Last fall the hemi in my truck was giving me problems, it started out with loss of power. I thought is had an ignition problem since I had installed a cheap chinese distributor. I started to diagnose for a miss fire and all looked ok. So i took that dizzy of since I dint know if there was something wrong with the module. I installed a pertronix in the original distributor hausing and ran that but no luck the truck was still runnig crappy. I ran it for a few days like that then I started noticing that the oil pressure was dropping in short spikes. I then took the valve covers off and bam there it was I had cylinder #2 intake rocker was loose, the push rod had came loose (adjustable). I ajusted the push rods and that seemed to help out. I then changed the oil and thats were every thing went south. Metal oil was what came out, shit! I pushed the truck in the garage and let it sit for a few months cause I was not going to get in to that again, way to expensive. I thought of installing a SBC but that really hit a nerv with the wife and she said you broke it so now fix it. I got the green light from the boss and went at it. Tore the motor apart and found 7 lobes on the camshaft gone and lifters concaved. The bottom end was okay, well not okay but just needed new bearings and cleaning the crankshaft journals. The cylinders were okay so I honed the block, cleaned out all the oil passages, washed with hot soapy water, and pressure washed all the oil holes. New rings, bearings, head set, oil pump rebuild, cleaned the heads, set out the crankshaft and the rocker shafts. ready to pull the engine out worn out lifter worn cam lobes I got a reground camshaft from Donnie @ Contreras cashafts and a new old stock set of Howard's anti-pump lifters. The crankshaft and rockers went over to Dennis @ Ron Williams automotive machine shop in Ventura. His dad owned that 29 roadster with a 241 red ram in it. the bottom end came together really smoth as you can see in this video.. http://youtu.be/ydnjuC8UpaM I worked hard these past two weeks getting all the wiring, hoses, radiator, torco brake-in oil, and other small things installed. Sunday I broke the camshaft in with help of some of my club members. Ran it for 25 minutes @ 2,200 to 2,800 rpm, turned it off and replaced the oil filter and changed the oil out. New Valvoline VR1 oil went in and new oil filter. Ran it for another 10 minutes just for some insurance, brought the rpms down, set final timing and adjusted the carb. Next day I checked every thing over and cleaned it up a bit. Today I took her out for the firts spin since october. It feels weird cause you have that feeling of "whats gonna go wrong next". I drove it down a long strech of road got through all the gears reving up to 4,500 rpms. I'm still nervous of pushing it but I will this weekend. Well I just wated to keep you guys posted since I havent done any thing to it for a while. Here is some pictures and video... cleaned up the fire wall
installed the spark plug wire covers <object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hTEjIBYF9QA?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hTEjIBYF9QA?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBRcxq2r2YU&feature=player_detailpage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBFXhGyOeik&feature=player_detailpage
Sorry to hear about the cam troubles. Everything looks great now though! FYI though, VR1 is no longer a high zinc oil. Not sure when it changed, but it has. It now carries the same rating as most new oils. With the new cam especially, I'd run an additive with it to avoid any more cam problems.
I dint know about the VR1 oil, I had a case I bought last year and I know that oil did have the good stuff in it. I will see what else is out there.
That's awesome man!!! Really inspiring since I am at a similar point as you were in the pictures. I need to wire, plumb and break my new cam in and I am nervous as shit but this post makes me want to get off my ass and get going!!!
Good you rebuilt it, and very nice truck. I highly recommend adding this every oil change, even with oils that are supposed to be good. http://www.cam-shield.com/ Not in any way affiliated with the company, but the product has done me well so far.
Hello, of course having a Red Ram in my 1935 I can appreciate the setup, time and it's a HEMI.. Duane..
I just bought some VR1....the box says it is a high-zinc oil for "off road" use. When did the VR1 go by way of the enviros??
I have been using the Lucas Engine Break-In Additive w/ ZDDP very sucessfully for some time now. I have been very pleased and highly recommend it. You can actually use just half of the bottle per 5 quarts of engine oil to provide slightly more than the recommended PPM of zinc and phosphate for flat tappet cams and lifters. This info from a friend { engineer } at Lucas. TR
I saw the same thing on some 20W50 VR1 I just bought last week..does the weight you buy make a difference?
Your primarily interested in looking for the API Service Ratings. You can google that term and find all the information you need to look for on the packaging.
Gorgeous truck! Perfect stance and it definitely has "the look"! Hope you have the cam problems solved now and you can start enjoying it and putting some miles on it again! Mart3406 =======================
I drove it to work today and It's rinning really good. next few weeks I will put the 3x2 set up, that will really wake it up. As for the VR1 motor oil I thought the same thing 20w50 had the high zinc last time I bought it. I will check the website just to be sure.
I was considering putting some mufflers on it because its pritty loud in and out of the truck. What do you guys think or recomend? I have sandersen headders and 2" staright pipe.
I have sandersons on my 241 and it breaths gooood..I would run the single 2 barrel until the engine is broke in.. Duane..
Thanks Duane, I will be in contact with you when I get the 3x2 set up installed. Incase I have any problems.
Sucks about the engine carnage, seen that happen to a few guys in the past few years, I tell everyone i hear building a flat tappet motor about the removal of Zinc, I guess we just have to keep spreading the word. Glad you go it back up and running, looking good!
I almost gave up on this lil mill cause its to expensive but your right DirtyBird we have to get every one educated.
Not really sure when VR1 changed, but it was fairly recent. I recall the stuff I bought last year had the "for off road use" only labels on it. Maybe is a California thing, but it's SM rated now. This is a quart of 20/50 that's been on the shelf in the garage for a couple months.
I'm glad you didnt put a small block in it Danny, must have been tempting though with how strong your chevelle runs! I run the cam break in additive with every oil change on the ranchero.
Now I have to go to my auto part store and check out there stock. Last year I bought two cases when it was on sale ( thanks Groucho) but all that went in to the chevelle and the pick up, should of bought more- half off.
The Jalopy Journal
