Hello friends,I thought I would update you on my engine dyno that was scheduled for 1pm today.First, let me say (and you can quote me here).ALWAYS TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! Second, let me say that when I first brought my megabucks (well megabucks to me) motor back from Colorado I noticed when I put on the motor mounts that the alternator brackets off of that same 273 wouldn't work.The bracket is now about 3/4" too narrow to reach from the head to the front of the water pump.I attributed that to having an A/C water pump (it is 3/4'wider) put on because it moves more water even though it is the 3/4"too deep that accounts for the bracket issue.Let me also tell you (here comes the trust your instincts reference) that upon further inspection of that whole "ok now I need an complete set of alternator brackets for a 340 to overcome this water pump dilema".I know this will fit just by looking because I had a '71 340 that I built from the ground up,bolt by bolt.Anyway, next I find on the front of the block on lower right side (looking at it from the front) of the timing chain cover & water pump ass'y a semicircular hole that (did I say instincts?)looks like a bolt hole.(Well,half of one). I thought to myself at the time HUH? I wonder if that is a water jacket hole?(Are we getting it yet)? However,having one of the best MOPAR engine builders in the midwest at the helm I think to myself "Self,no way would Pete just leave a water jacket hole exposed, it must be just an unused bolt hole that wasn't used on the Milodon A/C race pump #16250,or the new timing chain cover.I want to make it perfectly clear that I still hold Pete in the highest of regards.That brings us up to date at the dyno shop.Marlon had to torque the flywheel I put on,the valve covers I painted, and install the distributor drive gear before dynoing it tommorow,He had it all set up and on the dyno and thought he might go ahead and put glycol in to sit over night to make sure we were leak free.Needless to say we did not have to wait overnight to see if we had a water leak.It was instantanious.Luckily the inside half of the hole was completely covered by gasket and inside wall of the timing chain cover so no glycol leaked into the oil pan.Now we are rectifying that problem so we can still make the dyno by the 1pm tommorow schedule.That minor setback could have been avoided if I had trusted my instincts.I could have fixed it long before the day of dyno setup,BUT NO!Did I mention the extra chunk of change that is going to cost me?it is still on the dyno mount and Mr.Dyno being a very excellent Mopar engine builder is on the job.Lastly let me say this "Do Not" put a 318/340/360 timing chain cover and wtaer pump on a 273.However you will have to because 273 timing chain covers are not available anymore,remember there is this bolt hole on the right side you might want to plug before you bolt on the front of the motor.I'm just sayin'.The
"GOLDFISH" is, as I have said before and will surely say again has been a BLESSING, and a CURSE!
