finally building!

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scampy72

scampy72

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ok guys i am finally ready to build my 440. i was hoping some mof you guys can answer some questions for me.

a) i alreaqdy posted this one somewhere but never really got a straight answer so here goes again
what size should stock pistons and their rings be?

b)what size should stock bearing (main and rod) be?

c) any tips when building the engine?

d) is there a site to read up on building the 440 in particular?

e) is there any special stuff to clean the engine parts before hand? mainly the pistons and camshaft.

thanks guys!!

marc

p.s. ill start posting pics as when the build begins!
 
440 stock bore 4.320
stock mains 2.750
stock rods 2.375-2.380

lots more specs here: http://ramchargercentral.com/engine...HPSESSID=8llum985f2epl7rn7lf44t3i02#msg141740

everything must be torqued exaclty (threads cleaned and oiled first for correct readings)
http://boxwrench.net/specs/bchrys_B.htm

you really should pay the $50 or $100 or whatever to get the block heads and stuff cleaned at a machine shop... reason being is that some times (well most times) the bores need to be honed at least if not bored because of wear. crank journals might need to be polished up. etc.

there are 100's of "tricks" you should get a rebuilding big block mopars book.
 
Hey Scampy72!
We're practically neighbors! I'm in Farmingville. Anyway, I'm new to Mopar, but not to building engines and I have to agree with Moparlover, get the stuff cleaned professionally and have the bores, journals, lifter bores, deck and everything checked on the block. Then have the crank, rods, pistons and everything you want to reuse checked as well. I'm gonna say unless your core has very low miles, it's gonna need some machine work. Heck, even with low mileage the core can shift over time and cause problems. The only way to do it right is to check everything and when you get all the nice freshly machined stuff back from the machine shop....clean it again! Dishwashing soap is fine for this, but be sure to spray it down with WD-40 or something similar RIGHT AWAY or the newly machined surfaces will literally start to rust instantly! A tip to check for cleanliness is spray some WD-40 on a paper towell and wipe down the bores. if there's a gray residue on the towell....clean it again! Oil galleys and lifter bores can be cleaned with gun cleaning brushes or something similar.

You mention cleaning the cam. While you can reuse a flat tappet cam, I'm not a big proponent of it. If you're using the old lifters, they must be placed back in the exact same bores they were removed from or you will wipe out the cam in short order. If you're not exactly sure, you can use new lifters and allow them to wear into the old cam. As far as building tips, keep your work area neat, clean, organized and use the proper tools for the job. If you start taking short cuts it will return to bite you! If you don't have what's needed and you're not doing this regularly, you can probably get away with picking up what you need at one of the discount tool stores that just opened up in Bayshore, Centereach, Commack and Hempstead. Good luck and if you have any more questions, post 'em up!
 
thanks for all the info guys. ill look into the machine shop. Also i actually am going to harbor freight in commack over the weekend for the "huge parking lot sale!!!" to see if i can get a pair of calipers and a piston ring compressor for cheap. if i ahve any questions ill post em up here. any ideas on a good tip book? ive seen tons for small blocks but not really anything for a big block.


thanks again
marc
 
There are several books out there. There is also on online though google you can read. Whats your direction maybe some guys can chime in. What are you looking for performance wise.
 
ok just came home with a digital caliper (only $8 at harbor freight) and it says all the measurements are stock. still have to call the machine shop. for now i just want to got with it as it came, in the future when funds are better ill probably take it out and completely rebuild it, this is also why im not going for all the most expensive parts right now. i really want to get the motor in cause a) im getting bored with the lack of oomph in the /6 and even stock the 440 will be fun and b) the slant is starting to give up anyway, lots of miles on it. im not sure on the lifters so i guess ill have to buy new ones. know where i can get em to go along with the stock cam.
 
ok so 'nother update. the machine shop i had in hicksville (moparlover reffrred me to it) said its $400 to clean and hone the block. thats out of my price range, so anybody else know of a machine shop in long island? fsdt01? thanks for the tip anyway moparlover.
 
well i actually talked to S&K speed out here and they said they could clean hone install brass freeze plugs and cam bearings for about $150-$200 if they dont need to be bored over. even if they need to got to .30 over its still only 250 i think he said so thaqts not bad at all. now i just have to save the money for it, but i was wondering since im planning a later rebuild anyway what would be the worst that would happen without the honing? its only 75 to get it cleaned only so i was just wondering.
 
scampy72 said:
well i actually talked to S&K speed out here and they said they could clean hone install brass freeze plugs and cam bearings for about $150-$200 if they dont need to be bored over. even if they need to got to .30 over its still only 250 i think he said so thaqts not bad at all. now i just have to save the money for it, but i was wondering since im planning a later rebuild anyway what would be the worst that would happen without the honing? its only 75 to get it cleaned only so i was just wondering.
Click to expand...

i was thinking about 300 for a "block in a bag" bore and hone (with hone plate) cam bearings, good cleaning, and a mill for trueness...
 
if you dont hone the cylinders your ring seal will be nill to none
 
I know your in a hurry and have limited funds, but do not put that together without the cyl's cleaned up with boring and hone job, or just honed if bores check out okay. If you dont have the financing to rebuild it the correct way, then dont tear it down as if you do have the money.... Tearing things apart and simply putting different parts in it isn't the right thing to be doing... It will most definatley cost you more money in the end and you will be fighting it the entire time trying to get it to run, and wondering why...
I'm a RB engine guy myself, and I can promise you you'll be sorry you didn't do it the right way the first time!
Heck, even if you have this one all tore down, it would be cheaper to find another used "running" 440 to just hose off at the carwash and rattle can some orange paint on it and set it down in the car..... Build the other engine as funding is available.
 
yep. a good machine shop with reasonable prices is worth it's weight in gold. :D

will save you headaches, dollars, and time. they will also teach you stuff and the fun factor goes way up
 
ok thanks alot guys, ill definately wait and get it honed. and let me re-iterate, I DID NOT TEAR THIS BLOCK DOWN!!! It was torn apart when i bought it, had it been a put together running engine I would have just dropped it in and not torn it down, except maybe for gaskets. also im not putting different parts in... the internals are all what came with the engine. anyway if it needs to get bored over anybody know where i can get relatively cheap pistons with the overbore size? i was guessing ebay.
 
Check out Ace Crankshaft in Deer Park. I've never used him myself, but I've heard good things and I have spoken with him on the phone. He seemed to know his stuff and was reasonable as I recall. I was looking for a hone job on an LS1 I was building (the liners in those are too thin to bore, 3.898 stock bore to 3.905 forged pistons) and he seemed to be the most reasonable around. I never went through with it because I then traded my '01 Z-28 for my '68 Barracuda before I finished it. You can try PCHS (Precision Cylinder Head Service) in Bohemia as well. Him I have used and was pleased, but he is a bit pricey.

I know you just wanna get out there and tear things up with the power the big block will have over the slant six, but from experience you won't be happy chasing the gremlins that building stuff like that will bring. Rather than posting four pages of me rambling about it, I'll shoot you a PM with my contact info. and we'll talk about it!
 
I remember the day when you could get let's say a 360 bagged and ready :blackeye:
lined bored and punched out to .030 ready to build counting cam bearings installed:happy2:
for $ 200 at NAPA not long ago..:eek:ops:
Vatted block (cleaned) and line bore the crank to the block :cheers:
And then throw new bearings at it :blob:
 
I think I paid something like 400 plus tax to get my block cleaned, bored .030", cam bearings, and Brass plugs. Also had the rotating assy balanced.
 
yeah 400 seems to be th general price, but like i said i found a guy for around 200 as long as it dont need to be bored over so unless i can find cheaper ill go with him. that included cleaning/hot tank, freeze plugs, cam bearings, hone.

i really hope it doesnt need to be bored over, cause even if i get the extra cahssh for the service itll be a while before id be able to get the new pistons as well so...


thanks again guys.
 
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