New 512 build planning

[Spyder]

Getting a little closer every time I get some time off work. The wrist pin got shipped out the same day I called about it, but USPS lost it and it took 2 weeks to get here. Used that time to do some other prep work, built an 8x24 multi-bay chicken coop (www.therustedroostfarm.com if anyone's looking for hatching eggs!), and covered a bunch of shifts at work. Hanging out with the dog drinking coffee right now, and hoping to get the heads on and valvetrain set up today!

Corrected the paint under the hood last weekend.

 

[rickseeman]

New paint under the hood always makes it look better. Especially High Impact paint. Always money well spent.

 

[Spyder]

Going to try and bolt it back in the car tomorrow, schedule dependant!

 

[Spyder]

Hard part's done, now to put the torque converter in and hook up all the accessories. I am REALLY REALLY REALLY glad I decided to take the time to paint the engine bay. I almost didn't, because there was a big show and cruise last weekend I wanted to go to, but it came out freaking great. Very happy with it so far. Now, if it'll only run and without leaks, and without eating itself, when I get to finish it up and fire.

 

[moparlee]

Hard part's done, now to put the torque converter in and hook up all the accessories. I am REALLY REALLY REALLY glad I decided to take the time to paint the engine bay. I almost didn't, because there was a big show and cruise last weekend I wanted to go to, but it came out freaking great. Very happy with it so far. Now, if it'll only run and without leaks, and without eating itself, when I get to finish it up and fire.

View attachment 139018

Yup, doing everything in the engine bay ahead of time is way easier now than later. Looks good

 

[Xcudame]

I love that intake! It gets my vote as the ugliest and most effective intake for the RB Mopar! I own three of them!

 

[Spyder]

Very close to first fireup, hoping for this weekend but we'll see how much my phone rings for work...

Dumb beginner question but it's the first full build I've done so... I've been reading and looking and it seems like there's not much extra to prep or plan before starting because "engines with roller cams don't need break-in". I'm going to find and read the cam instructions and follow them but with the time and money I'm into this (and that I really want to get it on the road, I already missed a months worth of driving it this spring!) I don't want to mess it up!

Before start up, I plan to fill the carb bowls with fuel and re-prime the oil system. I spun the oil pump with the valve covers off and with turning the crank, got oil to the top of both heads a couple of weeks ago when I set up the rockers. Is there anything else I need to do before firing, how long should I run it the first time, what do I do if something isn't right and I have to shut it down right away? If I start it and run it for a few minutes and then shut down is that ok? I've read that once a flat tappet engine starts it has to go through the full break in cycle but not a roller.

What I'd LIKE to do is spin the oil pump and make sure oil pressure is there, start it, let it run for a minute or two to listen for any bad sounds, then shut down to check for leaks and any other issues, then start it back up and get it up to operating temp, shut down and let it cool off and check for leaks, etc again, and if everything looks good, then get out for some short drives here by the house and then start tuning and double checking everything before more than a mile or two drive.

 

[Xcudame]

Useless you have a major oil leak (not likely since you've primed it) or coolant leak (it will take a good 10 or 15 minutes to get meaningful heat in the coolant), you don't want to shut it off for 15 to 20 minutes on a flat tappet cam. But you have a roller. I think you still should run it for at least ten minutes and I still like the rpms to by around 2500. You're seating piston rings and to a smaller degree, you're still forming each roller lifter to its cam lobe. Oil pressure should be at least 25 psi at 2500 rpm. Once there are no leaks or weird noises, I like to run 3 or 4 heat cycles on the engine before driving. That way I can recheck torque on intake, valve covers and exhaust bolts/nuts especially with aluminum parts.

 

[Spyder]

Makes sense to me, that's pretty much the plan! Currently looking for some more parts I misplaced (rubber mounts for msd box and some wiring pieces) that are pretty much the last things to do but it's 95 degrees in the shop and while its heated for my 10 degree winters, it isn't cooled.

I'll be out here in the morning fiddling with it for sure.

 

[Spyder]

Almost there. Ran into dumb things today (couldn't find fuel line clamps. Went and stole some off the Barracuda. Found them immediately after. ) and had some household stuff come up so didn't finish, but... VERY close.

 

[540HemiCuda]

Is the top radiator hose kinked just above the thermostat?

 

[Spyder]

Is the top radiator hose kinked just above the thermostat?

Yep, good eye. It's coming back off, that's one of the dumb little things I came across. It's off the old motor and wasn't kinked then (or maybe it was and I didn't notice). The t-stat housing is also smooth, no flange for the clamp to lock into which I feel is weird and likely to come off so I'll be replacing it as well. Once I get it up and going, I'll clean up the wiring, upgrade all the fuel lines, and get rid of the aluminum tape around the radiator as well. That's from when I was messing with the old setup to see if I could cool it down some and shroud to radiator fitment isn't the best.

 

[Spyder]

Primed oil, 25lbs of pressure with drill. Filled carb bowls and lines, double checked wiring, stuck distributor in, wouldn't seat...

With the Trick Flow heads the valve covers are touching the distributor body so I'll have to do some grinding to fit. Worked fine on the old engine with 915 heads.

Try again tomorrow, off to work now.

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

Primed oil, 25lbs of pressure with drill. Filled carb bowls and lines, double checked wiring, stuck distributor in, wouldn't seat...

With the Trick Flow heads the valve covers are touching the distributor body so I'll have to do some grinding to fit. Worked fine on the old engine with 915 heads.

Try again tomorrow, off to work now.

That AVS2 will work very well for you. I also see you're using the Lokar throttle & kickdown cable system. I've used that setup on 3 of my Mopars and has been great. So much better than trying to find OE style brackets & rods and making them work with aftermarket intakes. I see the carb studs are quite long which would be great if you ever need to put on a spacer to keep heat away from the carb body. The fan/shroud you have should work great for highway cooling. Hope you have enough cooling for low speed or stuck in traffic. I had to go to electric fans to deal with the low speed cooling. With my mechanical fan & shroud I would stay around 185 (180 thermostat) while at 70/75 on the highway. With electric fans the temp runs much higher due to the shroud the fans are mounted on actually impeding airflow at higher speeds. Wish there was another solution, but it is what it is.

 

[Spyder]

I liked the 650 AVS2 on the 440, this 800 should work out well. Long studs are for a spacer, I'll sort that once I have the hood on. I used a half inch spacer on the 440 and will use as tall as I can fit with this intake. The offenhauser was a little taller than this Holley. (It will also be available for sale if anyone needs one). Been using the Lokar cables on everything forever, way better than stock stuff.

The fan and shroud setup worked fine on the 440, it stayed under 205 while idling in the shop on hundred degree days last summer...Will see how it works on this setup.

 

[540HemiCuda]

Can I ask a question about your crankcase ventilation? I don't see a breather unless that is one under the PCV. If so, how does that work to vent the crankcase? If it's not a breather, shouldn't there be a breather on the opposite valve cover?

 

[Spyder]

Passenger side has a breather with a rubber grommet that fits a PCV in it. I forget part number but it's a Ford part that fits these valve covers. On the old engine I never found a good breather/pcv setup that didn't leak until I did this.

 

[540HemiCuda]

If the breather AND the PCV are together, how does that vent the crankcase? How does that work compared to having the breather and PCV valve on opposite sides of the engine? What am I missing?

 

[Spyder]

I dunno. Im probably not doing it right but this is the only way I tried on the 440 that didn't leak or whistle.

I probably should, and will, run a breather on the driver's side. You guys are the knowledgeable ones here, I'm asking the questions, not answering them!