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340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances #2390647
10/21/17 02:04 AM
10/21/17 02:04 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 213
fresno
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hyefatman Offline OP
enthusiast
hyefatman  Offline OP
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fresno
I had my 340 rebuilt a year ago and it sat in my shop. I am now ready to install it into my dart, but I noticed the rocker arms were installed incorrectly. This is something of a concern because the NAPA auto that rebuilt the motor is now out of business. I can correct the rocker arm install however, I am thinking the guy may have made other mistakes. So my question, Do I fix what I see and call it good or do I spend the money and have another rebuilder tear it down and reinstall?

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2390657
10/21/17 02:27 AM
10/21/17 02:27 AM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
Circle Track
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Lincoln Nebraska
I would correct the rockers etc & preoil & fog the cyls & possibly pull the intake or at least borescope to see if the lobes are gooped & you might be able to see in the dist port if the lobes on that end are lubed. If it fubars you will be paying for a rebuild anyhow (assuming it dont blowup) so just me I would fire it up as is. do all the std preprep for a successful breakin. Hopefully the rebuilder just did not know some of the top end Mopar specific valve train peculiarities & that the long block was done adequately.


live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2390688
10/21/17 05:16 AM
10/21/17 05:16 AM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
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Cab_Burge Offline
I Win
Cab_Burge  Offline
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Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
When in doubt, check it out as far as needed to make you comfortable twocents
Is Rettig Bros. machine shop in Fresno or further south ? scope
If they are close they would be the ones I would and do recommend, if not close or to busy to help you there are several others outstanding Mopar drag race engine builders near you also besides Rettig Bros. work
I think Don Little is still taking in work, he is in Patterson work
If he isn't he might be able to refer you to some else that is real good also up


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2390793
10/21/17 01:18 PM
10/21/17 01:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,644
So Near, Yet So Far
topside Offline
Too Many Posts
topside  Offline
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Posts: 20,644
So Near, Yet So Far
It's much easier to have a qualified Mopar shop - as Cab listed for your area - look at things now rather than later, after it's installed and maybe hurt.

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2391585
10/23/17 01:39 AM
10/23/17 01:39 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
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Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Have it gone through for your peace of mind. You will never be comfortable with it unless you do. Every time you drive it, you will be worried about that being the day you find out something else was wrong. Gene

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: poorboy] #2391605
10/23/17 02:48 AM
10/23/17 02:48 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline
top fuel
Dave Hall  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Originally Posted By poorboy
Have it gone through for your peace of mind. You will never be comfortable with it unless you do. Every time you drive it, you will be worried about that being the day you find out something else was wrong. Gene

iagree Yep. Good job Gene!

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: Dave Hall] #2391824
10/23/17 02:59 PM
10/23/17 02:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,666
North Dakota
6PakBee Offline
I Live Here
6PakBee  Offline
I Live Here

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Posts: 10,666
North Dakota
If everything is new, it is highly unlikely that disassembling it will destroy anything. And you will have peace of mind. I had a friend that bought an allegedly rebuilt 383 short block some years back. Wanted me to help him with final assembly and installation. I told him the only way I would have my name associated with that was to disassemble the short block. He balked but when we pulled the pistons and found two that had the ends of the oil ring spacer overlapped....well it was a different story then.


"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2392082
10/23/17 11:00 PM
10/23/17 11:00 PM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 63
Florida
1
1930 Offline
member
1930  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 63
Florida
Originally Posted By hyefatman
I had my 340 rebuilt a year ago and it sat in my shop. I am now ready to install it into my dart, but I noticed the rocker arms were installed incorrectly. This is something of a concern because the NAPA auto that rebuilt the motor is now out of business. I can correct the rocker arm install however, I am thinking the guy may have made other mistakes. So my question, Do I fix what I see and call it good or do I spend the money and have another rebuilder tear it down and reinstall?
Why would you take it too Napa in the first place, did you know someone there, in my area at least taking your stuff too a Napa machine shop is equivalent to taking your car to Maaco for a paintjob and on top of that a desirable getting rarer every day engine?

If you want it done right, take your time and do it yourself, at least then you will hopefully know at the end that the best was done and if it blows up than you havent done anything worse than the so called professionals at Napa would have done.

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: 1930] #2392119
10/24/17 12:24 AM
10/24/17 12:24 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
Originally Posted By 1930
Originally Posted By hyefatman
I had my 340 rebuilt a year ago and it sat in my shop. I am now ready to install it into my dart, but I noticed the rocker arms were installed incorrectly. This is something of a concern because the NAPA auto that rebuilt the motor is now out of business. I can correct the rocker arm install however, I am thinking the guy may have made other mistakes. So my question, Do I fix what I see and call it good or do I spend the money and have another rebuilder tear it down and reinstall?
Why would you take it too Napa in the first place, did you know someone there, in my area at least taking your stuff too a Napa machine shop is equivalent to taking your car to Maaco for a paintjob and on top of that a desirable getting rarer every day engine?

If you want it done right, take your time and do it yourself, at least then you will hopefully know at the end that the best was done and if it blows up than you havent done anything worse than the so called professionals at Napa would have done.



I suppose that would have everything to do with the individual NAPA store. Some have had very good machine shops in them over the years. What may have been a bad experience with one should not condemn them all. Gene

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: 1930] #2392168
10/24/17 02:30 AM
10/24/17 02:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
Dave Hall Offline
top fuel
Dave Hall  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,363
Cotati, CA
[/quote]Why would you take it too Napa in the first place, did you know someone there, in my area at least taking your stuff too a Napa machine shop is equivalent to taking your car to Maaco for a paintjob and on top of that a desirable getting rarer every day engine?

If you want it done right, take your time and do it yourself, at least then you will hopefully know at the end that the best was done and if it blows up than you havent done anything worse than the so called professionals at Napa would have done. [/quote]

Who are you? The Napa Police? All you had to say was...maybe... "You might wanna check it out"....or something? We're trying to help a Brudda out here man...

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2392603
10/24/17 10:25 PM
10/24/17 10:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 294
Maryland
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MoparMike1974 Offline
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Maryland
Back in the day our NAPA had a machine shop and they did excellent work. Of course this was 25 years ago. Its hard to find ANY machine shop in this area now.

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: hyefatman] #2392851
10/25/17 12:34 PM
10/25/17 12:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 888
Oh
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parksr5 Offline
super stock
parksr5  Offline
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Oh
My local NAPA did the machine work on the block for my 470. They even checked and corrected the heads I originally ran on the motor which were done by a reputable Mopar shop that most everyone on this board raves about.

The same NAPA has been doing the machine work on two of my buddies cars for close to 20 years; both are 10 second cars that are dead consistent and in the winners circle multiple times a year.

As most have mentioned, I think it just depends on the individual shop.

Re: 340 Re-Rebuild or take my chances [Re: parksr5] #2392901
10/25/17 02:06 PM
10/25/17 02:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,237
north of coder
moparx Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"
moparx  Offline
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Posts: 19,237
north of coder
Originally Posted By parksr5

As most have mentioned, I think it just depends on the individual shop.

iagree
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