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chevy ll 4 banger ?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by lilbill, Nov 24, 2006.

  1. Phil1934
    Joined: Jun 24, 2001
    Posts: 2,716

    Phil1934
    Member

  2. mtkawboy
    Joined: Feb 12, 2007
    Posts: 1,213

    mtkawboy
    Member

    They also make a mercruiser 4 cyl thats half of a 460 Ford. A guy ran one at Bonneville a few years back in a Studebaker, but didnt have a lot of luck with it. It uses a regular 460 head on it
     
  3. ATOMBOMB
    Joined: Sep 24, 2006
    Posts: 71

    ATOMBOMB
    Member
    from Kentucky

    My dad has one of those engines, but its out of a boat too, they say the boat engine we have is 181, it has a 4" bore with 3 3/4 stroke, my dad siad they used to run them years ago in the oval track midget like an outlaw1
     
  4. Model A Vette
    Joined: Mar 8, 2002
    Posts: 1,075

    Model A Vette
    Member

    The '77-'78 Iron Duke engines, in Vega style cars, did not have a crossflow head. Those were used '79-'80. There were progressive 2bbl intakes available for these engines.
    All the Iron Dukes used in these cars had HEI ign with mechanical and vacuum advance with no computer controls.
    The blocks had the V8 style bolt pattern.
    In '79 1/2 they started making the FWD Iron Duke for the Citation and its variants. They had the small pattern FWD bellhousing pattern.
    RWD Iron Duke engines after 1980 used the FWD pattern blocks.
    The later FWD Iron Dukes seem to have weak timing gears. They should be replaced during a rebuild.
     
  5. Linus Tremaine
    Joined: Aug 22, 2008
    Posts: 5

    Linus Tremaine
    Member
    from california

    Yikes!
    I have along way to go before my engine looks that good...
    I need a little help along the way from some of you more experienced folks-
    I have a 1966 land rover with a GM 153 engine in it that came from a propane powered john deer forklift. I dont know the year or model of the lift...
    I need to find an exhaust manifold for this engine. It is GM casting number 3962051. I see from the pics above that there may be aftermarket headers? I probably would need to get a new intake manifold as well if I did that. Anyone have an exhaust manifold or a lead on one?

    Thanks,
    L
     
  6. dirtbag13
    Joined: Jun 16, 2008
    Posts: 2,540

    dirtbag13
    Member

    clifford performance makes both a header and intake !
     
  7. AlbuqF-1
    Joined: Mar 2, 2006
    Posts: 909

    AlbuqF-1
    Member
    from NM

    Chevy dealers in the '60's always told me that the Chevy II 4-cyl was "half a SBC"; so can you use a SBC head on them? It doesn't sound like it, or everyone would be doing it. Is feeding the cooling passages in the head the reason it won't work?
     
  8. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    No you can't with out a LOT of mods. The 153 have the same B/S as a 307 or a 230 six. Many internal parts are the same a 283 pistons ,rod bearings and 4 out of 5 of the mains are the same. Gear drive cam like the sixes. Or use a main set from the 230 and pitch 2 of the bearings.
    I'm getting ready to build a 181 to replace the 153 in my 27 T . Flat top pistons for a 181 are over $50 each for a cast piston, flat top 327 ones are $13 . The 327 ones are about .035 to tall on comp height, big deal in the lathe they go. My 181 is a later 80s ? and has the bigger rod journals like a 350. For starts I'm just going to put my 153 head on the 181 bottom end as my fab'ed intake and headers won't work on the 8 port 181 head. So this winter I'll make up a new set to suit the 181.
     

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  9. Jim Dieter
    Joined: Jun 27, 2008
    Posts: 387

    Jim Dieter
    Member
    from Joliet

    It looks like you guys covered most points. The chevy 2 was also in mail trucks in the late 60's and early 70's. Probably worthless info now since I doubt that you could find one. We had all varieties of these things through the years in midgets as Roy will remember...(Lockard family) ...The iron duke blocks had a little denser and smoother casting since they have a little additive in it for flowing better in the casting..I want to say it was 5% nickel but it may have been something like zinc. It was around 5 pounds lighter than the regular old chevs, and it has a radius by number 2 main to keep the cracking down. We ran a cradle on the stock ones to help since we were up around 13 to 1 compression. The standard iron duke head was o.k., but it had smaller intake ports, and bigger water jackets so we couldnt port them much(found out the hard way).. Merc Marine head made the most power, we actually cut the section above all ports, added a big chuck, and raised the intakes up. We cut apart v-8 hilborns and made injectors. More work than you need to do for cool little rod motor.
    Kinda makes me want to put one in my A....
     
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  10. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,223

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    Great Thread about this engine, specially in the day of $4.00 a gal fuel. Now I want one even more that I did before! Brian Bauer was way ahead of the game when he stuck these lil suckers in all of his cars 30+ yrs ago. With that one engine shot with the dress up kit, man it sure livens things up.
     
  11. Jim Dieter
    Joined: Jun 27, 2008
    Posts: 387

    Jim Dieter
    Member
    from Joliet

    Merc made a ton of cool pieces that we could use, the vlave cover and side plates were cast aluminum. I remember seing a cast pan as well.
     
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  12. leon renaud
    Joined: Nov 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,937

    leon renaud
    Member
    from N.E. Ct.

    I have a 120 hp merc boat motor (still in the boat)I'm going to pull soon.I'm giving you the HP marking on the valve cover.Do I need to keep anything special from the boat besides the motor itself?does anyone have any articles etc. they would share with me ?if you look earlier in this thread I posted about the Chevy II "Mystery 4"a killer little 4 cylinder car from the late 60s that ran here in the northeast area.California guys can you confirm that the 4 was an option in Novas into the early 70s?there was a 70 Nova here that the owner drove here from the west coast that he said his father ordered new with the 4 in it,because of all the hills around here the 4 only lasted about 2 years in the Nova 62-64 I think i've been looking for a boat 4 since this thread started and reminded me of the "Mystery 4"New England guys anyone remember this little blue Chevy II at Ct dragway or Epping?
     
  13. A guy in town here has one in a 27 with a crossflow head. Cool little car.
     
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  14. Phil1934
    Joined: Jun 24, 2001
    Posts: 2,716

    Phil1934
    Member

    Hot Rod did a thorough tech in late '60's about how to reverse oiling so mains get oil first. LS SBC heads have same 4 bolt/cyl pattern and can swap, but I have not seen a specific on this.
     
  15. Model A Vette
    Joined: Mar 8, 2002
    Posts: 1,075

    Model A Vette
    Member

    "California guys can you confirm that the 4 was an option in Novas into the early 70s?"

    I don't know if it was a California only option but the 4 cyl was available in 1970.

    During the panic of the first gas crisis I thought that I might have to swap the 4 cyl into my '69 Camaro. I researched the '70 Nova 4 cyl option and found that there were part numbers for the mounts, oil pump pickup and rear sump oil pan. The box nova oil pans were front sump.
     
  16. Rottie you are wrong . that motor is the Iron Duke. 151 CI motor.
    I have the Chev II motor in my dirt t
     
  17. jmr122848
    Joined: Apr 14, 2008
    Posts: 6

    jmr122848
    Member

    Trivia time!
    the 153 cHevy II engine was discontinued in the US in 1970 and sold to GM Brazill or Argentina.
    After the gas crunch and the 140 vega debacle Pontiac bought it back, and used it to create the Iron Duke. when the Monza came out (or not long after) Chevy saw the light and readoped the prodigal. I have one in a 79 Monza (cross flow) I bought new that is going to have an enginectomy soon.
     
  18. Model A Vette
    Joined: Mar 8, 2002
    Posts: 1,075

    Model A Vette
    Member

    Does anyone know if the oil pan from the 151 will fit on a 153?
     
  19. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    Good ??? Go to the parts house and see if they take the same pan gasket. If they do pan should swap but oil pump/pickup may cause issues. I don't have a gasket catalog in my collection to look for you.
     
  20. Zettle Bros.
    Joined: Oct 17, 2004
    Posts: 1,358

    Zettle Bros.
    Member

    This ones got a 153 in it with a powerglide to back it up.
    [​IMG]
     
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  21. Model A Vette
    Joined: Mar 8, 2002
    Posts: 1,075

    Model A Vette
    Member

    "Go to the parts house and see if they take the same pan gasket."

    John- That was a good suggestion! I checked Autozone's site and it looks like the 77-80 Monza & clones use the same pan gasket. That would make sense as these were the blocks BEFORE the redesign of the block for FWD.
     
  22. Linus Tremaine
    Joined: Aug 22, 2008
    Posts: 5

    Linus Tremaine
    Member
    from california

    All,
    i finally found an exhaust manifold for my 153. I actually found a junk yard where the owner had so many requests he had some made. Its a pretty good unit.

    Anyway, I need a distributor. Again, this engine is in a 1966 land rover and was originally in a johndeere propane forklift. Are there any choices that are better than others or should I just go to the auto parts store and ask for one?

    Thanks
     
  23. flyin-t
    Joined: Dec 29, 2004
    Posts: 1,421

    flyin-t
    Member

    One more bit of info about the 140 hp mercruiser head, it's a true 8 port head unlike the 110 and the 120 (and the chevy II) where the intakes are siammesed.

    Ol' boy that use to live by us ran one in a sprint car and he ran a V8 head to get the cross flow rather than buying the after market Ansen head that was on the market at that time. He said the bore centers are the same and most, or some...it's been many years since he told me this, of the head bolts lined up. He filled the holes in the block and re-drilled the deck for the new V8 holes. I saw a picture of someone's engine here on the hamb running one too a while back.

    Linus, I see distributors all the time on ebay, just type in 120 or 140 mercruiser.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2008
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  24. elliotcox1
    Joined: Feb 12, 2009
    Posts: 1

    elliotcox1
    Member
    from Olympia WA

    Hey guys i just read about every comment on here on this four banger. I just found a 69 Jeep dipatcher on craiglist and am convinced this is the engine i need. Its currently mated to a powerglide 2 speed. I am in the planning stages of a 40's truck rod project and this will be my first one. You mentioned s 10 5 speed what else can you tell me about this swap or other trans swaps for this engine? Im new to all this and am eager to soak up some knowledge. Thanks
     
  25. 28hiboy
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 403

    28hiboy
    Member
    from Milton, Fl

    My 153ci came from a mail jeep and had a 2spd powerglide. Replaced the powerslide with a T5 from an S10. Check out some past threads on the T5, covers most any problem and question that you will have or run into. I like my motor, not sure about power to weight in a 40's truck. Good luck!
     
  26. ol gasser
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 333

    ol gasser
    Member
    from here

    The 1988 s-10 is a iron duke i have one in the driveway right now.Also that is what the repair manual says it is.
     
  27. TimDavis
    Joined: Sep 4, 2005
    Posts: 718

    TimDavis
    Member

    So instead of starting a new thread - I decided to get this one going again -

    I bought a 120hp Merc banger today for my new '32 pickup project. The label on the valvecover says it is CCW rotation - is this CCW looking at the engine from the front, or from the flywheel?

    Plans are to build a header and intake - run a two barrel - maybe covert the boat dist with a Pertronix.

    What about the boat cam? Can I run that on the street? Assuming it is the correct roation and all...
     
  28. 32 Barn Car
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 663

    32 Barn Car
    Member
    from Oregon

    This is the Bo Jones "T" Sedan that I bought from Bo in 1970 . It has a Chev 4cyl motor / Powerglide from a jeep mail truck + 4 wheel Kinmont disc brakes , Kelseys and lots of early stuff . Drove it 1000 miles home after buying it.........Z.D.
     

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  29. JohnEvans
    Joined: Apr 13, 2008
    Posts: 4,883

    JohnEvans
    Member
    from Phoenix AZ

    Rotation from flywheel end. Don't see why not on the cam,bet it ain't much different from the car cam.
     
  30. TimDavis
    Joined: Sep 4, 2005
    Posts: 718

    TimDavis
    Member

    Thanks,

    I wonder if anyone has run the boat cam in a car?

    TD
     

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