Tips for starting engine on the ground

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MopaR&D

MopaR&D

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So I'm close to getting my cousin's 440 ready to fire up and break in the new cam. My plan is to set it on the ground and hook it up to the old 727 we pulled out of the same car the 440 came from ('72 Polara).

First, if I make sure the transmission is in the Park position, do I still need to have the cooler lines hooked up to keep trans fluid from gushing everywhere? Also do I need to put something in the tailshaft to keep it from spinning around?

Second, electrical stuff... I'm using the Mallory HyFire 6AL that was also in the car with a factory electronic distributor. If I charge up a battery will it have enough juice to run the engine for the 25 minutes I need to break in the cam? If not can I hook up my manual 10-amp charger while the engine is running? I have an alternator but would rather not bolt it on unless I need to.

Last, cooling. I have the new aluminum radiator my cousin is going to use in his car. If I just hook up the rad and use a box fan to push the air through with a container of water to splash it when it gets hot will that suffice? I have the old water pump bolted up of course but an engine fan seems not totally necessary...?
 
I would at the very least build something to set it on, even if it is a 2x6 wooden frame of some sort. Support engine and trans and keep it level.
 
Sure thing Bruce, for support I'm putting some wood blocks on the floor and using two jackstands where the bottoms of the old mounts will sit, I mocked it up to make sure the stands have a solid spot to hold the engine up without slipping off.
 
Put it in a rimless tire. Dont need the trans.
I would never do this to break in a new engine though.
This is the sort of thing you do when checking out a cheap craigslist 440
before you hand over the 200 bucks.
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
Sure thing Bruce, for support I'm putting some wood blocks on the floor and using two jackstands where the bottoms of the old mounts will sit, I mocked it up to make sure the stands have a solid spot to hold the engine up without slipping off.
Click to expand...

I think I would want something a tad more solid than that. Vibration and all. You'll have your hands full breaking it in, let alone chasing it around the garage, lol.

Some sort of cheap home engine cradle fashioned out of wood should suffice, with the ability to lash it down via the mount areas on both sides.
 
Shoot definitely more work but glad I checked with you guys first, if there is vibration from a misfire etc. it definitely could kick off the stands, come to think of it if I give it a big whack of the throttle it'll probably jump right off the driver-side one lol. I'll have to take a look at the mounts to see where the wood should come to; I'm guessing it would be easier to have it contact the block vertically because the slope of the mount brackets would require a support going down the other side of the "mount" block to support it sideways. Or... I could get the K-member from the car and bolt it up to that and have a dolly or something underneath? That was the original plan it was just tricky to get the K bolted up the engine while it's hanging on a stand or on the hoist.
 
Something to this effect. Where the engine can sit down in the cradle, with cross pieces to help keep it upright, and fasten the mounts so it sits still. You would want it long enough to be able to put a support under the trans as well.

I would build it out of 2x8's or 2x10's, whatever is deep enough to allow it to sit down on the oil pan rails with the oil pan in place.

18504d1309705345-wood-engine-cradle-67gt500_2051_bf.jpg



This pic is just to give you a mental picture of what I speak of.
 
You should be fine, just don't rev it up or it may roll over. A big block will set flat on the ground with a transmission, done it a few times with unknown engines. lol
 
1970 La said:
You should be fine, just don't rev it up or it may roll over. A big block will set flat on the ground with a transmission, done it a few times with unknown engines. lol
Click to expand...

He's gonna have to rev it up to break it in, no?
 
Bad Sport said:
Something to this effect. Where the engine can sit down in the cradle, with cross pieces to help keep it upright, and fasten the mounts so it sits still. You would want it long enough to be able to put a support under the trans as well.

I would build it out of 2x8's or 2x10's, whatever is deep enough to allow it to sit down on the oil pan rails with the oil pan in place.

18504d1309705345-wood-engine-cradle-67gt500_2051_bf.jpg



This pic is just to give you a mental picture of what I speak of.
Click to expand...

AHH that's a thousand-word pic right there lol. I was thinking something way more complicated than that, I could put one of those together in a half-hour. Only downside is I will have to lift it up again to drain and check the oil afterwards. I can strap down the mount to one side of the long front horizontal plank and the length of it will act like a lever keeping the "sled" from trying to twist and lift up.

And yes I'll be revving it up not only for break-in and initial tuning but also for my own amusement lol. I do intend to make a video of it my phone camera has pretty nice sound quality. Just to "pique" your interest it's a 8:1 (measured) '72 440 with freshened stock 346 heads (VJ, light deck cut, new springs & hardware) and a mid-range Howards cam, forget the specs off the top of my head but it will have some chop for sure. I have a thread on it in the Big Block forum it's going in my cousin's '71 Satellite/Road Runner project in front of a 4-speed and 8 3/4 with 3.55 gears and SG.
 
A manual bell and a flywheel needed.
I would not trust any wooden pos.


7xbb.jpg
 
sireland67 said:
A manual bell and a flywheel needed.
I would not trust any wooden pos.


7xbb.jpg
Click to expand...

I will build the square frame that goes around the pan rail and like others have said the transmission is so I can bolt up the starter and torque converter so I have a way to crank the engine, I'm not up to doing rope-start even though it's a low-comp engine :D. That will be supported at the back as well with... something sturdy I'll figure it out lol. We are putting an A-833 behind it (professionally overhauled 18-spline :burnout:) but I don't think my cousin has ordered a bellhousing yet even though I've been pestering him about it. I also need gauges and at least a simple panel before I will even try to start it.

Any thoughts on the cooling and electrical? Still need to sort that out too.
 
I did a similar thing when I was 16 (1967- same year my current Dart GT383 was built) using wood, a garden hose, a battery, and a gas can. It was a '64 283 CHEV complete with a full new walker dual exhaust hooked to it with Thrush mufflers. Put it in a '61 Impala. Almost flipped it over when I revved it up, so be careful with your makeshift engine stand.
Good Luck!
 
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