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383 project: The tear-down

roadrunnerh

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Well fellas, I finally tore into the 383 that's been on the engine stand in my garage for the past five years. This is the first motor I am rebuilding, so I hope to get lots of pointers from you guys who seem to have endless knowledge here!
Heads come off easily after intake, I didn't need a ridge reamer, the pistons came out with just tapping (pounding) with 1" wood dowel rod using a hammer (rubber hoses over the rod bolt threads). Everything labeled and numbered. Lifters are out, cam is out. Tomorrow, I'll remove the crank - any tips along the way are GREATLY appreciated.
This was a running motor out of a '69 Charger XP******** casting date on block 9-17-68. Looks like it's never been apart.
My goal is a hotter than stock 9:1 motor - I know general at this point, but no specific plan.....yet.
 

ACME A12

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Looks like you have step #1 fully covered, Harry. Here's what you need to do next:

Step #2: Crack open a nice, cold beer.
Step #3: Repeat step #2.
Step #4: Locate a good 400 block.
Step #5: Order a high quality stroker crank kit with good rods and pistons. While you're at it order everything else you need.
Step #6: Assemble and install this brute.
Step #7: Fire this Muther F'er up, break it in, smile widely, and repeat steps #2 and #3.

Well, it's just one possible scenario... :lol: :lol: :lol:

:jester:
 

roadrunnerh

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awwww Ray, ditching the 383 block already????
C'mon now, all the other advice seems sound, but going for the 400.....hmmmm
 

ACME A12

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roadrunnerh said:
awwww Ray, ditching the 383 block already????
C'mon now, all the other advice seems sound, but going for the 400.....hmmmm

400 has larger bores than a 440...and you could still tell people it was 383 :yesnod:

:banana: :beep: :banana: :beep: :banana:


Nothing wrong with building the 383 you have...I was just feeling mischievous...as usual... :D

:jester:
 

moparchris

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roadrunnerh said:
I've read that the later 400's 1974-78 are thin wall castings?
Not true. Ray is right about the 400. However a 383 is only 20 inches smaller after all. Not a big deal. I have built a few 383s over the years and they seem to be the ones that leave people :eek: You just can't go wrong with a Chrysler big block.

Here is my advice.
1. Dont drink beer near your motor. Sh&t gets left out.
2. Come up with a goal for your motor. Horsepower or ET or how much rubber you want it to lay.
3. Come up with a plan to acheive your goal. Since this is your first motor build I would copy what an engine builder, you trust or have seen the results of, or magazine has done and use that as a template.
4. Research the build technique to the T
5. Research and find a good, punctual, competent, and reliable machine shop.
6. Prepare an area to build your baby. A clean well organized area with plenty of counter space.
7. Take your time and dont set dead lines. Your going to run into hang ups here and there and its easy to get frustrated and do something you may regret later.

Good luck! My first engine I built when I was 14 and the mahine shop cut my crank 20 under and supplied me with standard bearings. I didnt check the clearances since I didn't do my homework. Well with .023" clearance on the rods I had no oil pressure at idle even with a high volume pump. Turns out I built my second engine when I was 15! :brickwall:
 

69hemibeep

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I like 383s :thumbsup: I have a machinist that I really like and I still double check everything he does. If I don't have inside and outside Mics available I will even brake out the plasti gauge. Talk about old school :D
 

Big John

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A few things come to mind. Replace the rod bolts. That's cheap insurance. Lock-tite on the rod bolts for final assembly. Remember there's a threaded plug that goes under the timing chain. You can't see it from the top and I've known people to leave that out (with bad results). Have the shop replace the oil pump bushing. If they don't know how, find another shop that knows Mopars.

For checking bearings, you can't beat plasti-gage for the low buck and reasonably accurate alternative to buying the expensive measuring tools. Have the engine plate honed. Big block Mopar cylinders really change shape when the head is torqued. Prime the oil pump before you fire it with a reversing drill and a pump primer shaft. Assembly lube on the cam and lifters and I like using 50 wt to assemble everything else. Dunk the pistons in a coffee can full of oil.

There's a couple of decent books on the big block Mopar. http://www.amazon.com/Build-Max-performance-Mopar-Blocks-Design/dp/1934709034/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c has some good info.
 

george68hemirr

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find a machine shop you can trust.....ask around to find which one is the best......have him do up the short block....tell him what you want and you can do the rest :D
 

A31PKG

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I strongly recommend this book...You can get it on ebay for around 20-25 bucks....
 

roadrunnerh

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Thanks for the feedback / help. I've owned that book for a while - it's a good one. The only thing is....for a first tear down some info is a little short on technique. For example, removing the main bearing caps "after lossening bolts with a breaker bar, remove main bearing caps". Well, some of mine were a BITCH to remove - especially #3. I wiggled them back and forth by hand. I kept wondering whether there was an easier way, but did not dare to pry or use tools.
I will post some pics soon of the aftermath. :jester:
 

Big John

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The #3 main (thrust main) is the hardest to remove. I take the rest out, take the bolts out of #3 main and then lift up on the crankshaft. Pops right out.
 

A31PKG

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When I re-did my 383 I was basically going for a stock appearance, but with a bit more performance.... I think the best bang for my buck throughout the process was having it all balanced. Good luck with your build!
 

moparchris

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For the main caps I use a screw driver in the bolt hole to wiggle it out. Patience is the key, takes a few minutes each one. By the way tight main caps is a good sign that the caps fit properly and wont "walk" under load, if it does walk it will spin bearings. So it sounds like you have a very good core. :thumbsup:
 

BBillyC

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When I did mine it had already had some high perf work done to it. Because it was a muscle car it probably has had a shit kicking in the engine department. The area you really need to check is the crank and in particular #3 main thrust bearing as these tend to give out and if it hasn't been touched you may have excessive end play. If the crank is good and there has been no scuffing on #3 a new set of bearings will save much work in the future. I like the original rods but new rod bolts would certainly help. Pistons ...Keith Black and get compression up to about 10.5-1. Balance the rotating assembly. Since it hasn't been touched it probably could use a 30 to 40 over bore. A CompCams XE285HL is a great cam. Clean up heads and check valves...and piston/valve clearance. Don't know your budget if you can afford new heads or not but a set of eddys aluminum would be real nice....and a Performer Intake manifold with a Holley 750DP. Ignition of choice, but I prefer MSD. Headers..TTI. That should get you at least a hundred more horses.

The 383 is a great engine and overlooked because of the 440. With the right work it will scream.

My disadvantage is I am running 12.5/1 compression and fuel is a bitch. As mine is still numbers matching 383 I am going to wrap and protect it and put a hemi in the bird. I am going to try to use Georges parts list and build it myself and see if I can get the kind of horsepower he is getting.

Make sure you have a good set of tools, a good place to work, some tunes, and patience. The final rule about engine building is to make sure you have alot of fun doing it.
 

69hemibeep

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The #3 takes more abuse with an automatic depending on the converter they can push against it in extreme conditions, such as heavy towing but I don't think your runner has been doing that or a cheap converter will expand and push. Chevy powered motor homes had a ton of trouble with thrust bearings for awhile, just guess why I know :toetap:
 

moparchris

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69hemibeep said:
The #3 takes more abuse with an automatic depending on the converter they can push against it in extreme conditions, such as heavy towing but I don't think your runner has been doing that or a cheap converter will expand and push. Chevy powered motor homes had a ton of trouble with thrust bearings for awhile, just guess why I know :toetap:

4 speed cars probably have the most abuse since you have to put the clutch in to start (when its dry). So I always bypass the clutch switch nd start em in nuetral with the clutch pedal out.

Bob I feel your pain, my damn BBC in my old jet boat smoked the thrust a few times till I found my jet drive had a bad bearing and it was pushing on the thrust bearing when it was under load. Everytime it killed the crank because Chevies have a thin thrust on the crank. :brickwall:
 

69hemibeep

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moparchris said:
69hemibeep said:
The #3 takes more abuse with an automatic depending on the converter they can push against it in extreme conditions, such as heavy towing but I don't think your runner has been doing that or a cheap converter will expand and push. Chevy powered motor homes had a ton of trouble with thrust bearings for awhile, just guess why I know :toetap:

4 speed cars probably have the most abuse since you have to put the clutch in to start (when its dry). So I always bypass the clutch switch nd start em in nuetral with the clutch pedal out.

Bob I feel your pain, my damn BBC in my old jet boat smoked the thrust a few times till I found my jet drive had a bad bearing and it was pushing on the thrust bearing when it was under load. Everytime it killed the crank because Chevies have a thin thrust on the crank. :brickwall:
I always start in neutral but I guess newer cars you do have to push the clutch in :thumbsup:
 

sam z

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This is a cool thread.
I see 383 and 440 blocks on craigslist all the time and think to myself what if.
Definitely something I'd like to take on at some point. I've got an older brother in
MD that I could recruit to come up here to NY to help out for a few days, he'd be
all into it, as at one point he rebuilt a Ford 302 completely on his own in his
old '73 Bronco. He had never built an engine before, but he's an engineer
and is wired for things like engine building. Methodical and a problem solver.

I too own that book that was pictured earlier. I read it all the time. My wife wonders
why, as I obviously don't have an engine on a stand in my garage.

Very cool, maybe someday I'll get that 440 to work over...
 

roadrunnerh

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Ok, here is my #3 Main Bearing.....

[attachment=1:3jxphot4]#3 main bearing b.jpg[/attachment:3jxphot4]

[attachment=0:3jxphot4]#3 main bearing a.jpg[/attachment:3jxphot4]

(I had to resize these three times to post....)
 
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