Trying to find a cam

[jason-alex]

Hey guys been looking, getting ready to to put my stroker together. Want to know what you think. Trying to keep my build as cheap as possible and still reliable. I have read a lot about the problems with changing the cam, but I cant find a new cam for under $150 without lifters. I like the idea of using the cam retention plate, and not changing the timing cover. The cam that came with the motor had around 170k miles what your thoughts? the reason the motor was replaced was a piston skirt cracked.

Here is my build
2001 block (have)
New scat crank (have)
4.0 connecting rods (have)
IC944 pistons .030 over (have)
0331 Head (have need to check for crack)
Cam - undecided looking for some input have one but not sure on condition can take pictures and upload it that would help.


After looking at the compression I should be about 9.31:1 and 8.01:1 whats the chance of it running on 87?
What cam would you guys use? I would like to keep it stock how bad will this hurt the hp and torq any idea from what i have read is that it is more reliable
I am not planning on having the block or heads decked just machined true any problems with this?
Could I run the Injectors I have now on my 01 temporally as long as i don't go over 4500 rpm?
I saw that you have to grind part of the 4.0 rods to let the pistons work without hitting any links on that?

Any info i left out let me know, and let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Jason

[Cheromaniac]

Get the Melling stock replacement cam with new lifters.
The stock injectors are too small. The Accel 24lb'ers with EV6 to EV1 adapters work well on a mild OBD II stroker though.
The squared off balancer pads on the small ends of the rods need to be ground down so that the ends are nicely rounded off and clear the undersides of the pistons.

[Knoxes]

Here's the Melling cam for $139.00, before a 20% discount for online orders (see the banner on their website).

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/ ... umber=true

That's a pretty good deal.

[jason-alex]

Is there any pictures of round off balance pads?

I was afraid that i would have to go to bigger injectors right off the bat. Any other adjustments need to be made that I am missing?

Should this be almost as reliable as a stock 4.0, or did I go wrong some where?

Thanks for the link Knoxes.

How can you tell witch way is forward on rods? I got a Kit from Titan and I have a few different rod casting. Will upload pics tomorrow. Thought I could get the pistons rods and crank ready and start putting it together.

Thank you so much Cheromaniac you are the main reason I am building the stroker.

[Cheromaniac]

Is there any pictures of round off balance pads?

Compare the standard small end of this 4.0L connecting rod:



with the rounded off small end of this connecting rod:

[jason-alex]

Okay, so quite a bit need ground off.... thanks! Okay now for some really noob questions how can you tell witch way is forward on the rod and is it a problem to have different cast numbers on the rods I got the kit from titan motors. I have looked them over the piston say the direction but i dont see it on the rod


Thanks,
Jason

[SilverXJ]

There is a notch where the rod meets the cap. That goes to the cam side of the engine. I wouldn't grind much off either balancing pad as they may still be needed for balancing.

[jason-alex]

Going to slip them together and see if they clear.

Okay so I got them out and it looks like the piston will clear the IC944 without grinding.

[Retlaw01XJ]

My 2001 had a broken piston skirt too. Only 108,000 miles. I bought it that way. cheap.
I did a similar build, but cut block 0.020" and went with a mild Crower 44243 cam.... the original lifter faces were worn concave and needed replacement, so I replaced the cam too. The Crower is a little bigger than stock, so it's a good match for the extra displacement.
However, the Jones grind on the late cam blank (with wide lobes, and using retainer plate) sounds like a great idea. The stock Melling grind is decent too, fine for a torque motor.
I used the stock injectors for a while. Didn't do many WOT runs so it didn't run lean and damage something. IIRC, fuel trims were about 12% off. Biggest problem was the cold starts... it was lean and ran like crap for the first minute or so. Then it would go into closed loop and ran fine once the ECM made the mixture adjustment. Now using the Neon injectors. Still a little lean at startup, but fuel trims are closer to zero.
I used 89 octane at first, then started using 87 without any problems. I'm @ 400 ft above sea level.

[jason-alex]

great to hear... I am at 900 feet here.

[Cheromaniac]

Okay so I got them out and it looks like the rod will clear the IC944 without grinding.

Ah wait a minute. The rods may clear now that they're cold but once they get hot in a running engine, they and the pistons will expand and that clearance may be gone altogether, causing the pistons to bind in the cylinder bores with disastrous consequences.
Get those rod small ends ground to be on the safe side.

[jason-alex]

How much will they grow just wondering around 1/8"?

I bought the kit from Titan.... I figure they would have made it fit to start with guess not.

[SilverXJ]

How much will they grow just wondering around 1/8"?

Not nearly that much. Less than .010"

I figure they would have made it fit to start with guess not.

lol

.. the original lifter faces were worn concave and needed replacement, so I replaced the cam too.

with a new cam you need new lifters.

Then it would go into closed loop and ran fine once the ECM made the mixture adjustment. Now using the Neon injectors. Still a little lean at startup, but fuel trims are closer to zero.

Its the PCM doing that. It may misfire a bit on a cold start and sound bad. However, it can be tuned out. Mine use to sound like it had a dead cylinder when it was very cold until after 10 seconds. And using stock injectors without any other adjusters such as a MAP sensor adjuster you can definitely have problems on long open loop runs. I originally had an Apexi SAFC2 and left the battery disconnected for a few months. The Apexi lost its programing and on a long mountain climb it went lean for quite a while, which I did not notice. I was pulling the head anyhow for bad guides that were making a ticking noise. Oddly when I got to my destination the sound was gone. The lean run tuliped the exhaust valves.

[jason-alex]

Can any shop grind the rods or who should i see about it, our can it be done on your own?

so I am going to get the block bored piston pressed on rod ends ground freeze plugs put in cam bearings press in. Is there anything else i wont be able to do at on my own?