Mopar Muscle Association UK

As you know it all started last year with my one and only attempt at a pass at the Nats, thanks to 5th Gears Jonny Smith talking me into it and giving me his track pass.

Anyway a quick recap, this was the result......

3 rocker locking nuts (cheap Chinese proform crap) on the left bank came off causing the pushrods to smash into the rockers damaging the rockers and bending themselves at the same time.

Okay so fast forward to March this year. when I finally got around to looking at the car. Only need a new set of Roller Rockers and Pushrods, not too bad..........or so I thought. Off I go gets me new Rockers and Pushrods, fitted 'em lovely.

Comp Cams Ultra Pro Magnum Roller Rockers and Comp Cams .080" Push Rods 7.55"

Feeling very pleased with myself, nice new Rockers fitted, I thought I know, might as well change the plugs and give it an oil change and i'll be on me way........Wrong! This is when it all started.

Change the plugs I thought.........Second from last one to do F,me this is tight. Bang! ratchet went flying, that didn't sound good. And this is why.

You Bugger I thought.

Head off and broken plug still in, no way I was getting that out thread f'kd anyway. So off it went to machine shop to get plug out and a new thread insert put in.

Okay so now I have to do the head gaskets, not a problem. Have to do both sides so off comes the other head, but not quite that easy, which it wouldn't be coz its me.

Rounded off head bolt no way can I get anything on it, out comes the drill. Lump hammer and cold chisel sorted that out.

Heads off now, and what do we have here? A bit more damage than first thought, Piston Bananarama! the valve. This happens to be on one of the cylinders the rocker got damaged.

As blue pointed out on a different post with this pic, something don't look right.

A closer inspection was to reveal all. 4 Bloody pistons have been put into the wrong cylinders, 2 on each side. The piston reliefs are on the wrong side to the relevant valves, the larger inlet valves are trying to fit into the smaller exhaust valve relief. (Some engine builder he is) All 4 have contact marks on the pistons.

The Keen eyed amongst you will see the deliberate mistake. 1 and 4 need to be swapped over I have pre marked them to the cylinders they will be swapped to. The exhaust reliefs should be at the far ends of the head, not the inlet as they are in this pic

And on the right side.

And people wonder why I am not rushing into buying another old Mopar.

Stick with it mate.

And whilst stripping the Engine I came across this. Im not too fussed about the chain coz if I change the cam it would be wise to replace the chain anyway.

Nothing wrong with old Mopars, ... I rebuilt both the 340 and 440, and ran them on WOT for 10yrs with NO problems (almost, the ones I put together anyway)....sadly this is another horrific case of someone putting an engine together with blindfolds on!!, and using cheap parts where it matters.

I'm sure you'll put it together well and come back with a pucker running motor Carl.

If there's anything you think I may be able to help on, don't hesitate to ask.

Les

Les Szabo wrote:Nothing wrong with old Mopars, I rebuilt both the 340 and 440, and ran them on WOT for 10yrs with NO problems (almost, the ones I put together anyway)....sadly this is another horrific case of someone putting an engine together with blindfolds on!!, and using cheap parts where it matters.

I'm sure you'll put it together well and come back with a pucker running motor Carl.

If there's anything you think I may be able to help on, don't hesitate to ask.

Les

Dead right Les, just a shame when some hard working bloke saves, waits, puts his hard earned into a car and then it come apart like a cheap watch
Stick with it Carl it'll be worth it in the end mate

interesting thread, keep at it mate

Thanks for all your encouragement guys im not giving up yet, its been a very long time since I done anything like this, im a bit rusty but enjoying it... at the moment, but could of done without it to be honest, but on the other hand its a blessing seems fate has brought me here for this reason.