PICS & QUESTIONS ABOUT MY 401

[fuzz401]

But it'll be a screamer once it's in there!!!

[GADJIT98]

WTF IS THIS? Is it necessary, or overkill? I found it on a motor on ebay and was curious because I have never heard of or seen this modification.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/6b_1_b.jpg

dave

[Mudrat]

WTF IS THIS? Is it necessary, or overkill? I found it on a motor on ebay and was curious because I have never heard of or seen this modification.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/6b_1_b.jpg

dave

Ah Grashopper, it's an early edition oiling mod. Let us listen as the Master speaks =D>

... that was one of the first set of mods to do to a AMC V8 to decrease the rear mains from spinning. Its a great little bandaid however it was found to be less than effective when the oil foamed and the pump started gurgling bubbles. The valley line or smaller feed holes (cam bearings) or "pills" (smaller feed holes in the pushrods) are the better answer.....besides extra capacity pans....ect.

This and several other oiling improvement mods are covered in the AMC Oiling Thread. This is one of the lesser obvious modifications because most of us don't know our way around inside the oil-gallerys of an AMC block - MC is small enough to fit in there So I need to rely on "He that shall be named" as well.

Pat
Is it Monday still??

[GADJIT98]

OK, I have hit a MAJOR dead end.............

I was referred to a machine shop by a friend who said they knew how to build an AMC V8. I spoke to the guy there and he really impressed me with his willingness to get me the HP I was shooting for. He even started quoting me some prices on parts.....$9 per OEM rocker, $22 per OEM Valve, $175 for labor on the heads doing a 3 angle, etc.

Now the labor doesnt sound that bad, but DAMN, his parts prices are high!

He also stated that he would do everything for me using parts that I purchase but there would be absolutely no warranty unless he supplied the parts.

Again, I am new to building engines, so please be gentle. Other than rocker arms, valves, valve springs, could someone give me a complete parts list for the heads?

My thinking is that I will get the parts myself, let this guy do the machine work, and build this damn thing on my own or with some knowlegeable person in my area
****************JACK************************
looking over my shoulder and consuming as much free beer and pizza as possible.

The heads will be the hard part, but the block, I assume, will be pretty straight forward. Line bore if needed, cyls bored, hot tank & magna fluxed, new pistons, bearings, cam, pushrods, lifters, and bolts. Am I forgetting anything other than the oiling stuff for the front? And speaking of the oiling stuff on the front, would a MOD or Owner PM me and discuss the Bulltear items for the oiling system. They appear to be what I am looking for, but I dont want to spend tons of cash and put it all together and miss the $10 part that makes it all work and blow my motor up.......

As you can tell, I am pretty nervous about this, I dont mind spending the cash, I just dont want to spend it and do something stupid, or more likley, forget something stupid, and have to spend it all over again.

Anyone got an AMC V8 builders manual?

Thank you again for all the info and also for your patience with my stupid questions. I should have more pics up soon ( havent made it to WMT for batteries yet )

Dave

[Mudrat]

Well you can do what I did - buy the parts have them delivered direct to the shop and have them do the work (I didn't/don't have the time or space to do a clean build). My guys gave me 1 year or 36K miles on the warranty, plus the first 500 mile break in check (change the oil and retorque everything). That's for a street motor - not one of their race jobs, but both the 258 and 360 are well past "street stock" (cammed, jammed, bored, decked, balanced, cross drilled, ground and polished, etc...)
If your builder won't give you a warranty by doing that - find a different shop 'cause he's trying to find a way out.

Just my 2C

Pat

[tufcj]

I like this book. I didn't do everything he described to my 390. I incorporated some of BJ's ideas with some of MC's from the "AMC oiling" thread.

http://www.hobbyobsession.com/bjsbook.html

Bob
tufcj

[fuzz401]

that is a very good book

[GADJIT98]

Thanks for the recomendation on the book.....I ordered it today.

HOUSTON, we have a problem......

I took the pistons out today and the main caps. Rod #1 had NO bearing material at all in it and was flopping around so badly that the piston was bottoming out on the crankshaft counterweight. The bearing surface on the crank is visably smaller on the #1 side than the #2 side. Does this mean all will need to be ground or just the first? I was hoping to get away with polishing, but it will require turning the crank to some degree.


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25.../MAINCAPS1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25.../MAINCAPS2.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25.../MAINCAPS3.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25.../MAINCAPS4.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...it/MAINS12.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...it/MAINS34.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/MAIN5.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/RODS12.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/RODS34.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/RODS56.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y254/gadjit/RODS78.jpg

Judging by the photos, can anyone tell anything about the crank that may be helpful? I also took off the thing that the oil filter screws on....like 7 small bolts...what is this called? There are 2 gears underneath it which did not turn when I turned the crank. I have removed the dizzy. Is this normal? Does the dizzy somehow drive these two gears or have I found the reason the first 2 rod bearings were shot?

Do you have to remove the H-Balancer to get the crank out? Do you need a puller for this? Do you need to make sure the balancer is "clocked" in the same position when it is put back on?

After I get the balancer off, can I just unbolt the stuff on the front of the motor ( timing cover, etc ) and pop it off or is there more to it? I know I will need to do some thing with the timing chain & cam, but what? Is there a thread that details this part of the disassembly?

I know this is alot of questions and I do appologize for my ignorance , but I am getting pretty excited so far, and a bit nervous , at the idea of building this thing myself.

Thank you again to everyone, please keep the info coming.

Dave

[jeepsr4ever]

Crank needs a new grind on it. Your oil pump wont turn if the distributor isnt installed. The cam gear drives the distributor gear and that drives the oil pump. Those bearings look pretty roached

[Mudrat]

Hard to tell scoring from the pics (the focus on my PC doesn't work ) but the color? Gotta agree with MC - 'don't look good'!!!!
The shop should be able to measure the scoring in the crank to see if you can turn it under and then oversize the bearings. I went 10 under, cross drilled, and a mirror polish with the 10 over bearings.
The balancer should have a keyway to align it on the crank and that keeps it "clocked".
The rest of the 'stuff' just un-bolts. I had a problem getting the cam out because I couldn't get the timing chain and gears off. THAT was fun!!!! I wound up taking all the main caps off and tilting the crank to get the chain off then pulled the cam and gear together (they were getting replaced anyway )

Pat