273 Buildups - Status Checkin

[chewy]

Currently it seems there's a few of us on the board rebuilding their original 273's up. I'll start taking pictures as I start to get things back.

Here's my current news.

I dropped my block/heads/crank/intake/rods off at the machine shop on Friday and ordered the cam on Thursday. They'll clean up the block, peen what needs to be and get the bore done so I can identify which pistons to order. After he felt the ridge on #3, he thinks just .020 wont do it. Maybe .030 over will be all he has to take.

He's going to clean the intake and heads as well. Will do a quick valve job and check the guides. Wanna make sure they are good to go. Will also check the seats.

Crank will be turned at least .010. Maybe .020 on the rods depending on how much to get the groove out of #6.

I know at least the donor rod I gave him will need to be reconditioned. He thougth #6 rod was too scored to re-use. I have a parts 273 from a friend that I pulled another rod out of.

--chewy

 

[toolmanmike]

Sounds like you're on the right track.....keep us posted on your progress.
Mike

 

[RedFish]

"quick valve job and check the guides " good luck with that. Those heads didn't have harrdened seats so you may find recessed seats, razor sharp edges on the valves too. Maybe not. Just depends on how long it ran on unleaded fuel .
What cam did you choose ?

 

[homecloned]

Yes pics please.:cheers: I have a 67 273 that is a little screamer. I put the steel 4 barrell manifold from my 340 on it and it runs nice. It does need a total rebuild though, smokes when I really get on it. I will do that when I pull it out and put the 340 in.

 

[toolmanmike]

"quick valve job and check the guides " good luck with that. Those heads didn't have harrdened seats so you may find recessed seats, razor sharp edges on the valves too. Maybe not. Just depends on how long it ran on unleaded fuel .
What cam did you choose ?

Good point. The machine shop should catch all of that. What do you think is better, hardened seats or stainless valves. The guys at the machine shop that
will do my heads recommended just stainless valves. I only drive a few thousand miles a year and the stainless valves flow better and will last a long time. I've heard some horror stories about replacement seats falling out. What's your opinion? MIke

 

[RedFish]

The affordable option would be 85 model heads with facory hardened seats and nearly the same closed chamber design and flow numbers.

 

[chewy]

RedFish's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,929

"quick valve job and check the guides " good luck with that. Those heads didn't have harrdened seats so you may find recessed seats, razor sharp edges on the valves too. Maybe not. Just depends on how long it ran on unleaded fuel .
What cam did you choose ?

It's had about 5000 miles on it on unleaded. Should be decent. If bad, I'll go ahead and have the hardened seats put in.

As for the cam, I went with Racer Brown ST-1. Its a good midpoint between the stock Hi-perf cam(425 Lift) and the D-Dart Race Cam (495 Lift). With the stock road-Gears, the stock low-geared A-body trans and the stock carb, it should match up pretty well.

 

[chewy]

Yes pics please.:cheers: I have a 67 273 that is a little screamer. I put the steel 4 barrell manifold from my 340 on it and it runs nice. It does need a total rebuild though, smokes when I really get on it. I will do that when I pull it out and put the 340 in.

As soon as I start getting components in, the pic's will follow. Hopefully will have cam pic's this week.

Rick from the shop is supposed to call tomorrow on his eval, cleaning is about done, and should have the worst hole bored by the time he talks to me tomorrow.

 

[moparcrazy]

Yes pics please.:cheers: I have a 67 273 that is a little screamer. I put the steel 4 barrell manifold from my 340 on it and it runs nice. It does need a total rebuild though, smokes when I really get on it. I will do that when I pull it out and put the 340 in.

Here some pics of my 273 Build ! For sale if Any Body Wants It Never ran ! Went with the biggest Valves that would work with out Having to notch the bores This Baby should scrrreeeeeeeeeam ! Forged bottom End Was going for 400 HP But Never On a Dyno,

SAVE YOUR MONEY BY THIS ONE !

 

[toolmanmike]

Looks like a nice piece. It should go like scat! Pop-ups, head studs, roller rockers, big valves , ported heads, all the good stuff! What brand of roller rockers are those? Good luck on the sale.
toolman

 

[moparcrazy]

Used Comp part #cca-1322-16 "Chromemoly Steel Roller rockers"

 

[1967DartGT]

moparcrazy ... What size valves were you able to get by with wihtout notching the bores?

 

[Babyblue66]

Good point. The machine shop should catch all of that. What do you think is better, hardened seats or stainless valves. The guys at the machine shop that
will do my heads recommended just stainless valves. I only drive a few thousand miles a year and the stainless valves flow better and will last a long time. I've heard some horror stories about replacement seats falling out. What's your opinion? MIke

I wouldn't worry about adding seats. If the heads are nice a good valve job will be all you need. My old boss has been building engines for 20 years and never uses hardened seats unless the seat is damaged. He builds mainly performance stuff too.
As stated my 273 had new seats installed before a got it, it was a mess, some were too low and one was cut to the water jacket. I pulled them all out and replaced them, adding some bearing/sleeve sealer to the bad one and have not had any coolant problems.
With the amount of driving we do with these cars you will not see them eroded. Also the use of performance cams (more duration) the seats do not get as hot as say if it was truck that you used for towing.
Are you doing any port work? I cut my seats on a Serdi with the deep bowl cutter, also went in and cleaned up the bowls and ports some with a carbide and some sanding rolls.

 

[Babyblue66]

Here some pics of my 273 Build ! For sale if Any Body Wants It Never ran ! Went with the biggest Valves that would work with out Having to notch the bores This Baby should scrrreeeeeeeeeam ! Forged bottom End Was going for 400 HP But Never On a Dyno,

SAVE YOUR MONEY BY THIS ONE !

Could you give some specs on the 273, cam, comp, head work, etc? It would be interesting to dyno it and get some numbers.

 

[chewy]

Thats a really nice looking setup. Any reason you didn't install and run it?

--Tom

 

[moparcrazy]

Wow time flies, this motor was Built in 2004 ! looked through my Paper work & didn't find any detail, but from what i remember i think i went with 188 in. &160 Ex. but to long ago ! I know its 10.1 compression & was going to use mopar Aluminum Commando Heads But never got there, Heads are off a 1965 273 Hi-Po Engine that's why there closed camber Heads, Hard to find but where cheap @ the time, ya need to remember that the intake bolt holes are not the same though on a Hi-PO Head They are set up at a Different Degrees so the Manifold had to be Machined to fit, but it was all port Matched with the Heads so Should be fine. I have this motor listed @ cars for sale with my 71 B-5 Blue Dart in California for $4500.00 as a package deal & i think it mite be going to Canada ! Cam 284/284 dur 484/484 lift 2600/6000 rpm, Not the best Choice, Has to much Duration, But sounds Bad *** ! i ran this similar cam in my 383 Boy it turn Heads when Ya drive through a car show, but on the street, Put in Neutral so it doesn't stall out at the stop lights,Had lots of power ! But now i Know "Going Roller cam Next time !"

 

[chewy]

Talked to the Machine Shop Today. Bore will be .030 Over. Mains .010 under, Rods .030 Under. Cam will be standard.

Called Egge and ordered the pistons, they will be to the house on Tuesday.

Now to check in with Jim at RB and see how far out the Cam is. It was supposed to grind last week and be sent. Might arrive at same time as the Pistons.

The suspense is killing me.

 

[chewy]

Egge is extremely fast. I ordered the pistons at 3:00PM Pacific Time yesterday.

They arrived today at 12:00 Noon. Sweet.

I'm taking them to the machine shop this afternoon.

Pic's Follow.

------------------------

 

[toolmanmike]

A Egge care package. Can't beat that! They're good!

 

[chewy]

Yah, even the dog was happy to see them.

 

[chewy]

Well, While I was at the machine shop dropping off the pistons, for assembly to the rods, I took pic's of the cleaning progress. Block is bored. Heads and Balancing are next on the docket. Its 'purty

 

[chewy]

Well, I brought the engine home a weekend before last. The cam arrived on Friday. I've done final wash on the block and picked up the rest of the components.

Found a freeze plug in the block I had to bend up to get out.

New Freeze plugs are now in. Putting the pistons/rods together today and might get to degree'ing the cam in today.

 

[chewy]

I've finally got it back together. Dart Looks hungry waiting for it.

Here's some more pic's

 

[chewy]

Before I can put it in, I now get to start on sanding/painting the engine bay.

Pretty messy right now.

 

[Dfnsmn34]

nice! You dont want to use the commando valve covers? (oops I see the valve covers are not even bolted down)

BTW what caused the surface rust on the driver fender...my 66 was the same way when I bought it....battery leaking?

Aloha MIke