400 block, 500" stroker build

[451Mopar]

More Photos:

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[451Mopar]

Forgot to install the oil galley plugs behind the timing chain.
Shortened allen wrench to do the job:

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The orange plug installed through the hole in the timing gear, no problem:

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[451Mopar]

Degree the Cam:

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[451Mopar]

My grandaughter in the Jensen:

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[451Mopar]

Gaping the rings:

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[DaveAK]

Great pictures! Looking forward to doing mine soon.

[451Mopar]

Last week I put the engine in the car ('71 Charger) and this Friday I finally got everything hooked up and running.
I fought with the 20-year old set of two piece 2" Hooker super Comp Headers for hours trying to get the drivers side header to fit. If I take them off again, they are going in the trash!
Took the car out today for about a 10-mile drive and it ran darn good for not even being tuned.
It does look like I have an oil leak around the oil pan gasket or stud girdle? I just hope it is not the rear main seal?
I had half a tank of fuel in the 20-Gallon Fuel cell, so I am running my old carb till I run the fuel out of the car, then I will switch over to the E-85 Fuel and Carb.

[451Mopar]

Well I converted the car to E-85 and have been doing some carb tuning for the new fuel and carb.
Have about 200 miles on the car, and then a rocker hold down stud broke which broke the rocker shaft.
I think with my stiff valve springs and high lift, I need more than the stock 35 ft/lb pre-load on the rocker shaft hold down stands.
The stud that broke was a Grade 8 Doorman brand. I am replacing those with ARP studs that torque to 45 ft/lbs.

Photo of the broken rocker shaft:

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[DaveAK]

Damn! I've never seen such a thing. Definitely a cautionary tale for building performance engines. It looks like my own build has been put back a year as I'm going to spend the money on the manual gearbox conversion first.

Besides the rocker shaft breaking was it running well?

[451Mopar]

The engine runs very well. With my old gasoline carb it ran great, then I converted to the E-85 carb and out of the box it was really rich, so I have been doing some tuning on it, and it is coming around but It still is not idling as well as I want.
I should have the replacement parts later this week, so I should have it back running this weekend. I plan to race the car on Friday the 21st for a "club clash" event where different car clubs race each other.