414 motorhome engine questions
#1067703
09/02/11 08:43 PM
09/02/11 08:43 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 39 pittsburgh, pa
greg_moreira
OP
member
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OP
member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 39
pittsburgh, pa
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Hi Guys! New guy here and I have a few questions about a 1972 motorhome engine I have. Its was pulled from a 72 dodge swinger(which has been in the family for decades) and its a virgin with only 18,000 miles on it.
The motorhome is retired and this is eventually going to go into a 1951 dodge pickup, but I have some questions first.
It is one of the commercial engines by the way with a factory holley 4 barrel. the plan is to change the entire top end, but I want to learn a little about it first, so onto the questions.
How durable is the bottom end in these? Are these cast crank motors, or steel, and what about the rods and pistons?
From what I gather, Im best off with the 915 heads to be able to make a little compression, but does anybody actually know what the factory compression is on these things, as well as where it will end up with the 915 heads? Pump gas is a must.
Ive heard about reverse rotation cams being used. Any way to tell if thats what this is before pulling it apart?
Will any of the valvetrain in the current heads work? Im most concerned about the rockers. Do these weird heads use the same shaft rocker setup as the conventional heads, or do I have to replace all of that also?
Lastly....Ive heard it said that these wont bolt up to the later autos, but its actually bolted to a 727 auto now with the E brake on the tailshaft of the trans(factory trans also with 18k miles).
If there is any difference in the crank or anything, am I going to have issues getting any off the shelf converter to fit? Or is the converter in there "unique" to this package. If so, what needs to be done to ready it for any aftermarket off the shelf converter?
Thanks folks!
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Re: 414 motorhome engine questions
[Re: rjones]
#1067707
09/03/11 12:53 AM
09/03/11 12:53 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,460 Florida STAYcation
dOoC
The village idiot's idiot
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The village idiot's idiot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,460
Florida STAYcation
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Quote:
Don't believe there is any such thing as reverse rotation cams in these.
However some of them I believe have a reverse flow cooling system.
If you have the original torqueflite that came with it I believe there will be some heavy duty hemi parts in it.
Sorry Roger ....many 413's (in fact MOST) in the motorhome/truck chassis applications had a REVrotation cam ... because of the special cam gear drive.
Nope on the REVcooling system. And NOPE again on the hemi parts in the trans.
But you WERE RIGHT on the crank being steel.
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Re: 414 motorhome engine questions
[Re: greg_moreira]
#1067708
09/03/11 09:51 AM
09/03/11 09:51 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,068 Irving, TX
feets
Senior Management
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Senior Management
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,068
Irving, TX
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If you want to hot rod that truck, strip the 413 to the short block. If the truck is going to be a cruiser or just a run around toy the engine will work great as-is. That engine will have TONS of low end power but the heads aren't going to make big power up top. If the truck is going to be at cars shows and such the current configuration of the engine will add a nice touch of "different" under the hood. It will be a nice change from all the other engines in the show field. Unless you're going to race it, I say run it like it is.
We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon
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Re: 414 motorhome engine questions
[Re: greg_moreira]
#1067712
09/03/11 04:52 PM
09/03/11 04:52 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,460 Florida STAYcation
dOoC
The village idiot's idiot
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The village idiot's idiot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,460
Florida STAYcation
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Quote:
Still curious about the valvetrain though. The rocker setup is my biggest concern. Ive found that most everything else is uncommon(longer pushrods for example) but it would be great to be able to at least use the rocker setup in this set of heads on another for the time being. Anybody know if its compatible?
also is there any machine work needed whatsoever on the front of the block to just swap to a regular timing chain?
We definitely intend to add some horsepower to this thing. The truck is heavy for sure, and it will be driven also, so no expectation to break records or anything, but a reliable driver that could run bottom 13's would be excellent for this heavier truck.
Thanks again!
The rocker assembly is the same as a std head .. the push-rods are NOT. NO machine work is needed to swap-out from a gear-drive to a chain.
And again ... to get decent performance from this .. you will need some really small chambered heads to get some decent compression(due to this engine having some deep-dish pistons.... but it can be done.
Low 13's ? ... with a good set of heads .....decent cam ...and up-to-date fuel delivery system - no problem.
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Re: 414 motorhome engine questions
[Re: Mopar-Al]
#1067718
09/06/11 09:38 AM
09/06/11 09:38 AM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 89 Indiana
Mrbill69
member
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member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 89
Indiana
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I had a 73 Winny with a 440 with a TQ. It had timing gears and sounded like it had a roots blower on it when I revved it up. It was a great engine.
66 satellite conv w/413, cam & headers, 3.55 gears.
89 Dodge w150 4x4 318 Tbi. Opec's friend
72 Imperial coupe
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Re: 414 motorhome engine questions
[Re: greg_moreira]
#1067721
09/06/11 04:35 PM
09/06/11 04:35 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,533 Indiana
Fury Fan
master
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master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,533
Indiana
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Keep in mind, aluminum heads require a higher CR due to the greater conductivity of alum, they draw more heat out of the combustion chamber. Stealths would require a chamber even smaller than -516 or -915 to compensate.
IMHO, if you decide that you want to go the piston route, it's time to eval whether a different engine becomes a better idea. If you're gonna go with pistons, perhaps a stroker crank of the right size can bring your existing pistons up to quench specs? Either way, there's $1000 easily and a lot more work. And you lose some of the mystique of it being Grandpa's engine.
I'd probably find a good set of -516 heads, conventional water housing/pump, mild cam, small carb, and run it. No need to spend $thousand$ when you don't have to.
Last edited by Fury Fan; 09/06/11 04:40 PM.
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