah, A/C can complicate things, but you have no choice mate.

You already have intake manifold and valve covers off. Now it's just radiator, ancillaries, water pump and timing case cover...

Think carefully about the cam you want before you leap... Don't just ask here "what cam should I get?" State engine size, other modifications already, car weight/gearing/transmission and intended driving style etc

Yeh, I've already been pondering that question...If anyone cares to give their two point five cents about it, I'm all ears. But first a little background:

It's a 383 cu in motor. The cam that's living in there right now (or was) is a 383/440 magnum grind cam from mopar performance...been in there oh, about 3.5 maybe 4 years. Also its a single key cam, so no double roller timing chain (I wonder if the chain stretched just slightly enough...).A727 Torqueflite transmission, and REAL tall gears out back..something like 2:71 to 1 or something in that neighborhood. I can cruise at better than 100mph all day and the tach will never go over three grand. 650CFM EDDY on top of aluminum Eddy air gap intake manifold. I had someone else install the camshaft way back there. I figured the 383/440 magnum cam was the best choice for my set up. Since it has come out, do you think? Might there be a better choice out there for my combination?

What I'd REALLY like to do is swap out the 383 all together and drop in a 440, but I have a few dollars in the motor already and such would make for difficult sell at headquarters with the "boss"...I could just do it, but my life would be a living hell from here on end, lol...I'm sure you know what I mean.

 

[69roadr]

well i was going to suggest going full roller, till you mentioned the "boss", and "living hell"

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

well i was going to suggest going full roller, till you mentioned the "boss", and "living hell"

Yeh...I want to live in peace, so going hog wild isn't an option. Roller cam would be nice though.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Small cubes and tall gears means don't go silly with cam choice. Magnum cam probably a good choice.

 

[BeatersRus]

so i was right..good to know.
btw,youve already thought of this im sure,but whered all the metal go from that lifter/cam lobe thats wiped out?
into your motor........might be that time,to either freshen the entire thing or drop in a 440....

otherwise,youll be putting in a new cam and the old junk is still in the block....could wipe out even quicker...


also,are you running a Stock convertor?
with a cam change,might be time to think and consider that as well.

 

[zyzzyx]

At this point you Have to pull the cam and use a micrometer to measure all of the intake lobes and all of the exhaust lobes. Check them across the closed valve diameter and across the "Lift" area.
When you found the concave lifter a while back, where did the material from the bottom of that lifter go? I have a great guess! Maybe a complete teardown is in order. New rod & main bearins, and
a new pump. I dunnow, but I like peace of mind! Use a magnet to fish for metal particles in the oil. Keep us posted! We wanna know. Thanks!

 

[Seventy]

I have been following your thread, I am glad you found the issue,
I had a 400 in a 72 barracuda, the car was a mut, didnt put much money into it, speedy paint, rebuilt the motor with a few cans of plasti coat, an aluminum intake and new carb, when I started it up, it had a noise, I pulled the lifters and sure enough, 2 of them had slight concave, so I changed them out... It ran good for about 3000 miles, then my brother took it to a show and on the way there he said it started ticking, he called me and I said, "ehh Im sure its nothing, go to the show and bring it back when you are done", well he did and the next day I fired it up and it definitely had some noise to it, and was skipping like a school girl, sure enough it had a wiped out cam lobe, one of the lifters I swapped, and the other lifter was almost as rough...

I would personally (if budget allows), look into freshening her up, New bearings(rod main cam), cam, lifters, pushrods, rockers, shafts, oil pump, timing set. Thats what I did with the 400, never pulled the motor out, I pulled the pan, radiator, bumper, etc. Parts were cheap, I wanna say I spent $700 on everything including new oil. If its a driver that doesnt get beat on, you should get a good amount of miles out of something like that...

 

[Bb70charger500]

Don't waste any cash buy the same came that's in there and a full gasket kit and a new oil pump(maybe a T chain if need be) pull the entire motor apart and clean everything don't skip anything install your new cam kit and reseal and run the car for a bit and change the oil after a day or two running then do it one more time then let it ride .
Unless you can find another motor on c.l. or something for a good price then just save your penny's for that 440 .I know about the boss deal it isn't easy saying oh by the way I just spent 4k on a new motor for the unnecessary car.
Look around you may get lucky I found a rebuilt 361 for $250 guy wanted to go 440 so I scored the new motor .
Good luck

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Thanks Guys....yeah. I guess there are two scenarios here.....rebuild the 383 or replace the 383. And yes I am budget sensitive (DEAD *** broke) hahaha.

My father n law (before he passed) owned a Plymouth with factory 383 that threw a rod one day. He pulled the 383, found a New Yorker with a decent 440, pulled the motor and dropped the 440 in place of the 383 and was back in business. In essence it was a Chrysler to PlymoutH swap (both cars were c body cars). I would LOVE to do that now...but this was quite a few years ago...well a lot of years ago, maybe 25. I was a wee lad at the time. I know today there are practically no 440 cars to be had at junkyards any longer...they are long gone.
That's what I'd really like to do at this point...and I think maybe it might be less costly than rebuilding the 383 AND I come out with more displacement..AND the heads on the 383 were just cleaned up last fall (new valves, valves seats, 3 angle cut, blah blah).

I know of a reputable engine shop where I might be able to tow the car to and make a swap, prob is finding a decent 440 (or 400) motor to drop in place of the 383.

 

[BeatersRus]

i may be able to help you.
i can get a couple of 440s from friends who arent using them,we buy cores all the time,usually running.
i also have 2 400 blocks,but both of those motors need to be gone thru.
we got those just to keep for someone wanting to build a 451 stroker.

im in western ny,i can even deliver if needed.
heres the only catch,you need to be aware that most of the 440s out there are low compression....

depending on what you want to do,id even do a partial swap for the wounded 383 you have.
if any of this helps you,or interest you,pm me.

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

i may be able to help you.
i can get a couple of 440s from friends who arent using them,we buy cores all the time,usually running.
i also have 2 400 blocks,but both of those motors need to be gone thru.
we got those just to keep for someone wanting to build a 451 stroker.

im in western ny,i can even deliver if needed.
heres the only catch,you need to be aware that most of the 440s out there are low compression....

depending on what you want to do,id even do a partial swap for the wounded 383 you have.
if any of this helps you,or interest you,pm me.

Just PM'd ya.

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Small cubes and tall gears means don't go silly with cam choice. Magnum cam probably a good choice.

Yeh.. I'm thinking that also....just wanted to throw it out there if were to keep the 383.

- - - Updated - - -

Talked to the shop I worked with last fall, cleaned up my 906 heads. Talked about rebuild the original 383 that the car was born with. To rebuild the motor 2300.00, the removal/install is 1300.00 PLUS any misc parts...2, 2 1/2 week turnaround from the day I drop the car off. I'd have to flatbed it there off course. Just want to see what this option would put me after all said and done. They are a very reputable shop. I was way happy with the head job they did, AND it didn't take two or three weeks..got it done in two days flat. I was elated cause other places wanted all sorts of time JUST to clean up a pair of 906s. Nothing fancy.

 

[BeatersRus]

it really sounds like you need a coupla mopar friends to show up and help you out.
they could remove the engine and save you a ton of cash there,
cause thats a bit ridic 1300 just to remove/install Plus whatever they charge you for the motor rebuild.
these old cars,its real easy to swap motors,sounds like they are a bit overpriced...

instead,have the 440 motor built up and Then swap everything out w help from friends.
keep in mind little things,like exhaust,torque convertor and intake specific to 440.

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Where you at with your engine choice ChrycoDUDE?

I'm guessing still sweet talking the boss :notworthy: (I've been there myself :icon_redface

 

[monaco66coupe]

I hate hearing the whole deal, as it brings back bad memories.I feel your pain. A beautiful 68' 383 HP top to bottom. 800 Miles later the cam ate three lifters. All the ground up metal shavings turned into powder, and got into everything. Oil Pump, rings, scratched cylinder walls, on and on. I had to literally rebuild the engine again. The next run-in I made darn sure There was zinc galore,and good oil for break-in and long term use. This happened in 2007, and to this day the 383 purrs like a kitten. Lesson learned, painfully so. Good luck with the repair!

 

[ChrycoDUDE]

Well I am still around. Life gets in the way priorities get shuffled around.......lates: I am trying to remove the harmonic balancer. The damn bolt WILL NOT budge....also Any tricks to keep the motor from spinning? I've tried everything BUT putting a screw driver between the teeth of the flywheel and transmission bell housing. YES, EVEN I am smart enough to say "but won't that break the teeth on the fly wheel"...sheeesh. Oh..and that wrench is just bending that top screw because how stuck that bolt is. This is what's holding up EVERYTHING..I'm trying to get to the camshaft. Any wisdom would be of help.