Projects my first project thread, 52 Desoto

Taking my heads down to Dana on monday to get cleaned and new seats and umbrella seals!

 

You might consider ordering some adjustable pushrods from hot heads. They're expensive, but the only route I know.

This is kind of a fun job on the hemi. You can run a hemi with the valve covers off because it oils everything by "oozing". You probably can't use the original pushrods, as normally you have to deck the block and mill the heads to get all the warp out, and then they're too long.

Here's a good way to adjust the adjustable push-rods on a hemi:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hemi-pushrod-change-method.616006/

Since the motor was just machined, everything will be close, so adjust all the other push rods to the same length as the first exhaust and intake rod. After the engine is running and all the lifters are pumped-up, you can make a second pass, and you're good for 3000 miles

Have a good machinist disassemble and rebuild the rockers, as you want all the goop out and nice chrome on the shafts. Then each rocker has to be shimmed properly, as normally (and looking at your picture) that old non-detergent oil from the 60's put some wear on everything that rotates after solidifying under the heat

One more thing, make sure all the oil galley plugs are in. I'm not sure of the desoto, but generally there is a plug on the drivers side of the distributor (inside the block). There is a plug on the back of the block that you remove to get access to this plug. Machinists are famous for leaving these out after coming out of the wash, and it's up to you to re-install them.

 

Yes I will be getting adjustable pushrods since I have had my cam reground, thanks for the link about how to adjust them I am taking the rockers in with the heads to have them cleaned and checkout out. The machinist did actually put the inside plug back in I just need to put the outside one in, Thanks for the info

 

Before you put the heads on I take a brass wielding rod and stick is in the oil feed holes to the heads and slowly turn the engine over untell it drops into the hole in the cam. Then mark the damper and repeat on the other side. Hemis only oil the top end in one spot. It will make priming and checking for oil to the overhead much easer. Ok hemi guys what's with the can on the heater hose that looks like they ran the fuel line through it was that factory?

 

Drill a .050 hole in the interior one for extra oiling of the cam/dizzy gears.

The point of marking those 2 places is...you stop there while running the oil pump with a drill motor while turning the engine over to oil everything. using the welding rod before putting the cam in confirms the oil holes in the 2 cam bearings were installed in the right place.

 

Not sure, but the first thing I do is take off all that junk and throw it in the dumpster behind Autozone

 

For break-in, I use the Joe Gibbs break-in oil. I run the engine at a low RPM (like 1500) until the oil pressure goes below 10 (mine usually starts at 50). Use a screw-in oil pressure gauge next to the distributor, not the idiot light or internal gauge.

Then I let the engine cool overnight, and do it again in the morning. After the oil pressure drops way low again, I shut it off and let the oil fall back in the pan (till after lunch). Then drain the oil, look at it for any metal parts, and get rid of it.

Then I use Joe Gibbs Hot Rod oil, as it has all the zinc you need for flat tappet cams, and you need zinc. I don't like the pour-in add-in kind, as you'd have to heat the oil to get it to mix. I'll pay the fricking $5 thankyou... EDIT: oops, new price is $108 for a box of 12, and I just used my last box that was only $60...

I change the oil every year, as it takes me a couple years to drive 3000 miles.

 

Good way to wipe a cam, you should run it up 2,000-2,500 RPM to get splash oil on the cam lobes.

 

I don't notice any difference in cam oiling between 1500 and 2000, but I will defer to your hemi experience, as I've only built two.

 

A couple of thoughts. The ideal p/s pump will match pressure out put of the original so you may need to do some research on what that was.
As George says, find a generic wire that has a boot that fits inside the porcelain and then make sure it/they are close to best length. You might be able to buy the wires as individuals. If you don't have the proper crimping tool it will be very difficult to shorten the wires. Your porcelain tubes are very expensive to replace so.......
As to distributors, the Mopar LA electronic is a damned good piece and you can assemble the entire package from boneyard parts if you don't want to spend $25 on the Mopar harness.

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are the stock carbs that came on these good quality? looking at a stock 4 barrel intake and carb off a 291 and Im just wondering if they are good carbs, it obv needs to be rebuilt

 

JMHO, but if you want to stay with an early style carb then a WCFB from a 354-392 would be a better choice. Given the cost of new carbs, a rebuilt WCFB might also end up being cheaper.

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Especially when you can find original 4 bbl intakes cheap, and a aftermarket designed for a new carb can be several hundred dollars. I got the rebuild kit for my WCFB for around $60 a couple years ago

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Low deck desoto 4 barrel intakes aren't cheap, only about 10% of 291's had them and the 276 didnt have a 4 barrel option, will a carb from a 354 or 392 bolt on to the desoto intake or will i need an adapter?

 

You might be right. I've only paid big money for dodge 4 bbls. I've bought several desoto and Chrysler ones for $50. And sold them for $100. Maybe I should have held on to them

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There's an intake in the www.forwardlook.net classifieds as of yesterday. Early Hemi 4 bl carbs should be pretty much the same.

 

Before the recession high deck 4 bl Desoto intakes were going for around $800. Price has plummeted to around 200 or so, or was a couple yrs ago.

 

Got me heads back and they look awesome! Only mocked up in these pics, i pulled them back off today and found the oiling holes and marked their location and put the heads back on and snugged them down, all I need now is a trans adapter and this baby is ready to go back in its home!

 

Even though the stand is rated for 1250 I still put the tires under it just in case I would hate to come out and find my motor laying on the ground

 

Had 1 stand fold up with only an AMC 360 on it, don't recall what the rating was.

 

I'm sure the Chinese company that built it will gladly pay for the damages.

 

Getting super excited! Trans adapter, rest of my gaskets and headers will be here on wed! after almost a year of slowing getting the motor built I'll be putting motor and tranny in on saturday, cant wait, hope to have it fired by Mar 1, got all the old wiring cut out of it, getting a 9+3 kit from rebel, hope to have this baby on the road by this summer

 

Its looking awesome! intake back from sandblaster, headers, trans adapter and rest of gaskets came, I had to cut the corner off the motor mounts to get the headers to fit but they look great, Pretty strange the headers use black rtv for gaskets but we'll see, super pumped to put her back in the car on sat!

 

Got the motor & tranny put in her this morning! Headers didnt fit didnt clear the frame rails or the steering box, guess ill have to run exhaust manifolds unless i can get the headers modified, I dont have a torch so cant do it myself

 

Are those Sanderson headers that you bought?

 

Yup, they will probably be for sale if I cant get them modified or return them

 

Before you bolt on the intake it would help flow a lot if you open up the bore holes to match the carb gasket holes.

 

I will do that, thanks for the tip, I plan on running a 392 carb

 

They might be the same, figured you was going with an Edelbrock.

 

I thought about it but kind of want to stick with a period correct one