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 Aftermarket pistons, especially...  Aftermarket pistons, especially oversize pistons, won't weigh the same as the factory units. While most are close enough that engine balance isn't dramatically affected, we decided to rebalance our rotating assembly for a smooth-operating, long-lasting engine.  The connecting rods were individually...  The connecting rods were individually balanced as well, and then the rod, piston, bearing, and ring set were weighed to determine the proper bob-weight for the crankshaft. While labor intensive, balancing the engine will prolong its life and ensure a smooth operation.  At only several bucks a rod,...  At only several bucks a rod, it makes sense to have your factory connecting rods resized.  With the machining finished,...  With the machining finished, we saved a few bucks by installing the cam bearings...  ...freeze plugs, and oil galley...  ...freeze plugs, and oil galley plugs ourselves.  Checking the piston's height...  Checking the piston's height in the bore at top-dead-center gave us one of the dimensions needed to calculate compression ratio. Since our new slugs have a slightly higher compression height than the stock pistons, our compression ratio with the "516" cylinder heads will be just over 10:1.  The cam lobes and the bottom...  The cam lobes and the bottom of the lifters were coated with Comp cam lube.  The journals and lifter bores...  The journals and lifter bores can be lubricated with engine oil or assembly grease.  Checking the piston's height...  Checking the piston's height in the bore at top-dead-center gave us one of the dimensions needed to calculate compression ratio. Since our new slugs have a slightly higher compression height than the stock pistons, our compression ratio with the "516" cylinder heads will be just over 10:1.  Since our mild hydraulic cam...  Since our mild hydraulic cam was barely bigger than stock, there's no real advantage to degreeing it. We simply lined up the marks with a straight edge and called it done.  To top our 383, we used the...  To top our 383, we used the "516" casting cylinder heads that came on the motor. These heads offer a great quench area and big intake valves. we had the exhaust valve seats machined for 1.81-inch valves from "906" casting cylinder heads.  Installing the larger exhaust...  Installing the larger exhaust valves was easy, cheap, and greatly benefits power output. We scavenged our valves from a cracked set of "906" heads we had in the shop.
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