My 422 smallblock build

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pittsburghracer said:
I take a brass hammer and smack it forwards and backwards a few times. Then I torque all my main caps to 25 foot pounds and I throw my dial indicator on to check my clearance.
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One thing I did notice, I set up the dial indicator before torquing anything and was seeing.005”. After torquing it dropped to .0025”.
pittsburghracer said:
Hey before you go to far check your oil pump drive into the bronze bushing to make sure it fits good. And put a 1/4 inch rod down through the top oil pressure hole to double check to make sure the 9/16 plug was installed under the rear main cap. Easy to fix now, hard job later. Measurement from top of block to plug should be 7 1/2-7 9/16 inches.
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Already drove in the oil plug, installed new distributor drive bushing and checked fit. All good:thumbsup:
That’s good lookin out though! Thanks.
 
When I ran out to the shop to get that measurement off two other prepped blocks I have I took two minutes to put the plug in my new 408 build. Lol. I would feel pretty stupid telling you to do it and forgetting mine.
 
pittsburghracer said:
I have tried doing it with my plastic mallet and didn’t like the results. Now I always grab my 2-3 pound brass hammer.
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I was just using a pry bar to move it back and forth. My engine stand is in the way so there’s no way I can whack the flange end. I guess I’ll just rap it in the snout and pry it forward. It just gives me the willies to about smacking that crank with a hammer....
 
I'm one who drills the thrust as standard procedure
I drill a .041 ish through both the bearing and the block then open up the bearing face a little or make a cup. I guess you could banana grove
I also chamfer the parting lines toward the rear
the oil always wants to go out the front of the thrust in a stick shift car
but I had customers loose thrusts in automatics
one reason Mopar went to the wider thrusts which should be used if block is later vintage

I like the dead blow tap method to set the caps thrusts
glad you did not need a line bore
did you thread chase or bottom tap the holes?
 
Wyrmrider said:
I'm one who drills the thrust as standard procedure
I drill a .041 ish through both the bearing and the block then open up the bearing face a little or make a cup. I guess you could banana grove
I also chamfer the parting lines toward the rear
the oil always wants to go out the front of the thrust in a stick shift car
but I had customers loose thrusts in automatics
one reason Mopar went to the wider thrusts which should be used if block is later vintage

I like the dead blow tap method to set the caps thrusts
glad you did not need a line bore
did you thread chase or bottom tap the holes?
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Sorry about that. I knew someone here was doing it. Damn search feature...I can't work it.
 
Wyrmrider said:
I drill a .041 ish through both the bearing and the block then open up the bearing face a little or make a cup.
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Would you happen to have a picture of this modification? I think I understand but want to be sure. You drill a hole in the block and bearing parallel to the crank centerline? How the hell do you get a drill in there?
 
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I drill at an angle not parallel to the line bore
does not matter as long as you hit the oil passage coming down from the oil feed
most likely the passage to the cam bearings
clean out the chips with a wire brush or hone in the oil passage
I do not have a block handy to look at as I'm out of state

Ok if you did not bottom tap the threads square at the bottom drop a bb into the hole before threading the stud
if you torque the stud and you have a tapered tap thread you can split the web
the stock bolts are short enough not to be a problem
ask me how I know
 
I have never done the thrust bearing oiling mod and the only time I ever hurt a thrust bearing was my fault for not catching a tight aftermarket crankshaft convertor hub fit. Probably what saves me is I go .005 (plus) minimum endplay clearance.
 
Ok, I got the crank endplay up to .005”. I tried using the BFH to reset the caps but it didn’t change. So I removed the #3 bearing shells and used some 320 grit sandpaper on a nice flat surface and sanded one side of both shells and reinstalled. Another couple raps with the hammer and torqued all caps then measured.
I really debated about doing the pressurized oiling modification as mentioned above by Ramm, but ultimately I decided not to just because I didn’t want to get shavings all over a clean block. The next engine will get that mod though.
 
Great job. I know you will feel better about that. Hey take a peek in there and make sure the one pipe plug that you can see down through the distributor hole is in the lifter galley.
 
pittsburghracer said:
Great job. I know you will feel better about that. Hey take a peek in there and make sure the one pipe plug that you can see down through the distributor hole is in the lifter galley.
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Yep it’s there. The plug that came in the block kit was kind of long. I screwed it in and dropped the oil pump drive down in and the gear was very close to the plug so I replaced it with a shorter plug for a little comfort.
 
One other thing I ran into with this block is when I drilled out the passenger side oil galley that also enlarged the hole in the front face of the block. The factory size oil galley plug (19/32) that comes in the kit was now to small. I measured the hole with calipers best I could and ordered up a 16.5mm plug. It fits but it could be just a hair tighter, maybe 17mm or equivalent would be better. @pittsburghracer , do you run into this scenario when you tube a block?
 
I’m in the house now but are you talking about the tubed side. I’d so it gets tapped for a pipe plug and set up so it is FLUSH with the block or countersunk some. If I remember you drilled yours 5/8 inch right (1/2 inch house copper pipe). I drill mine 9/16 and used that stainless pipe I found. I block my oil a little different than you did. I tap the front of my galley with a 5/8 set screw that blocks the oil feed hole instead of doing it down on number one main.
 
pittsburghracer said:
I’m in the house now but are you talking about the tubed side. I’d so it gets tapped for a pipe plug and set up so it is FLUSH with the block or countersunk some. If I remember you drilled yours 5/8 inch right (1/2 inch house copper pipe). I drill mine 9/16 and used that stainless pipe I found. I block my oil a little different than you did. I tap the front of my galley with a 5/8 set screw that blocks the oil feed hole instead of doing it down on number one main.
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Yeah the tubed side. I’ll look at possibly tapping the hole but the feed from the #1 main is only 1/4” into the whole. I think a pipe plug would either block the feed or stick out the face too far. Suppose I could grind it down except I broke my bench vise last week and haven’t made it to Harbor Freight yet.lol!
 
SSG_Karg said:
Yeah the tubed side. I’ll look at possibly tapping the hole but the feed from the #1 main is only 1/4” into the whole. I think a pipe plug would either block the feed or stick out the face too far. Suppose I could grind it down except I broke my bench vise last week and haven’t made it to Harbor Freight yet.lol!
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I don't cover either of those gallery's. Unless you have the plate with the relief for oil, the leak at the cam plate should be zero or close to it.
 
yellow rose said:
I don't cover either of those gallery's. Unless you have the plate with the relief for oil, the leak at the cam plate should be zero or close to it.
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Yeah I know a lot of guys don’t put those plugs in but every smallblock I’ve ever opened had them there so I’m going to put them in. I am planning to put a tiny pisshole in the plug and a bigger hole, maybe .250”, in the cam plate to lube the timing set.
 
Subscribed. My 5.9 block is at the machine shop going .030 over for a stroker kit.
Do you have the book by Jim Szilagyi?
 
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Now remember my pipe plug (3/8) will be smaller than your because mine is drilled out to 1/2 inch. You will have to tap it for a 1/2 pipe (tapered) thread. I always like to fit this up before I but my crank in so I can stick a 1/4 inch metal rod in the number 1 main bearing hole. Block the feed hole and you are screwed.
 
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