Let us know how it goes putting the engine in with the headers on, i'm bolting together a 383 also and i have the Schumacher headers for it and i was wondering if i will be able to put the engine in with them bolted on.
New 383 Build for My Son's '68 Dart
- Thread starter Reddartowner
- Start date
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younggun2.0
Well-Known Member
it will drop right in. i installed my engine/tans combo with the headers installed. i just pulled the steering column out and it all dropped right in. i put the car up on ramps in the front and had my dad lower the engine in while i was under the car tilting the trans down. just go nice and slow. it will all fall into place. I also recommend leaving the motor mount bolts loose on the block. drop the motor in and then snug up the bolts. that allows more "wiggle" room.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Out with the old......
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Do you think its possible to do the install with the steering column in place..?? We have to pull ours anyway to do a power steering conversion, but we were going to install the column before the new motor goes in...
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Got a little more done tonight. Got the old manual steering box and steering shaft out and the new power steering shaft in. Will try to get the K-member notched tomorrow and welded/cleaned/repainted over the weekend. Then we'll install the new Steer n Gear power box......
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Well, finally got all the little jobs done, trans tunnel cleaned and painted, and the power steering is in. Will probably try to install the enigne/trans this Friday, as my son has off, and courtesy of the US Gov't, so do I......
Photo of the new Steer N Gear box installed.
Photo of the new Steer N Gear box installed.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Installation Day !!!! First thing we figured out was it would be much easier if the heater motor wasn't in the way of the right MP valve cover, so we removed the heater motor and plenum. It's Florida... how often are we gonna use a heater..? Seriously though, we're planning to install an aftermarket heat/air system anyway. Had to remove the right side header because it was hitting the torsion bar during the install. Once we got the engine in far enough that the left header cleared the p/s box, we re-installed the right header and lowered the engine the rest of the way. Also had to shim up the engine 1/4 inch to get the oil pump to clear the left engine mount. Still need to do all the usual connections, but at least its down on the mounts.... Yay !!!
txstang84
Well-Known Member
Awesome!
Looks good in there!
That's what she said last night.
That's what she said last night.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Latest update: We've been busy hooking up the various connections, re-routing some wiring, fabricating a new exhaust system, etc, etc.... Our OEM trans dipstick tube leaks badly, and it was hard up against the firewall, so we ordered a Lokar flexible dipstick tube. Also waiting on a radiator fan, since ours has seen better days, and the flex fan we ordered first arrived with a big label on it to not use on engines over 250 C.I. or for high performance/hp engines. Also decided to file off a corner of the p/s box that was touching a header tube. And we found a leak on the p/s return fitting, so we replaced the o-rings and will try again on that one. The p/s pump can be primed nicely using a drill and an old belt...... Hopefully, we'll start the engine this weekend....
Nice going,all downhill from here.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Well, we ran into another fit issue. Looks like the small block Champion rad we have doesn't fit because the inlet is in the center and the fan won't clear. So we're going to bite the bullet on a new 26 inch 3 row Champion with the inlet on the passenger side where it will clear. So we're down for another few days while we wait for the rad to come in....... My son is going nuts with the delays.......
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
It Lives...!!!!!! Got it started up this afternoon, with a few small issues. The secondary needle/seat is won't seal off, so the secondary boosters leak fuel, and we need to adjust at least one rocker based on the noise from the valve covers. But other than that, it fired right up and we ran in the cam for 15 minutes with no problems. We'll pull the carb and clean and check it next, and retorque the heads, and see if we can figure out which rockers need adjustment. If I can figure out how to upload a video, I'll do that.....
txstang84
Well-Known Member
Awesome!
Congrats. Awaiting the video.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Well, we took the carb off once it cooled a bit, and sure enough there was a chunk of gasket material stuck in the secondary needle. Don't know how we missed that, but we did. Cleaned it out and the carb is back on the motor. We'll retorque the heads tomorrow and set the base timing and idle. Don't think my son will need the radio much anymore..... at least until we add tailpipes or something..... Uploaded the video to You Tube, but its still "processing". Will post the link when its done.
Awrite!
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Here's the video... Not very exciting, but we'll work on a better one once the engine's dialed in.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WytQEIltzmQ&feature=em-upload_owner"]383 Start and Run In - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WytQEIltzmQ&feature=em-upload_owner"]383 Start and Run In - YouTube[/ame]
txstang84
Well-Known Member
Mmm-me likey! Looks great sitting in there and sounds pretty damned good to me. That ought to be a fun cruise machine!
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
Ran it in for another 10 minutes last night and started working on the idle quality. It's definitely sensitive to float level. Right now we're at about 10 deg BTDC idling at 700-800 rpm. We'll play with the idle screws and float levels to see if we can improve any, but its not bad now. Cooling at idle is definitely going to be an issue. We'll have to get a shroud, because at idle not enough air is being pulled through the rad and the car slowly heats up. With the motor running above idle (like during the run-in), cooling wasn't an issue, so its definitely air flow. We also need to take it out and see how it drives and how the trans shifts....
Nowhere near enough initial timing. Probably why it's heating up.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
What would you suggest ? This is a 10:1 engine with 8.2:1 dynamic CR...
14-18,should be close. Remember to check the curve@3000. Looking for roughly ,34-38 degrees total,vacuum advance hose unhooked.
Reddartowner
UCF Alumni....Go Knights!
A little update. My son's been driving the car to school every day. Had to install a shroud so it would idle in traffic without overheating. Still a little finicky about that, but workable. Might go with a slightly smaller water pump pulley to up the pump and fan speed at idle. At anything above idle its cool and happy. Running 14 degrees initial which it definitely likes. Still need to check total timing to see if and how much vacuum advance we can dial in. The car has a resonance at 11-1200 rpm that will set off the shock sensors of cars in neighbor's driveways as he idles by.... CHIRP...CHIRP....CHIRP... Above that its fine. After a couple tanks of gas, it looks like its getting about 8 mpg in town, including a lot of sitting in the school parking lot waiting in traffic. I'd say that's not too bad.... Haven't taken it on a longish trip yet to check highway mpg. We'll try to get another video uploaded once we've got everything dialed in completely.
Thanks to everyone for all the help and advice during this build......
Oh, and here's a photo of the completed, running installation...
Thanks to everyone for all the help and advice during this build......
Oh, and here's a photo of the completed, running installation...
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