Putting a Chrysler Industrial Hemi in a 52 Dodge truck

Get a tube of Permatex 80011 Form-A-Gasket #2. It should fill the gap. My concern is, just how sloppy is the fit?

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Not sure why the fit got sloppy, but it was like putting a metric bolt one size down in the hole. It would thread...but not right.

I just put in the helicoil and used a liberal amount of thread sealer on the new stud. With the helicoil, the fit was better, so my fingers are crossed.

Going to let the thread sealer set up for the night before putting fliud back in the motor.

 

Finally got the studs to seal up, so I got the front end put back on the truck.

Just need to wire up the headlights again and I'm on the road.

 

Fingers crossed that 'murphy' doesn't show up again... Keep us posted!

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Glad you got it back together!!

 

Good luck, Dano!

 

Nice! Can't wait to see it back on the road!

 

Has to feel good finally getting to this point! Learning from doing is a fantastic feeling, great project and sweet truck.

 

You must be very excited Dan, can't wait see the vid! And hear the engine growl off course!

 

Feeling really good tonight. Got the lights wired up and took it for a spin around the neighborhood today.

With the suspension properly lubed up and a leaf taken out, it rides so much better.

I need to clearance the driver side exhaust just a bit (it just taps the frame on bumps). The front driver side sits about 1 inch lower than the front of the passenger side. It also sits a bit lower overall in front than the rear, so I think a couple of spacers will solve that.

Will find a shop to tune the carb (just to make sure it's running as good as possible) next.

I think I went too quiet on the muffler too...doesn't really have that cool sound. I don't want the big block dragster sound...but would like it to sound better than a v6. Might have to fix that mistake soon.




I'll get a video posted after I get it tuned.

 

Just tell the Camaro owner you embarrased that it has a new Mopar V6.....

 

Makes a hell of a sleeper to spank the kids with...

 

Lol, yup!
As for your muffler, you could put a single hi performance muffler on it, they're kinda quiet but should still give you a nice sound. What about a dual exhaust system?

 

OK Dan, time for an update.....

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Nothing really new to post. Ive been distravted with another project. I reecently traded an OT muscle car for a different OT car and have been getting it ready for an HPDE event at VIR this weekend. The new car is a factory five shelby cobra replica.

I still need to find a grat carb guy and let him do his magic and tuneup the truck.

 

HELP!!!!

Found a guy locally who knows carbs and can tune it for me. Decided to run it a little bit tonight so it would start up easier in the morning. I have a spitting sound coming through the carb. Sounds like it's in time too...steady and regular.

It's been about 2 weeks since I started up the truck.

I didn't let it run long enough to warm up...don't want to cause any damage.

Rotating the distributor either way doesn't make it go away.

WTF? This wasn't happening before. I was all set to get this last thing done so I can drive it to AutoFair next weekend.

Any tips so I can go outside tonight and try to solve the problem?

 

Found the problem....another broken pushrod. What the hell is going on? Last time I pulled the motor, I had two broken pushrods.

This time it's the exhaust on the number 3 cylinder.

I didn't mess with them this time. The engine builder adjusted them to the appropriate preload.

Where's the gas can...I'm ready to torch this f'ing truck.

 

Sorry to hear about the pushrods Dan, Truck looks awesome! Please dont torch it. well if you do, send me the engine first....Haha Hope you get it figured out.

 

Just talked to the engine builder. Last time he had the motor, he made sure than there was no interference with the valves. He double checked everything because there were two broken pushrods.

I'm using the same pistons and same dimension valves that were in the engine before. Because the engine has a different cam & lifters, the adjustable pushrods were used.

The adjustable pushrods seem to be the weak link here.

I don't want to layout the coin to buy adjustable rockers or have mine converted to adjustable rockers, so I'm going to pull two lifters out and use those to get custom length pushrods made.


Anyone see a problem with this plan?

 

Can you post a pic of the broken pieces?

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Pictures attached.

In the picture with the main body, the top of the pushrod is marred up a bit...looks like the rocker arm was hitting it after the top piece broke off. The top piece was down at the base of the valve cover near the spring.

The small piece is broken off right at the base of the nut. Can't get a clear picture of the underside, but there is no thread sticking out below the surface of the nut. Looking at the top of the broken off piece, I don't see any strange wear. Little bit of paint worn away, but no scuffs or scrapes on the surface I can see or feel

Don't see anything strange on the body of the shaft or any weird wear on the end that sits in the lifter. There's one section you can barely see in the picture where the paint looks like it's thinned out...but there's no scuffing or wearing of the metal there.

I rolled the rod on a flat surface and it doesn't appear to be bent either.

 

Dan:
Have you talked to the manufacturer of the pushrods yet? They might be interested in seeing the broken pieces and may be able to determine the cause.

Regards:
Paul (formerly of Summerfield NC)

 

Curious why would you use anything BUT a mopar trans?

 

Did your machinist check for coil bind or the retainers hitting the top of the valve guides?

 

I'm dealing with broken pushrods, and this is the question you have for me? Maybe I'm just pissed off and frustrated right now, but come on...really? The answer is that I needed the starter on the passenger side and there wasn't a mopar option for that.



Back on topic....The engine builder installed the valves and springs, so I think he would have done that. He's had the engine apart twice...he took it back from me almost a year after the rebuild to open it up and see why it wasn't running right. That's when he found the two prior broken pushrods. He said he looked for any possible cause and found none.

When the valves are fully closed, the rods turn in your fingers and don't have any wobble, so I don't think there's a problem with things being out of alignment.

The pushrods that were in the engine before all looked good too...none bent or out of kilter when I took it apart. That's why I'm thinking of just biting the bullet and paying for custom length rods.

 

Quick question....I don't remember...Do the head bolts go through any water jackets?

Going to pull the rockers to get out pushrods and need to know if I have to drain the water first.

 

dan just read your whole thread,, truck looks good with that hemi.. I just wanted to show you mine and what it is going it.. One good thing and bad thing is with your motor.. good thing is your valve covers have the dent inbetween the plug tubes because the IND engine had adjustable rockers from the factory, the bad news is if you did not have them on the engine someone robbed them and put the non's on there.. Im just learning this too ... I am going to spill the dough on a set of adj rockers.. I have heard and read of the problems that you are having with the adj rods.. Keep at it man we are all watching

here is mine and what its going in.. its a 1955 331 has the SPEC> on the tag and it was a generator "jet engine jumpstarter"

 

The Ind had the dimpled covers but no reports of any actually having adj rockers.

 

If for sure nothing is binding up then do away with the adj push rods. You now have the lengths to get a set of non adj push rods made up.
If I see the pic right it broke between the two nuts.. this would indicate over tightening or improper hardening... either will cause cracking and early failure.
I only use adj push rods for getting my geometry/length right so I can get the proper length push rods.
Smith Bros, Manton and others will make you up any length push rods you want.

 

I have yet to find one...


Dan, check your PM

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