Crossbred, 454 into an '85 Ram

[jgh64pkup]

any more pics of the charger?

[383Ram]

Here is another pic of it rolled outside. I don't want to clog up my own thread with other projects though...

Maybe i'll start another thread.

[Old Yeller 1970]

I'm kind of a bowtie only guy but I'd drive that Charger in a heart beat. It looks great. And glad to hear about the progress on your truck.

[383Ram]

Two months later since last post, i am on vacation and doing something for myself. Still working on that pesky Charger though ....

So here is the progression of the transmission adapter. I also just got a Lakewood scattershield off of ebay---man you used to be able to trip over these at swapmeets, been to 3 big ones since the first of the year and couldn't find one---and i have been willing to pay reasonably. The other stipulation i had was it needed to have the front block plate, and some of them didn't.

First up, a picture posted a few posts back. Started with a piece of 3/4" thick, 12"x12" aluminum plate. I marked out and had my machinest bore the 5 1/8" hole for the front retainer on the Mopar 833 4-speed Overdrive transmission. Then i drilled and tapped the holes for the transmission.




Next up a pic of the bellhousing, typical Lakewood piece.




Then i profiled the piece a bit. Took about 2.5 hours to do. Started by tracing my outline, and sllooowwwlly cut it out with a jigsaw. Then came the manual labor, a rough file to smooth all the edges smooth and striaght. I also marked out and drilled the muncie pattern off the bellhousing. The smoothed it all out with my diegrinder and 3M roloc 2" discs. LLOOOTTSSSSSS of aluminum dust to clean up---how well does that stuff come out of carpet i have in my garage, LOL. Guess i'll find out.

Oh yea, the muncie holes were drilled oversize so i could move the plate around a bit. Once i get the motor together, i will dill indicate off my the crankshaft to my adapter to get it within tolerance and tighten the bolts down. Then i will drill some 1/8" holes through the adapter and bellhousing and use roll pins so it cant move if it ever has to come apart.




Pic of it on the bellhousing----anyway to lighten this pic using MS paint?




Pic of a spare trans case and tailshaft housing i use for mock up, put it on the adapter and checked it all out. This adapter space puts the trans where it needs to be now in relation to the engine and in the truck---as i am also using the trucks stock mount and crossmember--witch then puts the shifter in the right spot.





The reason for using the Mopar trans was for a couple reasons.

I can hook my driveshaft and speedo up easily, and i can also swap in a regular Mopar non-OD 4-speed when i really want to thrash on it at the track. And as mentioned abouve, the shifter ends up where i need it--in the stock location---but this was all by chance of course.....

[Old Yeller 1970]

Looks great. Keep up the good work.

[383Ram]

Bought a little eye candy for the 454. Big props to Summit for price matching, as i save about $45 by doing a little internet shopping and having them match it---it was worth the 20 minutes it took to do the transaction. Plus i had a $25 coupon from them to use too and the intake comes with a $25 coupon on next order. Add to that no intrest payments for a year, well, i just had to pull the trigger. (the tub job on the above mentioned Charger will easily cover this before the end of the summer)

So i bought a C-66 Eddy intake and two 500 cfm Eddy thunder series carbs, and progressive linkage. I have come so close a few times before to running multi carbs and ended up selling the setups before use. But i have tuned/played with them on other peoples cars so i am not unfamiliar with them. This setup usually suggests 600 cfm carbs, i went smaller to be more street friendly on my mild build. So without any further interuptions, a pic.

[thelonerife]

I looked at a charger like that when I was 16 and for some reason my Dad said no way. maybe it was the two 4's sticking out of the hood

[383Ram]

I am not dead yet. Still slowly plugging away. The block is at the machine shop now. He is going to clean it and rough bore it to see what size (smallest oversize possible) pistons we need. Then i'll get them and he'll finish hone it and i'll bring it home. I'll mock it and check deck heights and send it back to be cut accordingly.

[383Ram]

New parts for the engine. Speed Pro ch426cp pistons, (.030 oversize, .100" dome), moly ring set, core plugs, main, rod & cam bearings, full gasket set.

[383Ram]

Visited my machinest yesterday. Block is coming along nicely and is all cleaned and rough bored with deck plates on it. We also had to deck the block to get the plates to sit level and at the same time made both deck heights the same height. There may be some minor decking to get the pistons a zero deck height later on when i mock all this up. This is supposed to be a budget build, HA HA, but i guess for a big block it still is. The following is what i have spent so far.

$ 245.95 Pistons, Speed Pro 426cp .100 dome, with Moly rings
$ 15.95 Rod bearings, Summit brand (King Bearings, set of 8)
$ 26.99 Main bearings, Summit brand (King Bearings, full set)
$ 20.95 Cam Bearings, Summit brand (King bearings, full set)
$ 16.95 Brass expansion/threaded oil plug set
$ 26.95 Engine cleaning brush set
$ 61.95 Felpro gasket set
$ 12.95 Shipping
$ 100.00 Reconditioned stock rods (from a build that got backed out on)
$ 225.00 Down payment on block cleaning and bore and hone with plates
-------------------
$ 753.64 total to date

I think i will have another $400-450, maybe a little more, going to him to finish the machining and balancing. Its getting close on the budget, i am sure to be over, but i wanted the best shortblock i could afford to build. Someone could save about $200 not balancing, but as heavy as these internal parts are, i feel it is benificial to the longevity of the engine.

I estimated $1500 for the long block, no cam or what not, i think i will have closer to $2000 in it by the time i am done--with the valvtrain/cam. Plus the price i paid for the core too. An my time of course doesn't count, but i wish i could get paid working on my own junk.

[383Ram]

A little catching up here, Its been a while since i posted but some worked progressed untill recently. But the project has stalled again for another car I am tubbing this winter ('73 Road Runner)---And two engine I am building and installing for others.

So at least enjoy the catch-up photos for now. The build is far from dead, I would like to be driving this around mid to late summer if everything goes good.

More parts and pieces




Continuing the "Not so budget, budget 454 build", here are the latest numbers. Budget has been fully blown and i haven't even got to the heads yet. But the block is i feel properly prepared which is something i don't think you'll find in cheaper motors. And i have everything that i wanted (well, more like could afford) in it for parts, so as you look over the tally of prices, i am sure you could find things to eliminate and save more money.

As you may notice, i had to buy another set of rod bearings that cost me alot more. This was because my oil clearance for the rods was on the tight side. I will try and return the other bearings to take a hair off the cost when i know for sure everything is right upon assembly.

$ 245.95 Pistons, Speed Pro 426cp .100 dome, with Moly rings
$ 15.95 Rod bearings, Summit brand (King Bearings, set of 8)
$ 26.99 Main bearings, Summit brand (King Bearings, full set)
$ 20.95 Cam Bearings, Summit brand (King bearings, full set)
$ 16.95 Brass expansion/threaded oil plug set
$ 26.95 Engine cleaning brush set
$ 61.95 Felpro gasket set
$ 12.95 Shipping
$ 100.00 Reconditioned stock rods (from a build that got backed out on)
$ 718.20 Block cleaning and bore and hone with plates, deck block,
.............press pistons on rods, balance rotating assy.
$ 176.47 GM #24502611 roller cam, including shipping
$ 8.95 ARP flywheel bolt kit
$ 12.95 ARP pressure plate bolt kit
$ 27.95 ARP Dampner bolt kit
$ 86.95 .001" std "X" oversize King rod brgs
$ 16.95 Blue thread locker
$ 23.85 Aluminum pipe plugs, 1/8", 1/4", 3/8"
$ 11.95 Shipping
$ 44.38 GM #12371053 Timing chain set
$ 22.73 engine paint, 4 cans
$ 88.10 Final cut of deck surface on block
-------------------
$ 1768.07 total to date

Here are a couple more pics to add

This was checking to see what more needed to be cut off the deck to get me as close to possible to zero deck. My machinest then cut the rest for me and verified that both decks are parallel with the crank centerline and the same heights from the crank centerline.



This is the initial cleaning i did, i used my Mr Gasket engine brush kit to get all the oil passages cleaned out as well. I used some Purple Power cleaner diluted 50/50 in warm water to get the gunk out---and there was more than i thought there would be stuck in the oil passages. So make sure you always clean your block well---many times.

[383Ram]

Painting of the block. I used Cummins Beige paint on this. It will go with the whole color scheme of the truck. I think anything else other than black is going to be a PITA to keep clean so i might as well go with what looks good.



Installing the freeze plugs, funny story actually, do not use a socket that fits snugly on the plug. You WILL have a heck of a time getting the socket unstuck from the plug once its in and do ALOT of cursing--and possibly some broken tools. Use a socket thats a little loose on the plug--i knew this but got excited when i saw how nice the first socket fit---DOH!!! I use a little "Indian Head" around the freeze plugs---its just something i always do.



I then installed the screw in plugs. I like the "pretty" aluminum ones, LOL.



Next i installed the cam bearings (sorry the pic got all fubared so i can't show it). I then slid the cam in to make sure all was well and it turned freely as its supposed to. This is always a good idea to do in the pre build as one time I had a cam that was machined wrong on two bearing surfaces and it would not go into the block (won't mention the big cam companies name of course).



Sometimes I do things because I feel better doing so, this is one of them. Hard to see, but I radiused the oil hole in the rear main cap and smoothed out the rest a little bit. Does it help, who knows, but like I said, I feel better doing it.

[63chevyll]

that big block looks good in a dodge.

[383Ram]

The crank has been install and all the clearances checked. Also installed was the rear main seal, which i offset a bit (can't hurt and i have always done it). I also put some anerobic sealer under the #5 main from the rear seal out to the edge, this keeps any oil from seeping under the cap and causing a very hard to diagnose oil leak---hopefully there won't be any of those however. For those that do not know, an anerobic sealer only dries in the absence of air--such as between two tight fitting metal surfaces (such as a main cap and block--or on more modern manual transmission case halves). I also cleaned the crank with a can of brakleen and a small brush from my engine brush set to get into the oil holes. I thought i had it fairly clean already, but those brushes really pull some junk out. Always clean it the best you can.


Crank installed on bearings dry. Getting ready to check with clearances with plastigauge




Here is the #3 main cap pulled and bearing clearance being checked. My clearances ended up at .003" for #1-4 mains and .0035" for the #5 main





Torquing the main caps in place, i gave the crank some light taps back and forth to seat the thrust surface on the main cap before tightening.





Checking the endplay of the crank. I know the picture isn't great, but i ended up with .008" of endplay is what it's showing on the indicator.

[GmtGmt]

Wow great engine build
this is how its supose to be done Great job

[383Ram]

Not dead yet, LOL. Alot has happened with the build. I had MAJOR issues with the stock "redone" connecting rods I originally purchased. This neccitated me buy new rods (Scat 7/16 cap bolt I-beams) and rebalancing the whole assembly again. Unfortunatly, I had to let this stuff sit as I was busy with other stuff.

I have been crazy busy in the shop, I tubbed another car this winter and have 3 other engine builds going on. But I finally am getting some of this done. I just finished the Shortblock this past weekend, so that is a step in the right direction. I have the heads back from the machine shop a second time and have everything as far as I know to assemble those.

I know its been awhile, but if your still interested, stay tuned....

[NONHOG]

Originally Posted by 383Ram

but if your still interested, stay tuned....

I know I am! Nice to see an update. Wish I had one.

[Old Yeller 1970]

I'm still enjoying the updates.

[383Ram]

Long block is done!





Place the intake on top with the valve covers.... nice.





Woking on getting the small block accesoried to work on the 454. I know there are brackets out there to buy for this swap deal, but I have more time than money. Plus I noticed they move the brackets in a ever so slightly different position which would work, but my way makes more room by the frame rails for this swap into my Dodge.




If you want to read all the gorey details of the build, they are located here. I just haven't had enough time to double the posts in both places. http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326289

Once I get the pullies all worked out, its on to my run stand to break it in before going into the truck.

[jb1016]

Looking good -- that beige paint is different; I like that it keeps with the theme of the truck.

[sethv]

That's awesome

Makes me remember the time I wanted to put a Ford 460 in my old K10 when the original 350 popped. lol. (I do love 460s though, my F250 I have now has gobs of torque and runs like a wild animal )

[spudz]

very nice! I am interested in what was involved to get the small block serp setup to work. They kits seem very high for whats included in it.

[stealthy '69]

Are you planning on leaving the brackets bare aluminum or painting it beige like the block? Sweet build by the way. It's nice to see someone detailing their engine build too. Usually you just get them bolting parts on and running it. Keep up the progress, and I can't wait for more updates and a break in video.

[383Ram]

Brackets will be either painted aluminum or black and pullies will of course be black too.

I wanted to have things powdercoated but my wife and I just recently became another victim of the economy and down to one income. So everything at this point will be painted.

And yes, I do like detailed engines too. I hate it when a bunch of parts are thrown together and run and then things like hardware start rusting, RTV is heavily ozzing out from corners, coolant leaks are the worst in my book too, because that stuff just corrodes and eats the paint off everything.

[MalibuSSwagon]

Paint is fine, I rattle canned my TPI setup for my truck, can out awesome I must say. We'll see if it holds up to the abuse I put it thru.