1) I just ordered the Center Force Dual Friction clutch (Jeg's #183-DF735552) for my car. The specs on the clutch are:

11" Pressure Plate Diameter
1-1/8" x 26 Disc Spline

My flywheel is a 168 tooth flywheel for a 454 and my transmission is a Borg Warner Super T10. Did I order the correct clutch?

2) I will be breaking in my engine by using my Quadra-Jet (spread bore) carburetor off of my 350. My intake is a square bore. I'm guessing I'll need to get a square bore to spread bore adapter plate huh? Could I get away without running one (just for break-in) or would the vacuum leak be too severe?

3) How do I figure out whether or not I have soft or hardened valve seats? Does anyone know whether or not my #215 heads came with soft of hardened valve seats?

4) I need to figure out what spark plugs I need. My heads are #215 which were used from 67-68, closed chambered and were used on 396 & 427s.

Thanks a bunch guys. I'm just rounding up my thoughts and trying to put 2 and 2 together.

 

Bence: You wanna destroy that nice new motor? Run the Q-Jet on it, it'll run lean, your engine will spit parts. Big mistake.

 

Your engine was origanly a 73 LS4, right? If so, 73 was the first year for hardened valve seats.

tom...

 

You did buy the Centerforce Dual friction clutch and pressure plate ? I would also get their throw-out bearing but use you GM clutch fork and an adjustable pivot ball/stud in that Lakewood scattershield...I didn't like the Centerforce clutch fork they sell, the geometry seems all wrong/not enough angle on fork.....I used the Centerforce Dual friction set-up with the Lakewood and what looks like the same Moroso pan with my 1969 Camaro SS 396/375. It was pretty easy to set-up and adjust. Just follow the Centerforce directions and you shouldn't have any problems....I put it all together on the floor and then dropped the engine/tranny in together as a unit by myself :D :smash: :smash: :cheers:

 

ddn:
That's not entirely true. You may laugh at this but on my dad's 427 tri-power he could never get the tri-power to work correctly. He ended up plugging up two of the two barrels and running off of a single two barrel on the 427 big block. Of course he never beat on it but you know. I haven't decided what I'm gonna do yet, I may throw the Holley 850 but I'm not sure if it's tuned at all or has a blown power valve. I don't want to be messing around with the carburetor and have it flooding on me during break-in. After break-in I won't mind tinkering with it and tuning it.

Tom:
The heads are from '67-'68 and came on 396s and 427s....most likely I don't have hardened valve seats unless the guy who owned them before me had them installed.

Bob:
Yea I bought the Center Force kit from Jeg's it includes the pressure plate and disc. I also bought the matching Center Force throwout bearing. I already have an adjustable clutch fork ball in my Lakewood bellhousing. Thanks for the tips.

That leads me to my next question....what is going to be the easiest way to drop the big block in? Should I drop the engine in and hook the tranny & bellhousing up or drop everything in at once. Or would I be better off to bolt the transmission in and hook the bellhousing up to my big block and slide the input shaft in and do it that way? :cheers:

 

Shane,

I thought we got that point across to you before. Better to run it a little rich during breakin. Never lean...

:flag

 

The diameter is correct for you 168 tooth flywheel...mine is the same, I don't think they changed flywheels on the C3's. However, my Muncie has a 22 spline input shaft. Since you have the T10 out just count the splines on it.

The Q-Jet should be just fine. If you are worried about vacuum leaks then make your own adapter out of gasket material which is basically thin carboard stock, cut it out then apply a thin film of silicon to it...make sure you allow the silicon to dry completely cause silicon in the engine is a bad thing. I wouldn't worry about the mixture during break-in...the carb provides a stoichiometric mix no matter what engine it's connected to so use the one that you know works fine, so I wouldn't try the Holly if it's suspect.

That one I don't know...unless they are a different color or have the part# stamped on them where you can read. I suppose you should call the head shop you got them from if you really need to know. Does it matter at this point? You aren't thinking of taking them apart now are you? When you are so close? Go with what you've got and make a list of things for the next rebuild.

I would go with a stock part #, but I highly recommend the Bosch platinum. Chemically platinum is an awesome catalyst...if there is a room filled with 2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen and you throw a tiny piece of platinum in the room there is a huge explosion and the room is suddenly filled with pure H20 (water) and at the bottom of the water filled room is that same tiny piece of platinum just sitting down there like nothing happened. It improves combustion like nothing else does.

 

Shane,

Go buy a new carb. My brother tried to go the cheap route by installing a "swap meet" Edelbrock 750 on his 460 Ford. EVERYTHING was new EXCEPT that carb. Well, to make a long story short, he ended up scouring up the cylinder walls because of the "excessive fuel washdown". The carb flooded everytime on startup thus no lubrication on the cylinder walls. Cost him another $500 to get the machine shop to use a new block PLUS all that labor PLUS a NEW CARBURETOR. :mad :mad :mad :mad

YOU'VE COME THIS FAR, AND HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ELSE RIGHT. DON'T SKIP OUT AND TRY TO FIRE THAT MOTOR UP ON A USED OR A CARB THAT IS IN "UNKNOWN" CONDITION!!!

Bob :cheers:

 

Bob:
That's why I am going to use my Quadra Jet. The Quadra-Jet is off of my 350 and was running flawlessly. I will richen the carburetor up a little bit and use it for break-in. After I have the engine good and broken in I will throw the 850 double pumper on and tinker around with it. I talked to my uncle about it and he sees no reason why the Quadra-Jet won't work fine for break-in. Thanks for the tip about what happened to your brother....that would be a real bummer :(.