World block general info...rear main seal retainer machining

Not sure if there's any interest or maybe I'm the only one who didn't know it....but I thought it was worthwhile to point out.

Sometime between 2008 and 2011 the machining Changed. I'm not sure exactly what drove this because nobody told us (former) tech guys about it. I found a doweled retainer laying around and couldn't figure out who had made it. As it turned out it was for a later block than what I had become accustomed to working with. The only detailed work I've done is with '08 blocks and there were some little changes.

In order the first pic should show 2011 world retainer, 2008-era MP/world retainer, 440 source, and stock.

Next pic, a close-up of 2011 vs. 2008

Now a 2008 block vs. a 2011 block.

It's such a simple little thing, it takes two seconds to see it here but took quite awhile longer to figure it out as I originally assumed someone had customized it into existence.

The '08 is just as good as a stocker.
The 2011 is a little better.

You can use the old retainer on anything, but the new retainer will only work on the newer block, unless you pull the dowels (but who would do that).

Thanks for this Zippy

Happy new year
Mine will be when my short motor is ready

Tex

Good info to know. Hopefully no leaks once indexed.

The thing that should be checked on any of the world blocks is, the alignment, left and right, of the seal channel between the upper and lower halves(block and retainer).

Just put the retainer in the block without the seal or crank and see how the parting line, lines up.
It’s often “not good”....... and in my case was remedied by using a different cap.

With the as delivered cap, the parting line was not close to “even”, and the two halves of the seal were equally mismatched when installed.
A quick test with an old oe retainer confirmed the problem was with the retainer, and that the groove in the block itself was fine.

I talked to another builder about it who had used several of those blocks, who said he had several of those defective MP caps hanging on a peg hook.

Priceless info, there.

BTW I went full circle on this deal, my hunch was (partially) confirmed this morning by Chrysler Engineering, the transitional year to the doweled cap had to have been 2011. The crate engine builders of that timeframe didn't care for the seal retainer setup. My engineer recalls one of their complaints being sloppy front to rear fit. Of course these stories are usually longer than will fit into a text, so I'm sure there could have been more to it.

I guess we know now why the seal retainer was doweled into place and reworked overall. Turns out was a Chrysler directed change, not a world products change as I had first assumed.

I have built 4 world blocks and each one I used a stock retainer. I have fixed two that leaked with the fancy billet retainers.

The one that bit me wouldn’t have been any better if there were dowels in the cap.
Those caps had very little lateral movement.
The seal groove was machined offset to one side....... the fix was replacement.

I had either a Mancini or Indy cap here on the shelf...... the groove lined right up........ no more leak.

I am really not 100% sold on billet. If it fits too tight, the retainer can prevent the seal halves from self aligning when installed offset. So I guess I am used to the sloppy fit and it seems normal to me, but I'm basically nobody.

I'm going to grab a few spare stock ones from swap meets here and there. Because...well you never know.

Oh....side note... I also noticed recently the seal retainer bolts 440 S@urce sells are longer than stock. They will work for me just fine, but what if someone didn't check....

Dwayne I am SMH.

If my Blue MP retainer ends up being a pos, will point it out on the ugly picture thread.