Big Block 400 Build Series: Checking Quench, Piston to Valve,and Pushrod Clearance

[@deanstevenson6527]

🥝✔️ 400 Luv lives here

[@JustMoparJoe]

Excellent!

[@edsmachine93]

I was here at 9:00 AM on the button Joe. Good stuff! Watching now. I wanted to be the first to post, hehe. Take care, Ed.

[@JustMoparJoe]

You win the prize!

[@edsmachine93]

Great video Joe. You touched on many great points of the inspection process. The engine looks outstanding. Very nice and meticulous work. Thanks for sharing. Thank you for the shout out.👍💯🇺🇸 Take care, Ed.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for the great machining and support!

[@218422100]

Back to the 400!!!!😎💯

[@JustMoparJoe]

Yea sir! I’d love to start it up before New year!

[@terryboothe2309]

You’re a great teacher . Explaining everything as you go . You’re making me want a car with a big block !

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Terry! It all works out for a strong 360, as well!

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

400 is probably my fav engine. I dont even have a planned home for the 400 thats been gathering dust for years, but this sure makes me want to pull it out and build it!! Great vid on some important steps in putting together a non-stock build Joe!!!👍👍

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks buddy. I will fully report on how it all goes!

[@318willrun]

I like the engine .... I like the purple car ...... I like the garage !!!!!!! Great video Joe !

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Tim! She’s so close! I’ve got to get the final Push to done

[@jonmoore8995]

Thank You Mopar Joe for good tutorial, as usual.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Jon! Very close now

[@ninjapumkin]

Thank you Joe. This is a great series. Can’t wait for the valve train video. I always struggle setting my rockers on my sold cam. Don’t know why

[@JustMoparJoe]

Definitely will share. I will make that video up this week.

[@dumpsterchicken6287]

Great video thank you

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother

[@MP-pz9oe]

Good man !

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks buddy

[@tomdamon7208]

Outstanding ! Thanks , Joe !

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for the support, Tom!

[@mikestackhouse9001]

Nice quality video Joe and loving the 400 build. That baby is gonna wind up!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother. It’s coming together now

[@Mynextproject_74]

That's a great explanation of what you did! Great video Joe!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks, Cley! Definitely room for a bigger cam there.

[@big3fan916]

Keep up the good work Joe !

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother!

[@Scarlet_1971_cuda]

Looking good!!! loving the info and build process.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks John! Merry Christmas

[@Comet-hn3gm]

When you change camshafts, and I know you will, it's a great idea when you go with much more lift, to chamfer the intake valve pocket as per David Visard. Some new pistons are now coming this way. I just got in some new Wiseco pistons, that were done this way. Cheers.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Good stuff! I’d love to meet him someday

[@MyKARSShop]

Good refresher. I’ll be going through similar stuff on my 413/426 project soon.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Mike!

[@talljohnsfunshop2722]

Sweet tons of room for thar 10000 rpm cam you wanted to put in their. That thing is a thing of beauty

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Tall John!

[@chrisprice4420]

Joe your integrity is 100% intact. Great informative video, and it takes all the assumptions on my part out of the equation, meaning I'm picturing all this in my head without hands on training. So up til now it's all been a guestamet as to how to go about doing these tests. I was told this stuff about 45 years ago. 😂

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Chris! Glad to share

[@moparnut6286]

Awesome! Merry Christmas 🎄 and a happy New Year! 🌟

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks John! Hopefully the Little 400 that could! Merry Christmas 🎄

[@Mopardude]

Good stuff.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother

[@gregtough9055]

Very good video as always! I use the light checker springs for simplicity purposes

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Greg. My brother gave me his Comp kit tonight with a proper checking pushrod and checker springs

[@rickseeman5679]

You will have to recheck pushrod clearance for the 1.6 rockers.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Absolutely will. It’d make an interesting video just to see the measured distance between both sets of rockers. Especially since they’re same brand and make.

[@MrCorvette32]

new subscriber here. Jeray racing sent me. good stuff man!!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother! The Jerays are awesome!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Here’s more to the story! kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJXFmWmXjMZ9gck

[@jackpinesavagerepair1918]

Howdy from the Northwoods of Minnesota. Is that your kids playdoe lol. Thank for the videos and information. Love to all, be happy n safe

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother! Yes it was! Happy New Year!

[@jackpinesavagerepair1918]

@@JustMoparJoe Happy New Year

[@dirtlump]

Hey Joe.... as it relates to BB Mopar short lifter Bores and "where" the Oil Gallery intersects in that short Lifter Bore.... and the very short "wear" surface area in the Lifter Bores BELOW that Oil Gallery.... my question is: Have you ever taken a flashlight shined from above while looking into the Lifter Bore from the bottom....looking at at the load "area" worn into the Lifter Bore below the Oil Gallery ? Just say'in... maybe have a look for those "half moon" shaped wear patterns there... and tell me how much 'sealing" area is left in the Lifter Bores for directing life blood Oil Pressure into the Lifter to maintain Lifter pump up against the Higher HR V/Spring pressure requirements ? GOOD JOB by you in defaulting to solid Rollers on the HR cam IMO for that reason ?

[@JustMoparJoe]

Hey Bob! You are definitely on to something there. I switched to Solid rollers to help prevent hydraulic lifters issues and maintain stability at higher rpm. Engine masters showed a 10 hp increase with the solid lifter as well.

[@fulltilt6]

Great video ! Just bought a 440 for my 72 duster and looking to build my own engine so any info helps me for sure as I’m a novice 😂

[@JustMoparJoe]

Right on! Check out the 413 build series too. It has every step and detail to get it done.

[@donaldhalls2189]

With those clearances wouldn't you be able to use a thinner head gaskets ? looking like a sweet build, thanks for the video, all the best to you and your loved ones

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Donald! I may can sneak one in 🫡. I have to save a few secrets

[@DuddiesAdventure]

This 400 is going to be a RIpper!!! Im really curious to see the performance and track time difference between the 408 small block and the 400 big block.

[@318willrun]

Me too!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Duddie. I wish I could do it all Apples to Apples. But the 400 will get a different converter and transmission. The new transmission will have similar internals, but is a different unit. I might also need to update the 4.10’s to the 4.56’s, like I needed to last year. Maybe I swap those out later! Dang Dana 60

[@318willrun]

@@JustMoparJoe so hard to go apples to apples as each engine will optimize a different gear ratio and converter.

[@DuddiesAdventure]

@@JustMoparJoe Unfortunely those Dang Dana 60's aren't fun to setup. But they sure are strong!

[@JustMoparJoe]

@@318willrun it’s true. My first dyno session will hopefully pay off

[@mr.x1510]

1:6 rockers are going in

[@JustMoparJoe]

And worked flawlessly 🫡

[@mr.x1510]

@@JustMoparJoe yeah that's exactly what I thought. How is Griffitts engine coming along? I guess you probably keep in touch with so you would know

[@JustMoparJoe]

@@mr.x1510 I believe he and wife are vacationing. I saw he got his new Cope billet drum for Christmas. Really nice guy

[@mr.x1510]

@@JustMoparJoe that's pretty cool. I've been thinking of doing a build similar to that, but not as extreme. I've been away from rebuilding for a few decades now and kind of wondering what my block options are. Yeah he seems like a really nice guy

[@slowg8701]

Let us know what you think about the 440 source roller rockers

[@JustMoparJoe]

Will do. They look like nice pieces. Won’t know until the Rpms fly

[@cjm5002]

Man, you've done so many details on this series that all the other guys just skip over as "common knowledge". I forget if you have gone over the oil mods needed to go with the new lifter setup? If Im lucky you will recall that I have previously mentioned Im not a roller lifter guy at all so I genuinely dont know.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother. For the roller lifters in this block, I didn’t change anything. The oil holes were chamfered on the crank before it was polished, got a deep pan, and getting a high volume oil pump. I’ve had good luck with the similar combination in the past.

[@cjm5002]

@@JustMoparJoe I thought you had to reduce the oil flow? Or is that solid lifters?

[@JustMoparJoe]

@@cjm5002 everyone has an opinion on it. I’ve never had to do anything with that, but I like to stay under 6,500 rpm. I’m sure a sloppy lifter bore could lose a lot of oil. Check out Creedance Chrysler revival on KZbin. He just did a small block with some cool oiling mods.

[@jackwells1452]

A good idea is to use checking spring, no chance to bend anything

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Jack

[@michaelloth5870]

The short stroke means a slower piston speed at a given RPM, not a faster piston speed.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Nifty!

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

👍🏻🇦🇺💯

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks buddy

[@rickseeman5679]

I used too much clay one time and bent an exhaust valve. Made me feel stupid.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Ouch! That’s a less learned for sure. I knew I had lots of space on this one.

[@bobbyz1964]

The play doe method for checking quench doesn't always work. You wouldn't want to do it WITHOUT A GASKET if you're at zero deck height or in my case positive deck height. Actually was shooting for zero deck on the 318 build, a .010 cut with KB167 pistons. With my crude measurements that .010 would get me really close then a .040 gasket, done. Unfortunately the deck cut wasn't exactly straight, it's back at the shop now, hopefully once it's straightened out its at .010 positive and .050 gaskets. Just a pita because. 040 gaskets are pretty standard and cheap.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Very good point! Sorry for your bad machining. Check out the 318 Mopar performance group on Facebook. Yours sounds like a good addition!

[@bobbyz1964]

@@JustMoparJoe I'll check that out! An exclusive 318 group would be great. On a couple small block ones now and everytime you say 318 (orv273) ten guys gotta tell you to get a 360. 😂 It ain't a race engine, doing it for a pickup with a fairly mild cam but I'm porting the heads, 315 castings with 360 valves and shooting for around 9.5 compression.

[@JustMoparJoe]

@@bobbyz1964 that’s what it’s all about. Share your combinations and discoveries 👍🏼

[@smilsmff]

1.9 roller rockers from T.D. will solve that hehe

[@JustMoparJoe]

Absolutely! I have new 1.7’s on the bench. Hope to finish this jewel up this week

[@toddmccarter45]

17:08 just means you need a bigger cam

[@JustMoparJoe]

You called it! And I know where one is 😂

[@dirtlump]

I don't sweat the sub .050" quench dimension on a BB Mopar so much anymore ? Sub .050" IMO.... seems arbitrary and more of a small 4" Bore criterion with potentially far different Intake/Exhaust Flow ratios at scavenging than a BB Mopar opening it's Valves onto the backside of the Cylinder @ 15* Valve Angle Just say'in.... if you have witnessed a 50 hp GAIN from a BB Mopar 4.500" Bore on an Engine Dyno as I have ? by merely INCREASING the quench to .080" from .050" with the resultant Compression DECREASE.... no other changes other than that Head Gasket change ... I believe that begins to open a LOT of doors in your understanding of aforementioned Intake/Exhaust scavenging characteristics of these Engines, A/F qualities with Timing, the relationship that 'one size' quench does not fit ALL Bore Sizes/Flow Ratios, etc., etc.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Interesting theory and practice in place. This will be my first engine ever dyno’d. But I do learn from every combination and error that I make.