Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

I would use WD40 for what it is originally intended to be used for... water displacement. Spray your deck surface down with it, then lay a WD coated lint free cotton rag over the decks. When it's head gasket time use a lint free rag soaked in brake clean or acetone to remove the WD from the decks.

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Where on the deck? How big and how deep, any pitting? Could just be from your sweat, post a picture! Cast iron rusts very easy on the surface. You can sometimes have problems if deep pitting has occurred. Picture please!

Unfortunately I don't have a picture at the moment. I won't be home from school until the weekend so I'll have to take one then. It's just minor surface rust, no pitting. Once I get home, I'll clean it up and protect it with WD40 as suggested. The engine is currently wrapped in a bag and has been for a week or so. The machinist I worked with said to always leave it in a bag.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

So how long is the alpha drive gonna live behind that monster?

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

So how long is the alpha drive gonna live behind that monster?

Great question. I'm going to run it until it dies, and maybe even order myself a spare from SEI to have ready for when it goes. I told my uncle I wanted to race against his Fountain (29' Fever, 500 EFI, 75mph) when I'm all done. He told me he'd just hang back with a magnet to pick up all the parts from the shattered drive.

It seems like plenty of people in these forums run 383/alpha combos without any problems. wca_tim runs a 450+hp 383 in front of an alpha 1. I think bomar76 does too. You just need to be easy out of the hole and ease up if you come out of the water.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

You just need to be easy out of the hole and ease up if you come out of the water.

Well thats no fun. That's like having a funny car, just to putt to the corner to get a gallon of milk... well maybe not that extreme. Looks good tho greg... appears like you are on track for springtime splash.

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Unfortunately I don't have a picture at the moment. I won't be home from school until the weekend so I'll have to take one then. It's just minor surface rust, no pitting. Once I get home, I'll clean it up and protect it with WD40 as suggested. The engine is currently wrapped in a bag and has been for a week or so. The machinist I worked with said to always leave it in a bag.

As per usual different things work for different folks. The bag and moister problem probably has a lot to do with large temperature changes and your area of the country. I know i had a bunch of surface rust occur one time while using a trash bag to cover a short block, in Texas. I have had 4 bare blocks and 1 short block, 2 assembled motors, half a dozen cranks in my garage for 6 years now. They have developed no rust of any kind.

I see concrete walls in your pictures. If that is a basement or partially underground garage that might lend itself to conditions where you will get surface rust more quickly. While living in Maine and having a basement shop i constantly fought rust problems on cast-iron tools, tablesaw etc. WD40 should help. If it were me id loose the bag!

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Unfortunately I don't have a picture at the moment. I won't be home from school until the weekend so I'll have to take one then. It's just minor surface rust, no pitting. Once I get home, I'll clean it up and protect it with WD40 as suggested. The engine is currently wrapped in a bag and has been for a week or so. The machinist I worked with said to always leave it in a bag.

When I build engines I forgo the bag, and wrap them in a clean painters drop cloth. Keeps the dust/dirt out, and allows the engine to breathe. Shouldn't have to worry bout too much flash rust this time of the year anyway. Unless you are intermittently using a heater in your garage, the cool dry air will not rust it up too much.

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

As per usual different things work for different folks. The bag and moister problem probably has a lot to do with large temperature changes and your area of the country. I know i had a bunch of surface rust occur one time while using a trash bag to cover a short block, in Texas. I have had 4 bare blocks and 1 short block, 2 assembled motors, half a dozen cranks in my garage for 6 years now. They have developed no rust of any kind.

I see concrete walls in your pictures. If that is a basement or partially underground garage that might lend itself to conditions where you will get surface rust more quickly. While living in Maine and having a basement shop i constantly fought rust problems on cast-iron tools, tablesaw etc. WD40 should help. If it were me id loose the bag!

I do keep it in the garage and it's above ground. I live in MA and we have had lots of temperature fluctuation lately. It's been in the 50's to 60 during the day and into the 30s at night, so that may be a contributing factor. Next time I'm home, I'll try losing the bag and keeping a WD-40 coated rag on top of the deck and see if that works any better. I have been sort of worried about condensation in the bag anyways.

 

[John_S]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

FWIW: I had the flash rust issue when I did my vortec head swap. In just two days, the flash rust appeared on the block head surface. I had a plastic sheet over it and seemed to hold condensation under it. The rust cleaned up and then applied a light grease to all surfaces. Covered with a white sheet to keep debris out. On the install, a good wipe down and final cleaning with brake cleaner was all that was needed.

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

FWIW: I had the flash rust issue when I did my vortec head swap. In just two days, the flash rust appeared on the block head surface. I had a plastic sheet over it and seemed to hold condensation under it. The rust cleaned up and then applied a light grease to all surfaces. Covered with a white sheet to keep debris out. On the install, a good wipe down and final cleaning with brake cleaner was all that was needed.

Alright, I'll get home this weekend and clean up the rust, and then I'll cover it with either some grease or WD40 to make sure it doesn't come back. Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to pick up my heads until next weekend if I'm lucky (school is picking up again... almost done). Come December 16th I'm out for the winter and can make some real progress. I still need to paint the heads, exhaust manifolds and a few other random pieces I forgot to paint the first time around. I also need to measure the push rod length, buy the carburetor, and decide on an intake. I ended up buying the performer from the machinist for next to nothing b/c he kept pushing it on me, and he sand blasted it for me so it looks brand new, but I think I want to sell it and get an RPM or RPM air gap after reading everyone's suggestions in the other thread.

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Just finished chatting with an expert from Comp Cams. It turns out that the machinist gave me the wrong cam and I need to exchange it for a retro-fit cam. On top of that, Comp Cams won't let me send it back to them for an exchange, so I need to bring it back to the machinist and tell him he ordered the wrong part... This will be fun. At least I'll have the right cam.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

it takes a few things to go wrong to really enjoy the good.

 

[John_S]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Just finished chatting with an expert from Comp Cams. It turns out that the machinist gave me the wrong cam and I need to exchange it for a retro-fit cam. On top of that, Comp Cams won't let me send it back to them for an exchange, so I need to bring it back to the machinist and tell him he ordered the wrong part... This will be fun. At least I'll have the right cam.

Did they say there was more differences than the timing gear? If so, I suspect the machinist will understand.

 

[marioc]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Noticed you have a Checkmate Exciter... How has the 305 been working for you in the boat? Was it original with the boat?

I've got a 1982 Check Sportfire I'm rebuilding...

Mario

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

Did they say there was more differences than the timing gear? If so, I suspect the machinist will understand.

The guy from Comp Cams just told me that the cam was for an OE roller block and won't work with a block that isn't set up for a factory roller cam. He also said it requires some kind of hardened distributor gear (I have the material written down but I forget off the top of my head). I emailed the machinist 2 days ago and am waiting for a reply. If he doesn't respond today I'll probably call him. He's been really nice so far and I hope this isn't much of an issue for him. The cams are the same price so he probably will just swap them. I just don't think he will appreciate a 22 year old telling him he messed up (obviously I used much kinder words) - he's probably been building engines since I was born.

Noticed you have a Checkmate Exciter... How has the 305 been working for you in the boat? Was it original with the boat?

I've got a 1982 Check Sportfire I'm rebuilding...

Mario

I actually sold that boat back in June, but it was great while I had it. The 305 (yes it was original, except for the Edelbrock performer and Holley 4160 I added) got me 57 mph on a good day with little gas and just me in the boat, and about 53-54 fully loaded. I actually found that boat after it had been sitting for 25 years uncovered in the woods and restored everything, used it for 2 years and sold it. The Formula has been my next project, although it didn't really need anything. I just can't be without a project to do.

 

[John_S]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

On a oem GM roller, it requires a melonized distributer gear. You can buy replacement gears for the distributer, bronze, etc. If I recall you had an aftermarket distributer, though.

You will need a new fuel pump rod for roller cams if using the mechanical pump.

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

I'm getting a little worried now.

I bought a new Holley mechanical fuel pump. John, I remember you mentioned the fuel pump rod in the other thread, and I specifically asked the machinist about it, and he said it doesn't matter the rod I have is fine. What exactly is different about them? I'm looking at some online and I see rods with a bronze tip. Is it that the roller camshaft has been hardened and will wear out a stock rod quickly?

I'm starting to wonder what else he is telling me will work fine that wont. I didn't mention this until now, but I figure I should ask before I get too deep into assembly. At first, he told me he was going to give me a set of file-fit rings. When I got there he said I didn't need them and that the Hastings rings he gave me had a little more gap, which would be good for a marine engine. I took a closer look at the box later on after I installed them and it said 4.000 on the label, but I figured it was fine because there was no way a professional builder would give me the wrong rings. So either the label was wrong on the box, he gave me the wrong rings, he didn't bore the cylinders out .030, or 4.000 rings work fine for a 4.030 bore. I think this needs to be addressed before I go any further.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

I'm getting a little worried now.

I bought a new Holley mechanical fuel pump. John, I remember you mentioned the fuel pump rod in the other thread, and I specifically asked the machinist about it, and he said it doesn't matter the rod I have is fine. What exactly is different about them? I'm looking at some online and I see rods with a bronze tip. Is it that the roller camshaft has been hardened and will wear out a stock rod quickly?

I'm starting to wonder what else he is telling me will work fine that wont. I didn't mention this until now, but I figure I should ask before I get too deep into assembly. At first, he told me he was going to give me a set of file-fit rings. When I got there he said I didn't need them and that the Hastings rings he gave me had a little more gap, which would be good for a marine engine. I took a closer look at the box later on after I installed them and it said 4.000 on the label, but I figured it was fine because there was no way a professional builder would give me the wrong rings. So either the label was wrong on the box, he gave me the wrong rings, he didn't bore the cylinders out .030, or 4.000 rings work fine for a 4.030 bore. I think this needs to be addressed before I go any further.

Sounds like you need to make a phone call.

 

[John_S]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

The bronze tipped is what I used. I couldn't find the GM rod for roller cams in stock.

I'd measure your bore and ring end gap, before getting too excited. Pistons are typically marked if overbore. Maybe it didn't need to be bored, and its a 377.

 

[greg82255]

Re: Here We Go: My 383 Stroker Winter Project

The bronze tipped is what I used. I couldn't find the GM rod for roller cams in stock.

I'd measure your bore and ring end gap, before getting too excited. Pistons are typically marked if overbore. Maybe it didn't need to be bored, and its a 377.

I paid him to bore and hone the cylinders, so I hope he did both. Bore and Hone block for $350 is written on the invoice. I also looked up the part # for the pistons, and it says they are .030 over. I guess I'll put a piston out, check the ring end gap and measure the bore. If it's not 4.030, I'll call him. I'll also get a bronze tipped fuel pump rod.