Uh, I for one don't agree that any of this is a "crock"... Just not been proven or dissproven. I'd also hesitate to attempt to "mill" the block with a router. Pistons and or aluminum would be fine. I'd still not do it. Trying to do a clean cut on a cylinder bore with a hand held router and a carbide bit? You can do it as quickly with a diegrinder and have better control. -- Mark Price Morgantown, WV 1969 AMC Rambler, 4.0L, EFI, T-5 2004 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.7L, Quadratrc II " Chronic Pain Hurts" -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx> > Well, if you have a heavy duty router and an expensive carbide bit you can do > it. I'd make a template from 3/4" plywood that will bolt to the head that would > guide the router. How depends on the type of router and what's on it to use as a > guide -- might have to make the template large enough to fit the entire base in, > meaning you'd need a piece on each side of the block as well. I've done light > "machine work" like this with a 1/4 hp plunge router and carbide bits. The bits > don't last long, how long depends on the hardness of the material and how much > is being taken off. On cast aluminum pistons they last fine, on hard cast iron > you better have at least two on hand to make sure you get all six cylinders > done. > > Actually, the recommendation to do this is pretty much a crock. It's definitely > not a necessity, the engine runs just fine without it (yes, I know for a fact, > I'm running a 258 w/4.0L head now). The theory is that the slightly larger area > above the bore (there's a 0.05" "shelf" around the bore) messes up the swirl > and/or flame travel pattern in the combustion chamber, and tapering the bore > will improve such. In reality it's not a noticeable difference. There might be a > 1-2% increase in efficiency and or power, but it's certainly nothing anyone > would notice. I don't really think it matters at all, because the "shelf" is all > the way at teh top but below the flame front. On a fire-breathing, > built-to-the-hilt engine there might be a slight power increase, but not a > hopped up "driver" six. Same thing with spending $1500+ to get the quench height > just right on a 4.6L stroker. You get 3-5 hp for a $2000 price hike in building > the engine, but it's "correct"!! Leave the piston 0.080" > down and you'll never notice the diffe3rence in power or economy as long as > the compression ratio isn't over 9:1 (or you have a high overlap cam). The > "shelf" area is definitely above the quench zone, so there's no danger of the > edge getting hot and causing detonation. On a high compression engine that's run > for long periods of time (10:1+, something other than a drag car) there might be > the possibility of the edge getting hot enough to cause detonation, but again, > not on a street built six. > > ------------------ > From: Brien Tourville <hh7x@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: [Amc-list] 4.0 #7120 Head to 258 Swap > > Because of the larger combustion chamber in the 4.0 > it's recommended to taper the 258 cyl. bore out beginning > above the area occupied by the piston top ring @ TDC. > > What type of tooling will permit not having to remove > the engine to perform this mod ? > > -- > Frank Swygert > Publisher, "American Motors Cars" > Magazine (AMC) > For all AMC enthusiasts > http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html > (free download available!) > > > _______________________________________________ > Amc-list mailing list > Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx > http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list _______________________________________________ Amc-list mailing list Amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://splatter.wps.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/amc-list