Hopefully this time it will continue...... engine rebuild

[mopar thunder]

One thing I have learned from this post. My suppositions are correct. Never ending battle to build one of these exotic small block Mopars. I hate it for you but your so deep now there is no backing out. Just have to keep drudging through it and hopefully this will be the final problem!

thanks, and you're right. I have thought a few times of stopping, backing out, getting a crate engine and selling but I kept going and now I am in so deep it wouldn't make sense. I can only wait till the end of the ride and go from there. Apparently right after I bought this series block, the next generation came out and was a lot better..... of course.

[Shane Kelley]

One thing I have learned from this post. My suppositions are correct. Never ending battle to build one of these exotic small block Mopars. I hate it for you but your so deep now there is no backing out. Just have to keep drudging through it and hopefully this will be the final problem!

thanks, and you're right. I have thought a few times of stopping, backing out, getting a crate engine and selling but I kept going and now I am in so deep it wouldn't make sense. I can only wait till the end of the ride and go from there. Apparently right after I bought this series block, the next generation came out and was a lot better..... of course.

I truly feel your pain.
Seems every time I get involved with something out of the norm I run into the same thing. The next version has been updated to tackle the issues that fight me. Very aggravating. I'm building a stroker 340 for my Cuda and staying with all conventional off the shelf parts and known combinations. It may not be as strong or powerful as the exotic builds. But it will just have be what it is. I know it will go together and run pretty damn good. But I do get what you are trying to accomplish and admire your determination. 

[RUNCHARGER]

Nothing worthwhile is easy. We could all do red Camaros with 350 4 bolts but we are a different breed.

[Chryco Psycho]

Timing is everything , unfortunate you bought the last of the poorer blocks 
Too bad Brad is not closer to you .
That would be Red or Orange 69 Camaros with 350s

[mopar thunder]

I'm hoping all the Gremlins are out of it now.  I just want to reassemble the engine and see that the fluids are all going where they should when we spin it.  Then we can start final assembly and start getting excited again.

[WCC]

Been reading this thread and I feel your pain. I've purchased a '71 Cuda vert back in 2017 and although the car drove very well during the short test drive, I started seeing problems with the motor, from running hot to some slight knocks. It took me about 6 months to figure out this is not a tuning issue. I never really suspected the motor as the car was sold to me as having the motor professionally rebuild. The rest of the car was very well restored so I never suspected anything. At first I was hoping for something small and perhaps just a gasket replacement. Well, they never end up that simple don't they. 
Well, it took me another 3 months to find the right motor builder. The guy is painfully slow but extremely detailed. We completely stripped it, sonic tested the block and checked every single inch of it. I ended replacing most of the internals, which were new by the way but wrong parts for the application. I ended up spending another $10k on the motor (top of the line internals) and parts (also redid the rad with original parts, fan, water pump etc) but damn I now have a beast and what an amazing running motor - it also runs really cool and that was a big pet peeve of mine as the heat would creap up when in traffic or idle making it run crap and causing me to not enjoy the car. It was a leap of faith for sure but even the extra money is worth it in the end.

So just keep the faith and get through it.

[mopar thunder]

I"m hoping WCC. Right now I am waiting on the 2nd cam to be made. The first one was , I'll say "mis-communicated" and they owe me another one. Once that is in it is back to assembly. I have been hoping every 3-4 months for a few years now. Maybe I'll get in it time for my birthday.....

[WCC]

I"m hoping WCC. Right now I am waiting on the 2nd cam to be made. The first one was , I'll say "mis-communicated" and they owe me another one. Once that is in it is back to assembly. I have been hoping every 3-4 months for a few years now. Maybe I'll get in it time for my birthday.....

Here's hoping mate. 

If I were you I would head down to Boca Grande and go catch some tarpon. We use to rent a house on Little Gasparilla island, hit the beaches during the day with some good seafood and beers to wash it down for lunch and hit Boca channel at night. Man those were some of the best times of my life.

[mopar thunder]

Thanks! You know I lived in Florida before, finishing high school and college here and used to go diving, fishing, boating, it was great, then moved back north. I have been back now for a few years and hardly do anything. I know life throws you lemons sometimes but you really need to take time, slow down and enjoy somethings. What you described would be perfect.... glad you were able to enjoy those times. 

[mopar thunder]

Update..... 2nd cam has been completed and has arrived. I got word last night. Lets see now how long it takes to put it back together. Hopefully there are no more issues and it can go back like a puzzle. I can't believe the assumed timing on this. It looks like it "could" be completed  just in time for the hottest time of the year here.

[mopar thunder]

  Word is the engine should be back together barring no issues and ready to go back in the car by mid-June. 

[WCC]

Word is the engine should be back together barring no issues and ready to go back in the car by mid-June. 

Awesome man, I'm holding thumbs for you.

[Cudajason]

 

[mopar thunder]

Update....... Well it never fails for me. They said the cam is 0.021 off. They say it isn't the cam itself but the block. I found this out last weekend so I am hoping for some good news this weekend. Again the plan is to have it in turned over so it can go in the car by mid-to late June.  I'm saying end of June (if I'm lucky) just because that's the way it has been going. Then everything can be bolted on and it can go to dyno. Hey, maybe I can get it by the end of summer. 

[Brads70]

Not sure I follow, does that mean the cam tunnel is bored .021" out of position?