plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
I just called the local dodge dealer and I can get that spring for like $4 free shipping. So i ordered it. I get a good discount, since I work at a GM dealer and we have a good working relationship.
Don't get it right, just get it running. 85 318 roller
- Thread starter plumkrazee70
- Start date
-
I just called the local dodge dealer and I can get that spring for like $4 free shipping. So i ordered it. I get a good discount, since I work at a GM dealer and we have a good working relationship.
MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
You're doing it wrong...
Just power wash the thing, spray paint it, pour some motor honey in it...and finally..a set of chrome valve covers ;)
Lmao
Just power wash the thing, spray paint it, pour some motor honey in it...and finally..a set of chrome valve covers ;)
Lmao
Dan the man
Well-Known Member
Look at the first photo of the bearings and enlarge the photo, Looks like light grooves and wear pattern in the bearings to me. What's the crank journals look like? I believe that the OP said that the engine has 90,000 miles on it so there's probably wear on the journals. I'd have to see the crankshaft and mic the journals before I would say bolt it back together and go for it. If it was me and the crank checked out I would at least polish the journals, and I would go with new bearings and rings.
Hell yeah. Pay attention to which way the freeze plug comes out. I think the cupped side goes in towards the spring. Just replace the new one like the old one came out.
TT5.9mag
Two atmospheres are better than one
That’s all well and good. And I’ve done the weekend driveway rebuild before also and I’m fine with it. But the OP asked what to reuse and what to replace. The answer to that is to measure everything and reuse what is reusable and replace anything that measures outside of tolerance. Cheap is one thing and I’m on board with cheap. But measuring is free, it just costs time and I’m only advocating to do things correctly.
lemondana
BlackDart
Remember, you can only use the heads off of a roller cam block. They have larger pushrod holes, which are needed for the more severe angle of the shorter pushrods-longer roller lifters. The standard LA head has .500 holes and the roller heads have a .660 hole.
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
Really? I thought all LA (non Magnum) heads were interchangeable? Ill check this out with what I have.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Could do an Uncle Tony build on it too...sandpaper hone the cylinders, super glue chunks of cast iron back into the block fill the water jackets solid, use a battery and aboard with sandpaper to refinish the heads, convert it to run on gas grill Propane etc. etc.
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
I talked to the machine shop and they will boil the block for 3 days, run brushes through all the passages and install new cam bearings for $165. $70 for the block boil, $95 for cam bearings installed.
I didn't think that was too bad, so I am going to drop it on Monday.
I didn't think that was too bad, so I am going to drop it on Monday.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Nah but you are at 260 then the heads will be $$$ then the gaskets and bearings, fluids so what 12-1500? I "overhauled " an LA 318 back in 2003. I remember doing alot of it on the bench myself no machine shop. Stock heads. I ordered a bunch of parts such as bearings gaskets cam and edelbrock intake to run a Holley. i think I had 500 into it so 20 year ago to now 1500 is about right with the machine work . That engine still runs to day in a 1949 Plymouth coupe i sold it 2 years ago to the wifes Uncle and we put it in his cruiser.
TT5.9mag
Two atmospheres are better than one
That is a great first step. Ask them to measure the bores for taper and out of round while it’s there.
I would plasti gage the bearings before reuse
Last edited:
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Not like anyone cares but I would clean it up take measurenmehts and figure out if you can get away with dingle ball honing it.
Then Id disassemble the heads and see how much play is in the guides, at the least reseal and lap valves.
According to what I find I then start making a list of parts. Remember overhaul ,rebuild, blueprint and balance...its 3 levels of operation each level costs more $$$
I fit is a race engine yes you go Blueprint and balance but its the guys who say you have to do this with everything that lead people astray. You dont need to get microscopic on a 80s 5.2 318 build. check at home with feeler guages for taper and out of round and do the math youll know if it needs a overbore or a rering etc. do the research work do the measurements do the math. Spend your own $$ on what you want and what you need. I always see an overbore as why sharpen the pencil when the point is still good leave some meat there for later.
A machine shop will machine your engine on demand and charge you for it that's what they are in business for.
Then Id disassemble the heads and see how much play is in the guides, at the least reseal and lap valves.
According to what I find I then start making a list of parts. Remember overhaul ,rebuild, blueprint and balance...its 3 levels of operation each level costs more $$$
I fit is a race engine yes you go Blueprint and balance but its the guys who say you have to do this with everything that lead people astray. You dont need to get microscopic on a 80s 5.2 318 build. check at home with feeler guages for taper and out of round and do the math youll know if it needs a overbore or a rering etc. do the research work do the measurements do the math. Spend your own $$ on what you want and what you need. I always see an overbore as why sharpen the pencil when the point is still good leave some meat there for later.
A machine shop will machine your engine on demand and charge you for it that's what they are in business for.
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
Appreciate the advice.
I have two sets of good known heads, J heads and a set of 318 heads. I have a gasket kit. I will probably have the bores measured just to set my mind at ease on the piston and rings.
Yep, quick light run thru.Did it to mine.
No need to be light. It'd take months of steady honing to remove enough metal to worry about.
Yes you need the heads with the larger pushrod holes for the roller blocks. Needs more room for the pushrods to swing with the taller roller lifters.
The roller blocks come with the shorter pushrods too.
☆☆☆☆☆
I smashed the agree button. Heck yea dude!
They are but may not be compatible with the camshaft style.
The taller lifter introduces a crazier angle as said before. The extra room is great for a HFT but the reverse is not. A big ol drill bit fixes that.
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
ye olde "rattle bomb rebuild"! you know it's solid when it's HEMI orange and got a proform HEI distributor and a 850 DP on top of a grungy performer!
ask about our "banana peel free rear end rebuilds!"
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Yeah I'm just saying if you have the time just measure stuff write things down in a note book...then you can decide "yeah i better get it bored" etc. sometimes you can build 'em cheap and they run. Also I built my 318 knowing it was getting replaced with a 340 so it was a spare/ temp engine etc. It all depends on your plan.
Thing is most likely youll need to get heads redone that is sorta pricey also. You spent money getting the block cleaned that's a good spend cause it needs done either way even to take accurate measurements yeah sure you could clean it yourself but you saved time and its a thorough clean being boiled etc. so yeah good money spent on it.
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
Sent the block to get tanked, cam bearings installed and had them hone the cylinders for new cast rings.
I went ahead got new bearings and rings since they were very reasonably priced.
Just finished putting a coat of Rustoleum oil based gloss black on the block. Just had it laying around. Brushed it on. Going to put the freeze plugs in next.
I'm going to polish the crank myself using a piece of shoe string and 1000 grit wet with wd40. (Thanks @318willrun for the YouTube video) then onto install and checking clearance.
Question on where to find th specs for the oil clearances and torque, since this is an 85 roller block. Are the specs the same for a regular LA?
Still have some pistons to clean, the chem dip is hardly touching the grim. I've had good luck with ZEP industrial purple. Not even sure where I got it. It was just laying on the corner of the shop.
I went ahead got new bearings and rings since they were very reasonably priced.
Just finished putting a coat of Rustoleum oil based gloss black on the block. Just had it laying around. Brushed it on. Going to put the freeze plugs in next.
I'm going to polish the crank myself using a piece of shoe string and 1000 grit wet with wd40. (Thanks @318willrun for the YouTube video) then onto install and checking clearance.
Question on where to find th specs for the oil clearances and torque, since this is an 85 roller block. Are the specs the same for a regular LA?
Still have some pistons to clean, the chem dip is hardly touching the grim. I've had good luck with ZEP industrial purple. Not even sure where I got it. It was just laying on the corner of the shop.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
I like it it ought to run like a "scalded dog" 
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Get a piece of stiff wire (coat hanger) and check thru the oil holes in the main saddles to the cam bearings to make sure they got the cam bearings lined up. Then, use that same wire to check the oil holes thru the deck, down to the cam bearings to make sure they both line up. The oil holes in the deck are right above the 2nd head bolt hole from the left, when you are looking down at the deck on either side. You can see the passage going thru the lifter gallery, and can feel the oil hole in the bearing when you figure out where it is. If there is no hole in the bearing towards the deck, or the wire won't go thru, they screwed up the cam bearing install.
Dartswinger70
Well-Known Member
Them sob's but I know what ya mean ya have to check everything these days...mediocrity is the standard now. Every body is a Mcdonalds worker it seems.( nothing against Mcdonalds workers)
-
