1974 Duster

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Comp Cams CRS XR265R-14

114 lobe separation
216 intake duration at 50
224 exhaust duration at 50
Gross Duration 265/273

.506 intake lift
.506 exhaust lift

Old Cam (Crane Compucam 2020)

112 lobe separation
Valve Lift with 1.6 rocker .434 int./ .458 exh.
Valve Lift with 1.7 rocker .461 int / .486 exh.
Gross Duration 250/260 with 1.6 rocker

I ran the Crane cam with 1.7 rockers, running the Comp Cam with 1.6 stockers.

May try the 1.7's with the new cam later.
 
Any new ideas on what failed on the eccentric adapter?

Not sure- The little "add a key" is all beat to hell, almost like the bolt started coming out. Bolt was torqued to spec though the there was ample evidence of locktite red all over the threads. Still have the factory bolt and washer in the "cleaned parts bin" slapped that sucker on and cranked to 10 pounds over spec just to make sure.
 
Car just cracks me up now, from boring to WEEEEE!! every time you stab the gas pedal.
 
What kind of wheels are these.
sum-521-5865.jpg
 
Bad luck- The 904 burned up while towing, I'm moving ahead with plans to install the 44RH overdrive.
 
No progress guys, you know the drill, holidays...
 
Started stripping down the overdrive trans last night, hope to have it gutted tonight so I can test fit into the car this weekend. Ambitious but it is time to get rolling!
 
42RH has been gutted- Today I'll get it clean and assemble the two halves. Tonight I'll start pulling the 904 from the Duster.
 
wow great find

Not uncommon though, Jeeps came with them right up through the 90's Transmission is apart and the case has been scrubbed clean. I start pulling the 904 tonight. Gary
 
Pulled the car out of the garage, disconnected the drive-shaft, pulled the bench seat, stored it in the Dart, Duster back in the garage and up on the stands with the trans draining.

Going to be tight, looks like the overdrive housing is 9" across where the cross-member is which is pretty much where the first two bolts are for the cross-member. I think I can save them but it will be close.
 
Trans will be out tonight! Just a few bolts holding it in.
 
Looks like it is going to be tight! Pulled the 904 out today and test fitted the front half of the 42RH. Going to have to use a large hammer to clearance the tunnel in a few spots.

Tomorrow I'll get out the plasma cutter, back off the torsion bars and remove the center of the transmission cross-member.
 

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Last night went splendid and I did not have to cut anything out of the floor pan!

What I did was bow the floor up around the cross-member with a hammer till it was about an inch away and then cut out a section of the cross-member with a fine blade air saw.

The cut from side to side is pretty much what you see in the proceeding picture- A 1/2" from the outside of the inner bolt for the transmission mount cross-member. The only thing holding the piece in from that point is two spot welds at the top which popped right out.

After the piece was removed the overdrive fits in slick.

Anyone know what other people have used for a transmission mount? So I have a starting point.

I still have to tied the two sides of the cross-member back together, I'm working on a few ideas there...

Pics later.
 
Just a quick update, here is a link to the trans install work.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=178459

Been working on the overdrive unit, hope to move to the forward section today. I was going to do some part swapping but Chrysler made a lot of changes between the two years (1994 and 2001) I'm playing with and I was unsure if it would work so held off.
 
Trans is almost back together, I have to get some selective snap rings for the rear drum.
 
Bulk of the trans is back together and had a successful air test, everything sounds good! I have some stuff to pick at tonight and hope to have it back in the car this weekend. I still have to modify the valve body, I'll install that after the trans is in the car.
 
Trans is assembled! We stuff it in tomorrow night!
 
Success!!

Just back from the cruise to Burger King on the Berlin Turnpike and the car was great!

The lower first gear set (2.74 vs 2.45) and slightly looser converter have noticeable snap off the line, it bangs through the gears with authority and cruise is simply a joy! The overdrive and lockup have lopped over a 1000 rpm off at cruise, where before I was buzzing the hell out of the motor at 65 mph now it turns a leisurely 2000 rpm while cranking along at 80 mph! For once I was passing everyone on the highway instead of being passed all the time!

The sweet spot is between 75-80 mph, the car is just loafing along, very little pedal is needed to maintain speed and the cabin noise is notably less. Very simple to toggle the overdrive and lockup on and off and compare the changes. I have it wired so that lockup and overdrive comes in at the same time, very simple and works great. The motor doesn't seem to mind the load at all till around 1400 rpm or so. 1500 rpm and up and it just pulls away on the highway & state roads.



Car has a few nitpicks like a rattling exhaust and minor pan leak (I need to get rid of the crappy NAPA gasket and get the real Mopar one) and I have to tweak the valve body as it likes to shift a touch later than I'd like at light throttle...

There is utterly NO harshness or vibration caused by the Chevy trans mount, it works like a charm.

All in all I'm very pleased with the upgrade, I'll try and post a trans build up soon. Go for the upgrade! This is an awesome mod for our old Mopars!

Gary
 

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