Working on a 400

[BLIMP]

Last week my oldest son Robert and I met up with Brian and removed the 400/727 combo from the Monaco he was selling parts from. Really great guy to meet and wrench with. It was a 1st time for both of us in regards to pulling a big block. Rob was a lot of help muscling things around and being a gopher while I was under the car. Thanks again Brian for the great deal on a relatively low mile drivetrain (57k).

Things cleaned up nicely after a couple bouts with the pressure washer. Plans were to give everything a quick rattle can paint job in the correct color, but after seeing all the factory paint marks I may leave the block as-is and paint the pan, valve covers, and front assemblies.

 

[Xenon]

And you need this,, WHY ......?

So who is who in the pics.. Not everyone has seen you......

 

[BLIMP]

Good morning Rob...wait...we need a reason to horde?
My son is the younger guy with facial hair, and I'm the one that's a mess from laying on the concrete in the rain.
This drivetrain is going into the 72 Monaco wagon that traveled here from Utah this summer. The original plan was to keep it for a parts vehicle, but upon inspection was determined to be very solid and roadworthy.

 

[1978 NYB]

Nice wagon!

 

[BLIMP]

Not going to do anything crazy, but I figured while it is out I'd replace the stock timing setup with a double roller timing chain. And if I'm that far into it, I might as well drop a RV cam/lifters in there. And while the intake is off I might as well toss the factory 2bbl, in favor of a 4bbl. The exhaust manifolds came loose suprisingly easy, so what the hell, let's find some HP manifolds...it's starting to snowball!!!

I've never been this deep into a V8 (turbo 4, yes), but things seem fine so far.

 

[jason99]

Very cool, nice to see those parts going to good use. Keep us posted.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

No RV cam don't make it run worse. Put a 383/440 HP cam in it. I realize the Mopar performance stuff is out of control but a 268 comp cam is a good fit. No lawn mower cams please.
Engine looks very clean and well cared for good score.

 

[1978 NYB]

IIRC, the 1969 440 restoration cam is pretty tame and a big upgrade from the current smog cam in that 400.

 

[BLIMP]

Well I've already purchased this kit...sounded like a bump over stock, you see anything wrong with this, a 4bbl, and dual exhaust?
New RV Torque Cam & Lifters 204/214 Dur 421/444 Lift Chrysler bb 440 426 400 383 | eBay

Here's another pic, not much carbon buildup noticeable.

 

[1978 NYB]

Looks pretty clean.

 

[Xenon]

That is a smaller than stock cam..... Will run outta steam pretty fast......
268/284 Duration, 0.450"/0.458" lift w/ Duration @ .050” 208° Exhaust Duration @ .050” 221°
Is about a stock HP cam.
So you see, you have chosen a smaller one...
As 70bbd says:

No RV cam,, don't make it run worse. Put a 383/440 HP cam in it.. No lawn mower cams please.
.

The above is like what my orange vert was like... I realize that was a few days and a few ,, uhm,, whatever,, ago..

 

[BLIMP]

Great...another blunder that could have been easily avoided if I'd simply asked a few questions. "RV performance" led me to believe this was a bump over stock. So basically I've pretty much thrown this $$ out the window

 

[commando1]

So basically I've pretty much thrown this $$ out the window

Can it be returned or exchanged?

 

[BLIMP]

Well the cam is still in its original packaging, but I've got the lifters soaking in oil. I guess I could try drying them off and reboxing them...

 

[commando1]

I guess I could try drying them off and reboxing them...

A good soaking in a bath of Dove Dish Detergent and they'll never know.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I would eat the shipping and send it back
That cam is lazy.

 

[BLIMP]

Damn.
Ok, so...are we talking something like this?
COMP Cams Xtreme Energy Camshafts 21-223-4

 

[67Monaco]

Just keep the cam ya got and change the rockers to 1.6 vs the factory 1.5's.

 

[BLIMP]

Ok well I wiped the lifters off meticulously with a lint free cloth and carefully repackaged everything in the original boxes. At no time was any of it actually installed, and the seller has a 30 day return policy so everything should be on the up and up.
These engines were detuned to pass emissions. There must be a mildly warmer cam that can regain those loses without changing things like springs or rockers. If I'm going to get into the heads then I might as well send them off to be freshened up. But if I'm pulling the heads off, it would make better sense to just get altogether better flowing ones that will also bump the compression back up. I'm kinda in a catch-22 here if you see what I mean...would like to just change cam/lifters...hope this makes sense

 

[70NEWYORKER]

You need to research just how much lift you can get before the coils in the valve springs stack up.
Another worry of mine would be opening those valves farther than they have ever been before and having some of that forty year old gunk hang one open to say "HI" to the piston.