Mopar rookie engine question

[barry0383]

After purchasing a "unfired" 440 Mopar a few weeks ago for my Roadrunner build, I notice a few cleanliness issues I didn't like. After pulling the intake and finding a few sludge pockets in the lifter tray, I decided to completely disassemble. Now being a longtime Funnybike racer and builder, I have dealt with nothing but floating piston pins. This thing has pins pressed into the rods, some centered and some not, and are floating in the Keith Black pistons. There are slots for retainers but none present. Is this typical Mopar assembly or did I buy a piece of junk?

[fla1976]

The factory engine was a press fit pin. Can you push the wrist pins out? They should be to tight to push out. aThey should be near centered though. Probably a good thing you pulled it down.

[barry0383]

The pins are tight in the rods. So I guess I need to press the three that are off center to something close to center and assume this is good enough for a street car? Just seems a little haphazard to me. Appreciate your response.

[mopar1968]

If you check every mopar engine you will see this, They are floating pins in the piston, Normal for mopar engines, No it isn't junk and the lifter pockets will fill with oil and cooling and heating will sludge up a little, No problem there either.



''JUST MY TWO CENT'S WORTH''

[TheYellaBrick]

If you found sludge ANYwhere in that newly built/fresh engine, it was NOT tanked long enough. You done right to pull it down, now get it tanked AFTER you pull ALL the freeze plugs and threaded oil galley plugs you can find. Take note where you removed the oil plugs so that you don't forget to replace all of them ! You also might want to have the block magnifluxed for cracks. When you get it all assembled it'd pay BIGtime to do your initial fireup on a run-in stand instead of in the car.

[barry0383]

She is in the tank as we speak. I guess I should have inspected a little closer before I paid but it was so slick on the outside I "assumed" it was the same inside. My old daddy always said, "you learn your best lessons thru your wallet". Well, at least I'll gain some Mopar assembly experience and won't have to come on here and ask any more elementary questions. Thanks guys,
Barry

[TheYellaBrick]

"The only dumb questions are those that are not asked !" :D :D