TheAMCForum.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > The Garage > AMC V8 Engine Repair and Modifications
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - 360 Shenanigans
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Click for TheAMCForum Rules / Click for PDF version of Forum Rules
Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.

360 Shenanigans

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 23456 7>
Author
Message
The Anti Chrysler View Drop Down
AMC Apprentice
AMC Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: Dec/02/2016
Location: WA State
Status: Offline
Points: 120
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Anti Chrysler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/14/2018 at 8:02pm
Scraping new bearings to fit the cam is not uncommon, it only takes a tiny burr under the bearing to make it tight, but that isn't align honing.
Back to Top
WesternRed View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Aug/03/2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5787
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/14/2018 at 8:49pm
Reaming is maybe a better word for it, scraping just sounds a bit agricultural to me.
Back to Top
billd View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group

Forum Administrator

Joined: Jun/27/2007
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 30894
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/14/2018 at 8:53pm
Originally posted by WesternRed WesternRed wrote:

Last engine I built, I had hot tanked and still dug a cup full of crap out from around the rear cylinders, probably a good reason for adding the extra core plugs at the back of the later blocks.

Machine shop mentioned that it was typical manufacturing process back in the day to install the cam bearings and then align hone them before installing the cam, both AMC engines I've build needed that.

Oil passages are good.

I believe I may even have such a hone........ 
Installing the bearings can, depending, leave a bit of an edge that needs to be knocked down, depending on bearing, etc.
(it's not a burr on the back, it's a tight-fitting bearing and the installer MAY leave a bit of a deformed edge during installation, but yeah, I've seen 'em scraped a bit to remove that "edge", and I may have the hone from the old days if I dig through my engine tool stuff. Normally it's only the front edges that need much attention, if anything is needed, these days. 

I keep white pipe cleaners on hand to clean all passages, especially all oil passages. I recently bought some LONG 24" stainless wire pipe cleaners - they are stronger, never rust, and don't bend like the standard pipe cleaners. (Koko also likes them as cat toys with a small bell tied in the middle of one cut about 12" and coiled into a spring shape but the stainless ones don't hold the coil shape very well)
Back to Top
The Anti Chrysler View Drop Down
AMC Apprentice
AMC Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: Dec/02/2016
Location: WA State
Status: Offline
Points: 120
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Anti Chrysler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/15/2018 at 9:50pm
I'm just gonna come out and say, as politely as possible, that putting new pistons in old bores, really doesn't seem like a very good idea to me. I mean, ya' sprung for new pistons, and a balance job, what's another couple hundred funbux to get it bored as well?

I got here a little too late to try and talk you out of it from the getgo.
Back to Top
WesternRed View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Aug/03/2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5787
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/16/2018 at 12:27am
I hear ya, hindsight is a wonderful thing, I did measure the bores and they were ok, just didn't count on the pistons being a bit small. What's another $400 to have it bored the next size over, but a bit late when you already have the pistons. It has been honed in the machine shop with a Sunnen machine and not the old bottle brush hone on a drill if that counts for anything.

The engine is meant to be a stop gap to keep me going for a season or two before I step it up to a 401, so the buck has to stop somewhere. At this stage I just want to go a bit faster so that I can actually race locally, rather than just test and tune, which at the moment means sub 13.0. A full house 401 at this point would just mean I could do one solid run down the strip and then be sent home until I fit a cage and a bunch of other safety gear to the car. More seat time is the current goal to help improve in other areas like reaction times, which are still appalling. Our racing at lower levels is all dial you own handicap stuff, so you don't need the fastest car, just a better driver.

PS: More money on the engine would just mean less money for the converter.
Back to Top
WesternRed View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Aug/03/2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5787
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/16/2018 at 5:02pm
Success, old retired engine builder with a factory unit full of left over stock, sure beats buying another full set:


Back to Top
WesternRed View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Aug/03/2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5787
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/24/2018 at 7:16pm
Quick update, remaining piston installed.

Got the new Milodon timing set out and immediately noticed a problem with the cam gear (as posted elsewhere).


It's supposed to have a slot where the mark is to transfer oil from an oil hole in the front of the cam out to lubricate the timing chain and also the distributor/oil pump drive gears. Easily fixed with the die grinder, but not something you expect to have to do with supposedly high quality parts. Distributor gear failures are a common problem on these engines.


Corrected timing set installed:

 

I did forget something in the process, so have left a note to make sure I'm not wondering why I have no oil pressure down the track:


Does mean that the timing set needs to come back off, but in the meantime I checked the cam timing, came in at 105 deg ICL installed straight up, which is good enough for me:

  

Also mounted up a head to check piston to valve clearance, 0.070" on the intake and 0.090" on the exhaust, tight but should have a little more with the real valve springs:


Hopefully get some more done this weekend.

I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
Back to Top
turbo View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted


Joined: Oct/26/2008
Location: chicago area
Status: Offline
Points: 2566
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote turbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/24/2018 at 7:39pm
That's a beaute!
they call me Capt RETIRED!
Back to Top
WesternRed View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Aug/03/2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5787
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/02/2018 at 10:08pm
This weekend's installment:

Got those pesky oil galley plugs installed:


Then it was time to break out the die grinder. Decided to use the old intake valley pan as a template for gasket matching the heads:


As you can see there is a bit of material to come out:


And after a bit of work it looks like this:


Finished product, still needs a bit of smoothing, especially further into the ports where the carbide burs that I have won't reach:


Also had a bit of a crack at the bowls behind the valves, mostly just smoothing out, hopefully it's worth something:


Exhaust side, not really much to see here:


Next step is to track down some sanding rolls and smooth everything out a bit more.


I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
Back to Top
WesternRed View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Aug/03/2010
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 5787
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WesternRed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Sep/09/2018 at 5:41pm
Another day on the porting bench:


Hope this is worth the effort amd makes some sort of difference:






Ideally would re-cut the valve seats and install some performance valves, but no time or budget for that, so a quick backyard valve grind and onto the assembly bench:


One down, one to go:

I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 23456 7>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.
All content of this site Copyright © 2018 TheAMCForum unless otherwise noted, all rights reserved.
PROBLEMS LOGGING IN or REGISTERING:
If you have problems logging in or registering, then please contact a Moderator or