Help me LA'ify my soon to own 5.9!

[Chryco Psycho]

That's good to hear...makes me think with my 406 stroker and 3.73s the 274 would probably be tits....Probably will increase the factory stall of 2200-2400 to a few hundred RPMs higher...

With 1.6 rockers it will clear .560 lift.

Again you need to be careful , the spring pressures required to keep the valvetrain stable may collapse the hyd lifters using 1.6 rockers as you will need higher spring pressures 

[kawahonda]

Yep. My builder has selected and installed springs that will "easily" accept .55 lift. You have to run 1.6 ratio in a magnum. I'm sure he's assured that the valve train is well in order to accept either hyd roller cam.

I talked to him about increasing the LSA to 114 and he said BS. I couldn't explain it, but I mentioned with manifolds I "heard" higher the number is better. He said BS and then provided a great educational seminar about what it all means. I'm getting better at understanding cams, but yea. He seems to not believe that 114 is needed, and that is a number he was willing to make fun of, headers or manifolds. I think he prefers tighter, more efficient separation.

He's assured the manifolds will run "good" with this combo. Headers of course, will be better. But I wouldn't expect it to puke or not run right with manifolds.

"My goal is to make this run great with your damn manifolds, but run fantastic when you finally quit being an idiot and install headers."

[kawahonda]

Welp, got the shortblock home today....and now it's having to go back tomorrow.

This place..seriously. Honest mistakes, but holy shit.

They are almost in business for 100 years now. Family operated and run. There's some unique soul there.

But holy shit, you cannot excuse multiple mistakes. Pardon my french.

[Chryco Psycho]

 

[kawahonda]

I hate to post this, but can you spot the error?

The "oops, I had my mic wrong and I hit one cylinder .040" over" is one thing...OK, fine, I have a friend that will donate a Magnum block for it, but there's no excuse for this assembly error.

AFIK, Ford, Mopar, and Chevrolet do not differ piston orientation assemblies. This picture is embarrassing. My builder caught it right away via text message and called them immediately. GOod thing I got a great builder. The machine shop though?

[JS29]

Upside down pistons! kind of makes you wonder what else in backwards. 

[RUNCHARGER]

Man: I always build my own engines and for that matter everything else, that's why.

[gzig5]

Sorry you are running into more problems.

But, I'm very happy that I could recognize what the problem was in the picture.  You sometimes can teach an old dog.  Time to give one of the local shops a call and see about getting my spare 340 block cleaned and sonic checked.

[kawahonda]

Ready for what's next.

[kawahonda]

Some pics of the components in waiting...

[kawahonda]

I have the 274, and it's a kick-ass cam, lopey idle, but really likes a taller stall TC... really gets cooking above 3000 rpm

I thought it was too much for my stock TC and 3.23 gears...

Put a OD trans in with lower 1st gear and 2900 stall, tuned the carb, and WHOA BABY!!!

@73_Cuda_4_Me

Do you know which TC you used?

I'm assuming mine is the 10 3/4" 2250-2450 factory High-stall one. Curious if that's the same one that you used.

I'm really considering the XE274 cam and am about to pull the trigger on it. 3.73 gears, and factory 10 3/4" converter w/ ~400HP+. I just want to make sure it ain't "too much."

[73_Cuda_4_Me]

I don't know what brand it is, it's the one supplied by SST with their A-41 kit... I opted for the highest stall lock-up one available.

IMHO you will not be in the 'too much' range, but more in the constant big grin range, whether you are just day-cruising or just can't keep your foot out of the carb, like me every now and then...

[kawahonda]

Ordered XR274 camshaft w/ valve-train components. Got a hi-flow oil pump. We're aiming to reuse magnum push-rods, but we'll see. Got adjustable roller rockers ready to go.

We think think the high performance factory converter will run well with this cam. Many other people disagree and must say you must buy a custom cam and must buy a custom converter. I chose to go XR274 over the XR280 to give the converter a strong chance of ripping it up, but also to allow easily swappage back with the original 340 once I get to restoring that.

The 340 and 408 build will look nearly 100% the same when I'm done as far as looks. I'm planning to only pull manifolds, distributor, and wires from original 340. Oh yeah, and that driver's side manifold heat shield, which is impossible to find. All other components will be left alone, including hardware.

It's the only way I can make sense out of this.

The big problem is wires. I'd love to order wires right now, but FireCore basically was not interested in my business. I'd be curious on some stock-looking (orange boots look really nice though too) fresh wires that would fit in factory 340 wire trim. I don't mind having to ream it out a little bit. Do I even need to go above 7.5mm factory wire specs? I guess I'd pull the coil too, unless I don't need to. Coils are cheap, but again I need something that works with hi performance points. Sticking in the past!

[kawahonda]

I'm wondering if I can use the factory wire for the fast idle solenoid for my upcoming electric choke?

This wire is obviously being driven from the alternator. Will this work?

[kawahonda]

Aside from the above question, I have a question about spark plug wires.

I know there are some reproduction wires made that are really good. I'm curious however how these would work on a 408 build. I assume just fine, especially if I'm staying with my performance points. If I even upgrade to a petronix, I would think assume that these wires will not work anymore?

Is it true that points vs electronic (in my possible future case-petronix) use different wires?