UPDATE- Soaked the carb for about an hour in some chem dip and started taking it apart. After serveral more soakes i have it all disassembled and cleaned. The carb was so dirty there were tree sprouts growing in the bottom. I should have taken a pic. I would like to dress up the carb a little by either bead blasting it (i know not a good idea) or painting somewhat stock. Also dropped off the block, rods, heads, and crank at the machine shop today. Cam is junk. Motor guru wasnt in so will have the make a call monday.
Pics of the carb apart and bad cam lobe Ok dumb question. I plan on using the stock water pump and timing cover. Does this mean i have to have a "1954" cam and run the stock timing setup or can i get a cam with a short nose and run the newer setup? Im guessing not if i still want to run stock fuel pump.
You can install a 354 cam & run an LA timing set with a spacer behind the cam gear, or have your cam reground & the snout altered to take the LA timing set. I've used the OEM fuel pump on the '55 with LA timing chain. A lot of problems with rebuilt oen f/ps lately so I used the adaptor & LA F/P & OEM sytle chain on my current '55 331. You shoun't have problems running a mech f/p on your '54.
Haven't tried it on a '54, but it should work. Like I was trying to say, there's been a lot of problems with stock fuel pumps lately.
I'm also going to keep up with this thread.I haven't been doing alot of anything with my cars except grabbin up parts.I need to start getting it together and this thread has inspired me. George 73RR I'm sure I will need your help as well.
While the motor is at the machine shop i have another nagging decision to make. What color to paint the motor???? I know this seems trivial but i really want to put some thought into this because i only what to do this once and do it nice. Below is a pic of the car the motor is going in. The firewall is still the original plymouth blue and probably always will be. I want to eventually do all the body work and paint the car nice but not sure what color yet. So what color do i paint the engine?? Original silver (ho hum)?? Cream/Off white (i kinda thinking so)?? Gloss Black (would look good against chrom valve covers)??? Think of something classy. Ideas?
So then pay attention to the lifters. Did you keep them in order? If not discard them. If they are dished on the bottom they are junk. If they are flat or rounded they will run- if you kept them in order.
Just a note on pistons: I'll never use cast aftermarket again, especially KB. Mostly because they can't take the abuse that comes with a bad batch of gas or a little detonation. Not that detonation is ever a good thing, but forged pistons at least will hold up for a day or two until you can correct the problem! Just my opinion. Lower compressions really probably don't have to be too concerned with this, but if it's above 9.5:1, no cast pistons for me. Mike
I believe you can rebuild most everything, fuel pump, oil pump etc. I would consider having the lifters resurfaced and the cam reground. You know the parts that came out will fit, work, and not be poor quality Chinese crap.
Not everyones cup-o-tea, but I am very fond of the Turquoise color used by MaMopar (during the early 60's) with black wrinkle finish valve covers. Detroit Diesel green is also a good color. Like I said, not for everyone.... I have also had very good success using cold galvanizing spray as a base coat on the bare block. .
while I am sure this won't be popular, I am partial to Hemi Orange (that is what I will paint my 330).
Gary..... I think were on the same page. I want something different, classy, and looks rich. Im gonna go with chrome valve covers and other chrome parts.
Great thread so far. I'd paint it glossy black.....classy and looks good. Or step out of the box and go with the colors suggested by 73RR. You have an attitude I like. Do it once and do it nice. Good luck with the Hemi.
Ok.... Dumb question of the day. Since i have nothing to compare too, and assuming everything else is the same. Would i get much of a seat of the pants difference between stock compression cast pistons or 10:1 forged pistons. Dont mind spending the $$$ on the forged pistons but why if i don't need too? Thanks matt
Went out and worked in the shop tonight. Finishing up the carb, got hung up on the metering rods. Need to do some more reading from the service manual. Took apart one set of rockers also. Not sure what is accpetable wear and whats not. Have to have Gary (73RR) or any of you other experts chime in. Take a look at the pics. Not sure if they are suppose to have two cotter pins or not... if so mine was missing one.
I can't really say what you might or might not feel, but as I said in post #21, you can get cast 8.5, or your 10:1s. I'd think 10:1 is more in the performance/muscle engine class than a typical passenger car 8.5 engine. A hemi with 10s should burn the same octane as a wedge with 9:1 C/R. An 8.5 hemi should be able to run on any typically available gas regardless of how crappy it gets vs a lot of other engines on the road today.
As to the rockers assemblies, first order of business is to get the sludge and varnish off so you can better see/feel what is there. Easy way to clean is just throw the whole mess in a hot tank (remove the shaft end plugs first), but if not an option then use lots of solvent and a scotch brite pad. Use caution though, a fresh scotch brite pad is abrasive!!! A casual look will tell right away if any galling has occured due to lack of oil. If the shaft is damaged then the same will be in the rocker. Check each rocker location on the shaft for ridges; run a finger nail along the shaft. If a ridge exists then that rocker will not likely be round. The tips of the rockers will wear as they beat on the valve stem tip. Less oil = more damage. Loss of oil to the lifter will cause speed up the process. Some folks will run worn rocker assemblies and get by. You will be the one to decide how much damage you can live with and whether or not a proper rebuild is in the financial picture. .
Just got back from the machine shop. Block and heads checked out fine far as cracks. Time to start ordering parts.
As said, take the rockers apart and clean them good for inspection. Hard to say for sure from your pictures, but the shafts look borderline. When I resurface the rocker tips, I try to avoid any that have much more wear than yours. You can get away with a spot or two inside the rocker arm pivot, but the shafts need to be smooth. It is impossible to polish a galled shaft and have it within specs, (physics) which is why companies like myself offer hard chromed shafts. Did your machine shop sonic check your block? Chrysler rockers usually have 2 cotter pins. Most of the Desotos I have seen only have one. They are basically used to keep the assemblies together before bolting them on the engine.
Not sure how they checked it. I gotta run a piston up to them this week, i will ask. Just spent some time cleaning the rockers.... take a look and see what you think. They are probably boarder line. They "feel" good by hand. I dont want to, but will probably spend the $$$ and get them or buy rebuilt ones. I hate to half ass anything and would rather do it right the first time. Let me know what you experts think. Thanks matt
I'm no expert, but the shafts look better in those pictures. I would say you have a rebuildable set of rockers. I would use them.
The tops of the shafts are perfect.... the bottoms have wear where the rockers sit. the rockers dont have alot of slop when checking by hand on the shaft. Im seriously thinking about using them to keep some of the costs down, but dont what to skimp either.
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