An Industrial 413 Build

[Xcudame]

So a while ago I picked up a 1970 industrial 413 for $150. My original intention was just to keep the crank and rods to use in other projects. My son and I tore it down three days after I got it and it's a good thing we did. Water had gotten into the engine and the oil pan was mostly water!! The crazy big water pump housing, weird cylinder heads, and intake manifold are now in my "one step away from the dump pile". The cool thing is it's a standard 6-bolt crankshaft drilled and reamed for a manual transmission, so I'll go ahead and install a bushing to make it more versatile later on.

The rv it came out of must had been low mileage because there were still hash marks in the cylinders, the 535 rods still had nice hash marks. And get this, I measured the crankshaft rods and mains with my micrometer and they were all on the mid to high side of the tolerance! So what to do? I decided what the heck, get some EGGE pistons and do a low budget rebuild. Plus this would be the first father/son build.

My son and I cleaned up the block and using my sonic tester, we measured the cylinder wall thickness. We were amazed at the thickness being over 1/4 inch! We compared the wall thicknesses to the . 030 over 1966 440 block I have. The 413 can be over board to a .030 over 440 with no problem. I confirmed this with Terry fro 440 Source. So don't pass up an industrial 413 if you find one!

So for the rebuild, I ordered std 440 Clevite rod and main bearings and Hastings 413 std rings. For cylinder heads, I have a pair of 906 heads that have harden exhaust seats and Federal Mogul Hemi valve springs. I did a quickie throat, bowl and gasket match on the heads and lapped in new 208/1.74 valves. For the camshaft I'm using an old one I had ground years ago when I worked in an engine machine shop. It's a Mopar Performance 284/484 ground on 110 lobe center instead of 108. I figured this would be better for a lower than 10:1 engine and provide more vacuum. This was before Mopar came out with the 114 lobe center 284/484 cam.

I'll post more tomorrow and include some photos.

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

Sounds like a fun project!

 

[Xcudame]

So with a plan of which components to use, we pressed off the old dished pistons from the rods and I discovered this anomaly on cylinder 2s connecting rod!

 

[Xcudame]

I've never seen an "YL" connecting rod! They've always been "LY". Maybe a new guy the day this particular rod was forged? Anyway, being recently retired with too much time on my hands, I cleaned all the rods and spent about 8 hours total (over three days) balancing the rods and flat top pistons within +/- 0.1 grams of each other. I know, way to precise, but so much better than "work"! I calculated the new bob weight and the original bob weight. The new bob weight is about 55 grams lighter than the old one. Knowing that most machine shops are leaning towards using 52% of the reciprocating weight, I figure it's close enough for a mild performance build.

A trip to my local machine shop south of me, I dropped off the pistons and rods so the machinist could install the pistons onto the rods. Like usual he's backed up so I paid him in advance and told him I'd have my son (who drives by everyday to and from work) pick them up when ready. Two days later, my son brought them home.

Meanwhile, I used a ball hone on the cylinders and used a top compression ring (Hastings plasma is my favorite) to verify end gap. Right on the high side of the spec - about .021 to . 023.

 

[Xcudame]

After honing the cylinders and checking the ring end gap, I thoroughly cleaned all the oil passages with brass bottle/pipe brushes, wiped down the cylinders (old clean cotton t-shirts work great) and lightly oiled the cylinders with some old 30 weight oil from a quart container I accumulated from somewhere.

So now we where ready to start assembling the short block. Dad always used STP oil additive to assemble engines growing up. And since it has lots of ZDDP in it, I figured there's probably nothing really better. So we coated the camshaft bearings with a nice coating and worked the camshaft into place first, which is much easier to install with the block upside down on the engine stand. Camshaft was snug, but turned freely. Next we coated the block half main bearings with STP, slid them in place and lowered the crankshaft into position. Repeat with the cap half main bearings and installed them. Torqued the main cap bolts to 85 ft-lbs in 3 increments with the ever accurate beam style torque wrench - my son did this so he can appreciate how much 85 ft-lbs actually is! The crankshaft spun easily and the thrust main gap turned out to be right about . 007". I showed my son how to " spin" in the upper rear main seal and we installed the rear main seal with a little RTV gasket maker on all the seams with the block.

Next, we installed the rings onto the pistons. My son was lucky we used a ring installing pliers. Remember spiraling on the rings with your fingers? I do, and definitely like the pliers better! I showed my son how to install the ring compressing band. We lubed up the rings with STP along with each cylinder's rod bearings and installed each piston.

Side note, I had to notch the oil passage for all the rod cap bearings! I don't know why the bearing manufacturers stopped with the notch, but I'm guessing it helps with the failures of flat tappet cams we all have heard about! I know roller cams don't need the extra oil, but something tells me it's still a good idea for the hydraulic and solid flat tappet cams. And sense we'll be using a high volume oil pump and hemi style oil pan, more oil isn't going to be an issue.

 

[Xcudame]

Here's a few photos of us installing the pistons. I should have taken more photos, but I wanted to enjoy the experience with my son. I recommend Don Taylor's "How to rebuild Big-Block Mopar Engines" because he includes not only a lot of photos, but a nice "check list" of steps to assemble a Big-Block.

 

[larry4406]

Nice job!

 

[Xcudame]

OK, we installed the timing set (Comp Cams) that I had laying on the shelf. (Heminut has seen a glance of all the big block "stuff" I have on the shelves). Then we degreed the camshaft, verified it had 110 lobe centers and .484 lift. Left it straight up. Put loctite on the camshaft sprocket bolt.
Then we installed the timing cover and damper. Good to see my son strain a little to get 135 ft-lbs on the bolt!

 

[Xcudame]

Now I'm going to measure the cc's of the 906 heads I've got. There's .010 stamped on both. This makes me think they are machined .010. Might make them smaller than 88/86cc. Also, I measured the piston "in the hole" depth and instead of being the calculated . 067" in the hole, they are . 062 +/- .001!

Was planning on using Mr. Gasket steal gaskets with the 906 heads. But I've got a set of 440 Source heads and Edelbrock E-Street heads on the shelf! I would probably need to use the Fel-Pro 1009 gaskets with the aluminium heads. But I'm concerned with the valve shrouding of the smaller 413 4.188 bore. Any thoughts?

 

[TIMINATOR]

I have been bore notching 440 blocks for over 35 years! I notch them down about.040-.060 above the top ring travel and use an old gasket and lay it on the head and .
mark how wide the notch needs to be in relation to the valve unshroud cut. I also unshroud the valves in my machine to within .030 of the gasket first. Then put the gasket on the block and mark it with a Sharpie. Done correctly, you end up with a nice tapering v notch with a rounded bottom near the rings travel. Unshrouding the chambers and bore notching the block is worth 20 to 40 HP depending on cam size and head flow.
A 5 or 6 passes with a ball hone ball hone will hourglass the cylinders .003 to .005 thousandths at the top and bottom, and hurts ring sealing!
When I was giving seminars years ago, I would take a junk block, bore and finish hone one cylinder, dial bore gauge it from top to bottom, then have a "backyard expert" do his thing with a ball hone. Then I would dialbore gauge it again top middle and bottom and record the new dimensions. Next I take Perma Blue gun bluing and blue the cylinder after a thorough cleaning.
If remeasuring the ball "honed" cylinder wasn't enough proof, I took a few light passes in the 616 hone, so all could see the blue shadows all over the cylinder, but mostly in the top inch of the cylinder. You know, up where the rings change direction at the top.
At idle and low RPMs the rings will follow the bore wear. Above 2500 or so, the rings compress to the smallest diameter of the bore, and stay there, allowing a lot of blow by.
As Smokey Yunick said,"80% of the work is done at the top 20% of the stroke."
He was correct, and I can prove it, probably by the same way he found out. But this post is too long so far.
Next, STP additive is not a lubricant, it is mostly a viscosity index improver(thinking agent, with a bit of ZDDP), mix only 10 or 15% with oil for use as a prelube, or better yet, use Clevite 77 Bearing guard. It's the best!
TIMINATOR

 

[Xcudame]

Well, the short block is built and the engine will be primed with fresh oil while rotating the crankshaft to get oil up to all the components before dropping in the intermediate shaft and distributor. This engine sure isn't a performance build.

Funny, there's a lot of people out there using ball hones to remove glaze with no issues! If there were problems, I don't think the ball hone manufacturers would stay in business. Just didn't make sense to spend extra money on boring a block that's still in factory specifications regarding bore and taper. Just need to break the glaze for new rings to seat.

Going to stick with the 906 cylinder heads as I've had them apart, checked everything and like I mentioned, hand lapped in the valves. Just need to cc the chambers on them. according to my calculations so far, I should be right around 9.0 to 1 on the compression ratio. Maybe a little higher if the head chambers measure less than 86-88cc.

We did take the time to set the heads, intake, carb, valve covers, and water pump & housing on for some preliminary photos.

 

[heminut]

Looking good my friend! We're looking forward to getting back by your place in the next few months and I definitely am looking forward to seeing this engine!

 

[TIMINATOR]

On a non performance engine that does not have to be smog checked every year it will be OK. Ball hones WILL raise the HC, oil consumption, and blow by, thus dirtying the oil quicker between changes, and drop the bottom end torque production, not to mention that longevity will also be affected.
We build race and HP street engines exclusively, and I have for over 50 years of owning my own shop.
I am not bagging on you or your build, and I realize it is already done and you are happy and proud of what you have done.
I mentioned the facts for someone else reading this that may think that ball hones are acceptable for performance or smog builds. I have remachined many dozens of engines assembled by people themselves, or other lesser shops, for people not satisfied with their previous results.
You can eat at McDonalds, or pay hundreds of dollars for a meal. Both places exist because folks buy their products, not because the products are equal. You pays yer money and make yer choices.
Fentanayl, LSD, and many other drugs are made and purchased by folks, not because they are good or good for you, but because there are folks that will buy them anyway. My post was not meant to insult you or anyone, just for informational purposes.
TIMINATOR

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

Well, the short block is built and the engine will be primed with fresh oil while rotating the crankshaft to get oil up to all the components before dropping in the intermediate shaft and distributor. This engine sure isn't a performance build.

Funny, there's a lot of people out there using ball hones to remove glaze with no issues! If there were problems, I don't think the ball hone manufacturers would stay in business. Just didn't make sense to spend extra money on boring a block that's still in factory specifications regarding bore and taper. Just need to break the glaze for new rings to seat.

Going to stick with the 906 cylinder heads as I've had them apart, checked everything and like I mentioned, hand lapped in the valves. Just need to cc the chambers on them. according to my calculations so far, I should be right around 9.0 to 1 on the compression ratio. Maybe a little higher if the head chambers measure less than 86-88cc.

We did take the time to set the heads, intake, carb, valve covers, and water pump & housing on for some preliminary photos.

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Beautiful! Just love the thermoquad on top too! I just love the RB engines!!!

 

[Xcudame]

OK, finally found my burette but was unable to find the stand for it. Got a new stand from Amazon. Spent three hours confirming what I thought all along, the heads are about 86cc which corresponds to a .010" cut. Oh well, at least I know it's going to be about 9:1 motor. Cleaned the heads again. Will give them a good acetone wash down before installing. Cleaning a set of stock stamped rockers and arms now. Then will perform a clay of at least one cylinder to confirm valve clearances. Still amazes me this stock bored 413 can go to .030 over 440 size!!

 

[Xcudame]

Alright, it's been I while since I got to work on the 413. Life gets in the way of the fun. Always, I had to make a couple spacers to replace the spring and check valve (and it's spring cover). If anyone wants to duplicate the spacers, I used . 500" diameter 6061 aluminum .362" long. So now the "checking lifters" are built. I cleaned up the original stamped steel rocker arms and dug up a set of new stock hydraulic 440 pushrods. I'm going to bolt everything together without a head gasket as it will just give more room when installed. Now just need to get time with my son so he can watch and learn. I know there shouldn't be any concerns with the . 484" lift cam, but it will teach him how to check his own engines down the road.

 

[ceedog]

Do you have a pic of the total side of block? I picked up a 413 awhile back (a72) supposed to be an industrial block, I’m thinking out of a motor home. Were your original pistons dished? Did it have a smaller diameter HB? I want to bore to 4.25 size. Thanks great to work with the son imo

 

[Xcudame]

Ceedog,
I will post a picture of the side of the block later, but yes, it does have the extra industrial block ribbing. The original pistons looked like they're deep enough to use as ashtrays! Had a smaller diameter balancer that is a lot thicker. Originally had the longer small block/ hemi crankshaft bolt too. I'd think going 4.25" bore should be very easy (They made 426 wedge industrial engines out of the same block casting). Using some high compression 383 pistons and small chamber heads would make a good engine. Or maybe some low compression 383 pistons and a 4.15 stroke crank! Wee, the possibilities!

What got me thinking about the cylinder walls is I'm also building a 440 for my 71 Barracuda and looking through the freeze plug (Welch plug) holes, the gap between the cylinders looked the same between the 413 and the 440! Feeler gauges showed they were basically the same. That's when I purchased the sonic checker and confirmed all cylinders are capable of being bored to at least . 030 440 size on my block!

But since the bore wear and taper are still in stock specifications after I diggle ball honed it, I decided to just rebuild it with standard Egge flat top pistons. I doubt the RV my engine and 727 came out of had much mileage.

 

[ceedog]

Thanks, there were two engines I looked at, a 64 413 (car engine) and the one I bought (no heads). I had a 426 industrial block a long time ago (mid 70s) and for some reason I thought it had more ribs on side. But from what you say I’m sure this one is ok now (no casting numbers saying what size like all pass blocks) no ring groove on this one either. What brand piston is that, I’m not familiar with that name. For my build it has to be stock flat top (1965) like original.

 

[Xcudame]

Egge Machine