Need a couple parts to finish 408

[DentalDart]

This is my first time building an engine so the goal was to use what parts I had lying around. But my pistons are incorrect for the crankshaft.

Goal - cheap 408 Build. Not trying to hit an ET or run a 1/4 mile time. I take my daughter to summer camp in it and drive the piss out of the car it would go in.
Reason- first time building an engine, I’d be pissed to kill a brand new stroker kit machine shop engine. I won’t be to mad if I break a free or cheap engine. This is just for learning while I wait on the painter.

What I need help getting
.030 over stroker pistons
Stroker rods? Speedmaster? lol
Camshaft (let the fight begin)


Parts I have -
360 .030 over
408 scat crank
Stock length push rods?
SM DNA ignition kit, been wanting to try this out
SM DNA rockers
SM head stud kit
SM main stud kit
HP water pump
Will buy some CNC SM aluminum heads for it eventually. I run the built CNC heads on my 340 and they have worked fine the past 4 years.
TTI headers
750 Holley Mech secondaries carb
3500 stall torque converter
3.23 and 4.11 gears, I want to run the 4.11s
I should have all the other little parts and bearings and stuff too.

So ideas on the pistons, piston rods and camshaft?

 

[1MeanA]

Rods would be stock length. You need to do some research and figure out what compression ratio you are aiming for. This will dictate head and piston combo options you have and provide the input information for a cam selection.

 

[340sFastback]

I would run Scat I Beams and set it up for .039 quench combustion chamber

 

[DentalDart]

Rods would be stock length. You need to do some research and figure out what compression ratio you are aiming for. This will dictate head and piston combo options you have and provide the input information for a cam selection.

9:1-10:1 I believe is for pump 91-93 gas that I could get at the gas station.

 

[mopowers]

You can use stock rods on the cheap. You may have to notch the cylinders a tiny bit, but that's no big deal.

 

[mopowers]

Why the 4.11s? With the a 408 grocery getter, 3.23s will work awesome.

 

[1MeanA]

By the time you rebuild stock rods you can buy decent aftermarket rods. It would be wise to select a head so you know the combustion chamber cc so you can buy a piston that gets you the desired ratio.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

The distributor is an MSD copy. It will work.

I can’t say much about the rockers unless they have needle bearings on the shaft. If they do thats a HARD PASS for me.

If they don’t, call Mike at B3 Racing Engines and talk to him. In fact, before you buy any rockers call Mike.

Thats your best bet. But remember this. ANY rocker you buy will need the geometry corrected. You can talk to Mike about this too.

A phone call is cheap. Buying **** two or three times and breaking parts is never cheap.

 

[340sFastback]

Why the 4.11s? With the a 408 grocery getter, 3.23s will work awesome.

411s with all season radials burn tires up going sideways swerving all over the road....

 

[junkyardhero]

What I need help getting
.030 over stroker pistons
Stroker rods? Speedmaster? lol
Camshaft (let the fight begin)

you need a cam?

i know a guy...

[FOR SALE] - *NEW* MP purple shaft P4120233

this is a new cam that's been sitting on a shelf since the 90's. this is the cam only no lifters. .508/.508 292*/292* the journals were wrapped with cosmoline paper and i've cleaned them off with a little acetone. $300 + shipping

www.forabodiesonly.com

 

[RBConvert]

I can’t say much about the rockers unless they have needle bearings on the shaft. If the do Thats a HARD PASS for me.

If they don’t, call Mike at B3 Racing Engines and talk to him. In fact, before you buy any rockers call Mike.

Thats your best bet. But remember this. ANY rocker you buy will need the geometry corrected. You can talk to Mike about this too.

A phone call is cheap. Buying **** two or three times and breaking parts is never cheap.

I double down on Mike Beachel at B3. My 408 stroker build is not a budget build but that's another story. Mike has been a strong source of info, knowledge, and parts for my build. He can also spec you a cam, rockers, etc.

 

[DentalDart]

I double down on Mike Beachel at B3. My 408 stroker build is not a budget build but that's another story. Mike has been a strong source of info, knowledge, and parts for my build. He can also spec you a cam, rockers, etc.

Yeah this is budget build because I figured I originally had all the parts and it could let me do it for ***** and giggles.

 

[DentalDart]

The distributor is an MSD copy. It will work.

I can’t say much about the rockers unless they have needle bearings on the shaft. If they do thats a HARD PASS for me.

If they don’t, call Mike at B3 Racing Engines and talk to him. In fact, before you buy any rockers call Mike.

Thats your best bet. But remember this. ANY rocker you buy will need the geometry corrected. You can talk to Mike about this too.

A phone call is cheap. Buying **** two or three times and breaking parts is never cheap.

I definitely hear what you’re saying. I’ve read Mikes comments in threads multiple times in the past. I thought for some reason he didn’t have anything for the SM rockers, he may now it’s been a while.

I have all the SM rockers, these DNA ones have the needle bearings I also have 1.5 and 1.6 that don’t have needle bearings.

Tony used to swear by the 1.5 or 1.6 non-needle rockers so figured I’d buy em all a couple years ago for a future build.

 

[340sFastback]

Get good heads and cam run 411s you'll get some ***** and giggles....

 

[Jersey Devil]

This is my first time building an engine so the goal was to use what parts I had lying around. But my pistons are incorrect for the crankshaft.

Goal - cheap 408 Build. Not trying to hit an ET or run a 1/4 mile time. I take my daughter to summer camp in it and drive the piss out of the car it would go in.
Reason- first time building an engine, I’d be pissed to kill a brand new stroker kit machine shop engine. I won’t be to mad if I break a free or cheap engine. This is just for learning while I wait on the painter.

What I need help getting
.030 over stroker pistons
Stroker rods? Speedmaster? lol
Camshaft (let the fight begin)


Parts I have -
360 .030 over
408 scat crank
Stock length push rods?
SM DNA ignition kit, been wanting to try this out
SM DNA rockers
SM head stud kit
SM main stud kit
HP water pump
Will buy some CNC SM aluminum heads for it eventually. I run the built CNC heads on my 340 and they have worked fine the past 4 years.
TTI headers
750 Holley Mech secondaries carb
3500 stall torque converter
3.23 and 4.11 gears, I want to run the 4.11s
I should have all the other little parts and bearings and stuff too.

So ideas on the pistons, piston rods and camshaft?

View attachment 1716406036

View attachment 1716406037

View attachment 1716406038

View attachment 1716406039

View attachment 1716406040

View attachment 1716406041

If you're not looking to "run a number " at the track, I think 4 10s are over kill for 26"+/- tires What size tires are you going to run? 30"?

There are alot of 408 pistons to choose from, with the 68cc SM CNC heads... there are a dozen that will give you a 9<10cr.

Didn't list an intake?
Hyd. Flat tappet roller, solid?

 

[fishmens67]

Shelf the Speedmaster head idea and step up to the Trick Flow.

 

[340sFastback]

Trick Flow heads and pistons to give around 10:1 compression with .039 inch quench. Custom ground solid roller cam with valve springs to match. And 411 gears for ***** and giggles.

 

[Demonx2]

I can tell you a 408 with a good TC and 4.10's on the street from a 20 mph roll will leave twin black marks as long as you want to stay on the loud pedal and can keep it straight. Posting for a friend....

 

[fishmens67]

You might be money ahead buying a balanced scat stroker kit.
I question the block machining, pistons are needed before the final bore, the final fit is usually done with the final hone.

 

[340sFastback]

Scat balance is known to be crap. I had my Scat stroker kit balanced by a reputable local shop.

 

[RBConvert]

9:1-10:1 I believe is for pump 91-93 gas that I could get at the gas station.

I wish we had 93 here in CA. Still, 10:1 with iron heads could be prone to detonation. You may have to compromise by retarding the timing until you swap to aluminum heads.
A couple of things I came across so far on my build:
Verify if your cam is a cast or billet core. If its billet then you need a melonized distributor gear. I sourced mine from Hughes Engines. Maybe I missed it, is this a FT or roller block?
I bought the windage tray from Mancini. It's not stroker clearanced so it needed some persuasion to clear the rod bolts. I also had to cut a longer slot in the tray to clear the oil pickup tube. Not a big deal, but you'll see when you mock up the lower end.

 

[DentalDart]

If you're not looking to "run a number " at the track, I think 4 10s are over kill for 26"+/- tires What size tires are you going to run? 30"?

There are alot of 408 pistons to choose from, with the 68cc SM CNC heads... there are a dozen that will give you a 9<10cr.

Didn't list an intake?
Hyd. Flat tappet roller, solid?

Yes no number, this started as a “I have a 408 ready to build in a box so let’s do it.” Now it seems like more work than that, I’ve already spent 500 in tools.

I have a couple intakes, I’ll look and choose one. Probably flat tappet camshaft.

SM seems to not have the CNC heads anymore unless I am blind. I have them on my 340 straight out of the box and have had 0 problems for 4 years and thousands of miles.

Yes 4.11s are definitely overkill but I’ve been wanting to swap them in, maybe I’ll just swap them in now for fun. I have 245/60 rears, unless I move the springs in I can’t get any bigger in the back of the purple car. I have a Dana 60 with springs moved in but was thinking of putting that in the copper car with a mini tub kit.

 

[DentalDart]

I wish we had 93 here in CA. Still, 10:1 with iron heads could be prone to detonation. You may have to compromise by retarding the timing until you swap to aluminum heads.
A couple of things I came across so far on my build:
Verify if your cam is a cast or billet core. If its billet then you need a melonized distributor gear. I sourced mine from Hughes Engines. Maybe I missed it, is this a FT or roller block?
I bought the windage tray from Mancini. It's not stroker clearanced so it needed some persuasion to clear the rod bolts. I also had to cut a longer slot in the tray to clear the oil pickup tube. Not a big deal, but you'll see when you mock up the lower end.

I’m not going to run iron heads. Those can keep sitting on the shelf, I’ll find a set of aluminum heads.

No camshaft yet. I’ll check on distributor gear and see what I have in the boxes.

 

[DentalDart]

You might be money ahead buying a balanced scat stroker kit.
I question the block machining, pistons are needed before the final bore, the final fit is usually done with the final hone.

That’s what it seems like with the suggestions lol. Balanced kit is still 2-2.5k, unbalanced is about 1800, without any machine work.

IMO the bores look good, looks like they were honed.

 

[MOPAROFFICIAL]

This is my first time building an engine so the goal was to use what parts I had lying around. But my pistons are incorrect for the crankshaft.

Goal - cheap 408 Build. Not trying to hit an ET or run a 1/4 mile time. I take my daughter to summer camp in it and drive the piss out of the car it would go in.
Reason- first time building an engine, I’d be pissed to kill a brand new stroker kit machine shop engine. I won’t be to mad if I break a free or cheap engine. This is just for learning while I wait on the painter.

What I need help getting
.030 over stroker pistons
Stroker rods? Speedmaster? lol
Camshaft (let the fight begin)


Parts I have -
360 .030 over
408 scat crank
Stock length push rods?
SM DNA ignition kit, been wanting to try this out
SM DNA rockers
SM head stud kit
SM main stud kit
HP water pump
Will buy some CNC SM aluminum heads for it eventually. I run the built CNC heads on my 340 and they have worked fine the past 4 years.
TTI headers
750 Holley Mech secondaries carb
3500 stall torque converter
3.23 and 4.11 gears, I want to run the 4.11s
I should have all the other little parts and bearings and stuff too.

So ideas on the pistons, piston rods and camshaft?

View attachment 1716406036

View attachment 1716406037

View attachment 1716406038

View attachment 1716406039

View attachment 1716406040

View attachment 1716406041

Do yourself a favor and get some h-beam rods and pistons from Ohio crankshaft. Don't worry about push rods till the thing is built with the heads on and you've picked your cam and lifter type already. You probably don't need "4.11" gears with a 4 inch motor... maybe shoot for some 355 or 373 gears. You're going to have a lot of torque and you're going to make it useless anywhere but the street which makes getting to car shows kind of difficult if you need to get on a highway. Sure you can drive them on the highway and probably go 60 without cruising at 4000 RPM, but again you have plenty of torque with a 4-in crank. If it really is going to be a weekend car.. just go solid roller. You probably don't need 3500 stall either... specially when you want to cruise at 3,000 RPM or a little over. The good converter will make that work but still... and back to the pushrods, stick with a 5/16 push rod. 3/8 work but most of the time at rest they tend to kiss the pushrod tunnels