Mouse motor...

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moper

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First few pics were the engine as I found it, complete with 9 bent pushrods, stuck valves, a valley full of mouse nest, and the dead mouse in the pan... Hence the thread title...lol. Last one is it on the running stand. Yesterday I broke in the camshaft and did some basic tuning, ran it for a bit. Owners coming by today to hear it. Then it gets remved, painted and detailed (no leaks!) before it gets put back on the K frame with the detaield driveline and reinstalled.

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That's great. I love seeing the 6-BBL/6-Pack setups on other people's engines. Two of them is enough for me in this lifetime.
 
lol.. I daily drove a 6bbl E body some years ago and learned to tune them over that time. For two years: summer heat, snow, below zero... I firmly believe it's the best all around induction there is. I sent a "running" video to a buddy who I tuned for. Everyone tells him 6bbls idle rich and have to idle high... This one is a ring and bearing deal, no big dollar parts, reusing and saving everything I could per the owner, a milder cam, and it idles at 700 cleanly, good throttle response. For this car it will be perfect. I love six barrels....lol.
 
Great job. Builders like you are a credit to the entire industry. Most just want you to bust out the credit card instead of even trying to refurbish.
 
My cam choice was a Comp XE262. That was based on the rest of the engine (basically bone stock 383 2bbl long block with mileage on it), the need of the owner to re-use as much of the previously new parts as possible, overall cost, the fuel to be used (pump "whatever" with at least 10% ethanol), and the car it's going into: a G machine (read that as heavy for an Abody), with a 4sp and 3.23 gears.
 
69conv said:
Great job. Builders like you are a credit to the entire industry. Most just want you to bust out the credit card instead of even trying to refurbish.
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I was thinking on this comment. I appreciate the sentiment. I started in this hobby at 16 with no family support, a shadetree mechanic father's tool box, and no money. So thank you. Understanding comes from perspective and I feel this project and your commentary on professional builders deserves some background.
There's a lot of good history with me and the friend that is having me finish this car. We know each other well, and that leads to few misunderstandings or mistaken assumptions between us. In terms of this engine and it's performance level - It has some fresh crank machining, fresh rings and bearings, and some new performance parts in it. Some oiling system tweaks, some builders tweaks, but not everything is new or improved. It's not the new stuff I worry about. It's the little parts that are used and not improved that can fail and cause problems. I'd guess the HP level 280-300 with good torque right off idle, which is what I thought he'd need and what he wanted. I doubt this will ever get dyno'd or track raced so truth may never be known. While it was running on the stand I put my hand on his shoulder and said "You do realize this is not a race engine. Stock used parts. STOCK.... USED.... PARTS... It's not going to hold up to 150mph highway flat footing or 6500 shifts. Consider red line 5K or a little over. Tops."
I'm pretty much a realist. If one's expectation is 100% reliability with high power levels, one has to spend the money to achieve goals. As it stands, this budget engine rescue cost him about $2K in parts and labor, not including the new-10-years-ago sixpac or the initial purchase price of a running engine which when included would push it over $5500. $2500 of that is for the 6bbl. So if it was replaced it with a stock AVS and iron intake with a carb kit it would prob be $250-300 to get that on the engine and running. It would go thousands more to restore the machining, beef it up, get the power up another 100hp, and another full service life with an aftermarket single 4bbl.
My point to all this is the "End" expectation will initially determine the means required to get there. Listen to qualified professionals. Because if the means are not there, the end will be what it will be. Most enthusiasts want more than they realistically need, and many struggle to needlessly spend what they feel they have to. But at some point one has to spend.
 
Mouse Motor. I thought you were telling us a story about a small block Chitty. lol
 
moper said:
I was thinking on this comment. I appreciate the sentiment. I started in this hobby at 16 with no family support, a shadetree mechanic father's tool box, and no money. So thank you. Understanding comes from perspective and I feel this project and your commentary on professional builders deserves some background.
There's a lot of good history with me and the friend that is having me finish this car. We know each other well, and that leads to few misunderstandings or mistaken assumptions between us. In terms of this engine and it's performance level - It has some fresh crank machining, fresh rings and bearings, and some new performance parts in it. Some oiling system tweaks, some builders tweaks, but not everything is new or improved. It's not the new stuff I worry about. It's the little parts that are used and not improved that can fail and cause problems. I'd guess the HP level 280-300 with good torque right off idle, which is what I thought he'd need and what he wanted. I doubt this will ever get dyno'd or track raced so truth may never be known. While it was running on the stand I put my hand on his shoulder and said "You do realize this is not a race engine. Stock used parts. STOCK.... USED.... PARTS... It's not going to hold up to 150mph highway flat footing or 6500 shifts. Consider red line 5K or a little over. Tops."
I'm pretty much a realist. If one's expectation is 100% reliability with high power levels, one has to spend the money to achieve goals. As it stands, this budget engine rescue cost him about $2K in parts and labor, not including the new-10-years-ago sixpac or the initial purchase price of a running engine which when included would push it over $5500. $2500 of that is for the 6bbl. So if it was replaced it with a stock AVS and iron intake with a carb kit it would prob be $250-300 to get that on the engine and running. It would go thousands more to restore the machining, beef it up, get the power up another 100hp, and another full service life with an aftermarket single 4bbl.
My point to all this is the "End" expectation will initially determine the means required to get there. Listen to qualified professionals. Because if the means are not there, the end will be what it will be. Most enthusiasts want more than they realistically need, and many struggle to needlessly spend what they feel they have to. But at some point one has to spend.
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Nice sentiment. Good luck with the engine's owner. My greatest financial grief has come from trying to help friends with their engine builds. Labor, time, advice and money out of my pocket and they are never satisfied. I'm down to the attitude that I have no friends when I'm building an engine. It's lonely, but I'm going broke slower.
 
I understand what you are saying. I think most enthusiast listen to other people instead of builders and have heard stupid HP numbers. I think if a car owner could actually ride in a car that legitimately made 450 or 500 HP they would be scared sh#tless, assuming the rest of the car was built to take it. For me if my street car gives a nice squawk off the line, hooks and chirps 1st to second I'm happy. There will ALWAYS be some one faster. I know a guy built a killer Dart with a big block and kept building from there and was terrified to take it out, lived in his garage. A beautiful and very expensive conversation piece. So keep building drivable cars please and we will enjoy them on the road!!!
 
IQ52 said:
Nice sentiment. Good luck with the engine's owner. My greatest financial grief has come from trying to help friends with their engine builds. Labor, time, advice and money out of my pocket and they are never satisfied. I'm down to the attitude that I have no friends when I'm building an engine. It's lonely, but I'm going broke slower.
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I've seen you post the engines you build and the things you can accomplish even with low compression. You got the wrong friends, they should be beating a path to your door. Wish I knew you when I was putting together mine, would have saved a ton on re-dos.
 
moper said:
I was thinking on this comment. I appreciate the sentiment. I started in this hobby at 16 with no family support, a shadetree mechanic father's tool box, and no money. So thank you. Understanding comes from perspective and I feel this project and your commentary on professional builders deserves some background.
There's a lot of good history with me and the friend that is having me finish this car. We know each other well, and that leads to few misunderstandings or mistaken assumptions between us. In terms of this engine and it's performance level - It has some fresh crank machining, fresh rings and bearings, and some new performance parts in it. Some oiling system tweaks, some builders tweaks, but not everything is new or improved. It's not the new stuff I worry about. It's the little parts that are used and not improved that can fail and cause problems. I'd guess the HP level 280-300 with good torque right off idle, which is what I thought he'd need and what he wanted. I doubt this will ever get dyno'd or track raced so truth may never be known. While it was running on the stand I put my hand on his shoulder and said "You do realize this is not a race engine. Stock used parts. STOCK.... USED.... PARTS... It's not going to hold up to 150mph highway flat footing or 6500 shifts. Consider red line 5K or a little over. Tops."
I'm pretty much a realist. If one's expectation is 100% reliability with high power levels, one has to spend the money to achieve goals. As it stands, this budget engine rescue cost him about $2K in parts and labor, not including the new-10-years-ago sixpac or the initial purchase price of a running engine which when included would push it over $5500. $2500 of that is for the 6bbl. So if it was replaced it with a stock AVS and iron intake with a carb kit it would prob be $250-300 to get that on the engine and running. It would go thousands more to restore the machining, beef it up, get the power up another 100hp, and another full service life with an aftermarket single 4bbl.
My point to all this is the "End" expectation will initially determine the means required to get there. Listen to qualified professionals. Because if the means are not there, the end will be what it will be. Most enthusiasts want more than they realistically need, and many struggle to needlessly spend what they feel they have to. But at some point one has to spend.
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Well said. All too many people go for maximum horsepower and it ends up too much. A purposely built street engine is what you have built. It will be perfect!
 
I hear you Jim. I got burnt for $2200 late summer last year from a douchebag that is a nephew of friends I've had for 20 years. He joked about me being the trusting type when he gave me $200 on a $2400 bill and I let him take the car. Full disclosure - there were a couple issues he had with what I did but I thought we had worked it out to a mutually acceptable arrangement. So I let him take it because it was a paint deal and with my outside cats that car would have gotten trashed waiting for payment. So much for worrying about others' stuff and taking a man at his word. Some years ago I got burnt for $1000+ by a professed "man of God". Shortly after that I got burnt for $900 by a guy I'd known since high school and done two cars for. I'm not perfect. Nor are other people. I take it as a good thing that the vast majority of my customers are satisfied. In some cases they've had to be understanding about issues be they mine or parts failures. But all in all, with a few exceptions, they're great people with honest expectations. Sometimes the disappointment has to come at the beginning, to avoid it in the end.
Edit - I almost forgot the Asshole from this board that took my $$$ and ran for the early A 4sp shift bezel...
 
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IQ52 said:
Nice sentiment. Good luck with the engine's owner. My greatest financial grief has come from trying to help friends with their engine builds. Labor, time, advice and money out of my pocket and they are never satisfied. I'm down to the attitude that I have no friends when I'm building an engine. It's lonely, but I'm going broke slower.
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100% fact.

And the fact that it is fact and it is truth is a sad statement in and of itself.

I'd rather not have friends and have something, then be a broke *** with many friends.
 
Good Moper!
Recently had a guy drop off a free 383 that sat in a barn with no intake and looks about as bad. Gives me hope.

QpgpCT
 
moper said:
......
There's a lot of good history with me and the friend that is having me finish this car. We know each other well, and that leads to few misunderstandings or mistaken assumptions between us. In terms of this engine and it's performance level - It has some fresh crank machining, fresh rings and bearings, and some new performance parts in it. Some oiling system tweaks, some builders tweaks, but not everything is new or improved. It's not the new stuff I worry about. It's the little parts that are used and not improved that can fail and cause problems. I'd guess the HP level 280-300 with good torque right off idle, which is what I thought he'd need and what he wanted. I doubt this will ever get dyno'd or track raced so truth may never be known. While it was running on the stand I put my hand on his shoulder and said "You do realize this is not a race engine. Stock used parts. STOCK.... USED.... PARTS... It's not going to hold up to 150mph highway flat footing or 6500 shifts. Consider red line 5K or a little over. Tops."

......
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It doesn't have a tach so I'll be sissy-shifting by ear unless we mount one (with a big yellow shift light) on the cowl! No need for another race motor after the 416 we did a while back.


One day at a time, it's getting there

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I had a hell of a time convincing my cousin he didn't need a fire-breathing 800 HP stroker big-block just to be able to have fun with his 1971 Satellite/Road Runner clone. I'm sure some day he'll want more power than the basic "stock low-comp 440 with a cam" makes but IMO he needs to earn it first. When you grow up around rich spoiled kids who can afford 1000+ HP boosted Mustangs and modified exotics it's hard to rationalize the concept of "make the most of what you have and learn how to drive it". I guarantee none of those other kids can drive worth a rat's *** because all they do is go out to a 5-mile stretch of open highway in the desert and hold it wide-open until it blows up. The UAE needs a drag strip and/or race track that people can bring their cars to and race, like we have in America (and other parts of the world) :usflag:
 
Put the powertrain back in the car this afternoon... Looks good. Hopefully it's rolling on all four wheels at some point tomorrow.

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