How to Build Max-Performance Hemi Engines

CHAPTER 1

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HEMI ENGINE

Automobile and airplane manufacturers had developed and used engines equipped with hemispherical combustion chambers throughout the 20th century. But when Chrysler made its own hemispherical combustion-chamber engines in the early 1950s, the industry quickly noticed because these engines produced enormous horsepower. When Chrysler released its 426 in 1964, it dominated stock car and drag racing. The following year a street-version of the engine was released. It became arguably the best big-block of its era and the Hemi name entered the cultural vernacular.

First-Generation Hemis 1951–1958

Before we get into building a 426-style second-generation powerhouse Hemi, it is important to understand where it all began. By the way, Chrysler trademarked the term Hemi (with a capital H) for everything from the 426 on, so I will use the generic form—hemi (with a lowercase h) until I get to the 426 in 1964.

Chrysler shouldn’t get all the credit for designing the hemi; the basic hemi design has been around since the turn of the twentieth century. Peugeot was one of the first automotive companies to embrace the hemi design and it even had overhead cams. These were not V-8 engines, but they were still hemis. Soon many early racecar builders such as Duesenberg, Stutz, and Offenhauser were embracing the hemi.

The early adoption of the hemi head design was simply because of the layout of the valves that enabled superior airflow, and the centrally located spark plug that allowed for an even cylindrical burn in the chamber. Everyone knew an engine is basically an air pump, so whatever could be done to make the pump more efficient probably results in more horsepower. Performance automobile companies did not overlook this fact, and hemi-style heads were soon showing up on BMWs and Jaguars. Take a close look at an early Jaguar inline-6 and see where the spark plug is located. It’s an overhead cam too. To make more power, the flow characteristics of the head had to be improved. The hemi valve arrangement made good sense, resulting in large ports, large valves, a straight air path in, and a fairly straight exhaust path out. It was clear that this was an efficient, albeit expensive, engine because of the complexities of the valvetrain and the unique piston shape. Chrysler was doing research on the basic hemi design as far back as 1924 and actually produced a prototype hemi that was an inline-6.

Chrysler spent the years during and after World War II designing a hemi engine that would set the company apart from other V-8 manufacturers. In those days, Chrysler was known as an engineering company with tight quality control, and they would take a few risks and spend money to stay ahead of the pack.

Their early efforts showed engines that had superior volumetric efficiencies, handled low-octane fuel well, and lasted longer. Some of these early efforts used overhead cams, but those were soon put aside due to the complexity and cost of a chain-driven, overhead cam assembly.

But why Chrysler allowed it’s Chrysler, Desoto, and Dodge divisions to build hemi engines that were so different from one another with almost no parts interchange, is anyone’s guess. For example, the bore spacing was different between all three divisions. Chrysler blocks had 4.5626 bore spacing, Desotos were 4.3125, and Dodges were 4.1875. So as the blocks changed, so did virtually every other component including the heads. Many an excited individual bought a box of hemi parts at a swap meet, only to find out later that they were from a Desoto and would not work with the Chrysler parts he already had. A partial explanation is that Chrysler wanted to differentiate the bodylines and at that time automotive divisions operated more like separate companies. The top of the line was the Chrysler, with the 331, 354, and 392. Next was the Desoto, with its 276, 291, 330, 341, and 345. The Dodge was last, with its 241, 270, 315, and 325.

There were a few unusual early-Chrysler blocks with an extended bellhousing cast as part of the block, but the most well-known versions of the early-generation hemis are the Chrysler 331, 354, and the famous 392 that were used in 1957 and 1958. To help gain stroke, Chrysler would change the deck height for some of these early hemis. Starting with a 180-hp 2-barrel 331 with a 7.5:1 compression ratio in 1951, all the way to the impressive 380-hp 392 with dual 4-barrels in 1958. But if you are going to build a high-performance early-style hemi, start with a 331 or 354, because most 392s were already built up and blown up. The lower deck heights of the 331 and 354 also make for a smaller yet stiffer engine.

The 58C means a 1958 392-ci block from a Chrysler Imperial. The 6045 is the production number. These production numbers are easy to find right in front of the intake manifold.

The CE57 means a 1957 392-ci block from a Chrysler Imperial and 23747 is the production number.

The way to tell what block you have is to look at the ID stamp, which is located at the front edge of the engine block.

The chart shows that even though the hemi engine was expensive, it was also prolific.

First-generation hemi blocks had 2-bolt main caps and the block skirts did not extend all the way down. Note also that, unlike the newer 426-style blocks, the engine mounts are tabs that are cast into the block, similar to wedge block construction. This block arrangement was adequate, but not as strong as with the second generation.

Dodge and Desoto had many different sizes that ranged from 241 to 260, 270, 276, 290, 315, 325, and the 330. And the parts did not interchange.

These early engines had great names like the Firedome, Firepower, and Red Ram and lived up to their racing implication despite their design challenges. Even though the Dodge, Desoto, and Chrysler hemis were different, Chrysler was becoming recognized as an engineering leader and their hemis were quickly becoming known as very efficient racing engines.

The Chrysler 331 and 354

Early pictures of the 331 hemi show the bellhousing and the distributor location. In 1954, Chrysler eliminated the extension. Desoto and Dodge never used an extended casting.

It is interesting to note that the Chrysler 331 (post-1953) and the 354 are preferred blocks for a performance build. This is because they are low-deck blocks and are therefore a little smaller and stiffer. Most of the 392s are gone anyway.

The 2-bolt main caps hung below the skirts. This is similar to the way small-block GM engines are designed. This design demanded that this area be beefed up for high-performance use.

Wedge-like motor mounts. This motor mount approach made engine mounting simple, but later 426-style Hemis do not use this tab-style mount.

The 392

Of all the first-generation blocks, the 392 is the most famous. It was Chrysler’s last of the first-generation hemis, and Chrysler’s quality control was on its down slope. Nevertheless, racers liked the raised blocks because it allowed for a longer stroke, and the 4.56 bore spacing allowed for larger bores, resulting in more displacement and therefore more power. Racers beefed up the infamous 392 with homemade parts such as stud girdles, block straps that ran from the oil pan rails up to the deck, splayed 4-bolt caps, and all bolts were usually replaced with studs. But no matter how you look at it, the block was just the foundation for an engine that used a unique head design. Engine builders recognize that it’s the head that makes the power; the block and bottom end (hopefully) hold it all together.

Splayed bolts added to machining costs and they broke into the water jackets. This also forced a line-bore and line-hone.

Racers sometimes used a stud girdle, which supported the center three caps. Some builders felt that was as good, if not better, than the splayed 4-bolt cap method. The main caps had to be machined to match the girdle. In the picture above, the girdle is resting in place and has not been mounted.

The Rotating Assembly

Much can be said about the bottom end of an early-generation hemi, but I will cover only a few basics because any new build based on one of these older blocks will probably not use any of the original rotating assembly components.

The stock crankshaft was beefy for it’s time but not up to the strain of nitromethane and a supercharger. After beefing up the main caps with either a stud girdle or 4-bolt splayed caps, early builders paid attention to the journals. Since stock journals did not have a radius, some builders would weld this area and then regrind the journal. But soon builders learned that the stock crankshaft was much stronger than you would expect and this welding and regrinding typically weakened the journal. The most common thing to do was to replace the crankshaft with an aftermarket piece.

The stock hemi connecting rods are typical for the era and are the forged I-beam type—strong enough for a street engine, but not what the performance engine builder wanted to use.

They are typically replaced with aftermarket rods. When using a stock rod for any rebuild, the rods require resizing of both rod ends and replacement of the rod bolts. By the time you pay for all this machining, you might as well have purchased an aftermarket rod.

The stock hemi pistons were cast aluminum, heavy by today’s standards, and are usually replaced with custom forged units. Varying final bore size, piston compression heights, and custom rod lengths mean you have to replace the pistons anyway.

All early hemis used full-floating wrist pins, which were unusual for the time. Still, the piston skirts were long, the pistons were heavy, and the aluminum metallurgy of the time precludes using any stock piston in today’s build. The ring lands were typical at 5/64, 5/64, and 3/16. The stock wrist pin diameter of .859 was on the small side.

Journals did not have radius fillets like we see today on high-performance crankshafts. This grooved area is actually a rolled fillet, which is actually quite strong. 392 crankshafts held up to more abuse that you might expect.

A stock 392 I-beam rod was fine for the street but not up to nitromethane and a supercharger.

392 Heads, Valvetrain, Etc.

Undamaged early hemi heads are rare and not worth the effort of rebuilding unless you are looking for nostalgia. With companies like Hot Heads now supplying aftermarket aluminum heads, many builders just buy upgrades. Early iron heads were changing as often as the blocks, and each Chrysler division did their own thing. Dodge heads had water outlets, Desoto’s did not, and Chrysler had both. I included the original head casting numbers in the previous chart to help you identify what you have. The original hemi head performed very well for its time; with intake flow numbers in the mid-200-cfm range, and ported versions in the high-200 range. Aftermarket units from Hot Heads flow more than 300 cfm. The basic design of the Hemi head is where the power comes from, but to actuate each valve requires two rocker shafts with rather long pushrods. Notice that the rocker arms were not adjustable until the later-392 higher-performance engines.

The 392 hemi pistons were cast aluminum and heavy. Notice the thickness of the casting in the skirts and the overall length of the piston.

This was fine with those engines that used hydraulic lifters, but what about the high-performance engines that used solid lifters with nonadjustable rocker arms? Those engines used adjustable pushrods and were very difficult to adjust.

The 392 head was really a high-performance head. Valve sizes were 2 inches for the intake and 1.75 inches for the exhaust. Although small by today’s standards, these were quite large compared to its contemporaries. Heads flowed more than 300 cfm with professional porting.

The 45-degree valve angle was the epitome of a hemi, although the installed height (the distance from the spring seat to the spring retainer when the valve is closed) was only 1.7 inches. To increase RPM, the builder wanted to increase the spring pressure, which usually meant increasing the installed height and using a longer valve. But the valve angle together with the rather-rigid rocker-arm design meant that changing the valvespring together with a longer valve was not going to be easy. For these reasons most 392 engine builders lived with the limitations of the short installed height. This limitation only showed up on normally aspirated engines. Forced induction cured many ills.

The classic 392 iron head. The 392 head doesn’t look much different from a 426, but it is heavy.

The 392 intake ports. In comparison to the 426, these intakes are small and they cannot be opened up much before you break into the water jackets. But they still flowed better than any other head for its time.

The 392 exhaust ports. Compared to the intake the exhausts flowed very well and the oval design was well liked by many early Hemi performance enthusiasts.

Any rebuild of an older iron head meant inserting hardened valveseats, at least for the exhaust. The builder had to be very careful not to break into the water chambers when doing this level of machining.

Oil is fed from this small hole to the rocker shafts. This is the same way that a 426-style Hemi feeds the rocker system. Simple, efficient, and it works.

Unlike the second-generation Hemi, early hemis supply oil to the heads from both the second and the forth cam journals. The second cam journal supplies oil to the driver-side bank, and the forth cam journal supplies oil to the passenger side. You can see the extra oil hole next to the rocker stand hole.

Early hemis mount the oil pump inside the crankcase at the rear of the engine. Oil is routed to the oil filter on the rear passenger side, then through the main oil galley, to the mains and rods, then the cam, and then to the top end. This oiling system proved to be very effective and was used with minimal changes.

These design considerations meant that early hemis had plenty of oil where they needed it the most, and the rockers and pushrods existed under conditions that would destroy a lesser engine. This did bring some additional challenges to the engineers. An obvious one was how to keep oil from pooling around the spark plug and fouling the chamber when a plug is removed. They used spark plug tubes that were sealed with an O-ring. Although this worked, it wasn’t an ideal solution. This was obvious once you changed the spark plugs and started the engine. Oil smoke would pour out the exhaust for a minute or so until the chambers cleaned up.

392 head casting number. If you look up this number in the early-hemi identification chart, you see that this casting was used in both 1957 and 1958.

The 392 iron head chamber. This looks just like a 426-style Hemi chamber but the enormous amount of material between each cylinder identifies it as a 392. Chrysler was conservative with the bore size versus the bore spacing for the 392.

Most early hemis used hydraulic lifters, so initially setting the valve lash was not an issue. But once you undertake a rebuild, deck the block, and resurface the heads, your hydraulic lifter preload is suddenly unpredictable. The three best options are: use custom pushrods, use adjustable pushrods, or convert to adjustable rocker arms. Adjustable rocker arms are the way to go because they can be used with either hydraulic or solid lifters and they are available in the aftermarket.

Adjustable pushrods were used on engines without adjustable rocker arms. Since the adjustment is almost impossible to get to, try to set lifter preload using these! Any high-performance Hemi builder switched to adjustable rocker arms ASAP.

The camshafts are not really a problem because there are several aftermarket companies, such as Performance Automotive Warehouse (PAW), that provide various grinds. Early 331–354 camshafts have a threaded snout and large cast fuel pump eccentric. Early blocks will accept later-style cams if you use all the correct retaining hardware.

Rocker arms were another story. Each engine had its own rocker arm set and most were not adjustable.

Induction, Ignition, Etc.

If there’s one thing that early hemi owners did well, it was to become very creative with induction systems. I haven’t seen an early hemi with a single 4-barrel in years, except on a stock car. On a 392 hemi, you expect to see six Stromberg 97s, two 4-barrels, or, better yet, a roots-type blower.

All early hemis came with a points-style distributor, which make great boat anchors. You can’t use a points distributor unless it’s an accurate restoration vehicle. For the street, you can convert an early distributor to work with a popular ignition box like the 6AL from MSD, and direct-drop-in replacements are available from companies such as Mallory and MSD.

Non-adjustable rocker arms. Once a rocker system like this was bolted on, either the lifter preload was correct or you had to use adjustable pushrods.

The 392s used adjustable rocker arms and it was one reason people liked the 392. The pushrods were simple, stout, and adjusting hydraulic preload took only minutes.

Adjustable rocker arms oiled the pushrods through the adjuster. This is a very efficient way to keep top-end components happy. Oil was forced into the adjuster stud, which had a feed hole down to the pushrod cup. This works great and was one reason that early Hemis didn’t have many valvetrain issues.

But the chosen ignition for a 392 race engine was the ubiquitous Vertex magneto. For that racing retro look, you can even get a late-model GM-type HEI distributor that’s all enclosed in a magneto case. Connect one 12-volt supply wire, plug in the spark plug wires, and you’re good to go—no one knows that you aren’t actually using a magneto.

A sweet Dodge 241 Hemi. I found this 241 Hemi for sale at a drag race and loved the clean look of all those carburetors and the rear distributor.

The End of Early Hemis

The Chrysler hemi achieved many firsts in the industry: first to achieve 1 hp per cubic inch, first sub-10-second 0-to-60 luxury car, etc. The engine had high volumetric efficiencies compared to most automotive engines of that time, and was reliable enough to take the abuse of extreme racing. But a hemi was more expensive to build. Despite Chrysler’s attempts to bring production costs down, there was no way to eliminate the expensive parts—four rocker shafts instead of two, the rocker stands took time to assemble, different intake and exhaust rocker arms, different intake and exhaust pushrods, O-ring seals, and special valve covers. But the early hemi was truly an engineering marvel for its time.

The popular Vertex Magneto. The early Hemis helped make these popular. It looks great, it’s very simple since it generates its own power, and it’s very reliable.

The 392 top fuel hemi was a ground shaker, but the end was in site. These early Top Fuel dragsters were all front-engine machines and many were direct drive, meaning they smoked the tires for the entire quarter mile.

But by the end of 1958, the handwriting was on the wall. The high-compression wedge engines could make ample power for the street at a lower cost and have much better part interchangeability. But if you wanted to race, and you had the budget, where would you go? To serve this racing appetite, an entirely new market was created, which supplied new blocks and parts for names like Don Garlits. The hemi created virtually all the records for Top Fuel drag racing, and soon you had to have a Chrysler hemi if you were going to race in Top Fuel. And in times to come, the NHRA mandated that requirement.