A few final assembly questions

[zpsull01]

I almost have my 440 sealed up but before I do I have a couple questions. I have everything on it except valley pan, intake, and valve covers as for sealing it up?

1. The engine is going to be sitting for at least a couple months before I get it in the car. Should I prime the oil system before I seal it up? If so don't I have to do so with the oil pump drive shaft removed? It just seems like it would be much easier to remove it with the top still open. I also want to kind of make sure the pump and everything is working properly also for insurance.

2. Should the grove in the oil drive shaft gear run parallel with the cam or perpendicular to it?

3. When I get ready to paint the engine I don't want to paint the intake. So is it ok to seal the valley pan to the block but not to the intake and torque everything down with the intake on to set the seal? Then could I just remove the intake to paint the engine and after paint seal it to the valley pan?

[nothingbutdarts]

I can't answer the location of the slot in the drive gear but, I would not prime the oil till your ready to start it and @ that point the drive gear and shaft assembly would have to be removed anyway so. Leave it out till after you prime the oil in a few months. By then someone will have the answer of how to clock the slot.
 The intake question, my .02 here is, once you have torqued the intake and take it back off to paint it you have ruined the ontake gaskets and they would need to be replaced neven though it was never fired. You would have lost the crush factor once it had been removed.

 My .02

[zpsull01]

The intake question, my .02 here is, once you have torqued the intake and take it back off to paint it you have ruined the ontake gaskets and they would need to be replaced neven though it was never fired. You would have lost the crush factor once it had been removed.

Thanks for the info on the priming and shaft. But as for the intake gaskets... all I have is a valley pan from felpro with some rtv sealer to coat it with. Should I have some actual gaskets?

[68 HEMI GTS]

the slot runs parallel with the cam when the engine is at TDC. you need to prime the engine when your ready to start it for sure, but it wouldn't hurt to prime it now also just to get some oil in the galleys to keep them from rusting. if the motor is going to be sitting make sure you WD-40 the cylinders, and anything else that could rust. living in Michigan we get alot of condesation in the spring time so i usually spray everything with WD if the motor is going to be sitting. ports, valve springs, etc. if you live in a dry climate its probably not something you need to worry about. you also want to roll the motor over every so often.

[nothingbutdarts]

Thanks for the info on the priming and shaft. But as for the intake gaskets... all I have is a valley pan from felpro with some rtv sealer to coat it with. Should I have some actual gaskets?

      The steel valley pan you have is the valley pan/ intake manifold gasket all in one. You should notice around the intake ports on the "pan" is a raised bead around each port that will crush when it's torqued. Once it's been torqued once, there's a good chance if you remove the intake and try to reuse the "pan" it wont seal correctly.

[wild383]

Priming the oiling system is a good idea. Just get a oil pump priming shaft, Mancini sells one for about $5 I think. If your engine is still on the stand, have someone slowly turn the crank through at least (2) revolutions as you spin the oil pump and check that you are getting oil to both heads valve gear. As for painting the engine. Just mask off the valley and intake ports, then use the valley tray as a guide to trim around the intake side of the heads. Warning, don't use newspaper as masking the paint will soak right through it. Just a couple of ideas that have worked for me. The groove in the oil pump shaft gear?

[zpsull01]

Priming the oiling system is a good idea. Just get a oil pump priming shaft, Mancini sells one for about $5 I think. If your engine is still on the stand, have someone slowly turn the crank through at least (2) revolutions as you spin the oil pump and check that you are getting oil to both heads valve gear. As for painting the engine. Just mask off the valley and intake ports, then use the valley tray as a guide to trim around the intake side of the heads. Warning, don't use newspaper as masking the paint will soak right through it. Just a couple of ideas that have worked for me. The groove in the oil pump shaft gear?

Yea the oil pump shaft gear. So are you recommending that I just mask that area off with something? What do you recommend to use? Could I just bolt the valley pan on and with the hold downs and still mask off the ports and just paint it that way then take it off and actually seal it?

[zpsull01]

the slot runs parallel with the cam when the engine is at TDC. you need to prime the engine when your ready to start it for sure, but it wouldn't hurt to prime it now also just to get some oil in the galleys to keep them from rusting. if the motor is going to be sitting make sure you WD-40 the cylinders, and anything else that could rust. living in Michigan we get alot of condesation in the spring time so i usually spray everything with WD if the motor is going to be sitting. ports, valve springs, etc. if you live in a dry climate its probably not something you need to worry about. you also want to roll the motor over every so often.

I'm assuming to just spray the wd-40 through the spark plug holes and everywhere else? Yea I live in southern Indiana so it isn't much better here.

[68 HEMI GTS]

I'm assuming to just spray the wd-40 through the spark plug holes and everywhere else? Yea I live in southern Indiana so it isn't much better here.

yes, thats all you can do! i had to store my hemi in a damp garage for a while before i moved, i sprayed it down with wd and it did the trick.

[zpsull01]

And its not going to hurt anything if I continually spray it in the cylinders for an extended amount of time. Not matter how much ends up in there in the end?

Also does anyone know if I can get the priming shaft from one of the parts stores or will I have to order it?

[68 HEMI GTS]

WD-40 is not going to hurt anything, you do not need a whole lot though, just fog the cylinders and roll the motor over to ensure the cylinder walls are coated. probably the best bet for the priming shaft is mancini. good luck with your project!

[wild383]

For masking off the valley area and intake side of the heads, I had good luck with wax paper and green painters tape. If ask real nice, you could get a few feet of masking paper from a local body shop. I just used the valley pan as a guide, marking around it then trimming the tape with a razor blade. I suppose you could bolt in the valley pan if you want to paint it along with the rest of the engine. But I like mine stock silver. Willie

[375InStroke]

No sealer needed on the intake gasket between the head and intake, and people have been swapping BB Mopar intakes forever without changing gaskets and have not had any leaks.  Best design ever.  If you want to use a sealer, Aviation Permatex works great.  It's thin, and won't squeeze out to find it's way somewhere you don't want it to go.

[MVRCorp]

Old school, we used to pack the pump w/ lubriplate. Is that a no no know?

[wild383]

We used to pack the pump full of Vasoline. "Now that's old school." Willie

[MVRCorp]

We used to pack the pump full of Vasoline. "Now that's old school." Willie

I was in high school back then and we saved the vasoline for more important things. 
Although I did have a friend (in a bind) who told me 30 weight worked just as well.   

[FastmOp]

I like STP on the bearings if the motor is not going to be used for an extended amout of time.
I Think a oil prime now and later is a good idea.
I also think I'd back the rockers off, tape the ports up, fog the cyl's, put some plugs in it, and keep it dry. And it should be as fresh when you do need it as it is now.