1959/60 383 cid engine rebuild, advice please.

[JerryL]

Well, I recon my manifold is scrap

I cleaned the face and put a straight edge across and there's a sixteenth gap in the middle. It's been distorted by the heat of the brazing.

Anyone got a 4 barrel inlet manifold lying spare? An iron one will do. I will put an ad in the Wanted section.

[Steve]

Ive got one you can have Jerry bit it needs a good clean up as its a bit rusty etc. Let me know and I wont be offended if you hang out for a better one. I can get it to the NATS for you. Its iron by the way. I know Dunc (Cannonball) will have a better one and a choice

cheers Steve

[JerryL]

Ive got one you can have Jerry bit it needs a good clean up as its a bit rusty etc. Let me know and I wont be offended if you hang out for a better one. I can get it to the NATS for you. Its iron by the way. I know Dunc (Cannonball) will have a better one and a choice

cheers Steve

Thanks Steve, reply PM sent before I saw this. Will see what Cannonball has to offer. Location ma be decider.

[Steve]

Ok Jerry...if you want it, i can leave it with someone at the Nats local to you for collection after your hols

[Gareth]

Jerry, if it's any help I can collect a manifold from Steve or Dunc at the Nats for you. Work takes me to Peterborough fairly often so I can detour at the end of the day and drop it off for you if that helps ?

[JerryL]

Another question pls, my friends.

The valve springs I have are about 1.35" diameter and are a loose fit to the retainers. I usually expect the retainers to be about the same size as the springs and to sit firmly on the spring without a lot of sideways slop.

Any advice?

Frosts quoted springs back to me of the same diameter.

[JerryL]

Am getting ready to rebuild my engine. I got a gasket set from Billadeau which contains 3 packages of 8 seals each, different. Which go where?

1 set of 8 are just like mushroom heads.

1 set will be a good fit on valve stems and valve guides

last set will be a good fit on valve stems but not fit guides at all - too big inside diameter.

I'm guessing the second set are for the inlet valves. Correct??

Which of the others should I use? On the Exhausts??

Ta.

[Dave999]

I'd use the set that fit over the valve stem and over the guide top.... as snug as possible


i'd use them at least on the inlets. you tend not to suck oil down the exhaust guides apart from some ingress as the engine cools after switch off

so the exhaust ones guard aginst that puff of smoke on cold starting

orginally i'd guess it had them on both. my 1970s aussie eningine is based very much in early to mid 60s chrylser tech and had umbrella stype seals on all valves

my new build used neoprean press down seals on the inlets only
metal body with rubber seal for the valve stem the metal body pressed onto the valve guide top tight

Dave

[JerryL]

Thanks Dave.

I shall definitely use the snug ones on the inlets and probably leave the mushroom caps in the box, fitting the apparently oversize seals on the exhaust valves.

Any other opinions?

[JerryL]

I managed to get the wrong main bearing set, so have to wait on getting the right ones.

Anybody need a large size main bearing set for a 383 Mopar unit?

I picked up my replacement inlet manifold today, from Terry courtesy of Steve, thanks very much guys. Whilst checking the engine gasket set for any carb gaskets (none of course) I found that there may be a couple of seals missing.

The crank rear main seal is 2 x semi-circular seals (I have those) and one half goes in the ally seal retainer which should be sealed with a gasket on either side, fitted in the grooves.

I seem to be missing these seals.

Also, there is a packet with what looks like 2 small pipe cleaners, labelled 70892 Water Absorbent Inserts. What on earth are these for???

Advices appreciated. Thanks

[Pete]

You can buy main seal kits separately, they can be a bugger to fit and remain leak-free................

[JerryL]

I spoke with Dave Billadeau who supplied my gasket set and he explained what the "pipe cleaners" are for.

I'm not missing the side seals for the crank rear seal retainer block. What you do today is fill the grooves with RTV silicone sealer and fit the retainer block. Then you dampen the pipe cleaners and push them down the slots into the silicone and this makes the silicone go off.

He's also supplying me a set of the correct main bearings and taking my wrong set in p/ex as Real Steel will not have them back because I unsealed them.

Should have the bearings tomorrow and I'm back on track