383 project: The tear-down

Although there was a 4 Bbl intake on this motor, I think it was added by someone. This was a 383 2bbl engine, here's a 9.2:1 piston.....383 4Bbl was 10:1 Flat top, right guys?

[attachment=0:10hsc29g]383 piston.jpg[/attachment:10hsc29g]


Actually, this motor was definately a 383 2Bbl.
VIN# XP29G9R****** The "G" for the fifth character is the 290hp 383 1- 2 BBL
 
A couple more....

[attachment=2:1q9oykdg]383 Mains.jpg[/attachment:1q9oykdg]

[attachment=1:1q9oykdg]383 Cam.jpg[/attachment:1q9oykdg]

[attachment=0:1q9oykdg]383 Front.jpg[/attachment:1q9oykdg]
 
roadrunnerh said:
Although there was a 4 Bbl intake on this motor, I think it was added by someone. This was a 383 2bbl engine, here's a 9.2:1 piston.....383 4Bbl was 10:1 Flat top, right guys?
Click to expand...

Correct
 
Looks like fun, Harry. :thumbsup:
Nothing better than building an engine. Well, nothing better automotive-related... :D

Judging by your "383 mains" photo, you must be a graduate of the "Stuart Sutton School of Photography"... :lol:

If you've ever seen the pic of the dash in Stuie's Birdible then you know what I'm talking about...

:jester:
 
ACME A12 said:
Looks like fun, Harry. :thumbsup:
Nothing better than building an engine. Well, nothing better automotive-related... :D

Juding by your "383 mains" photo, you must be a graduate of the "Stuart Sutton School of Photography"... :lol:

If you've ever seen the pic of the dash in Stuie's Birdible then you know what I'm talking about...

:jester:
Click to expand...
Stuies feet look bigger :lol:
 
69hemibeep said:
roadrunnerh said:
I was modeling my New Balance shoes.... :jester:
Click to expand...
At least you didn't try and bust into Ray's hand modeling :lol:
Click to expand...

Hey! You're the fancy-dancy hand model! I'm just a lowly hoarder... :lmao:

:jester:
 
so....you guys with rebuilding motors experience, how much can you tell, if at all, whether #3 main bearing was pounded? It looks good to me, but I don't have the experience to tell.

My untrained opinion, this motor looked like it could be dropped in and fired up. Nothing looked that wasted, except the cam showed what I believe to be wear (kinda burned on the lobes).
 
roadrunnerh said:
so....you guys with rebuilding motors experience, how much can you tell, if at all, whether #3 main bearing was pounded? It looks good to me, but I don't have the experience to tell.

My untrained opinion, this motor looked like it could be dropped in and fired up. Nothing looked that wasted, except the cam showed what I believe to be wear (kinda burned on the lobes).
Click to expand...
Bearing surface looks fine, a few particles embedded in them no pounding. Would need side pics to look at end wear but that's checked with feeler gauge. If you still have the soft silver colored bearing material on the sides like the crank surface your good.
 
69hemibeep said:
roadrunnerh said:
so....you guys with rebuilding motors experience, how much can you tell, if at all, whether #3 main bearing was pounded? It looks good to me, but I don't have the experience to tell.

My untrained opinion, this motor looked like it could be dropped in and fired up. Nothing looked that wasted, except the cam showed what I believe to be wear (kinda burned on the lobes).
Click to expand...
Bearing surface looks fine, a few particles embedded in them no pounding. Would need side pics to look at end wear but that's checked with feeler gauge.
Click to expand...

Once again Brother Bob beats me to the punch... :lol:
 
roadrunnerh said:
so....you guys with rebuilding motors experience, how much can you tell, if at all, whether #3 main bearing was pounded? It looks good to me, but I don't have the experience to tell.

My untrained opinion, this motor looked like it could be dropped in and fired up. Nothing looked that wasted, except the cam showed what I believe to be wear (kinda burned on the lobes).
Click to expand...
if it was my motor i would bring it to a machine shop and have him boil it out.....then have him check the bores....then have him true up the crank and check it for balance....new rods and rod bolts.rings/bearings/mains.balance the whole rotating mass..if the bore works for the pistons use them.....new cam/timing chain/new lifters/new oil pump/new fuel pump rod/new distrib/oil pump shaft.....check head for straightness/valve job and new springs for that cam......all new arp bolts/freeze out plugs.....etc.etc....then run the balls of it :D
 
Thanks guys! Hey George, I've been looking at the Eagle Hbeam rods....
What do you guys think? Balance,check original rods or buy new?
I called Pittsburgh Crankshaft and it seems as if I am half way into new rods $$ by getting these checked.....
 
I've also been looking at the KB Hypereutectic Pistons. Any feedback?
I've been reading and listening and wonder about the Mopar Performance 509 cam.
 
Padding post count? :jester:
Oh, and just to add clarity.....I am gonna pull the numbers matching motor in my car.
I didn't want my first engine rebuild to be the original motor.........

In years past, I would take my car to Pittsburgh raceway (formerly Keystone raceway) and I have run 14.20 - 14.40's on the original motor. I don't want to beat it as it has just a hair over 100K. This rebuilt 383 motor would be something I could run without worry of scattering the original motor - and something I could pound into the low 13's (what I'm shooting for)
 
Harry, you need to have the block checked out by a competent machine shop before you do anything. They will evaluate cylinder wall wear and taper, and then advise how to proceed. At a minimum it will require being hot-tanked, honed, and will have to have new cam bearings and freeze plugs installed. You cannot install the cam bearings yourself with the appropriate equipment.

Having 40+ year old rods resized will cost almost as much as buying a new set...some shops will even charge more than what a new set goes for. Shop around and get a good set of H-Beams. Ignore any drunken, late nite, ebay shopping urges to pull the trigger on any of the SIR rods, no matter how good the deal looks. They are junk.

Hypers are okay for a budget build. I prefer forged in anything I build, but I have run hypers before and don't have anything negative to say. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for cylinder wall clearance and ring end gaps for whatever you end up with.

The MoPar Purple Shaft cams were great about the time that you were in junior high school. Cam technology has advanced by leaps and bounds since then. Would you consider a Tandy TRS-80 if you were shopping for a new home computer? I doubt it. Don't put a Tandy TRS-80 bumpstick in your engine. Look at the Comp Cams Xtreme Energy line or the Lunati Voodoo line if you're sticking with a hydraulic flat tappet which I assume you are. There are about 100 threads on this site alone about camshaft selection for a street car. Do a search and read up on what has already been written.

I'm sure you'll have more questions for us, but I think I have covered the ones that you posted most recently.
 
69hemibeep said:
roadrunnerh said:
so....you guys with rebuilding motors experience, how much can you tell, if at all, whether #3 main bearing was pounded? It looks good to me, but I don't have the experience to tell.

My untrained opinion, this motor looked like it could be dropped in and fired up. Nothing looked that wasted, except the cam showed what I believe to be wear (kinda burned on the lobes).
Click to expand...
Bearing surface looks fine, a few particles embedded in them no pounding. Would need side pics to look at end wear but that's checked with feeler gauge. If you still have the soft silver colored bearing material on the sides like the crank surface your good.
Click to expand...

The thrust surface is best checked as you are taking the engine apart. It's a little late now, but you'll want to check it when you assemble the shortblock.

With the crank in the block and all the caps down and no rods, I put a dial indicator on the end of the crank and using that big Craftsman screwdriver we all have and never use to unscrew anything, I pry the crank back and forth and measure end play. Spec is .002 to .007 with a max of .010". (per the service manual)

Buy a cheapie 1" travel indicator with a magnetic base. You'll need this for other tasks down the line anyway.
 
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