440 MOPAR Big Block Engine Building - Verifying the Camshaft COMP Cams

[@erictinnis8703]

It seems there is no installation video of the bushing for oil pump intermediate shaft. Some forums say u have to use special tool to expand then burnish the bushing to size, others just hammer the bushing into place . The factory original bushing is said to be aluminum and new style bushing bronze, so maybe the special tool not needed anymore. What is your opinion?

[@PetesGarage]

Every time I use a drift and hammer them in. They are bronze and go in fairly easy.

[@zerogmopars746]

Nice timing set and thrust button choice. The roller thrust buttons are pretty noisy in the steel timing cover. When I build these engines put cam in first as the cam bearings can sometimes be tight. Degree cam with just #1 piston installed makes the engine easier to turn.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Jim....great comment!

[@SteveP-vm1uc]

Several years ago I flu out to Vegas to help my cousin put a 440 together. He had a pile of parts coming from Summit and a pile of parts there already. We started putting it together while still waiting for a few parts. We get the pistons and bearing in and the freeze plugs and all the galley plugs when the UPS truck pulls up with the came. Yes, we are excited as we had plans to install the engine the next day.. Here's the degree wheel and chain set and the new cam.. BUT WAIT!!! Why is the distributor gear on the wrong end of the cam??????? Next day on the phone with Summit was less than a great call to make. They did ship us the right cam pretty quickly, but not with enough time to finish everything before I was back on a jet to Florida... I think of that every time I install a cam or someone else talks about it. What you said about checking the cam as it could have been put in the wrong box,,,,,, YEAH!!!!! Small block cam in a B Block box...

[@PetesGarage]

I know how easy it is to get parts mixed up, every company makes mistakes. I wish I were doing this in Vegas....lol

[@jiveturkey9993]

Pete's Garage why would ypu want to be in vegas. That place is a blast furnace.

[@PetesGarage]

ah...worth the gamble

[@SteveP-vm1uc]

Because where Pete is from, they have to pay to have the SUN pumped in.. Upper Western NY has a short cruising season and a long SALT THE ROADS season. Plow or shovel the driveway and walk much of the winter and freeze your ass off too much of the time... I grew up not far from Pete and I am telling you this from personal experience. Vegas, as in Florida, we are use to the heat and everything here is air conditioned. The 30 seconds to get from the house to the back shop is hot, but doesn't lock up your back like that February wind does up there. Besides, ALL the shows come to VEGAS!!!!! Pete would be at SEMA every year and sponsors would be at his doorstep.

[@jiveturkey9993]

Steve 1961P. Oh,ok, they have that lake effect snow and those storms that cover everything in ice. Ive lived in the desert and its hot all the time and there is absolutely no green plants or trees or lawns anywhere. No green was hard on my psyche.

[@wedge4hire]

Another outstanding video Pete! I've got one of the old "Purple shaft" Street Hemi hyd. grinds in my street 440, 4spd w 3.54:1 Dana. The 280 degrees with .474 valve lift (#2993). I had some difficulties at initial startup and most likely damaged the cam, couldn't do the appropriate break-in, but I am going to check the valve lift on every lobe to see if the cam went flat! (lots of quality time with a dial indicator). If it needs replacing, I'll degree it using the procedures in the video. I'll have tons of experience using the dial indicator by then! Thanks

[@PetesGarage]

Breaking in a cam has the potential of going very bad. If you check all of the lobes it will tell you the condition. Good luck and have fun with that indicator

[@tobiaswillson5900]

its nice when you have a good adjustable timing set and a degree wheel to fine tune the engine for track altitude , car weight , auto trans , manual trans , and type of fuel used .etc

[@PetesGarage]

It is a great tool.

[@gordandcolleenkerr7760]

Loved that video Pete but most times a cam goes in with the head on and the engine in place , so you are only able to get TDC as close as possible, but there is some guess work

[@PetesGarage]

That does make it difficult

[@UnfinishedProjectDartSport]

Hi Pete, If the verification doesn’t check out and the numbers are off from the specifications, is there any way for adjustment or do you have to get a different cam?

[@PetesGarage]

I have sent them back, they do make mistakes

[@iancutri8945]

Great, informative video as always. Thank you Pete!

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@anthonysantillo1358]

Building a 69 Coronet 440, now.Very impressed,Great info.Watched yr Video's, THANK YOU!!!

[@PetesGarage]

Awesome, great car!

[@DennonOosterman]

Likely a dumb question but I thought about this on your last cam video and I'm still not sure. The bolt that's in the crank that you use to turn the engine over - what stops it from loosening within the crank whenever you turn the engine "back"? As a related add on, how do you torque it down to spec given the engine can (of course) turn over while you do so?

[@PetesGarage]

That's a great question. The bolt in the crank is torque down while holding the crank in place. If it is torqued properly you can turn it backwards without the heads on or spark plus as there will be no resistance.

[@jiveturkey9993]

Pete, how the heck do you get the dang blocks so clean??

[@PetesGarage]

Bake it for 24 hours, blast it and rinse.

[@vageliskarlito8759]

hello.... what is the blue liquid on 3:11 ? thanks

[@PetesGarage]

Blue LocTite

[@hemihead6645]

Is that block bare metal, or is it coated with something right now?

[@mekanism8364]

HemiHead664 that looks like just a bare cast block

[@skylinefever]

Some people spray WD-40 (or a similar chemical) on bare engine blocks to prevent rust. They remove the WD-40 before painting the block.

[@hemihead6645]

Skyline Fever Years ago I never got my blocks back from the machine shop looking like that. Maybe different process of cleaning. Caustic. Having it baked and blasted. I never asked.

[@PetesGarage]

It was baked and cleaned and painted with cast blast

[@PetesGarage]

Not a bare block, coated with cast blast. I will clean it and epoxy prime / paint it in a video shortly.

[@Moparmaga-1]

Is a cam button for end play ?

[@PetesGarage]

Yes, that will be in an upcoming video

[@Moparmaga-1]

Pete's Garage cool thanks Pete. Always great videos to learn from.

[@danacivils9086]

I know this is a long shot, but I have a Reed 440 cam. Reeds are out of business. My guestion is does anyone know where I can get the specs. The specs didn't come with cam. Thank you

[@PetesGarage]

You can measure it

[@danacivils9086]

@@PetesGarage How do you measure it.

[@PetesGarage]

With a dial indicator

[@danacivils9086]

@@PetesGarage ok, thanks

[@44hawk28]

Take the time to learn the Keith Black cam timing method. It is far faster and more than accurate enough for application. Unless of course you want to go back in time and tell Keith black he was full of beans, but then again Mickey Thompson was intentionally trying to blow up his Hemi engine because he wasn't getting enough performance out of it when he decided to set the ignition timing at 50° before top dead center and ended up just absolutely blowing away the competition and that's how the Hemi engine became such a Powerhouse. These guys learned by doing. The cam button actually looks like it's made of Delrin. And you should have used red or orange Loctite on those bolts. Unless you plan on taking that thing on and off a number of times.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks for the comment

[@staceyslocum8531]

Hi Pete, love your channel by the way! I have a question abouts BB chrysler timing covers and the cam button clearances. I see you have used what looks like a stamped steel cover and wondered who's and how ya figure all that out? I'm stumped I've looked at AR 224 for 350 bucks but it may have clearance issues with the water pump housing. Want to go roller cam so any info or insight you could give me? Thank you for doing these great videos, I come from the GM side and this is my first Chrysler 400 to 451 build.

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks Stacey. That is a standard timing cover WA9392. It will fit with the roller and water pump

[@roberthoy9922]

Hey Pete. I have a 65 289. I am considering backing it up with a Tremic 5 speed. My problem is, the block is a 5 bolt and the tremic bell house a 6 bolt. Would it be ok to make an addapter ring, and if so, how thick does it have to be?

[@PetesGarage]

You can change the bellhousing. I did on my Tremec

[@roberthoy9922]

Pete's Garage that’s good news. Thanks. I’m buying the edelbrock 2091 top end kit. Do you have advice on what I should do for the bottom?

[@PetesGarage]

A good steel crank with a balanced rolling assembly

[@jamieostrowski4447]

Engine building ASMR :-)

[@BADAZZ93STANG]

Awesome video Pete. GREAT info. .

[@PetesGarage]

Thanks my friend

[@Greggg57]

Wait. Is this a 'high compression' engine?

[@PetesGarage]

No 9.5:1

[@hotrodray6802]

Dont forget to allow for timing chain wear/stretch.

[@PetesGarage]

Interesting

[@eb972]

The only reason the color wouldn’t match (on a solid color) is because of coverage. Do a checkered pray out card. That will tell you how many coats.

[@PetesGarage]

Great tip, thank you

[@silasmarner7586]

All due respect, and you're a fantastic engine builder, but this is not "Degreeing" any cam. It's "verifying" the cam's properties but the cam timing relative to the crank is untouched and fixed (in this case). A twincam , for example, can have all sorts of degrees of freedom , of course one example being a stock cam pulley and cam etc. etc. but others abound.

[@PetesGarage]

you are 100% correct. I did not degree the cam to the installed centerline. I changed the name of the video to just checking the cam. Thanks for the comment.