my slant buildup

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volaredon

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hope you don't mind, this isn't destined for an A body/// and might well end up in my F body down the road, depending on how well it carries my D150.... hey, we all need parts haulers, right?
I have been looking between here and /6.org at different people's builds, and it seems like alot are similar, and looking for much the same in the end.
I have bits and pieces of my build scattered about FABO, want to put it all together or at least as much as I can... If you guys don't like it that is just TOUGH.... at least it'll be a reference that I can look back on and remember how I did it, where my head was at this time..... but if you guys want to follow along and critique my build, my thoughts, etc, that's fine too.... (and what Id rather have!)

I started looking for a super 6 setup..... actually 2, since both me and my son now have slant trucks.... and wound up with most of an extra engine attached to the 2nd super 6 setup I found haha...... the 1st one I got I also got 2 extra peanut heads with..... so making lemonade out of a pile of "lemons" (extra, otherwise unneeded parts that came along with the super 6 stacks "for the ride" so to speak..)
I've had slant trucks before, and been down the "yank it and go with a V8" route before...I like different, and keeping my /6 truck, all /6, is different from most I have known, over the years... as is being a Dodge truck guy instead of "some other brand" in the 1st place!!! And somehow I find myself missing the distinctive sound of the /6 that I grew up with.....
My truck's an 85, reg cab 2wd with 8' bed, a 727 (which stays! a welcome surprise) a slant with slightly under 100K original, 3.21 rear gears and a better body than many trucks 25 years newer around here.... Being a fleet mechanic for the miserable state of IL., who seems to love their Ford trucks (I sure DON'T! especially the newer they get) makes me really NOT want a "newer" truck. as does the overblown prices of them. this isnt my 1st 72-93 Dodge truck and hopefully not my last.

I got the truck incomplete, (manifolds and carb were off the truck, and wiring was nothing short of a disaster under the hood) it had been sitting at least a few years that I know of in this guy's front yard, maybe more. The PO said it sat alot when the previous to him, previous PO had it sitting too (rumored 10 years in a barn) I set out to get the original engine running (I did,) and it is a DOG. even after fixing the clogged cats,a tune up, NOS vac advance distributor, Lean burn-ectomy, fresh carb and more. though it runs like a sewing machine.
I've had slants before that did pretty well in getting the vehicles the vehicles they were in, down the road. and having been a member of here and the /6 site for years, and a pure Dodge fan since before I could (legally) drive, I know they can be improved on.
and along that road, I know the V8s of the 80s as they came from the factory weren't anything to write home about, either (for what they were) and I thought I could sure wake up a slant, to at least somewhere in between" the power levels of a "stock for the mid 80s" 318 or 360.... ~150-ish HP? Why not? I don't have to find a V8 radiator, a V8 specific trans, or oil pan or mounts, or accessory brackets, so that meant I could have "more" to put into the engine itself.... it sounded like a good idea at the time, we shall have to see, Add in taht this isn't yet a daily driver so I didnt have to be in any hurry, I could buy parts as they came along for a better deal..... New old stock stuff, made before "Made in China" ever became the issue it currently is. lets see how taht all is working out.

TO BE CONTINUED
 
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ok now to get into the engine. Sorry, this will turn out a long read. Lets see how my thoughts compare to yours

I was at the Indy swap last year (last event before COVID BS shut the world down, nother story)
After I had left, and got a phone call from a long time Mopar buddy of mine that I met by chance in the aisles. (and lives kind of down that way) He knew some of what I was after and would keep an eye out. I'd gone right by this booth and missed what he saw. he called and asked asked if I wanted a motor..... and if I was still there wandering around. the seller had about 1/2 of it in the building (of which I missed all of that, even) and the rest in his van, in the parking lot. I wanted just the super 6 stack/ but the deal was "all or none".... so I trusted my buddy Glenn to make the best deal he could, and haul it home for me..... I got most of a complete 74 slant 6, minus a few bolts, rods and pistons. plus a cheap engine stand, a couple extra distributors and old carbs.
before I found this, my thoughts had been to build up one of the V8s I have here for that truck..... but now that I had a pile of slant parts, I figured "why not build a /6 again"?
I had rode down with another buddy, who happens to have a 12 sec (/6 powered!) A body..... and we followed @68barracuda to a local BBQ joint to eat before we got on the road, and seeing and hearing his truck sealed the deal for me..... he's got an 83 short bed with (of course) a slant but he has a 4 speed.... and hearing how he pulls a race car on a trailer and holds his own. and I knew that even if I upgraded it to "1 ton" suspension that legally I would never be able to tow more than this truck was originally rated for, even if I "built it up". so this truck may as well keep a slant under the hood.
If I can drive it daily, get out of my own way, and pull my popup or my utility trailer (usually with a garden tractor or 2 on it) it will work for me. never did plan on it being a "race truck". though I am still toying with the idea of adding a turbo somewhere along the line-- maybe)

so after I took stock of my new-old slant and discovered what I had (and didn't) I took the block to the machine shop for evaluation, to see if it was a worthy block and crank and "what it would take" to clean up and put the tolerances back in spec.
I made the mistake of telling the machine shop "I wasn't in a hurry". they had my block and crank for 9 months as a result. They have 2 slant heads right now... heads that I experimented with bowl hogging and porting fearing all the while I'd go "too far". I took them 2 bare heads (with parts to build them with) hoping I could get at least 1 good head out of the pair. that remains to be seen.
I didnt go in to tell the machine shop to "bore it THIS much" just to bore it out as needed to clean up. It ended up at 20-over. I was surprised because I have asked for that at (other) machine shops on past builds for this, and none of the other machine shops would dare stop boring, before they got to 30-over.... even though Id asked for 20 if those engines would clean up there... Jeep 4.0s, 318s and a 360 in the past. I got 30-over whether I wanted them at that point or not.
 
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so after searching many old threads and PM'ing a few notable /6 guys "with trucks" I decided on what I wanted....
added to my 20-over block, polished "STD/STD" forged crank, I wanted; stay with solid lifters, an Oregon 819 regrind,
oversized valves, (got SI valves from Oregon along with my cam returned after rework) ported head (A 1st for me!) and to actually measure and "blueprint" some compression into this beast, knowing that era were not truly at "advertised" CR.... I wanted that mark, at least and maybe just a leetle bit more". That, in itself/ plus the ported head with bigger valves and ported head, should add power by themselves. Right?
Add to that, a super 6 stack (I have an NOS BBD here for the task) a hogged-out-to-2-1/4 stock exhaust manifold (for now, subject to change later, originally as cast, I found that the outlet was way off center from bolting a flange gasket to exhaust outlet) I was looking for 1 super 6 stack (for my son) and found 2, in short order. funny how that works.

plus some stuff needed just due to the age of the parts (like sending the original damper out to Damper Dudes for a rebuild) and some durability parts like a true double roller chain and gears, a steel distributor gear, a brand new FlowKooler water pump from a member here, and the best parts I could find "sitting on the shelf from 30+ years ago" could add to the "unkillable" reputation of the /6.

also while at the machine shop I had mentioned the last /6 I had built up from scratch, with a pissed off result. Only after I had that engine thru the machine shop I used then (30-ish years ago) assembled and in the car, did I discover a crack between 2 freeze plugs. after the money had been spent, after it was installed and broken in, warmed up for the 1st time, I pointed out to this machine shop what had happened to me "way back when" so he sent this one out, before starting on it and had it shot blasted, baked and completely magnafluxed to be sure this would not be a repeat of that build after he saw what he though might have been a crack that (thankfully) wound up being a casting mark.
This engine, as that 63 engine had all those years before, came to me never having heard them run before sending into the machine shop for needed machining.

I thought that by buying parts "as they become available" for what I want to pay," and doing as much of this build as humanly possible myself, would get me the best "bang for the buck". but I find myself with doubles and triples of some stuff (that's ok, spares for future consideration, right?) and even if all doubles get sold off, this will wind up the most expensive engine build I have ever done. even considering that I have only 1 head on a slant instead of 2 on any V8, etc..... between increases in how much things cost nowadays, vs when I last built an engine, and things like porting the head, O/S valves, which are new territory for me and uncontrollable BS like shipping costs.... just sending the cam "to" oregon, cost double what I expected. ($42) as well as took double the time the Post Office quoted. I have $90 in shipping there and back in a cam that cost me $120 for the work they did to it.... $80 for regrind and $40 for welding and repairing the fuel pump lobe..... and $36 in shipping both ways to and from Damper Dudes (though I sent 2 dampers, 1 for me and one for my son's 408 build) and things like "oops'ing the head with the burr bit, taking out the original seats (meaning O/S valves or replacement seats... maybe both..... mandatory to salvage the head, and accidentally just "massaging" the edge of a chamber to clean up a jagged edge, to the middle of the fire ring of the head gasket I originally planned to use, meant I had to find an Aussie gasket with way oversize fire ring, to salvage all my time spent on that head......at least I didn't hit water.
I bought a few different (other) brands of head gaskets to measure and see if any of them would cover up my goof.... $13 here, $15 there kind of things.
I am trying the "REAL GASKETS" silicone pan and valve cover gaskets, hoping to "guarantee" no leaks especially at the pan gaskets/ I DON'T LIKE REDO's!!!
then though I could just use my existing original truck oil pan and pickup, I bought another in case I don't get to the swap right away.... (nother $50, might get that back later, maybe not)
and coincidentally by chance, finding a fresh from a machine shop slant "peanut" head on CL, that has been in a guy's basement for (by his estimation) 30 years or so still all wrapped up, ready to run, for less than I paid for the oversize valves alone..... I had to get that...
all completely stock, but at the same time, completely machine shop fresh, and ready to bolt on.... at a "can't pass up" price.
 
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so after searching many old threads and PM'ing a few notable /6 guys "with trucks" I decided on what I wanted....
added to my 20-over block, polished "STD/STD" forged crank, I wanted; stay with solid lifters, an Oregon 819 regrind,
oversized valves, (got SI valves from Oregon along with my cam returned after rework) ported head (A 1st for me!) and to actually measure and "blueprint" some compression into this beast, knowing that era were not truly at "advertised" CR.... I wanted that mark, at least and maybe just a leetle bit more". That, in itself/ plus the ported head with bigger valves and ported head, should add power by themselves. Right?
Add to that, a super 6 stack (I have an NOS BBD here for the task) a hogged-out-to-2-1/4 stock exhaust manifold (for now, subject to change later, originally as cast, I found that the outlet was way off center from bolting a flange gasket to exhaust outlet) I was looking for 1 super 6 stack (for my son) and found 2, in short order. funny how that works.

plus some stuff needed just due to the age of the parts (like sending the original damper out to Damper Dudes for a rebuild) and some durability parts like a true double roller chain and gears, a steel distributor gear, a brand new FlowKooler water pump from a member here, and the best parts I could find "sitting on the shelf from 30+ years ago" could add to the "unkillable" reputation of the /6.

also while at the machine shop I had mentioned the last /6 I had built up from scratch, with a pissed off result. Only after I had that engine thru the machine shop I used then (30-ish years ago) assembled and in the car, did I discover a crack between 2 freeze plugs. after the money had been spent, after it was installed and broken in, warmed up for the 1st time, I pointed out to this machine shop what had happened to me "way back when" so he sent this one out, before starting on it and had it shot blasted, baked and completely magnafluxed to be sure this would not be a repeat of that build after he saw what he though might have been a crack that (thankfully) wound up being a casting mark.
This engine, as that 63 engine had all those years before, came to me never having heard them run before sending into the machine shop for needed machining.

I thought that by buying parts "as they become available" for what I want to pay," and doing as much of this build as humanly possible myself, would get me the best "bang for the buck". but I find myself with doubles and triples of some stuff (that's ok, spares for future consideration, right?) and even if all doubles get sold off, this will wind up the most expensive engine build I have ever done. even considering that I have only 1 head on a slant instead of 2 on any V8, etc..... between increases in how much things cost nowadays, vs when I last built an engine, and things like porting the head, O/S valves, which are new territory for me and uncontrollable BS like shipping costs.... just sending the cam "to" oregon, cost double what I expected. ($42) as well as took double the time the Post Office quoted. I have $90 in shipping there and back in a cam that cost me $120 for the work they did to it.... $80 for regrind and $40 for welding and repairing the fuel pump lobe..... and $36 in shipping both ways to and from Damper Dudes (though I sent 2 dampers, 1 for me and one for my son's 408 build) and things like "oops'ing the head with the burr bit, taking out the original seats (meaning O/S valves or replacement seats... maybe both..... mandatory to salvage the head, and accidentally just "massaging" the edge of a chamber to clean up a jagged edge, to the middle of the fire ring of the head gasket I originally planned to use, meant I had to find an Aussie gasket with way oversize fire ring, to salvage all my time spent on that head......
I bought a few different (other) brands of head gaskets to measure and see if any of them would cover up my goof.... $13 here, $15 there kind of things.
I am trying the "REAL GASKETS" silicone pan and valve cover gaskets, hoping to "guarantee" no leaks especially at the pan gaskets/ I DON'T LIKE REDO's!!!
then though I could just use my existing original truck oil pan and pickup, I bought another in case I don't get to the swap right away.... (nother $50, might get that back later, maybe not)
and coincidentally by chance, finding a fresh from a machine shop slant "peanut" head on CL, that has been in a guy's basement for (by his estimation) 30 years or so still all wrapped up, ready to run, for less than I paid for the oversize valves alone..... I had to get that...
all completely stock, but at the same time, completely machine shop fresh, and ready to bolt on.... at a "can't pass up" price.
 
I'm on a "similar journey." I've built and raced several small blocks, that's the main reason I'm building my slant six. I want to do something different. Cam, porting, milling, boring, big valves, springs, lifters, 4 barrel, headers and drive line. I feel your pain about the parts and shipping. My Cam, springs and lifters have yet to ship, been on order and paid for since the 6th of January.
Norm
 
comments anyone? Sorry for the long read. is longer already than I thought, and havent really even gotten into the "parts bought for this engine" yet.... Am I close? Way off base? Nuts? (maybe I don't wanna hear that part of the answer) Familiar to those who have "been here"?

other parts I have here so far...
Found a set of NOS forged crank rods from back in the day since I had NONE (this IS a 74 engine I am building) from a guy on the /6 forum (1st met via Ebay, missed out on the set he had listed, Emailed to see if he had more) cheaper than I could have had a set of used ones rebuilt.... $105 shipped....

Engine Tech pistons from Rock Auto stock type in 20-over.... $80/set (paperwork in box says they are really Silv-o-lite brand)
rings Moly coated from jegs (only place I could find 20-0ver rings at the time) $30.
Cloyes/Melling cam sprocket, old MP from back in the day from Ebay, double roller.... $34.
Melling D.R. chain from Rock auto $16. Melling D R. crank sprocket (last one they had at the time!) $25.
Cam regrind with fuel pump lobe repair.... oregon cams $120. (plus shipping)
SI oversize valves (oregon cams) $145.
new solid lifters (oregon cams) $72.
block and crank work (NEWCO perf., Kentland IN) $425 Bored, milled deck 0,030", sent block out for shot peen, magnaflux, baked clean, polished crank, installed cam bearings and freeze plugs, and maybe more.
Head work as yet unknown$$, up front estimate $3-400. finish porting, new guides, seats and fit OS valves as needed. In progress now.
most of an engine, incl a super 6 stack, ICH swap "2020" $125.
cam bearings Rock Auto $15./set
rod/main bearings Ebay TRW from "back in the day" $50.
damper rebuilt "Damper Dudes" $85.
pile o' parts #1 from FABO $250 FlowKooler water pump, new but VERY OLD STOCK Melling oil pump overhaul kit, a pile of fel pro head gaskets (like 8 of em pre-print o seal) , more misc.
pile o' parts #2 from FABO, 318 valve springs, retainers, and hardware, to be used with my OS valves incl a nice set of 318 valves that will get used elsewhere, (cant remember exactly, think it was around $60....
NOS Carter BBD from /6.org member. $250.
2 peanut heads from guy I got 1st super 6 stack from, $50, these are in machine shop right now (hopefully not FUBAR from over-grinding/porting, this part of build completely experimental but Im hopeful)
$140 fresh peanut head from CL, plus misc box of head hardware... rockers, extra valves, springs, etc.... "future consideration"
this head freshly redone, new bronze guides, etc.... 30 yo machine work hopefully done "with pride" and "done right".
$55 pan and VC gaskets from "REAL GASKETS" in Tennessee-- silicone material. hopefully lives up to their name, only ones I will ever have to buy.... hopefully.
 
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Thanks "circlepilot" for comments.

part of my goal here is to tell "real life" experiences, costs, frustrations/ might help lurkers tell what is "really" involved in a build without the sugar coat.... glad I don't need this for work tomorrow.... unfortunately this "advantage" also leads to "project creep", and much over thinking, comparing to "other guys here" and wondering if choices being made are right for my purposes... "Oh he bought THOSE parts... Is that how I should have done mine, instead"? Is his idea better?
but this build is what it is, and I am not going back inside once assembled.... might play with external bolt ons down the road though.
This is clearly NOT my 1st engine build or even 1st slant build (my 3rd slant build, ever) I have done several small blocks, a couple of Jeep inline 6s before, a Ford 302 (for someone else) in the past. and lots of small air cooled engine work, in between. Kohler, Briggs, etc.
But it IS my 1st not done back to OE factory specs/standards.... 1st "performance" buildup"
What happened to the $800 engine rebuild... including the valve job.... back when I did my 1st few V8s that's what they cost... just over 1/2 that in machine work, a little under 1/2 that in parts-- "engine kit".

yup. I've had shipping pains myself besides the cost.... I found and ordered a 2nd set of rings found on Ebay because it seemed like the original ones I ordered from Jegs, were "lost".... and got the Ebay ones sooner even though ordered 2 weeks later.
I had 1 order from RA on 12/14..... ordered more on 12/21 and got my 12/21 order a week before I got the 12/14 order.... earlier order from Ohio somewhere, later order from near Houston. Jegs order also originated in Ohio, around the same time.
didnt list set of rings #2 in the parts list above, lots of little things not accounted for in that list....
was gonna rebuild my original oil pump but the gaskets in the Melling kit all dried up, shrunken, cracked (since found Fel pro numbers for them, $1-$2 parts... rebuild kit also missing woodruff key, included gear and rotor shaft keyed for one) so I found an old school McQuay Norris stock vol pump on Ebay for $65.... in next town over no less..... not sure which way I will go...
bought 10 pk of oil pump mounting gaskets from Ebay... $20. new McQuay pump also came to me with cracked gasket in box.... think that is really a "Sealed Power" brand pump, is 6 bolt, cast iron body..... will need to take apart and clean casting flash from that one if I use it instead of rebuilding my own.... if I am intrepreting markings on M-N pump body correctly, it's '81 vintage... hopefully no oil pump drive gear issue there. looks like 7/8" thick rotor instead of OE 5/8" so it is slightly hi vol compared to OE even though it is listed as "stock volume".
missing all bolts besides main, head and rear main seal retainer..... found stainless bolt kit for a slant on Ebay for $65, that w as today's buy.... still 3 head bolts short and need bolt and washer for cam sprocket yet too...... none of these in that bolt kit.
 
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comments anyone?

interesting read so far. I was going to use a 65 slant in my 65 Dart and went as far as getting the block and head to the machine shop where the block was cleaned and checked, bored 30 over and decked 90 thou. The head was also cleaned and checked, minor port work and Engnbulder OS valves installed with new hardened exhaust seats. Bought many new parts as I found them on sale or at a reasonable price: oil pump, double roller timing chain, fuel pump, new Oregon cam, etc. Then my youngest son begged me not to use a slant in the 65 as he was probably going to inherit it and to go with a V8. So it’s getting a 66 Commando motor with a A500 OD. The wagon is another story in itself.

So what about the slant? I also have a 47 Dodge but that’s probably going to get a 3.9/A500 out if a 92 Dakota I have. Finally we have an 87 D100 regular cab shortbed that is OEM-slant/994 equipped but not currently running. So i should devote some time and get the slant sitting on the stand assembled and get it installed in the truck. I’ve got the slant to 727/904 cast iron adapter and an extra A500 which ought to help with a truck’s inheritantly less than good gas mileage. When the time comes, I’ll srart a thread on whatever goes on with the truck.
 
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If I could find one I could be interested in one of those slant to small block trans adapters down the road. I've considered swapping to a stick to get an overdrive. Another down the road idea is possible OD auto trans.
I'm waiting til I get the engine out,I think I'm going to need a converter for my 727 as I think the ring gear has some munched teeth. Had a B&M I was looking at, til I found out that my particular trans is a lock up version. Which I know isn't working anyway.
Though with my 3.21 gears and tall ish tires I'm on the borderline as to whether an OD would really help me anyway, might take the rpms down too low at cruise.
 
I've converted my A904G over to a 27 spline input shaft and modified the register hole in the back of my crank, to accommodate the larger "snout" on the bigger torque converter. I'll be allowed to use my OEM cable shifter and kick down. Wider selection range of torque converters also.
Norm
 
Mine has the 727 lockup in it, I could care less about the lockup part (or not) ///but I am gonna have to get a replacement converter for when I swap the engine because I believe the existing one has some issues with the ring gear teeth. the lockup part means my choices of converters is less, I was all ready to buy a B&M tork Master (~2000-2200stall) at a great price until I ran the numbers on my trans, and it came back as a lockup. The lockup certainly isn't working..... I will keep the 727 in mine.
I have thought about swapping to a stick/T5 (lotsa talk about that subject at the /6.org site-- there was recently a group buy on adapter plates to bolt to a /6-A833OD bellhousing to a T5...... but though she don't bring it up much, my wife wasn't happy I brought this truck home to begin with. and she wasn't happy when I converted my 93 Dakota 318 club cab to an NV3500.... (I bought that truck with a dead 518 in it)
I've been severely hurt 2x over the years (both right leg injuries-- knee 1st at 22, then ankle 18 years later) and wasn't allowed to drive my "then" vehicle either time, because of Dr orders..both times, I could drive/ as long as what I had was an A/T... but not if I had a stick...... which I did, both times I was laid up ) so I'm leaning towards leaving this one an auto.
With the 3.21 rears and 235/75-15s I'm really "borderline" as to whether I can even really use an OD in teh 1st place.... my Wrangler with its 4.0 inline, 3.07 gearing, and 5 speed, I couldn't use OD very well til I was over 55-60 or more/ and that was only if I was gonna be at those speeds for a while.... if I had a 55 speed limit open up and it was only a couple miles of 55+ it ran better if I left it in 4th. 5th was lugging. I think that with the 3.21s, tall tires and especially if I get the lockup working, (truly not worried about it, trans works awesome otherwise) that adding an OD would be a waste. 98% sure I'm not gonna drop to a 904/998/999.

on other notes, I got my stainless bolt kit today (all 304 stainless, including manifold to head studs) from Ebay, from a company called AlloyBoltz....
and been Emailing back n forth with a guy on Ebay for a couple weeks now, about 2 rust free, complete, bedsides for this truck..... tired of playing Email and phone tag so I finally just bought them via Ebay today... He had told me to pay on pickup but that is kinda hard to do via Ebay any more, I was hoping to get him to take his auction down..... and then he calls me like 10 minutes later-- go figure. Seller owns a body shop and the customer he got these for, backed out on him, so he got "stuck" with them. I asked seller why he doesn't just have the complete bed, and he said "I asked the guy I got 'em from, the same question". I have been PM'ing @RustyRatRod here on the site, since he is in GA/ and so are these bedsides, for local guidance......for which I say "THANKS" to, for that. so now I will be making a road trip from Chicago-"ish" to near Savannah GA hopefully some time mid to late May. I have a 6-1/2X13' utility trailer (6-1/2X11-1/2 usable, last 1-1/2 ft is a dovetail) and "might" be looking for car parts, a garden tractor, something that someone up this way needs moved for help with gas money, etc.... Thinking out loud,, right now. Seller of those truck bed sides, has a few A bodies of his own...... I mentioned RRR to him, he thinks that he has bought parts from RRR before. I invited him to come here to FABO.

My trucks bed isn't in terrible shape (there are trucks 25 years newer around these parts, in much worse shape) but every time a truck up here gets patch panels put in, it looks great for about 2 maybe 3 years. After which, you can exactly see where they were spliced in. They rust exactly in line with the outline of the welded in panel. my 96 Dakota did that from when I replaced the rocker panel on the passenger side. Looked great then but now the seam I made sticks out terribly. I don't want to go thru all that work to cut and patch, for that to happen to this truck. so Im gonna drill the spot welds and replace the whole sides on it.

NOW, back to the engine build
next, is I'm waiting on my son to get a spare hour or 2, that he can come by here, and help me set the crank in the block w/o dropping it..... so I can Plastigauge the rods and mains, then start putting pistons in/ and measure TDC "in the hole", so I can get back to the machine shop and let them know how much they need to deck the head.
Anyone got a few extra head bolts, and a cam sprocket bolt and washer in their coffee cans they don't need?
 
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Mine has the 727 lockup in it, I could care less about the lockup part (or not) ///but I am gonna have to get a replacement converter for when I swap the engine because I believe the existing one has some issues with the ring gear teeth. the lockup part means my choices of converters is less, I was all ready to buy a B&M tork Master at a great price until I ran the numbers on my trans and it came back as a lockup. The lockup certainly isn't working..... I will keep the 727 in mine unless/until I find a smallblock trans to /6 adapter.....
I have thought about swapping to a stick/T5 (lotsa talk about that subject at the /6.org site-- there was recently a group buy on adapter plates to bolt to a /6-A833OD bellhousing to a T5...... but though she don't bring it up much, my wife wasn't happy I brought this truck home to begin with. and she wasn't happy when I converted my 93 Dakota 318 club cab to an NV3500.... (I bought that truck with a dead 518 in it)
I've been severely hurt 2x over the years (both right leg injuries-- knee 1st at 22, then ankle 18 years later) and wasn't allowed to drive my "then" vehicle either time, because of Dr orders..both times, I could drive/ as long as what I had was an A/T... but not if I had a stick...... which I did, both times I was laid up ) so I'm leaning towards leaving this one an auto.
With the 3.21 rears and 235/75-15s I'm really "borderline" as to whether I can even really use an OD in teh 1st place.... my Wrangler with its 4.0 inline, 3.07 gearing, and 5 speed, I couldn't use OD very well til I was over 55-60 or more/ and that was only if I was gonna be at those speeds for a while.... if I had a 55 speed limit open up and it was only a couple miles of 55+ it ran better if I left it in 4th. 5th was lugging. I think that with the 3.21s, tall tires and especially if I get the lockup working, (truly not worried about it, trans works awesome otherwise) that adding an OD would be a waste. 98% sure I'm not gonna drop to a 904/998/999.

on other notes, I got my stainless bolt kit today (all 304 stainless, including manifold to head studs) from Ebay, from a company called AlloyBoltz....
and been Emailing back n forth with a guy on Ebay for a couple weeks now, about 2 rust free, complete, bedsides for this truck..... tired of playing Email and phone tag so I finally just bought them via Ebay today... He had told me to pay on pickup but that is kinda hard to do via Ebay any more, I was hoping to get him to take his auction down..... and then he calls me like 10 minutes later-- go figure. Seller owns a body shop and the customer he got these from backed out on him, so he got "stuck" with them. I asked seller why he doesnt just have the complete bed, and he said "I asked the guy I got em from, the same question". I have been PM'ing @RustyRatRod here on the site, since he is in GA/ and so are these bedsides, for local guidance......for which I say "THANKS" to, for that. so now I will be making a road trip from Chicago-"ish" to near Savannah GA hopefully some time mid to late May. I have a 6-1/2X13' utility trailer (6-1/2X11-1/2 usable, last 1-1/2 ft is a dovetail) and "might" be looking for car parts, a garden tractor, something that someone up this way needs moved for help with gas money, etc.... Thinking out loud,, right now. Seller of those truck bed sides, has a few A bodies of his own...... I mentioned RRR to him, he thinks that he has bought parts from RRR before. I invited him to come here to FABO.

My trucks bed isn't in terrible shape (there are trucks 25 years newer around these parts, in much worse shape) but every time a truck up here gets patch panels put in, it looks great for about 2 maybe 3 years. After which, you can exactly see where they were spliced in. They rust exactly in line with the outline of the welded in panel. my 96 Dakota did that from when I replaced the rocker panel on the passenger side. Looked great then but now the seam I made sticks out terribly. I don't want to go thru all that work to cut and patch, for that to happen to this truck. so Im gonna drill the spot welds and replace the whole sides on it.

NOW, back to the engine build
next, is I'm waiting on my son to get a spare hour or 2, that he can come by here, and help me set the crank in the block w/o dropping it..... so I can Plastigauge the rods and mains, then start putting pistons in/ and measure TDC "in the hole", so I can get back to the machine shop and let them know how much they need to deck the head.
Anyone got a few extra head bolts, and a cam sprocket bolt and washer in their coffee cans they don't need?

I'll do whatever I can to help you out. Whatever that might be. Just let me know!
 
right now, trying to figure out "when" we will go.... "life" is threatening to interfere..... wanting to go in May, around our 30th anniversary/ but with mother in law going in for back surgery towards the end of April, , then to rehab for a couple weeks, before hopefully going home (lives alone) that puts alot of "limbo" into "when" we go. we want to do a tourist trip at the same time as well, and possibly hit a junkyard or 2 along the way too..... but for my wife's sake... we have never been to that part of the US, neither of us.... Savannah sounds interesting, but so does the Smokey Mountains of TN..... do we go get my parts and "turn and burn" to Tennessee on the way back, or do we burn rubber thru Tennessee and stay around GA for a few days/ than "turn and burn" back, spend a day or 2 in GA and find a place in TN, to do the same? I have plenty of vacation days, as everything got canned last year and I ended up not using as much vacation as normal. Looking to take up to a week for this.
the guy who has my truck bed sides lives not too far from Savannah. Gonna have to do some serious map crunching, I want to get from here to there without going anywhere near Atlanta.... I hear nothing but horror, about how driving around there is at all hours.... and pulling a trailer too.... wanting to avoid that as much is humanly possible, without going 3 hours out of the way. just so you all know I grew up 1/2 hr south of Chicago, now live almost an hour south of Chicago and I avoid going into Chicago, like the plague. I end up having to pass thru there at least once a year, and cringe every time I do. we like the outdoors, wish I could bring my camper and my utility trailer.... if I still had my Dodge B-van, I could bring the camper and not need the utility trailer. I often miss that thing.
PMs about "things to see" between here and there welcomed.
 
right now, trying to figure out "when" we will go.... "life" is threatening to interfere..... wanting to go in May, around our 30th anniversary/ but with mother in law going in for back surgery towards the end of April, , then to rehab for a couple weeks, before hopefully going home (lives alone) that puts alot of "limbo" into "when" we go. we want to do a tourist trip at the same time as well, and possibly hit a junkyard or 2 along the way too..... but for my wife's sake... we have never been to that part of the US, neither of us.... Savannah sounds interesting, but so does the Smokey Mountains of TN..... do we go get my parts and "turn and burn" to Tennessee on the way back, or do we burn rubber thru Tennessee and stay around GA for a few days/ than "turn and burn" back, spend a day or 2 in GA and find a place in TN, to do the same? I have plenty of vacation days, as everything got canned last year and I ended up not using as much vacation as normal.
the guy who has my truck bed sides lives not too far from Savannah. Gonna have to do some serious map crunching, I want to get from here to there without going anywhere near Atlanta.... I hear nothing but horror, about how driving around there is at all hours.... and pulling a trailer too.... wanting to avoid that as much is humanly possible, without going 3 hours out of the way. just so you all know I grew up 1/2 hr south of Chicago, now live almost an hour south of Chicago and I avoid going into Chicago, like the plague. I end up having to pass thru there at least once a year, and cringe every time I do. we like the outdoors, wish I could bring my camper and my utility trailer.... if I still had my Dodge B-van, I could bring the camper and not need the utility trailer. I often miss that thing.
PMs about "things to see" between here and there welcomed.

Atlanta is "not bad" AS LONG AS you drive straight through on I-75. Trying to take one of the perimeters always brings heartache. Your best bet is to time going through Atlanta away from rush hour and you generally don't have "that big" of an issue.
 
this guy is about a "mile and 1/2" off of I-16 which I think swoops around south of (and away from) Atlanta. like I said. Map crunching time.
That is, unless someone comes up with some kind of absolute "can't miss"/gotta see" kind of thing that makes it worth the headache.
 
this guy is about a "mile and 1/2" off of I-16 which I think swoops around south of (and away from) Atlanta. like I said. Map crunching time.
That is, unless someone comes up with some kind of absolute "can't miss"/gotta see" kind of thing that makes it worth the headache.

It does, but I-16 begins and ends in Macon, so you still have to come through Atlanta.....unless you take back roads.
 
halfafish Ill send a PM.

on another note; my son came by for a bit, and helped me set that heavy forged crank in the block (I ain't as young as I used to be) and we started assembly. I didn't get far. I have another thread asking you guys to look at the new main bearings that I (was) gonna use. As soon as I pulled them out of the box I wasn't happy. Go take a look over there, and tell me what you think of them. Usable or junk.

for what a set of new mains costs, and for how important they are to a good build, I ordered another set. Cheap insurance. The place I used, I have bought other stuff from in the past, they ship quick and have a ton of new parts that we can all use, but made back in the day. Brands you may have forgotten, even exist. have always gotten free shipping from them.

As I said, I've used them before and this is the 1st questionable part I got from them. there are actually 2 usernames on Ebay, both from Cypress,Tx, and the products they sell are very similar. and they may have duplicates of the same part but from a different manufacturer, sometimes with a pretty good price difference. One is "Spark Surplus" and the other is (I think, have to check) djd16. When I got my bearings, somehow I got the mains from djd and the rod bearings from spark surplus. Got em the same day in the mail, and were the same brand as each other. I've bought more from spark surplus than djd.
But I have used both.
BTW those mains? They had them for $18.95 shipped. too bad Illinois decided to tax Ebay purchases. Still less than 1/2 what the local places want, about 1/4 the price that Napa online wants.

@halifaxhops has some competition for such things as voltage regulators and ignition boxes made when aftermarket parts were more reliable. I've bought a bunch, especially from spark surplus in the last year.
I'm probably doing things backwards now that I know about them. Usually I look for the part first, and then look to see who has the listing. and quite often, these same 2 places come up when I am looking at parts to fit 70s-80s Mopars. Very reasonable and free shipping, usually in a couple days. hopefully this helps some of you....
 
Great prices for sure, I am a dist guy and when I happen to get other stuff from store closed lots I try to pass it on. Thanks for turning me on to them.
 
well just got my new ultrasonic cleaner.... I'm on my 3rd one.... I use the snot out of them. Originally, my son got me one for Xmas a couple years ago, I used it alot working on small engine carburetors..... mostly '70s/'80s Kohler, Briggs and Tecumseh stuff..... that one was a 3 ltr.... that one stopped working on me, but I'd definitely gotten my use out of it...... thought Id try a smaller (2L) one, that one is too small..... the 3L was "too big" sometimes, and "too small" sometimes, the 2L is too small "most of the time" I could do ~3 Kohler or Tecumseh carbs in the 3L at a time, couldn't do more than 1 at a time in the 2L one.

I could do 1 section at a time of a BBD in the 3L cleaner...... works GREAT on carburetors and small parts. just water, and a "splash" of Simple Green.

Today I just got my latest, 4.5L..... a gazillion of them on Feebay, 98% of them in a given size all the same as the next guy is selling, and the same $$$ will buy you a 2L to a 6L, if you wade thru the listings... they're are a few who think everyone looking at EPay is a "sucker" and will pay double what the "going rate happens to be at the time, from most sellers..... I tried cleaning (what head bolts I do have) and the pushrods in the 2L, I had to do 1/2 the pushrods, then flip them around and do the other end.... didn't quite get to the middle.... they all fit nice in the 4.5.... those are clean as new, I have my oil pump body soaking in it now.

on teh engine assembly, I tried starting to go up with it this past weekend, was quickly stopped in my tracks when I saw what my new main bearings looked like.... currently waiting on the 2nd set of mains to be in my mailbox...... (I have another thread on that-- with pix even--- a rarity for me)
 
I love how slant cranks look like from a whole earlier era than what they are. It's like something from the very early turn of the 20th century. Like Fred Flintstone almost. lol But man do they ever work! Especially how absolutely rudimentary the oiling system is......but it's also dead reliable.
 
Yeah you don't see anything that heavy built these days, it's a wonder how some of the newer crap holds up.... Especially with the claimed HP of today's stuff.
Like with small engines, back when I was growing up if you had a 12hp garden tractor you had a pretty big one as they went, if you were lucky enough to have 16hp it was a monster. Most riders were ~8-10 hp. Now a days not many have less than a claimed 20 hp and with smaller decks than we had back then
 
Well my whole oil pump body fits in the new ultrasonic but I did have to flip it and run it a 2nd time to get it all, it looks like a new casting. No more brown discoloration even any more.
I have an OLD Melling rebuild kit but the oring (cover gasket) and mount gasket are petrified. I have a 10 pack of new mount gaskets and need the o ring, a couple buck part from fel pro.
My original oil pump gear didn't survive the removal very well, the rebuild kit has a new one, from back then with the woodruff key style. I also have 2 NOS drive gears I found on feebay last summer.the kit I have is from the early 70s at least maybe older. The woodruff key is missing, is it really needed since that fear is press fit anyway?
I also have a new but old mcquay norris one from the early 80s here, cast iron version but still 6 bolts, some of the newer ones only use 5.
I think that one is a reboxed sealed power pump by the tag it has. There is 1 gnarly casting edge I will have to clean up on that one if I decide to use that one and not rebuild the original one.
Got my 2nd set of new mains today, they look much better than the 1st set I bought. These have some black tarnish on them but it rubs right off. Not peeled off like the 1st set. Came in a TRW box, just like the 1st ones did but/ we're packaged different. The 1st set said made in england the 2nd wet was USA, I'm surprised the english ones were as ugly as they were, I've never seen a set of engine bearings packed so we'll before. Both are old stock, it's been years since I have seen TRW brand parts, the old logo and colors. The peeled original set I got is probably from being on a shelf collecting dust for so long, I'd bet they are 40+ years old even though they are new.
 
well, goin together good, so far. Cant find my inside mike, but fitting the old "long feeler gauge" way a 2-thou feeler fits in when slid in with upside down piston, a 4-thou one doesn't. used them as a go-no go setup. bearing clearances are coming out 1-1/2-thou-2 thou with Plastigage. Main bearing set #2 looks better than the 1st set.... tarnished black, some of them.... but nothing like a peeled coating like the 1st set.... these are also TRW brand, on the back, set #2 has the "FM" (Fed Mogul) logo stamped in.... as do the TRW rod bearings. the origiinal set that I set aside has a weird "V" logo on them, those are stickered "made in England.... which surprised me that they got here with a problem.... same PN on both sets of mains though// both the US ones and the English ones. (on the box itself) but the US ones look way different, shinier (almost like chrome) and no copper/bronze showing on the flanges of the thrusts like the English versions./..
the end gaps on my Moly Mahle ring set is coming out 12 to 14-thou on the top ring, 22-24 thou (1 cyl at 26 thou) on the 2nd comp ring... The top ring seems a little snug to me from what I remember on past engines but are OK, right at the low end of tolerance range.
The machine shop didnt take the original crank sprocket off like I had asked (I guess they forgot, having had it 9 mo from when I dropped it off), I gotta remember to bring my puller home from work to get it off so I can put the new one on. (they are interference fit, now that the crank is bolted in, I ain't hammerin on it haha.... especially since I bought 2 sets of mains to get 1 good thrust bearing)
 
well... crank, rear main seal, rods and pistons are in. found 1 of my magnetic block dial indicators, and found TDC, measured pistons "in the hole" with the stinger that comes out from a 6" dial caliper (my son has a depth mike but can't find right now) and looks like even with a 30-thou deck shave the pistons are still right at .180-in-the-hole.... The machine shop originally took a minimal "cleanup cut" off the deck, they forgot I wanted more shaved off right off the bat.... when I talked to them late in their machine work, I asked if they had done as I asked. They did, but not to the extent I had asked. so they supposedly put it back in the jig, and took it down to a 30-thou deck shave. All I know for sure, is that the stamping by #1 cylinder that ID's the engine as a 225, ain't there no more. so they took off at least enough, to wipe that out///// but that means that if I hadn't checked on them, and asked them again to mill the block/ that I would have ended up with a short block at .210" in the hole? YIKES!
I wonder what the height of the block is vs what blueprint spec calls for.... if the block was that "long" on tolerance, or if the piston compression height on the replacement pistons is off from where it should be? At any rate, I'm not really wanting to dismantle it all for another trip thru the machine shop..... Ill have them make it up on the head

With an Aussie head gasket, a "typical" #447 casting number head, and a 0.020 O/S bore, anyone want to venture a guess on how much I'll need to have them shave the head to get a true 8.7-8.8:1 CR??? or should I go back to one of my "project creep" ideas and go for the junkyard turbo?

I did find my cylinder taper gauge, gonna have to set that and check them on the machine work to be sure it is right..... though the feeler gauge check and ring gap check says it should be.....
 
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