Well I got to work on this one for a little while this evening after work.
Some good and bad news to report.
Bad: Right away we found out that the camshaft wouldn't fit in the block (Randy had installed some used cam bearings - front and rear journals only - for mock up purposes) and the cam for the other block wouldn't fit either.
First we measured them both and found out they are the same size.
Next we checked the cam journals in the block and there is no way it'll fit unless we were to bore the cam tunnel to the larger size. (1.948" which is Mark IV big block chevy size).
Randy said that this wouldn't be that tough to do, but I told him that I am just going to buy the correct cam(s) and leave the blocks for the standard cam size.
I don't see anywhere on either cam card that denotes the larger journal, but perhaps the rear one not being grooved should have been a clue. Oh well......I tried to save some money and it didn't work out with the cams, but it has with other things so I don't regret trying. I won't forget to watch out for that in the future.
Not exactly bad news, but another set back: he forgot to bring a height micrometer and whatever he'd need home to check the deck height so we've got to do that later.
We mocked up every cylinder and the pistons are definitely a little proud, but without a way to measure Randy guessed .008" to .010". I guess we'll find out exactly how much next time I get to mess with it.
Good News: 1. The decks look to be close to square as the pistons look to be about the same amount positive in each hole. Again.....we'll find out exactly next time, but it looks like we'll be doing a very minimal deck cut just to get a fresh sealing surface.
After we check, then deck, then RE-check......it looks like a pair of Cometic gaskets are in my future.
2. The Scat crankshaft, Scat 6.385" I-beam rods, and custom Ross Pistons (pistons ordered through Jack Gibbs with guidance from Ronnie Russell) cleared the block beautifully!!
We didn't measure the clearances, but there is over a quarter inch everywhere around the rotating assembly. Most places there is around 3/8" to 1/2" clearance between the rods and the pan rails and the bottoms of the inner sides of the bores. I know grinding a little clearance isn't a big deal, but as I've never done that I was kinda dreading that part....visions of hitting water or oil galleries on my dream engine irrationally running through my head.
3. Spent a few minutes with the die grinder and cleaned the casting flash from the valley drain back holes and the water pump openings. Wish everything were that quick and easy.
Things left to do:
1. Measure the deck height and see how "proud" the pistons are in each cylinder and how (un)square the block is.
2. Surface the block.
3. Balance the rotating assembly.
4. Tap & pipe-plug the oil galley plugs along the oil pan rail.
5. Heli-coil one head bolt hole then vat the block to clean out that last bit of metal.
6. Install cam bearings & freeze plugs.
7. Buy another camshaft.
8. Assemble !!! (still have to check piston to valve clearance and measure for/order pushrods too)
