I put heads on a 240k engine
 

Well title says it all. I also threw a RT +10 cam in it I had bought a year ago for a song.

Im well aware of the cams reputation so spare me that talk.


I had a crazy amount of oil burning off at initial startup, but solid compression numbers at 140 psi across the board. At first I planned for a full rebuild but I chatted with oddessa and got their EQ 1.92 stock sized valves heads for 890, with upgraded .600 lift springs and 1 piece stainless valves. I figured that even if i put the heads on and the lower end blew up i was only really out 100 and some change for the gaskets.

So i proceeded to tear the engine apart to replace the heads. I reused the double roller timing chain I installed some 20 thousand miles ago. Plenum looked good still from that repair. The chain had no slack on it.

Didnt really run into any hiccups. I only snapped a few pics as it was cold and I was in a hurry to get the truck back and running over a weekend.

I used new mopar performance roller lifters and mopar pushrods that are 6.9 inches long. Stocker are around 6.936 I think. Either way they are supposed to go with this cam.


I cleaned the heads very well with razor blades and brake cleaner and used fel pro permatorque gaskets to seal them back up. No signs of blown gaskets on the old ones. Cleaning took a fair amount of time.


Got it all buttoned up on a Saturday morning. Damn thing didnt start. Thus i went on my battle with the dreaded fuel sync. If you didnt know you must pull the dizzy out to change the camshaft. Thus ruining the stock fuel sync.

Also, a cam easily fits with the radiator removed.

Well digging through the fsm i discovered this little gem.

Attachment 31069


So i got the engine lined up on TDC with the timing cover. Using my thumb to verify it was on the compression stroke. Pop the dizzy off and sure enough its all jacked up.

On that pic you can see the little notch for the number one cylinder. Basically this HAS to be the number one cylinder plug. The camshaft sensor is right under that. If you try to wire the plugs a different way it will never fire because the computer is firing the injectors according to where that sensor reads which plug is about to fire. You can see how this will lead to a very strong smell of unburnt gasoline.

You can pull the dizzy out and rotate the oil pump shaft with a long flathead screwdriver. First clockwise to get the dizzy gear to spin up and away from the camshaft drive gear, continue rotating until you think it is lined up right then rotate counter clockwise to seat it back down. This causes it to spin some back the other way, so several tries are likely needed. Once its close enough you put the dizzy back on but leave the hold down loose.

Then you can rotate the dizzy a little bit until the rotor lines up on the dead center of that little notch. Its tight work with the intake on but is doable with a lot of "sight by feel"

I used my finger to feel the notch with my finger nail. I then checked it with a small piece of cardboard with the square end down on the dizzy. Then put the cap on and make sure the post for one lines up. It will be slightly behind the notch, I marked the dizzy side with a sharpie where the notch was so i know where it was with the cap on, dont forget that the cap only goes on one way.

Put the wires back on after that. Remember you dont rotate the engine at all after its at TDC.

Jumped in, put the clutch in and turned the key. BOOM it fired right up like it used too stock. At this point the sync is at +/- 0. or as close as is possible without a scanner.

truck runs pretty well but does feel slightly sluggish and misses or backfires a rarely once warm. This is normal without having the sync set with a scanner yet. Hopefully that will be done the end of this week and I will report back. At this point it is fine to drive the truck as long as you dont wail on it.


Back to the reasoning for this, I know have no appreciable oil burning in the few hundred miles I have accumulated since then. So far so good the problem is fixed to no detrimental effects. We will see how long the stock bottom end lasts, but as we all know the bottom ends on these workhorses have a long lasting reputation.

I also threw some used mopar magnum valve covers I bought off a user here a year ago for fifty some bucks.



Old valves. THey basically fell out after removing the retainers.

Attachment 31070




Fairly good looking valley

Attachment 31071




you can still see what vaguely resembles crosshatching on the cylinder walls. Not sure about this though.... definitely not scoring though. Ill let others chime in on what shape the cylinders seem to be in. No ring edge on the top of the cylinder either.

Attachment 31072




old gasket

Attachment 31073



mostly clean block almost ready for the new head

Attachment 31074



other side, that one cylinder had more carbon on it for some reason than the others

Attachment 31075



I painted the heads black with duplicolor to try to ward off some rust

Attachment 31076



typical magnum cam bearings

Attachment 31077


this pic is terrible, it does not look that bad in person

Attachment 31078



I did not do anything to the cam bearings. Only two of them looked questionable. Apparently magnum motors just do that and its not too big of a deal as long as they arent completely destroyed or anything. Could be fine, could be bad. Its just a repair on a 240k engine done by a poor college student, not that that is justification or anything, normal people would just buy another junker or a junkyard motor. Blast me if you want too. Its already done.

Glad you finally put that bump stick to work. How's it working for you so far? Also, thanks for the easy find reference to base set fuel sync. That's going to make my life much easier in the near future.

I did a lot of digging to find that little nugget lol.


It's going good so far. Sounds good. A little deeper. Hard to tell of any performence becuase the fuel sync has not been fine set yet. Also no tune yet. computer is playing nice though.

When I was young I had a 307 (chevy) given to me. Someone bought it thinking it was a 327. A friend and I flex honed the cylinders, installed new rings, bearings, oil pump, a used cam that was given to me, new lifters, gaskets, and rebuilt a Quadrajet for it. That was the best engine I've owned. I have no idea what the cam was, but that 307 loved it. That thing was awesome! I hope yours does too!

I'm in the middle of something similar, except with a 300k mile engine. Barely has a ridge that grabs my finger nail. Cracked heads and bad valves made it not run and blow water through the exhaust.
Compression is still okay.
So, I'm following the same path. EQ's going on, new pushrods and lifters, swapping for a double roller set, and shorter plenum bolts.
I could pull it and hone it, maybe do the bearings. But I'm intellectually curious about how long the short block will go on factory parts.

Awesome dayum job you did there Ham Bone! You're a solid college student without question.

I love the part about the cam bearings. ;)

Glad you found that tidbit in the FSM too. It remains true to this day, just like when I utilized that info.

Question about the pushrods. I would have thought they'd get longer due to the thicker casting of the EQ heads? Were those lengths estimated with the cam and heads as opposed to measuring? Fortunately I'm not to the point of needing the EQ heads, yet, but they would be my next mod.

Oh, once you get that thing running better, you're gonna love it roll on from about 2800 and up... guaranteed. :D

Thanks WN! I try my best lol.




Yes those pushrods were estimated according to the cam on stock heads. I probably should have measured to get exact length. When I get a warm day I think I will pull a cover and check the wear pattern, just to be sure.

There isn't any valvetrain noise or anything right now so I think I'm fine. But never hurts to double check.


Yes the cam bearings are funny in these motors arent they haha.


I can tell from the sound of the motor in the mid upper ranges. It's got a lot more growl now haha. If only I can find an M1.....

Any updates? Still rompin like its a got a new pair of undies on?

Mt2500 off eBay I bought should be here by end of business today! So there will be an update soon




Stupid mobile version of this site. Gotten a lot better but I keep accidnetly posting in random threads it pulls up with you scroll down lol

Nice! What did the MT2500 cost ya?

Yeah, the mobile site gives me all kinds of issues, I'm now running the new version of the mobile app, does much better for me.

Jolly I paid 230, with all adapters and cartridges and keys. Seems to be about the going rate of them currently.



I got it in the mail today.


Plugged it in and after I figured out how to work it I set the sync.


It was at -17! Yikes!!!! But I had messed with a little bit the back probe voltage sensor method. Shows you how accurate that is, I think the way I listed in the OP is the best way.


Set it at 3-4. Apparently the mt2500 is not as super exact as say, a new modis or whatever. But it's plenty good.


Reset the pcm at took off. It fired right up. Runs like a bat of hell now! You can really feel the cam kick in above 2200ish. Then it pulls pretty hard till the kegger runs out of air in the 4ks.


I imagine you would lose some torque with this cam and no other mods such as M1 or headers, but I have 4.10s so it is not Terribly noticeable for me.

Sure, the Modis is more accurate, faster data sample rate as well, but, 10 times the cost too.... :D The MT2500 will do everything you need it to, and then some. Enjoy it. :D

Ain't that the truth....


It should read generic obd2 on most any obd2 vehicle regardless of year so yay!

Got like 6k miles on this swap. Still running well. Knock on wood

trade that mt2500 in! theyll give you at least a grand for it. i just got a verus pro from snap on. 12k dollar scanner, got it for 4500.

glad more and more of us original forum members are finally building up their motors!!

mine is getting a few new goodies before it goes into the dakota. motor should be going in by the end of august...

Nice! What kind of goodies?

so far, just refreshing the motor. new timing chain, and tensioner. new timing, and intake gaskets, new water pump, and other related items.

the goodies that its getting havent been ordered yet, due to the lack of funds.

spintech long tubes, and y pipe, along with a 52mm tb from somewhere.

also going to get some bling, hipotek fuel rails.

motor will eventually get either a remote mount, or a procharger, but thats a few years down the road.

Put over 10k on the engine since I did all this. Never did get a tune or good intake. But it still runs like a top.


blow by is starting to get bad though. I haven't done a compression test. I expected this to happen after popping good sealing heads on a high mileage short block. But it has got me through my last year of college.


love this old truck.

So what are your plans? You going to rebuild your short block?

I got about 307k on my original short block (maybe. It's second hand, so...). I can't say enough good things about the EQ heads. Everything was located properly and nothing needed to be clearanced or massaged, as with some aftermarket stuff. Great parts.
I stuffed them with factory spec valves and springs, since I was running the stock cam still. Comp roller chain and a new timing cover since the balancer had separated and eaten into the timing cover.

Truck runs great. I added the mist style injectors as a slight upgrade since the OEM parts were getting clogged and gross.

thinking on doing the change of cyl heads to EQ , timing chain , water pump etc.
Would most people use a Dodge repair manual or Chilton ?

grab the factory service manual from this forum and use that for anything and everything. Forget the chiltons or Haynes. Also the internet is a wealth kf knowledge for DIYs.


someday..... I hope to do something similar to what Frankie did. i.e. a 408.....


.......but perhaps also just build a high compression 360.

Would somebody point me into the right direction for that
1997- service manual , found others here but not what i need... thanks

Here. I think it is actually the 96 manual, but, it should be darn close for your truck.

thank you for your help ...

Truck still runs like a top. 250k miles. Still burns oil. Still geared like a tractor. Body starting to get a little rough. Steering still sloppy.

Thanks for the update! Was wondering how your truck was doing with the heads. Plan on replacing mine soon.