OK, Just shoot me...

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Revhendo

Revhendo

Master ACME Tech
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OK, the Valiant is doing well with the /6 and gas going thru the roof.
Now it's time to concentrate on the Roadrunner. I got me a 440 for it. It was a pretty good running deal in a '70 Charger. Stoopidly, I bought a 4spd out of a '73 Roadrunner (got the pedals and linkage also.) (Can't help myself)

The problem is the crank isn't drilled for a pilot bushing. Can I drill it?
The crank casting # is 3751888-6, the dampner is marked 3614374 (which seams to point to a 400 cast crank.) I have to go back, but I am pretty sure the crank had 440 cast into it also. How adviseable is it to use the Jeep pilot and cut down the input shaft?

I don't really want to get a new crank, but, as the last resort, I am there. But I would rather save the dough to go back thru my stroker 340 and put it in the Valiant during the winter.....

Rev.
 
I am not too sure if your crank is drilled deep enough or is it just not wide enough. If it is deep enough then you can get a conversion bushing form Napa that will do the trick.
 
If you don't have a problem with snipping the end off of the input shaft, it'll work just fine for you. You will need a cutoff wheel, though, the shafts hardened.
 
I ain't afraid of no cutoff wheel, it's my middle name. Along with cutoff finger, cutoff toe, cutoff left ear.....

Seriously, not really worried about that part. It seams to be the easy solution. Besides, I can get another input shaft if I screw it up. Any clues on the crankshaft for flywheel selection? I would hate to throw it together and suffer the bad vibration blues.

Rev.
 
Mopar has a really cool roller bearing piece to use in place of the oilite (sp) bushing. It fits in to the centering ring in the back of the crank. I forget the number (yeah...big help) but it has lots of "5s" in it lol
 
funny, my divorce papers had alot of 5's in it also......
I just want to thank you guys for the help. I posted the same question over at the "Big" Mopar board and had alot of peeps but no replies. (Friendly group)
I think I know the bunch o' fives bearing you're refering to. I just got to nail my DC guy down to get it. I still need to come up with a bell for an eleven inch flywheel. On the plus side, I determined the motor is neutral balanced. There are no weights on the converter of the auto that came off the motor.
I am pretty sure I am going with the conversion pilot setup and just take a whack off of the input shaft.

Keep the ideas coming, you can never have too much info.

Rev.
 
Yeah, I was thinking about pulling the crank and having it drilled. I was going to use this as the last resort. (Although, probably the best method.) I just didn't want to tear the motor down, it's how I always get in trouble. Next thing you know, a bigger cam would be fun, maybe a gear drive, let's just open up the heads a bit more......
Know what I mean?

Rev.
 
68 Sedan said:
Mopar has a really cool roller bearing piece to use in place of the oilite (sp) bushing. It fits in to the centering ring in the back of the crank. I forget the number (yeah...big help) but it has lots of "5s" in it lol
Click to expand...

yeah i just ordered one for my valiant heres the part number P4876056AA well you might not need the AA's but it will get them there, fair enough price it was like $7.00
 
hi, NAPA has the under sized bushing needed. but, you can measure crank bore, and machine a bushing to fit it perfectly. thats the easist and simple way to fix it. before NAPA had those bushings, we had to machine regular ones to fit, no big deal. plis, not cutting trans shaft, or boring out crank.
we just done one for a guys 273 crank, geez it works!!
 
This is a post i put in another thread that had to do with Wheeler Engine Remanufacturing, and their experience with drilling cast crank engines so hey will fit auto or stick applications. this is not hearsay as I was the one that this happened to. Food for thought.

This might be a stretch. But when you pull the motor stick your finger in the back of the crank thru the pilot bearing to see if you come up with fresh oil. If you have a cast crank it could be forced thru the casting. Years ago Wheeler manufacturing had the bright Idea to drill the back of the cast cranks in there 400 BB so they could be used in a auto or stick aplication. The problem was that the cast cranks were to porous and the oil would go right thru the casting and out the drilled hole. I found this out after installing one of these and pulling the pan twice and the auto trans 3 times. For me it was an easy fix i cleaned the crank real good with carb cleaner. filled the hole with JB weld and put a flat expansion plug in the center. Yours with a stick might be harder, if it turns out that is the problem.
 
Yep, that is kind of a worry. The 440 is becomming a problem. I might just have to put this 4spd behind my 417 small block. (It's a cast crank stroker, probably doesn't have the pilot either, can't remember, just shoot me....)

Rev
 
If I remember correctly, your 440 should have a forged crank, so you won't have to worry at all about oil leaking through a porous casting. You can tell by looking at it too, it will be a little "rougher" around the edges (and heavier) than a cast crank.
 
Crank is coming out and getting drilled. What the hell, had to check the bearings anyway. This way the tranny remains as intended and I don't have to monkey around when the next motor goes in. (There is always a next motor.)

Rev.
 
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