How to proceed with my 340

[soundcontrol]

No, it's not a common bore size here in GM land where the standard sizes run 4.00 to 4.060 for a 350 sbc. Check the parts books to finds a size that fits another application. As long as the size and thickness are correct, it doesn't care what it's installed in. Moly is the operative word here and plasma only refers to the method they use to deposit it on the ring. 

OK, I see. I better take one out and check thickness of the rings before I order then, I assume its 5/64 in. x 5/64 in. x 3/16 in, but better safe than sorry. Can I hone myself with a drill or do I need to have it done by a pro? Done it before, but that was in the 80's with iron rings.
Thanks for good info!

[73restomod]

You could hone it yourself, as long as your only pursuing daily driver status, shouldn't be a big concern.

[1 Wild R/T]

If your gonna re-use the heads lose those aluminum retainers.... They were all the rage with racers in the 70's , by the mid 80's enough engines had eaten valves that they were no longer getting much use other than race stuff that gets regular tear down inspection..   To give you an idea Summit lists 623 different valve retainers.... Only one is aluminum....

IMO the retainers make me believe this engine build is older that you think... Or they bought the "done" heads & slapped them on...

[soundcontrol]

Great, I'll hone myself then. Yeah the engine build might be old, it's the TRW older pistons, and what I can Google, TRW became Speed Pro early 90's. But it's looking good inside, and I know the car has been in pieces for a decade or more. I'll change the retainers if I decide to use those heads. If the heads are -73, is the exhaust valve seats hardened for unleaded?

[1 Wild R/T]

Mopar heads started getting hardened seats in 72-73 timeframe but they are whats called "induction hardened" which means there are no hard seat inserts, the hardening typically is only .030 deep so it's not uncommon to grind through the hardened area & into soft metal... I had one seat go soft at less than .010 deep so I don't put allot of trust in OE hard seats...

[soundcontrol]

Also check to make sure the rods were put in with the chamfer to the crank weight side.

Jimynick, I checked the rods and I cant see any difference of the sides except for a slight offset, (pict no2), I dont really know what you mean by chamfer, Goole'd it and its an edge or ridge type of thing, (and english is not my first language).

[soundcontrol]

All cylinders looking good, rod bearings show some wear, but crank taps are fine. 2 of the main bearings are a bit bad, 2 middle ones, and I can also feel some scratches on the crank at theese positions. Hopefully I can polish this out, because all bearings are alreay at 030 over. Don't really wanna get a new crank now...

[MOPAR FANATIC]

  Thats toast...................... 

[jimynick]

If you took a right angled piece of something and trimmed off the exact corner where the two angles meet, you'd have chamfered it. As for those bearings, it appears that this thing has had some schmutz going through it via the oil and I'd strongly suggest having the block boiled/washed and blown out before you reassemble it or you stand the chance of doing it all over again. Don't use a dingle-ball hone- rent a proper 4 or 3 stone hone to kiss those cylinders. I'd check the clearance before I went too far with any hone as well. Hypereutectic pistons like a tight fit versus forged and it'll be noisy if you go the wrong way with that hone.  AND, for a guy who's first language wasn't English, I'd say you're doing pretty damn good at it in my opinion. Good luck! 

[soundcontrol]

I just hope my crank is not toast! Taking that and the block to an engine/machine shop so they can check it out now. I'll let them do the honing/measuring, might as well, since I have to go there. Thanks Jimynick, since my wife is american I do get a lot of english practice.

[soundcontrol]

So, machine shop measured up my engine, cylinders, crank and heads. They say my crank is OK, just needs some polishing. But, they recommend a lager bore for the cylinders. I though they were OK since I could not feel any edges, but it measured a bit large. That means I need new pistons also. Looked at Sealed Powers engine rebuild kits with forged pistons and everything needed almost. Other than a rebuild kit I need new valves and spring retainers for the heads. Now, where is the best place to get a kit and other engine parts? So far I looked at Summit and Mancinis.

[Chryco Psycho]

Jegs maybe
You may want to look at a stroker kit as it may be a similar price

[rUNCHARGER]

I like Mancini's or Hughes Engines.

Sheldon

[soundcontrol]

Jegs maybe
You may want to look at a stroker kit as it may be a similar price

A stroker kit is more expensive since I don't need a new crank now. I have also been adviced (If I wanna build a stroker), to use a 360 instead of a 340, a friend says that a 360 runs better as a stroker, I don't know the reason behind that though, I can guess that the combination bore/stroke is more in favor on the 360?


I'll check Jegs and Hughes, Mancinins has a great website though, best one so far. Year One is terrible since they change their site, cant find anything.

[soundcontrol]

Finally some progress on the car. Got the engine back from the machine shop, and starting to put it together now. Very good thing that Jimynick mentioned the chamfer on the rods, I paid close attention to that and of course the machine shop had put the rods backwards. (They put the new pistons on the rods for me). Easy to fix, but without Jimynicks comment I would not have know to check that. Wonder what happens if they are put in the wrong way?

Bore is now 060, block has been ultrasound cleaned, new oil pump, cam chain, lifters. Crank was checked and polished. New valves, springs and retainers.I did not number the pushrods though, so I wont get them back in the same position, oh well....
Gonna blast the orange paint of my intake manifold (Edelbrock), can that be left unfinished or is there any clear coat that works well on aluminum?