1959/60 383 cid engine rebuild, advice please.

[JerryL]

I'm looking for some advice on parts selection for my re-build.

For crank main bearings, Real Steel and others list a bearing with 3.555"-3.675" OD flange. (This is the thrust face of the centre main I guess - as I don't have the things here just now). The shells removed I believe have a smaller flange OD, some 3.4xx. And this smaller size is also listed. Any way to tell from the crank/engine which is the correct size?

When I removed the valley plate, this was installed using only some silicone sealer/gasket. On RockAuto, I see valley plates combined with inlet manifold gaskets. What should I use, pls? I was intending getting a new valley plate as the existing one is a bit distorted by the removal.

I have 2 slightly bent inlet valves with something like 2" OD on the head. Real Steel list 2 sizes of inlet valve (1.780 and 1.881), but the differences are minimal. How are these measured? Less than my valves OD Is the larger one for re-cut (so larger) valve seat?

Thanks for now.

[DaveBishop]

Sorry to go off post Chrysler did a low and high block 383 but I can't remember if the high block one was only manufactured in the 1950's

[Dave-R]

When I removed the valley plate, this was installed using only some silicone sealer/gasket. On RockAuto, I see valley plates combined with inlet manifold gaskets. What should I use, pls?

Silicone and in particular along the bottom edge of the heads under the intake ports so you don't draw up oil from the valley.

[Dave-R]

Yes there was a raised block "RB" version of the 383 installed in some1959 and 1960 models.

But the "B" version is by far the most common.

Think you need to double check which version you have.

383 "RB" Engine
1959-60 • 4.03" bore x 3.75" stroke
This engine seems to be a greater point of confusion than any other engine. The 383 in this form is an "RB" engine (not the common 383 "B" engine). The 383 "RB" was only found in the Chrysler division car line from 1959-60 (in the Windsor and Saratoga models). Both a 2-bbl and 4-bbl existed with the 4-bbl making 325 hp. With only 2 years of production, these engines are quite rare today.

383 "B" Engine
1959-71 • 4.25" bore x 3.38" stroke
For 1959, Chrysler engineers opened the bore of the 361 up to 4.25", a jump of almost 1/8", and the 383 was born. Destined to become the workhorse big block, the 383 struck a fine balance between power, reliability and (relative) economy of operation -- with an emphasis on power. A dual 4-bbl version released in 1963 was conservatively rated at 340 horsepower. By 1968, the single 4-bbl Super Commando 383 was rated (again conservatively) at 335 hp and was the standard engine in the new Road Runner, which became one of the most popular muscle cars ever built. Rarely the "star of the lineup", the 383 was nevertheless the standard bearer of Chrysler's big block family.

[JerryL]

When I removed the valley plate, this was installed using only some silicone sealer/gasket. On RockAuto, I see valley plates combined with inlet manifold gaskets. What should I use, pls?

Silicone and in particular along the bottom edge of the heads under the intake ports so you don't draw up oil from the valley.

So no gaskets?

[Dave999]

I'd use this search
http://www.king-bearings.com/cat/Engine ... &year=1960&

any of the top 4 listed should do the buisness


they also do extra fat flanges to re-claim worn thrust cranks
and extra wide bearings for cranks with no radius to the edge of the journals, so you can adjust the clerance and edge profile to your specification


Then

either order from the states or

get them from

http://www.xrnengineering.co.uk/

who are the uk IMPORTERS of KING RACE

XRN probably won't sell them to you, so you might need to get the guy doing the crank to purchase.... XRN are picky about only dealing with other buinesses...us end-of-the-line customers are seeminly a PITA
(well i was, they reground my crank 1/2 a thou different on 2 journals)

if you have difficulty King Race Israel factory will make you what you want, its probably easier to approach them via the US office becasue they will know a bit more about US engines

although XrN are the kinda guys who should, given their British sports car focus and generally high-end Motor Car pretentions.

i.e anyone with a catalogue should be able to get em for you if provided with the right detail


Dave

[Dave999]

if you register you get more detail

i didn't says i am already and i can't remeber the password

http://www.king-bearings.com/cat/PanelV ... ily=882801

their interchange page often lists other manufatuerers part numbers

amazing what you find on ebay

obviously old bearings can oxidise and won't necessarily benefit from modern advances, however most can be polished up with a bit of brasso and then washed but its not ideal

Dave

[JerryL]

Yes there was a raised block "RB" version of the 383 installed in some1959 and 1960 models.

But the "B" version is by far the most common.

Think you need to double check which version you have.

Thank you Dave, a comprehensive input.

Yes, indeedy, mine is the 383 B with 4.25" bore and I now have a 4 barrel Holley instead of the original Carter carb.

This engine has had a hard life. There has been welding done on one crank journal, but the Engineers recon it is OK. There is slight impact damage on the head of No 5 pot and when the last clowns built the engine they got the valve timing wrong, hence there are crescent dings in each piston from the inlet valves. 2 of these clearly were not replaced and are slightly bent. The timing gear is new but the crank gear has multiple mounting positions giving variation possible to the valve timing. It will be left on the 0° setting.

I see RockAuto have 2" head valves so I will be getting some of those. I hope I can get all the bits I need in 1 hit from RockAuto to minimise delivery cost.

[Dave999]

If yours is the B and not the RB change the search and get a whole different set of bearings

B bearings easy to find

Dave

[JerryL]

I'd use this search
http://www.king-bearings.com/cat/Engine ... &year=1960&

any of the top 4 listed should do the buisness


Then

either order from the states or

get them from

http://www.xrnengineering.co.uk/



Dave

Thank you David.

Good information but that throws me into a bit of a tiz-waz

I just told the Engineers that I would get the bearings so I need to know now if they need to clean up the thrust faces on the crank and then presumably what the face to face distance is.

Seems I would have to register with King-bearings to get the necessary info on which set to order.

[Dave999]

Yes registering is key to more info

if your thrust is fine leave it alone

open up many more suppliers

only go into thrust face cleanup if its pitted worn etc and you know you can get a bearing

the ££ difference between a custom set and standard set is going to be a little more painful

you wouldn't normally have to do anything with the trust face....it should be the bearings that wears

and of course it might work out less £££ just picking up another crank

Dave

[Dave-R]

So no gaskets?

The valley plate is the gasket.

You can get thin paper gaskets to go either side on the port openings but they usually add so much thickness you can't then get the intake manifold seated down enough to get the bolts in.

[JerryL]

Yes registering is key to more info

if your thrust is fine leave it alone

open up many more suppliers

only go into thrust face cleanup if its pitted worn etc and you know you can get a bearing

the ££ difference between a custom set and standard set is going to be a little more painful

you wouldn't normally have to do anything with the trust face....it should be the bearings that wears

and of course it might work out less £££ just picking up another crank

Dave

Thanks again David.

I registered with King but can find only big-end bearings, no mains. I looked via the engine search, specifying only Chrysler, bore x stroke and 1959. Only seems to come up with b/e shells.

[JerryL]

So no gaskets?

The valley plate is the gasket.

You can get thin paper gaskets to go either side on the port openings but they usually add so much thickness you can't then get the intake manifold seated down enough to get the bolts in.

Cheers, Dave. First class.

[latil]

Something like this kit might sort you out,but be sure to accurately identify and measure your engine first. Find out what parts you need and what sizes are available and have your engine parts ground/bored to suit.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dodge-383-Ply ... 0989302901