I?ve been out of the forum and off my feet for the last couple of years, so I figured I?d catch up and report in too!
I had collected most of what I needed to build a spicy little four cylinder with some more modern hardware and a considerable boost in performance. My 153 block has been bored 0.030? and the deck trued, all of it cleaned and magnafluxed, new expansion plugs, cam bearings, and oil galley plugs installed.
The head has been similarly cleaned and checked with ported and polished intake and exhaust runners, fresh valve job with all new valves, larger intakes, three angle valve seats, perfect circle seals, new valves springs with enlarged spring pockets, hardened shims to set the correct spring height, 7/16? rocker arm studs, port lumps, and guide plates installed.
After an extensive search, I recently found a used roller camshaft that needed some repair. I sent it to Oregon Cam Grinder and they repaired a damaged lobe, checked it for straightness, and reground it to a hot, streetable, hydraulic profile. With it back in hand, I picked up a Cloyes straight cut timing gear set, a set of Comp Cams Ultra Pro Magnum roller rockers, and a stud girdle and poly locks all for support of the new cam grind.
NOW! Just in the last month, I have recovered from an extended series of surgeries to repair a badly damaged left foot along with a big fight with infection that sidelined me, allowing me to finally get back into the shop. With help from my son, I?m working on mocking everything up and doing final assemblies of the various subassemblies.
The reciprocating assembly has been static and dynamic balanced using an offset ground 181 crank, new ?H-beam? 6? rods, forged Racetech pistons, and Total Seal rings.
Over the weekend, I got the camshaft, lifters, and assembled head mocked up to determine the pushrod length and check the rocker geometry. Wonder of wonders, the pushrod length is standard, so I ordered new chrome moly pushrods and since I?ve gone this far, I ordered a new set of ARP head studs.
I have all of the gaskets, bearings, pumps, seals, and sealers to begin assembly and as soon as the pushrods and head studs arrive, I will be doing the final cleaning, finish cylinder honing, ring filing and fitting, and final assembly.
I?m reasonably certain that there will be questions that will come up and I?d appreciate any suggestions or advice as I go along. Those final pieces are scheduled to arrive next Monday and I?ll get started then.
Y?ALL STAY TUNED!!
