My doomed 408 build

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To me the money was worth it. I have helped other people assemble engines, but I have not done a complete job by myself. for how many thousands of dollars I have spent on this engine, $300 more bucks is not going to make a dent in the total cost. To me its insurance so I don't over look any thing, and cost me another $2k...
I totally agree at this point having a knowledgeable hand there to help you there's a good thing..
 
The WD40 to avoid any 'flash rust' seems fine to me. The immediate assembly was gonna cover everything in oil/lube in this case anyway. A lot bigger things to think about for the OP....IMHO. Last time I checked Smith brothers for pushrods, a set was something like $150-160 shipped ground, for 5/16" ball and cup ones, with a week+ delivery to VA. I made them myself a bit cheaper and a lot faster since I can get the parts from Summit in a day. So plenty of good ways to skin that cat....

Suggestion to the OP: What assembly lube did you use on the lifters and lobes? I strongly prefer the moly based cam/lifter lube. Not too late to get some and put it in at those spots.

Fingers crossed for you. This has been quite an adventure...
 
No he paid another $300 to have someone else take care of it. you think I need to sign off and get some fresh air! LOL that's a hoot, what else do you tell people to do LOL


j par you do realize you're making an azz out of your self don't you?
 
The WD40 to avoid any 'flash rust' seems fine to me. The immediate assembly was gonna cover everything in oil/lube in this case anyway. A lot bigger things to think about for the OP....IMHO. Last time I checked Smith brothers for pushrods, a set was something like $150-160 shipped ground, for 5/16" ball and cup ones, with a week+ delivery to VA. I made them myself a bit cheaper and a lot faster since I can get the parts from Summit in a day. So plenty of good ways to skin that cat....

Suggestion to the OP: What assembly lube did you use on the lifters and lobes? I strongly prefer the moly based cam/lifter lube. Not too late to get some and put it in at those spots.

Fingers crossed for you. This has been quite an adventure...

I used the supplied from Hughes cam lube. I'd have to go to my Dad's place and look at the packaging. I used Amsoil assembly lube on everything that could use it. Pistons were dipped in 20-50wt VR1 oil. Bearings were put together with the VR1 as well.
Every part was cleaner then a dinner plate before assembly, every part went together exactly as it was taken apart. My Dad knows how to clean engine parts as he was a jet engine mechanic for the "chairforce" and then with PG&E for 20 years. Not even a piece of lint from a rag is inside the engine.
 
I used the supplied from Hughes cam lube. I'd have to go to my Dad's place and look at the packaging.
Not a big deal... and using their lube might help with any issues with them....which we all hope you avoid! The rest all sounds solid to me.
 
j par you do realize you're making an azz out of your self don't you?
this is what I love about the internet is that people can be perceived in any way that the receiver is perceiving.. one thing for sure you'll never have to second guess what I'm thinking. I say it flat out into my voice command as it comes to my head. Those who don't like it don't listen to it.. the ignore button is readily available to anybody. I've only choose to use it once when a member would not stop calling me names and threatening me over the Internet which I believe is a chickenshit way to live his life. I'm not saying you're doing that by any means but it's been done.. also I hope it's noted that many times I've said most of my comments are coming from complete frustration for this situation...
 
this is what I love about the internet is that people can be perceived in any way that the receiver is perceiving.. one thing for sure you'll never have to second guess what I'm thinking. I say it flat out into my voice command as it comes to my head. Those who don't like it don't listen to it.. the ignore button is readily available to anybody. I've only choose to use it once when a member would not stop calling me names and threatening me over the Internet which I believe is a chickenshit way to live his life. I'm not saying you're doing that by any means but it's been done.. also I hope it's noted that many times I've said most of my comments are coming from complete frustration for this situation...
IT's all good. I have gotten a lot of good advise, some good information, and better yet a way to get my frustration out. I just know it will all be worth it when my Dad is at the drag strip getting in the car to run.... with his big grin.
 
$300 bucks for a DAY on the pump? Better at least pay for his lunch, and hope he doesn't actually figure out what his time and actual cost is worth. J.Rob
Maybe the word "day" was exaggerated. Usually its 8AM to 2 or so...
Last Monday was 11AM to 430. $260 bucks. I've been thinking for years, I should send those guys a pizza or something....
 
My day on the dyno was $460 IIRC, that included six quarts of Brad Penn racing oil. It literally took all day, this included hooking/unhooking it to the dyno, priming the oiling system, the initial timing setting, running the valves after it ran for a couple minutes, all the dyno pulls and adjustments and changing the fuel in their fuel system, I tried Crate 98 race gas and pump 93.

It was a great experience, met some great Mopar guys who treated me like I was part of the gang. I told them before I left that it was a good thing they were two hours away from me or I'd be coming by and hanging out. lol
 
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She is alive!!!!! It has to be a she for how temperamental she is.
Saturday we installed the engine with no dramas. Sunday we started her up. She fired up on the first crank, following the break in procedure from Hughes to the letter. We shut it down installed the middle springs, Changed the oil adjusted the timing. Then I took her out for a small run.
Niether of my first 2 engine builds had near as much seat of the pants umph this cam set up has!!! My god the idle is retardedly chopy. But once you hit 3K hold on!!! She turned into a freight train!!! Sucking me back into the seat like I have never felt before. When I hit the 6k RPM limiter she was still pulling hard. I would like to get on the chassie dyno to get it tuned in. I think I might have hit gold finally....
 
She is alive!!!!! It has to be a she for how temperamental she is.
Saturday we installed the engine with no dramas. Sunday we started her up. She fired up on the first crank, following the break in procedure from Hughes to the letter. We shut it down installed the middle springs, Changed the oil adjusted the timing. Then I took her out for a small run.
Niether of my first 2 engine builds had near as much seat of the pants umph this cam set up has!!! My god the idle is retardedly chopy. But once you hit 3K hold on!!! She turned into a freight train!!! Sucking me back into the seat like I have never felt before. When I hit the 6k RPM limiter she was still pulling hard. I would like to get on the chassie dyno to get it tuned in. I think I might have hit gold finally....

That is just awesome! Way to go, man.
 
She is alive!!!!! It has to be a she for how temperamental she is.
Saturday we installed the engine with no dramas. Sunday we started her up. She fired up on the first crank, following the break in procedure from Hughes to the letter. We shut it down installed the middle springs, Changed the oil adjusted the timing. Then I took her out for a small run.
Niether of my first 2 engine builds had near as much seat of the pants umph this cam set up has!!! My god the idle is retardedly chopy. But once you hit 3K hold on!!! She turned into a freight train!!! Sucking me back into the seat like I have never felt before. When I hit the 6k RPM limiter she was still pulling hard. I would like to get on the chassie dyno to get it tuned in. I think I might have hit gold finally....
THAT'S GREAT! I strongly recommend saving that Dyno money and buying yourself a wideband O2 sensor so you can adjust your own carburetor. get it out on that track and take some passes and make some adjustments and take some more passes.. you're going to do it anyways..
Anyways I'm happy that you're happy..
 
the reason I ask this is because I just had a customer that had a crate motor and had a big check list of stuff that he had to have a Certified mechanic check off on so the warranty was valid. what really got me was the motor was already Dyno tested and the stuff on the checklist was stuff you needed the oil pan off for? It was quite ridiculous and looked like a big loophole for the manufacturer. Today's modern mechanic is a far cry from yesterday's. And to give that a little validity my son is a full Certified mechanic and does not have a timing light and cannot tune a carburetor. These things had stopped being used before he was born ! LOL..
Absolutely love when someone hits the disagree button and then has no quote for a reason why? Like I didn't have a customer that had that motor and my son wasn't born after cars started getting fuel injection? Lol I'm not trying to say nothing bad about the person who disagreed with me or that they have a reason for disagreeing but I'd like to know what it is not just a good old-fashioned disagreeing on you go...
 
I spent the weekend, tidying things up in the engine bay. I have also done around another 150 miles on the car. I cruised around town and then did a small stint out into the open country. It was a fun and glorious day on the road, in an old squeaky rattle box MOPAR...
To note: I have a tremendous amount of body flex happening, When I'm at a stand still and tromp on it, the whole front of the car seems to twist up and to the right. I have also noted that the doors are growing gaps and are not closing nearly as well. What can I do to help with the flex? Any one have a link to a decent set of frame connectors? I will be ordering the frame pucks for the K-frame tonight when I get home.
I also am feeling quite a bit of squirm from the rear. It does not feel like it's the tires, but maybe some thing loose in the *** end. I have looked it over and am not seeing any thing out of place. or seen any thing loose.
My rear end is an 8 3/4 4:10 spool. I have the direct connection super stock springs and MOPAR performance rear shocks with traction bars.
 
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When I installed the sub-frame connectors on my 68 B body I noticed it stiffened the car up a bit, but adding the 6 point roll bar later on made much more of a difference.
The whole car just felt more “solid”.

Glad to hear the motor situation seems to be resolved.
 
I didnt want to do a cage or roll bar set up, but i think that may be my only real way to get it as stiff as I need.
 
I wrestled with the idea putting a bar in for years.
I was fine with it once it was in.

I liked how much more solid the car felt.
 
That's so awesome that you seem to have straightened out your engine problems!

If you go with sub frame connectors, which you SHOULD, I would use the good weld-in ones like these from US Cartool:
Subframe Connectors

They also sell complete body stiffening kits like these, if you wanna get crazy:
Chassis Stiffening Kits

Or there are many write-ups on this forum where guys make their own that tie in through the floors. The bolt-in ones really don't seem to do a whole lot, from what everyone says. I went with the US Cartool connectors. Haven't driven it yet but should be able to in the next week or two with warmer weather.
I sure do like the way the contoured ones from US Cartool look when they are finished.

IMG_20170303_113156476.jpg
 
It was a fun and glorious day on the road, in an old squeaky rattle box MOPAR...
Damn, that reminds me of my time in Portland... long time ago. I also went out for a ride in the open country with my newly aquired classic, though not a Mopar.
Was an El Camino SS396 since I couldn't find any decent Mopar then... went past Mt. Hood down to Madras and then back thru Maupin. Awesome scenery!
 
Damn, that reminds me of my time in Portland... long time ago. I also went out for a ride in the open country with my newly aquired classic, though not a Mopar.
Was an El Camino SS396 since I couldn't find any decent Mopar then... went past Mt. Hood down to Madras and then back thru Maupin. Awesome scenery!
IMG_20190318_095714.jpg
probably something like this that we seen yesterday going up to Mount Hood snowmobiling...
 
Coming from the rally world where cars really get pounded, you would be surprised how much stitch welding the seams helps. But, yes, a bar extending front and rear really does it and is a lot less work that stitch welding.

Just be careful if you add any cage work up high, and pad the areas around the occupants' heads. I know a guy who has a plate in his skull from hitting a cage on the street in a minor fender-bender...

BTW, your thread title no longer applies LOL
 
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