Some 273 questions..

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67 273

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Hey, On saturday, I picked up what was a good running 273 out of a '68 Dart GT from a friend. When i got it, it was apart (Everything except the rotating assembly).

Since Saturday, I've got it all together except for the Intake, because the PO didn't put the lifters in order, and I cant find the new set that I have..

Since the valve covers were off, I was curious to as if it had the stock heads on it. I messed around on Google trying to find some info on them but didn't have much luck. Could any of you decode the numbers for me, Please?

Pass side head:
2843675-2
02218
123, with an arrow that looks to be pointing at the 1
AAWJ

Drivers side:
2843675-11
03228
123, Arrow pointed at 2
AAWJ

The block is 11-10-67, if that is of any relevance.

Thanks!
 
Oh, Thanks!

Looks like they are just plain 'ol 273 heads. Im still curious to what the AAWJ means.
 
He didnt, but it came with hydraulic lifters, so i assume its a hydraulic cam.. I thought you could only get solid's in a 273. It also came with 2 sets of push rods. Soilds and Hydraulic.
 
68-69 were hydraulic cams, cast cranks, open chamber heads and no more commando option but they supposed to have taller pistons and were rated more hp 190 vs 180.
 
Thanks for the info!

So does it have to be a commando to originally have been a 4 barrel?It's a supposedly a 4 barrel motor. It was an unmolested car, and i'm pretty sure the PO said a granny owned it until he bought it years back, so i dont know why it would have been changed.It came with the stock 4 barrel.
 
Oh boy, this could get interesting. If it were me,I wouldn't put any lifters on that cam if I didn't know what it was. The stock 67 cam should be a solid lifter cam and if it's aftermarket who really knows. You're asking for problems if you mix and match lifters between a solid and hydraulic cam. If the original lifters are mixed up you need new ones and that is a risk that the wear on the cam won't ruin the new lifters. The solid lifter pushrods should be the longer of the two sets. As mentioned, the heads are 273's. Nothing special. The letters could be a mold or batch number. I've never seen that explained. Good luck and be careful.
tmm
 
All stock 4 bbl 273 are commandos does it have adjustable rockers?
 
I'd pulled the timing cover and see if the is any info on the head of the cam. If there is a number and a manufacturer name, you can check to see if is a solid or hydraulic cam. As mentioned above, it could get real dicey trying to mix and/or match parts if you are unsure of the cam.
 
Well, Since there are hydraulic lifters there, and they have been run, im going to say that its a hydraulic cam. The engine came in a 68 dart, and its a late 67 block, so they may have switched to the hydraulic by then. The original lifters are mixed up (People are idiots) and I have a brand new set that i bought with a 318 a few years back, but i cant find them.. I will though. I've put new lifters ontop of a used cam many times and i have never had a problem. The reason i was asking about the heads, because I read something that the "AAWJ" meant they were J heads, which i havent researched yet..

Just went outside and looked at the pushrods and rockers. Hydraulics are longer than solid, and the rockers dont appear to be adjustable. Oh, and to top it off, There are only 14 hydraulic pushrods and half of them are rusty from water getting in the bag. GREAT. More money to spend on stuff that should have been there, and in good shape. I think i should go have a talk with somebody..

The cover was off, but i was an idiot and didn't think to check it while it was off, because i hadn't noticed the solid pushrods yet. I guess that I'll find out if its hydraulic when i start it because the lifters wont pump up.

It was supposedly rebuilt (Well i know it was, but not how long ago) no more than 20k miles ago. It's .30 over, and what i think happened, When it was rebuilt he ditched the solid cam and just gave me the pushrods because he still had them.
 
Ugh, I feel you on the BS of having a car without the full history. Keep us posted on the mystery.

Of course you could always rebuild it and take lots of pics because we love 273 rebuild threads......no pressure.
 
67 273 said:
Oh, Thanks!

Looks like they are just plain 'ol 273 heads. Im still curious to what the AAWJ means.
Click to expand...

I have the same stamping on my 74 318 heads. It may have had something to do with the foundry where they were cast. I dunno never did figure it out.
 
In 68 the 273 went with a hydraulic cam and a cast crank. 67 was the last year for the HP engine as far as I can tell. I have no info of a HP engine in a 68 unless it was a very early built car and they had parts left over. Stranger things have happened back then. tmm
 
If you were curious about the cam, the stamp may be on the back end of it...thats where comp cams puts there ID stamp....dunno why but thats where they put it.
 
toolmanmike said:
I stumbled onto this site about the 273's. This is why not all info on the net is true and correct. None of these "experts" have a clue. tmm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110209182925AA0lhyv
Click to expand...

"i own two of those old 273 engines and that was one of the highest revving engines chrysler ever built due to the short stroke it had,but none of them was ever called the commando,i got one that came out of a 66 barracuda,that runs right around 275 horse power,stock no modifications,they also had factory aluminum intakes on them,and solid lift cams,in a light body car they was hard to beat,you can buy any piece you want for that engine, i rebuilt mine about two years ago, jegs has any piece you want for that engine,i bought a master rebuild kit for less than 500 bucks,pistons and all,the 318 is a better engine to build but the 273 would smoke it on a 1/8 mile track,in its time nothing anyone else had would touch it coming out of the hole ,not even fords popular 289 would touch it,i know i use to race them every saturday night,good luck.
Source(s):
been a certified mechanic for 40 yrs now."

Wow.



"I don't remember the 273 engine ever being called a "Commando", a term usually reserved for the big block engine, 361 cubic inches and up, in the Plymouth line.

The last year for the 273 powered Dart was 1967 I believe and if that's the case it would not be an original engine to a '69 Dart.

The highest horsepower 273 was a 275 which required a .500 lift cam and used solid lifters. The biggest problem were the small valved heads, a four barrel carb with standard four barrel cam was 235 horsepower. Any parts for a 273 engine would be hard to come by and more than likely have to be custom machined."

Wow x2
 
I'm not going to rebuild it right now. I think what im going to do with it, once i get it together, I think im going to stick it in our 70 charger 340 car, so it will move under it's own power. The 340 is fresh rebuilt (Built in the 80's, never run), but stuck. It got some water in one cylinder, but its serviceable. It would pull it around until I got a 440 ready to put in.. Been in the family since the mid 80's..

Thanks for all of the info, Everyone!

I usually get engine parts i need from my dad. He's been collecting cars since he was 15 (First car was a 69 SuperBee, 383 4 speed car, which he still has. $150 bucks, back in 1976.) and has just about everything anyone could need, and he has some pushrods i can have. Are they the same in a 318/360? Thanks!
 
Well damnit. I get the lifters in it (Couldnt find them before, but they were sitting on the shelf in plain sight) put the pushrods in, rockers, ect. Then I noticed that the oil pump gear wasnt there, so i found one, then i went to put the intake on.... And it turns out its from a 64-65 273, which doesn't fit(Is it worth anything?). Now I either have to find another 4 barrel intake, or put the 2 barrel off of my 318 on it(Will a 2 barrel from a 400, or a 383 fit? Got plenty of big blocks with carbs lying around), and find a carb. Anyone have a 4 barrel they would part with cheap, or trade for this one? Thanks!
 
Sounds like the Yahoo nitwit,was describing the D/Dart option.
 
Not a expert but those 65 4 barrel manifolds are getting hard to find! I just paid $275 on Ebay for one,I hit Buy it now 7 minutes after he posted it.
 
Do you know anyone that may want one? I would love to sell it.. If the thing will bring $275, That would be great, because I didnt pay that much for the engine with the intake..

I found an Edelbrock SP 2P on craigslist, Paid 50 bucks for it and now its on the engine. I should be able to fire it up pretty soon.
 
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