Buyer beware...

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Lars

Lars

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I bought the 383 that is in my Dart about a year ago from a guy named Steve Caladar in FT Worth,TX. I was told that it ran well, didn't smoke and was ready to run (supposedly 12's in a light Chally). Well, it sat for about 8 months before I could get it in the car (I kept it taped up and oiled). I've been fighting it for the last five months trying to get it to run right. Well I ran a compression test on it this past weekend and it only put out 120PSI on the best cylinder, worst was 102PSI. I know everybody has a different opinion on what "runs well" but I think this is kinda pushing it. Just an FYI...

L.D.
 
Not to sound like an ***, or unsympathetic. But How much did you pay for the motor? I understand you were told that it "Ran great" before you bought it. But I personally would have re-ringed it and put some new bearings in it at the least. Just to be sure.

If you did all that, and it has a bad head or block. Sorry. I have a big mouth ;)

and how about a pic of that 72 :)
 
Won it on Ebay, it was running in a car three days before I picked it up (according to him). I didn't really question it much because I'd had a couple of small blocks (318's) that had been mothballed for 4+ years with no up keep done and they ran perfect when pressed back into service. I'm gonna yank the heads and go through the motor, if it needs a rebuild I'll just redo one of my 440's instead, but it's a major setback since I don't have the $$ for that anyhow. I have a couple pics of the 72, but it's ugly. I was hoping to start on it this year, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen now. :(

BTW: I'm not looking for a pity party, just wanted to warn others, he sold me a distributor that was supposed to be good also that turned out to be junk...
 
I'm sorry to hear about that. I wasn't trying to be a jerk ;) just making conversation. Wish you the best of luck, maybe it's a quick fix.
 
for a used motor, its not exactly horrible. its more than a 10% difference, but still not bad. but what i have a question about is, is this a bone stock motor? if not, id have to say the cam is way to big and bleeding off cylinder pressure. you really want to be in that 140-160 range if all is correct (cam, compression, valve timming).

just an example for you, my friend bought a 440 from a guy that said he rebuilt it but never got it to run right. well, yep, sure enough, it showed all sorts of signs of a rebuild upon teardown. bad parts were, with 7.5 to 1 compression, and a 238@.050 duration cam, this thing was a pig as it maintained no cylinder pressure.

you have to match all parts for optimum operation. i would tear it apart, see whats in it and measure everything, and at the very least, as mentioned, do a re-ring/bearing job on it.

--chad
 
Yeah, I'm hoping that once I get the heads off it the cylinders will look good enough for just a hone job. I'll stick some higher compression pistons in it with some better heads and be off. It runs like it has way too much cam for the compression ratio. I'll stab a known cam in it while I have it apart. Sigh, here I just barely got it together and now I have to tear it apart again. I'm a little torked at the guy since he swore it ran low 12's in his Challenger and I paid accordingly. :/
 
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