I have a 1969 383 that I bought for parts (in pieces)for another 383 block and crank that I bought to put in my 1948 dodge pickup. I am having problems ***embling the rocker arm shafts and would like some help. What parts go where. Never saw so many parts for a rocker shaft. Also not sure if I have the bolt and washer for the timing gear to camshaft. Looks like it should be a 7/16 bolt with a large flat washer holding the timing gear directly to the cam,is this right? I know i need a Chiltons manual but I am fresh out, I think I lent it out and it never came back. Thanks for any help.
Forget the Chiltons, buy a Mopar service manual... any pre-79 will have big block section. Plenty on ebay. Perhaps someone has a complete ***embly laying loose and a camera handy, but you really need an appropriate service manual if you are new to B&RB engines, hell, any engine... .
you need 5 specail washers pershaft that go on the bolts rectangle shaped tabs point up 2 small one on the ends 3 larger ones on the center bolts it goes small washer ,rocker, round spacer, rocker ,large washer so on down the shaft make sure the holes in the rockers that ride on the shafts arent eggshaped
There are right and left rockers. Be sure you install them in the correct position Here's a pic from the manual. Sorry it's upside down
Thanks alot for the PIC thats just what I need. Anyone know about the cam bolt? I din't have it and wondering if I could use any bolt and washer and is there something that goes between the gear and the block?
make sure the oil holes in the rocker shaft face down - I found one where it had been put together wrong, along with 16 galled rockers . ..
also make sure the holes are not only down but pointed to the exhaust side. the holes are not drilled in the center of the shaft.
"...wondering if I could use any bolt and washer and is there something that goes between the gear and the block?" Noooo!!!! It DEFINITELY needs to be at least the same grade of a bolt as was originally in there. Not sure if it's grade 5 or grade 8, but this is DEFINITELY one place where the Home Depot Chinese bolts are NOT a good idea! Perhaps phone one of the Mopar engine builders/parts suppliers like Mancini Racing in Michigan, or Mo-Par City in Illinois. They should be able to tell you what bolt goes in there and if there are any other parts that you'll need in there. Be cool and buy something from them if they give you some good advice, eh? The service manual (I believe that someone above me hinted that they had one for sale?) is a must have, especially for engine building. It's been too long since I've built one to trust my memory on what goes where. And even then... I used the service manual. (Not trying to be a smart***, but NO other book comes close to a factory service manual. As a matter of fact, I've given away or thrown into the recycling bin ALL of my Chiltons/Haynes/Clymer's manuals. When I was researching something on my 1995 Dakota before I put the 49 Dodge truck body on it, they actually put something like "Refer servicing to qualified personnel" in my Chiltons book. I got pissed and threw it into the recycling bin two minutes after that.
Guess I shouldn't have said just any bolt. I wouldn't use anything less than a grade 8. I do have a short 7/16 grade 8 bolt thats in the basket with everyother bolt but I cannot locate a washer like I am used to seeing on other engines. I did get the rockers together, easy after seeing the above pic. Just need to make sure on the oil holes before I mount them on the heads. I did find the oil p***ages plugged and all the bolt holes full of ****. And these heads were just rebuilt at a machine shop. By the way I am putting this 48 on a 93 Dakota ch***is. body is all mounted need to get this engine at a point to see how it will fit.
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