**UPDATED INFO**
This has been Part 1 of the 224 Predator engine build performance series. I purchased this engine and performance parts to share the details with you and to have some engine building fun. You're welcome to join me if this kind of stuff interests you, I'm building some engines anyway and if there's enough Subscriber interest I'll make a few videos while I work.
The new Harbor Freight 224 Predator engine is a DUCAR 225 Non-Hemi Head type clone engine. We will compare some new performance clone parts to the 224 Predator parts to see what we can use, modify or add to make more power.
The Predator 224 engine is one of the best harbor freight engines to ever come out in my opinion. The 58mm stroke crankshaft and the DUCAR reinforced block are worth the price of the engine alone.
Parts list:
70mm Flat Top Piston Kit: Part# 34004-00075-00-K $19.99
Tillotson 70mm .045 Head Gasket : Part# 138210129 $5.50
Harbor Freight 70mm .054 Head Gasket : Part# 1231-Z530120-00 $5.50
You'll need to choose your head gasket thickness based on the amount of quench you want for your engine. (The distance between the top of the piston and the bottom of the cylinder head)
Some guys like around .030 to .035, I prefer .020 to .025 on a billet bearing rod engine but on this one I'm probably gonna stick with .035+ as the crankshaft is pretty soft and will likely flex quite a bit. I'll be using the .045 head gasket on this one.
The Stock Predator 224 rod and dished piston combo is below the deck. Mine measured out at .003 below deck (in the hole .003)
Tennessee ThunderStix Banzai 265 Race Camshaft Kit, Lifters and 26lb Springs:
Part# TTS-265 $54.99 (Cam may require a bit of grinding for clearance of the crankshaft. Just match it up with the stock cam clearance cuts on the flat sides of the shaft and you'll be fine)
The stock Predator 224 camshaft is an option. It's actually a 225 DUCAR camshaft and though it does have a nylon timing gear the rest of the DUCAR camshaft in the 224 Predator engine is steel and has a few decent measurements on lift and duration when looking at the intake lobe vs the exhaust lobe. I'll have more about the stock camshaft in an upcoming video.
Connecting Rod: EC Pinnacle 3.353 Forged Rod with bearing Part# 8281 $79.95
I have verified this rod works with the 70mm Flat top Wildcat piston. There is .008 pop up of the piston above the deck on my block. Some guys are reporting as little as .006 and some as much as .010 above deck. Be sure to check yours and adjust your gasket thickness to match your chosen quench distance. ***IMPORTANT*** The .010 gasket will not work for the EC rod and piston combination so I am removing it from the parts list and updating with better choices for this piston and rod combo. The original plan was to use an ARC rod that would have left my piston .015 to .017 in the hole and use the .010 gasket to give a quench of .025 - .027 but the ARC rod was too far down the hole and also required massive clearance work to clear the block and piston. *** There is quite a bit of clearance work needed at the upper cylinder area inside the block to get the EC rod to fit. The lower side of the cylinder also needs work, even though it does clear when rotated, it's too close and must be clearance fit as well.
EC Rod bearing inserts for Rod: Part# 8394 $17.50 (spare)
If you plan on using a stock type connecting rod for a governed application but still want to run the flat top piston:
WildCat 223 Stock Connecting Rod: Part# 20008-00005-00 $6.99
This rod fits without any clearance work to the block and has the correct pin size for the flat top Wildcat piston kit (.709) I would shorten the dipper a bit if using the stock type rod. Expect this one to be in excess of .030 in the hole at TDC. A thin head gasket can make up some of the compression loss but a bit longer rod would be more suitable for the Predator 224 block. Or you'll need to deck the block.
Wrist pin specs:
Predator 224 wrist pin dia .715
Wildcat Piston wrist pin dia .709
Bore: 70mm
Stroke: 58mm
This 224 Predator engine with the parts combination used is a mildly high compression build. It will require Race gas fuel near 95-100 octane to run properly. Timing needs to be around 28 degrees. Most aftermarket billet flywheels have around 34 degrees at "0" neutral timing key position. You may need to retard the timing by moving the flywheel counter-clockwise a few degrees by reversing an offset key.
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