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Mopar 440 Bottom End Buildup
Mopar 440 bottom end buildup
Steve Temple / autoMedia.com
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Even though Hemi is the current buzzword for musclecar enthusiasts, Mopar's 440 engine is also a significant big-block V8. It was introduced in 1966, the same year the 426 engine was replaced by the same-displacement, legendary 426 Hemi "elephant engine," and found its way into both luxury and performance vehicles.
The high-performance 440 initially appeared in the 1967 GTX and R/T models. In 1969, the first 440-6 barrel engine package was produced with special rods, crankshaft, timing chain, camshaft, valve springs and intake system. This package was continued in 1970 and 1971.
Reliable Performance
In 1971, the 440-6 barrel and the Hemi were the last truly high performance cars produced. One of the greatest moments in the 'B' engine's history was its return to Grand National racing. On July 4, 1971, four cars with 426 cubic inch versions of the 440 with ported 440 heads entered the Daytona Grand National race, and they finished 1-2-3-4. Both performance and reliability have always been trademarks of the 'B' engine family.
Achieving these two traits requires some experience and knowledge, though. For some expert advice on the proper buildup of a Mopar 440, we sought out an old pro, Jim VanGordon of VanGordon Racing. His company has a lengthy history of building engines for Cup cars, along with an impressive range of musclecars, street rods, strip cars, offshore boats, racing trucks, and both Super Late and Late Model oval track cars. In addition, he's now the designated builder of the newly reintroduced Mr. Norm's Hemi Dart.
Heart and Soul
For this particular buildup, we'll focus mostly on the bottom end, in particular the thrust bearing, which he feels is the heart of the engine. This entire process of prepping the block takes almost two weeks in order to do it properly. But that's time well spent for both reliability and performance.
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The crank has a standard configuration, but the factory balancing was not good enough. After checking it out, VanGordon added nine grams of material to the counterweight at the front, and 20 grams was removed from the rear.
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Valve relief for the piston top is stock, but the SpeedPro pistons have Teflon-coated skirts to decrease the chance of "black death" (galling of piston). The connecting rods are original, but reconditioned, and upgraded with ARP bolts.
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VanGordon uses both a radial Moly (or a "round ring") and square edge. The radial is the upper one, and is more forgiving and designed to prevent detonation. Even though it allows a bit oil usage, it won't bind in the top ring land. The square-edge ring below it is for scraping off oil from the cylinder wall.
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Details make all the difference. Or in this case detailing does. VanGordon deburrs the corner of the thrust bearing in the center of the block to remove any "dingle berries or stalactites" as he calls them. Otherwise the thrust bearing might not seat properly, and cause wear.
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Note the difference between the thrust bearing and the standard one. The flanges on the thrust bearing have oil passages added to them, and the ends are beveled as well. The center bearing is the most important, because it handles stress from four different angles.
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VanGordon uses full-groove industrial bearings with channels on both the top and bottom, to ensure plenty of oil (in contrast to the smooth bearing shown at top).
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At the end caps, the neoprene rear main seal protrudes slightly. Don't cut off this extra piece. The excess crushes the seal together to prevent any gaps or leaks.
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Before installing the crankshaft, apply engine oil to all the bearing surfaces. VanGordon won't use white lithium grease, because he says it can clog the filter.
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Once the crankshaft is in place, tap the counterweights gently to seat it on the bearings.
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Use a Plastiguage to check the clearance. After placing a small thread of wax on the bearing surface, torque the cap to see how much it spreads under pressure. Then measure the crush width. Ideally it should be 2.5 to 3 thousandths.
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Add oil to the bolt heads before bolting on the connecting rods. This makes it easier to torque them and check the crush, which should be about .003 inches for a performance engine. Don't use an air wrench either. A manual speed wrench prevents binding on the cap, and lets you "sneak up" to the correct torque setting.
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Here's a simple but really essential step: Set the thrust bearing by tapping GENTLY on each end of the crankshaft.
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Check endplay with a pair of screwdrivers and dial indicator—006 inches is ideal. Also, spin the crankshaft by hand. It should spin smoothly and easily, with no drag.
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Re: Chevy 3.8L Engine cutout I would call it in intermediate job. You will need some special tools to do it, but if you have some experience doing repairs, and not jus ... more... |
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