Mopar Muscle Association UK

Pete wrote:Understand your position (on your back!! ) - can you get the oil pump off and give it a clean / inspection whilst you are at it....

I dropped that off yesterday to get some access, so will check it as well. That was new (15 years ago).

You certianly get to know what not to bang your head on sliding under the car doing this job, that front spoiler is quite big!

I just re-used an oil pump on a Big Block and the pump had been used for about 10 hours maximum. I was surprised how much sludge it had in it - especially in the pressure relief valve assembly...........

...more importantly, you can check for damage / scoring...........if it IS damaged, I think that it would be a good insurance policy to replace it..........

Pete wrote:I just re-used an oil pump on a Big Block and the pump had been used for about 10 hours maximum. I was surprised how much sludge it had in it - especially in the pressure relief valve assembly...........

...more importantly, you can check for damage / scoring...........if it IS damaged, I think that it would be a good insurance policy to replace it..........

Yes I agree on the pump, fairly easy to check and replace if necessary, and the block can stay in the car!

Yep, I used to appreciate the old '67 Dart where Julie and I could get the motor and trans out in around 40 minutes!!!!

MattH wrote:Not checked the mains, I'm reluctant to pull too much more off.

The big ends are standard, so I dont think I did have the crank ground, it was 15 years ago I put the engine together. I know I had it bored for the pistons.

I am thinking it could be due to standing for so long after the build before running.

I have some standard big end bearings on order, so am thinking to clean and assemble the big ends properly and hope that sorts it. The crank looks good from what I can see.

I hear what Roger is saying about something not quite straight, but I am loathe to go for a full engine out, tear down and regrind etc. I want to drive this car, not lay under it any longer!

If its been stood that long, maybe a bit of corrosion on the journal? That will wreck the bearing.

If your going to pop it back together, id be tempted to try and polish the journal just in case it is a little rough. Just make sure you do it in the direction of rotation or you will make it worse not better!

Do you ever perform the ancient art of "Stringing your Journals" Roger???

Might be easier with the crank in Situ...........

Roger wrote:

MattH wrote:Not checked the mains, I'm reluctant to pull too much more off.

The big ends are standard, so I dont think I did have the crank ground, it was 15 years ago I put the engine together. I know I had it bored for the pistons.

I am thinking it could be due to standing for so long after the build before running.

I have some standard big end bearings on order, so am thinking to clean and assemble the big ends properly and hope that sorts it. The crank looks good from what I can see.

I hear what Roger is saying about something not quite straight, but I am loathe to go for a full engine out, tear down and regrind etc. I want to drive this car, not lay under it any longer!

If its been stood that long, maybe a bit of corrosion on the journal? That will wreck the bearing.

If your going to pop it back together, id be tempted to try and polish the journal just in case it is a little rough. Just make sure you do it in the direction of rotation or you will make it worse not better!

Thanks for the tip Roger. What to Bananarama! with?

can't remeber but the work shop manual suggests a specific abbraisive

Dave

60 grade!!!

Crocus cloth

think thats called a chissel


think you start with 800 and wok up to 1500

you cut a strip of wet n dry

cover the back in masking tape

wrap it round the jounal

then take a wide leather lace put it 1 and a half to 2 full turn round so that both ends exit on the same side and draw it back and forth making sure you get over 1 full turn on]f your wet-n-dry round the journal each stroke.

with practice you can get the wet n dry to only travel under tension 1 way

never done it
read up on it but never done it
strikes me it makes little ref to the bit in the service manual that states that the last polish must be in a specific direction so as not to wear way the bearing face due to the microscopic open grain of the journal being agressivly open and sharp in the direction of motion. think the potential to get it wrong outweighs benefit and satisfaction of having done it yourslef

i'd suggest a trip to le mans has probably polished any corrosion off any way

flat faced big end tri metal bearings oxidise quite nicely in their packet even when still in plastic as i found when i tried to use some 1994 dated ACL branded hemi 6 beraings i picked up from someone.

they needed a bit of brasso to remove a surface that would catch a finger nail in places.... didn't use em in the end.

Dave

Adrian Worman wrote:Crocus cloth

Daffodil underpants!

Emery cloth tape. light oil, beware of embedded grit. Wash with paraffin,dry ,lube fit bearing. Done a few over the years,mainly tractors.

Interesting way to learn.
Bearings said standard on the part number, but some measuring of the crank before I put the standard big ends in and it seemed too small.
Consulted the oracle in Royston (Pete) and after showing him my standard bearings he showed me the printed 0.010 on the back of the shell!

Don't therefore rely on the part number, measure it.

So it appears I did have it ground plus 10.
Measure twice, buy once.

I now have a surplus set of standard big end bearings for small block, half still in the sealed packet, half with no revolutions on them just a trial fit and thumb prints.

i have plastiguaged 2 of the 4 journals, and they are within tolerance, 2 thou and 1.5 thou.

Ill do the others tomorrow morning.

Progress!!!

Crack on and you will soon have it back on the road