Hey Guys...I'm rebuilding a 57' 354 Cid Hemi Truck engine...I'm looking for opinions on the timing gear drive... It's reliable? My project 32 PU, toploader fourth gear tranny and Dana 44 rear end. I'm in Argentina, So parts are very rare here... I'll need to buy pistons and rings, main bearings and camshaft bearings and others parts too. Sent from my Mi A1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Is the truck direct gear drive cam? Or chain like the cars? Are you talking about a stock cam drive or aftermarket? The stock cam drive lasted 50 years or so. That would make me think it's reliable.
Put "Hemi Tech Index" in search, lots of info there. If normal timing chain the 318 LA will work with a spacer to keep the gear from locking on the cam plate. "73RR" here on the Board is Quality Engineered Components, a great guy!
Thanks George. ratamahata If the large truck front cover is not an issue then use what you have. Inspect the gear teeth for damage, if they look good then they should last a very long time. Remember that the truck engine were designed for long hours and hard work. Gary
Many thanks for the reply Gary... I always looked for info about the Hemi and I found your avatar in various forums... Awesome! I have some questions regarding using a 318 bellhousing with an adapter...can I use the truck oil pan? Or am I saying a stupid thing. I have the big truck bellhousing with the flywheel... Maybe would machined the flywheel to fit a 318 ring gear... Sent from my Mi A1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Casting numbers on the heads... I found listed as 392 heads... Block numbers 354 56' to 59' Sent from my Mi A1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Although your listing shows a '392 truck' application, I have never found any definitive information saying that a 392 was ever used in a truck......however, never say 'never' with 1950's MaMopar.... As to the flywheel/bellhousing question, a 146 tooth flywheel can be used with the larger (143 tooth) LA bellhousing and block adapter. There is a slight difference in ring gear OD that can be 'fixed' at the starter. .
I built a 1958 354 2 1/2 ton truck block for my roadster. I ditched the front cover and cam. I had Schneider grind me a cam from a 1956 New Yorker, used a 360 timing chain and gears and a HOT HEADS timing cover. I also used passenger car heads instead of the truck heads. The truck timing cover weighs a ton and the cam turns backwards due to the gear drive. Been driving the snot out of it for 10 years now and very satisfied.
I would loose all the big heavy truck parts if the engine is for a 32. Engine length is always critical. I have a very nice tin cover if interested.
Don't know if still in it or if available, but I've seen reverse rotation 354 dizzys in the NAPA catalog.
I have two ring gears... One, the original truck ring gear have 156 tooth. The other belong to a Dodge GTX... A Mopar coupe that was offered only in my country, equiped with a 318 V8. Sent from my Mi A1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Pictures 1 and 2 are the 318 bellhousing for Dodge A230 trans... (Picture 3) I don't like de A230 trans, so my options are Dodge A830 and the 4 toploader... I have a toploader right now. Picture 4 Sent from my Mi A1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm thinking mirror image, but that was way back. Either the B or RB shaft is perfect length for a 331/354 using a LA dizzy & stock O/P set up, but turns the wrong way for using the actual B/RB dizzy. I'm thinking which ever is the right length would work on the 2 gear set up.
I was just thinking if cam and distirbutor gears were cut so the distributor turns the same as a chain you get to use the same distributor and oil pump.
Truck/ industrial had gear to gear timing. It will last forever, but.... Because it is gear to gear, you would need a custom cam core to start with if you want anything but a stock cam. The core would need all the lobes in a different location from standard rotation. The cam core would also need the distributor drive portion of the cam cut in the opposite direction (Slant of gear teeth will be opposite) Much easier to ditch the stock gear drive, get a standard rotation cam& intermediate shaft, and enjoy the freedom of getting any camshaft spec you desire without spending $1000+ on a custom core.
...156 tooth ring gear ?????? The top loader input shaft is too short for use with the 318 bell. It would need an aftermarket piece. .
The timing gear setup will have a few thousandths of an inch backlash, so give very consistent timing. I'd run the gear setup you have, if you are then unhappy with it, you can start looking for all the car parts to change it over to a timing chain at leisure.
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