[John in Minnesota]

Looks like my motor when I tore it down. I had a cracked skirt that was about to end up in the pan. Broke rings too. I've talked to guys who had these and they all say they drove them hard. Messing with the V8's. Check your rockers and push rods, I had two rods mushroomed and two rockers that had wore off to the side. Always fun to show the 4 off. John

[hobbygto65]

You were talking about headers, why not put a long branch on it. RARE sells single manifolds.

[62 tempest nashville]

ok you guys, after 4 months my 76y engine is getting closer to being finished.
At first I was just looking to freshen it up and get it back in the car. That just is not going to Happen.
I never knew how hard it would be to get only 4 pistons and rings, every one wants to sell 8.
I looked at so many, and even ordered some and I still wasn't happy. The first set was a flat top with 4 very deep valve relief cut outs, I don't even know who made them or where they came from. I would have still needed rings and pins. I know mine had the 4 cut outs, but not that big. They were huge.
I ended up getting a custom set by Wiseco. They are stock size 400 flat top, full floating with only 2 valve relief cut outs. They came with matching rings and wrist pins also.
The rods were reconditioned on both ends with the bronze floating bearing on the piston end.

I just hope the compression is not to much, I know that will be a problem with gas, and I also know that Keith has warned me twice now about it. Maybe I can try an open chamber head later ??

The crank was turned .010 and .010 and then polished.

The head was cleaned and checked and re decked.
The valve seats were fine, but the guides were shot, so new bronze valve guides.
The valve stems were worn out and the seats were cupped, so you know what that means.
If I'm going to get new valves, my guy doing the work wants to go bigger. I have the 538177 head with 1.88/1.6, so I think he is talking 1.92/1.66 I have seen them in the head and they almost touch, and I mean, almost. They have not been cut in the head yet. He is going by a engineered motor building program at Wiseco and that's what it called for.
Do I want to put more money into this head ??? It is a 389 head and with the valves, it will be like a 421 head. I know the runners are different, but is it worth it, and will it be what I want, in the end ?? Is there any sense in putting these bigger valves or should I stay stock size ? I do have to buy new ones.

I know it matters about the carburetor and cam I'm going to use. For now the head will only be matched ported and the valve pockets cleaned up. It will get a header and exhaust.

My cam is worn out but the lifter bore was fine, so what I need to figure out next is.
Do I get a new cam or re grind the old ? What cam do I want ? Brand, Specs ? Do I stay hydraulic, go solid ? Do they make a roller set up ? Any special lifters ?

One thing I have not even thought about yet is, what about rocker the rocker arm ratio. What will I want that to be ?? I'm sure the program will say after picking the cam.

What about the timing chain? I have a new stock Cloyes chain and gears to use, is that enough. I know these thing like to eat up timing chains.

The car will only be driven on weekends and to shows and it will start out, with a brand new monster (stock) 1 bbl carburetor. The only reason I'm using that is because I already have it. It will get what it needs by upping the intake and carb. later, after is on the road.
I just want to make sure the bottom end is able to take whatever I give it.

Everything will be bench balanced and then the complete rotating assembly balanced. Timing chain cover is getting cut for 389 seal.

We know this will never be a quarter mile machine, but my question is about the head and valves, cam and chain..... and maybe rocker arms

I want to hear all I can..... thanks....

[tom s]

why not just dish the pistons?Make the CR now for the gas your going to run.Run hyd for sure,call a cam grinder to see if it can be regrund.Clay Smith could be a option.Tom

[mechanickeith]

Before you go any further, have a chamber & piston cc'd, do the math & find out what the compression is going to be with what you have!!. Cams are not available for these motors. You will have to have one ground. Only Hydraulic & solid rollers are available to be ground. No blanks are available for a flat tappet cam to be ground from. Your 76Y engine should have the hotter 099 cam. If the cam is not too far gone, it can be reground to factory specs. That is fine for what you are going to use it for. The upgrades to the 177 head will make it run pretty good! The larger valves will let the port velocity pick up a bit & flow better. With the 099 cam, I would leave the rocker ratio at 1.5. If you step up to a hyd roller than it will help to go with a 1.6 rocker. If you go over the 1.5, make sure to have the push rod holes elongated for the higher ratio rockers. If the compression is to high, like Tom said, you can have those pistons dished a bit to bring it back down to about 9.0 Go with a pertronix ignition so you dont have to wory about points. Put a good exhaust on it. At least 2.25" pipe all the way out the back. 2.5 would be better! The stock 1bbl carb will be fine for now. I would suggest to have it tuned on a 3 gas machine with an 02 sensor. You may need to rejet the carb. I would run the air fuel mix at about 12-12.5 to 1 max for now. When you start assembly post pics!!!!!

[62 tempest nashville]

Well one thing I know, there is no way I'm going to modify these Wiseco pistons, they just cost too much. So, what I have, is what I have. Anything after this will be done with the head or different gaskets. I hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot.

You can count the big valves, a done deal. They are staying.

So, the cam is next. We are still looking and, striking out. It is the 099 cam.

My guy building this thing called today and told me my gear for the distributor is worn real bad. It looked fine to me, but I never really looked at it that hard. If they can re grind a crank, I'm sure they can fix the gear,,, right ? Is it common for those gears to ware ?

Keith, tell me more about the hydraulic roller. Are you saying my cam can be made and cut into a roller ? tell me more

I understand about the push rod holes for the 1.6's, but what about the lifters. Would they be flat tappet style, or would it be an actual roller type lifter ?, and are we talking actual roller rocker or just roller tip ? can it be hydrolic roller with the 1.5 set up at first or does it have to be 1.6 ?


It will have the Pertronix ignition and it will get the big exhaust for sure.
It might get a manifold at first, but it will get a header when I find one.

[mechanickeith]

The cam blanks that are out there are billit blanks for a Pontiac V8. They can be ground for just about any lift & duration you want. They would be a hydraulic or solid roller cam. Your 099 cam is cast & is very limited to the size a regrind could be put on it. If you have your 099 cam reground, it would still be a flat tappet cam & would use stock hydraulic lifters. The dist. gear is available aftermarket. If you go with a rocker that is a full roller you should upgrade to a larger rocker stud with an adjustable valvetrain. If you are staying with the bottle neck studs, use a stock rocker or maybe a roller tip rocker. It would not matter if you have hydraulic roller lifters, solid lifters or flat tappet, the head work needed for the pushrod holes is determined by the rocker ratio.

[62 tempest nashville]

ok, i know you can get a dist. gear, but it is the gear on the cam.

[mechanickeith]

My mistake on the gear. Thought that was what you were talking about. I have never seen a cam gear worn out. I am still running the original factory cam in my 61. I had it reground 8 years ago. over 500k miles. Last time I had it out it was fine. If it is worn out, call egge machine www.egge.com & see if they have an exchange cam. See if they can do anything for you.

[62 tempest nashville]

I did call egge machine and they dont have any now. I need to find something.

[mechanickeith]

I only have 1 cam that is not in a running motor, but it is a 995 cam for the low compression motors. Wont work for what you are building.

[mechanickeith]

Jerry, Did you get my pm?

[62 tempest nashville]

yes i thought i answered, guess it didnt go through. i will want it after its running.

[62 tempest nashville]

Not sure what to do ? Anyone have any more ideas on where to get one ??

[mechanickeith]

Pm rusty4cyl on this board. He may be able to help.

[62 tempest nashville]

Stiil no Cam. i sure wish i could get this thing together...