My 6.1 retrofit thread

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Rat Patrol

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Parts have started to arrive so i thought Id document my retro fit of a 6.1 into an Aussie A Body - with a carb conversion.

Indy Modman intake arrived today - here's a pic with my AVS carb and 1/2" Super sucker just stacked on top.

Intake seems to have a very nice finish - Ill know more when I check the port alignment.

Comes with two ported and tapped oil bosses and one ported and tapped vac boss.


Ill have some header pics by the weekend hopefully.


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Nice, I'm going to watch the build, You must be using a 727 trans..

What year a body is that?
 
71 Aussie A body - basically same car thru 76 with engine compression dropping from 72 onwards like in the US.

Yes I'm using a Cope racing Pro Race 727 trans and PTC 3800 stall converter that I had behind my stroked small block before.
 
OK - here's the headers I'll be using -

They are from Street and Performance - appx $600

Chromex coated inside and out - 1 3/4 primaries into a 2.5" collector (would be nicer if it was 3")

Fitting

A trial fit with a Dart running our right side frame mounted steering box showed no interference - but there's no way these will work with a rack.

Not sure about your US steering box but I assume they would have designed them to at least work with the factory set up.

Service was A+.

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There are a few members here that have converted to front steer r&p with a stock k member. I'm also trying to convert mine. I don't like how close the headers sit to the steering box as well as the torsion bars. And I think all th extra room isn't a bad thing.

Aj
 
There are a few members here that have converted to front steer r&p with a stock k member. I'm also trying to convert mine. I don't like how close the headers sit to the steering box as well as the torsion bars. And I think all th extra room isn't a bad thing.

Aj

Unfo our steering box fits in a completely differen location on the right side compared to where the US A body s/box sits...so I can't make a definite call....

That said - itd be pretty ridiculous designing a set of shorty headers that won't fit the type of retro fit application they were designed for - so I'd assume anyone with the factory s/box location would probably be fine.
 
Not a bad crate. yes?

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Off with the harness - Ill be using the MSD Hemi 6 ECU and harness.

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Trial fit of the Street and Performance hot rod headers.

Ideal for this type of conversion as they clear both power steer pumps and our steering box.

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Made some more progress today -

The old and the new.........

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The port match between the Modman and the heads appears to be very tidy - from what I could see.
The copper strip is the gasket edge - so there's no apparent lip (on that side of the port at least)

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Mocked up the carb etc just for a giggle..........Starting to look like a "real" engine already :p

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That's old new, lol, I saw this over on the lx forum, and I like it alot!!!
 
A member asked for some more pics of the headers -

US Drivers side

DriverssideUS.jpg


US passenger side

Passengerside.jpg


US Passenger front

Passengerfront.jpg


US drivers front

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Nice job Rat--Any questions you know where to find me--Swifter
 
Nice job Rat--Any questions you know where to find me--Swifter

Thanks Steve.

Without the help of every regular on here, this would have been pretty much impossible ....us Aussies dont have ready access to these motors to check things- even simple stuff like sensor compatibility with the MSD harness.
 
Can anyone tell me - if the sensor on the side of the block s the oil switch light, what does the other sensor at the front of the block in the pic do?

Passengerfront.jpg
 
this maybe a stupid question but do you by chance have the pass side header on the drivers side? In some of the pics it looks like the bolt holes do not line up?
In the last pic the bolt hole is showing and there is no hole in the flange?

Trevor
 
this maybe a stupid question but do you by chance have the pass side header on the drivers side? In some of the pics it looks like the bolt holes do not line up?
In the last pic the bolt hole is showing and there is no hole in the flange?

Trevor

:shock: #-o......:lol:!!!

You know you're right..I threw them on in a hurry for those pics for you...only used two bolts each side.

That would mean the primaries would drop a little further to the rear than the pics show.
 
Interesting little story - I trial fitted the dipstick last night - it didn't fit.......way too short and the top clip didn't line up with the valve cover stud.

Now I used the 5.7 because Mazzolini was told by Milodon that I should use the 5.7 with their sump - but since then Ive found they make one for the 6.1....

So I called Bob and he's happy to swap it over...and he'll set the guy at Milodon straight.........but be aware, the part # required is MIL-22064.

(pics later)
 
Hey Rat take notice when you put the dipstick in the side of the block,I used a milidon too and thought when i put it in it was tight enough but after running the motor for the first few times,I put a piece of clean cardboard under(to check for leaks) and it was seeping out of where the dipstick goes into the block(there is a o-ring on the end) so I pulled it out and put some high temp gasket maker on and put it back in and I have not had another drip from the motor,it may not happen to you but just giving you a heads up--Steve
 
Hey Swifter - thanks. I agree they are a loose fit...I noticed that last night.

Ill use some "gasket goo" when I get the replacement.
 
PARTS:
Sump - MIL31000,
Pick up - MIL18331
Dipstick and Tube - MIL 22064
Oil Pan bolts - MIL-85025
Oil Pick up support stud - 6506333-AA
Oil Stud Nut - # 6502756
Bearing Cap Bolt - 06506272AA


Its been well documented that you need to use the Milodon centre hump pan and pick up to perform this conversion, but whats not so well known is that you also have to use the Milodon dipstick and the Milodon pan bolts as well.

The factory pan bolts are too long, and the Milodon and other aftermarket pans has no provision for the factory dipstick.....but fortunately Ma Mopar left the dipstick boss right there in the pan rail for us to use!


So -

- Remove the factory pan
- Remove the gasket/splash tray
- Remove the factory pick up
- Remove the small bung in the aussie drivers side pan rail with a small punch. This hole is used to locate the Milodon dipstick


IMG_0885.jpg



First - the #1 main stud and # 3 main cap bolt must be interchanged as the Milodon pick up requires the stud to be at #3.
Unfo - these are 15mm Torque To Yield bolts..and therefore must not be re-used or they'll snap on you.


(You''ll also need a very deep 15mm barrell socket to get over the stud.)


So purchase replacements and simply swap them around. The torque spec is 28nm + 90 degrees for the stud and the main cap bolt.
The pick up bolt and nut are also 28nm (21ftlbs)......BUT NO 90 Degrees!
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Next - fit the replacement Milodon gasket/splash tray. This is easier to use than modifying a factory one.


The Milodon pan has a different bolt pattern and doesn't use the four larger pan bolts - so using their gasket makes things tidier and easier.

NOTE: I modifed the factory one for this mock up - but Ill be using the Milodon piece when it arrives.


NOTE - There are two extra small holes in the corner of the Milodon gasket to match the pan - the corresponding holes are in the block, but may well be filled with RTV as the factory uses RTV to seal four corners of the gasket.

See pics below:

Extra holes
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Gasket /splash tray fitted - note the unused larger bolt holes in the factory gasket at top right of the pic - the Milodon gasket doesn't have these.

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Three - we fit the Milodon pick up - AFTER the gasket. Be extra careful with the bolt and the nut - dropping them will result in a major search and rescue exercise within the engine LOL!!:eek:ops:.
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Last! - we fit the pan! - the bolt tightening sequence is as for any other pan - start in the middle and work outwards.



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I'll deal with the oil filter adapter modification and the dipstick in a later post!



PART ALERT
- You MUST replace the main cap #3 bolt and #1 stud - try to re-use the existing ones and they'll most likely snap.

- You MUST use Milodon pan bolts - the factory ones are too long
- You MUST use the MIlodon pick up

- Its BETTER to use the Milodon splashtray/gasket than to modify the factory piece

- You MUST re-apply RTV in the four locations as per the factory gasket - This seals the small detentes between te timing cover gasket and the pan rail - much like a LA engine.
 
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