308 Rebuild

DavidC
DavidC Senior Contributor
edited May 2013 in HUDSON
Finally getting back to Hudson resto, delayed due to a complete CJ7 resto for my youngest. A few questions have come up as I begin to clean parts and prep for motor rebuild:
Do any of you have a part number for 308 valve keepers? (machine shop lost them)
What is the sealant used between the flywheel, crankshaft and what looks like a splasher plate (small tin plate that fits snugly within the inner circle of the flywheel)? It looks like indian shellac or some other type of gasket compound.

I am fortunate to have a friend who built motors in his younger days, Buicks mostly, so I will have some experienced hands.

Thanks for any info.
Dave

Comments

  • BHLHH52
    BHLHH52 Expert Adviser
    Dale Cooper sold me valve keepers for my 308. My machinist said they are the same as Chevy small block keepers except that the ones Dale had were hardened steel.
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    FYI
    Most Machine Shops carry hardened 11/32 Valve Keepers for many popular motors. Suggest using Dale Cooper & Randy Maas for any rebuild parts needed.
    I use Permatex black RTV for Sealer, however on the actual Flywheel Bolts and/or Nuts themselfs, I recommend using RED Loctite.
  • DavidC
    DavidC Senior Contributor
    Great, bought my rebuild kit from Dale, so will go back for keepers. In regard to valve spring shims, one 308 I disassembled had 1-2 per spring, while the other had none. Is it customary to use 1/spring, or only as an adjustment for worn springs/ eroded valve seats? My valve springs and valves are brand new. My intake valve seats are cleaned up, and I had hardened exhaust valve seats inserted.
  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    It would seem to me the price paid for the "hardened " valve seats was wasted. The 308 block is a harder metal than the "hardened" valve seats no sold by most machine shops
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    Shims are used to obtain valve Spring 'installed heights' that may have changed slightly due to valve Job's. Install the closest wrapped Spring 'coils' toward top of the block.
  • DavidC
    DavidC Senior Contributor
    Thx ol Racer, will carefully check valve spring heights when time comes, all all seats have been messed with in one way or another.
    Jerry, point well taken re hardened valve seats. I've seen this debate rage on this site over the past many years, some claiming their valve seats sunk over time with current gas, conditions, etc, and others saying just what you said. I went with the hardened seats based upon the advice of some on this site as well as my second more trustworthy machine shop, that if the car is to be driven long distances, and many miles per year, get the seats put in. I will probably never know if it matters.
    Dave
  • DavidC
    DavidC Senior Contributor
    Very interesting, Ken, thx. Well, the hardened seats are in, but maybe this thread will help others as they consider how many miles they plan on running, and which year block they have. My block is a 53, so probably could have gone without, but plan high miles, 10-20K/year. So I took that into consideration. Thanks again everyone. I hope you don't mind but there's bound to be more ? as my son and I rebuild. But first we're re-sealing a hydramatic. Please see other thread. I got an interesting historical question.
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    There was an older thread (can't find it) where some one actually tested the block hardness and could not tell a difference between the years.
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    Rudy Bennett tested a 56 308 block and an earlier 53 block, both tested out the same hardness. 

This discussion has been closed.