Engine Serial

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Wrencher

Wrencher

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I have a '66 Dart GT. Presumably, this is the original 225 /6 engine. About 25 years ago, my grandfather had the engine "rebuilt" by some sleezeball shadetree mechanic who did not do a very good job. My (great) Uncle says the engine rattled like hell, leaked oil, smoked, and didn't have enough power to get out of its own way. After several trips back to the guy, I am told that the guy ultimately got fed up with my grandfather and pulled a gun on him telling him never to come back.


Fast forward to now...... that has always been in the back of my head, that the engine is probably not what my grandfather paid for. It is weak, even for a slant. It's long retired from DD duties, and I only drive it on occasionally, so its not real high up on the priority list, but its nagging nonetheless.It appears to have the correct era of engine, having the drool tube and a 6 bolt oil pump, but that does not mean anything. I am wondering if there is a way to identify the slant in my car as its original engine. Where on the block would those identifying numbers be found? The numbers near the alternator?

I had a '65 dart that I overhauled the /6 in completely when I was 15, and it would run circles around this car power wise. I know that engine was done correctly as it was my first ever complete engine overhaul and I did it strictly stock, and 100% by the book. Same engine one year apart, two totally different animals. Both 1bbl engines, (65 was Carter, 66 Holley).

I cant help but wonder if this guy pulled the engine and put some core replacement in and charged my grandfather for the works. At some point I will probably pull the timing cover and see if its in time. I have made things better by tuning/timing it, but I suspect there's still something missing.
 
25 years is a long time, I know, but, if it has been 15,000 miles in that 25 years I'd be shocked.
 
A compression test would tell if the engine is basically sound. You can even test that by hand by pulling on the fan belts. If you feel each cylinder strongly and they hold pressure a few seconds, it sounds good to me. "Rattles" sounds like a worn timing chain slapping, but could be valves need adjusting (more of a ticking). 1965 should have 3 core plugs, staggered. Later blocks had 5 in a row. You can find a chart with casting no.s here, but it isn't complete.

When I lived in Atlanta, people made redneck jokes about Bama people (as you probably do about MS, and so on), but I find it hard to believe the police wouldn't follow up on someone threatening a complaining customer with a firearm, especially in 1990. Your uncle should have pursued it, since the guys actions would have been very damning in court, just in the civil complaint. I never let losers off, even if it costs me time and money. I don't want them messing with the next person.
 
Thank you for the input. According to the link you offered me, as well as a couple other sources, it appears as though the engine is the original one, according to the dates. Now, before the summer, I plan on digging in and making a few changes on the engine.

Bill, the engine doesnt rattle anymore, I was referring to when he first got it done. My grandfather wound up taking it somewhere else and getting those original issues resolved. I wish they would have pressed charges or at least pursued this idiot when it happened, but he never got the police involved. I mean, what kind of scumbag would do that to a 70+ year old man? I hope he is burning in hell. I was a kid at the time, and didnt live in Alabama. I didnt know about this part of the story until I was older. I just knew he had it rebuilt.

As for diagnosing the engines lack of power, I have not even lifted a finger to get to the bottom of it lol. All I've done is bring the timing way up and adjust the points. I know for sure the plugs have the gaskets on them, which I now know that they are not needed. I did a tune up on it as a kid years ago and remember putting them on. The valve lash has never been checked, so I need to procure a non magnetic feeler gauge set and get that adjusted.

Last spring, I put a 2bbl intake and a brand new 2300 Holley on it. However, I bought a cheap O'rielly's intake gasket, and it's blown. I have an exhaust leak on the front and rear most cylinders, as well as it sucking air in on the rear most cylinder. I'll take care of that in the coming month. I also have an electronic distributor and HEI just sitting there waiting to get put on and wired in, which I also have not done. It's all on my "list" lol.
 
Looking forward to seeing the upgrades that I am sure will help Wrencher, remember to make sure the heat riser in your exhaust is not stuck half closed, mine was and it was like night and day difference getting the potato out of the exhaust
 
OH YEA..... I forgot to tell you in that reply that the valve moves freely. I had thought about that in the past and checked it out. I cant wait to start on it.

Over the last few weeks, I have been changing gears on my direction with this car. I just wanted it to be a nice, well thought out driver, and I wanted to get a mild 318 for it and ditch the six. However, the car is only original one time, and its gone forever once you mess with it. Since I feel satisfied that the engine is the original, I don't want to be the one that takes a car pushing pushing 48 years old away from its stock form.

So, Im starting to think that I may just sink a little money into the 6, make it sound better, and raise the power potential a bit, leaving the original drivetrain alone. I might live to regret spending that much money on a slant for no more power than its capable of, but it's probably better for the car to leave it original.

I am thinking the aussie speed intake with dual dutra duals would make the engine bay look pretty nice, take better advantage of that brand new 350 cfm carburetor, and add some noticeable motivation to the car. When I've gathered these parts as money allows, I will pull the head and get it worked by a friend who happens to build 800+ hp BBC engines for his drag cars. Then I will replace the cam with a grind more appropriate for the parts. I'll be into the completed project for less than $1500, intake & exhaust are not going to hurt the value like a non original engine would, and I think I can live with that
 
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