oddfire/evenfire mix of parts for smooth, torquey engine

ok, dig it...i have a 75 oddfire. ran great untill carb went to hell on a long trip and destroyed rings. so i am rebuilding it. got all the good parts in the mail already, then found another guy selling an "oddfire" long block for $50. ok, i went to buy it, and it looked like an even fire (offset crank, large intake/smaller exhaust ports, and evenly distributed cap on the distributor.
i told him it was an even fire, and he swore up and down it was odd. opened a book and showed me (which he couldnt find good pick of engine, but he is older and more experienced in jeeps so it got me to doubting myself and i bought it anyway). got it home, compaired it to mine and i was correct. now i have an evenfire long block with points distributor and a complete oddfire with HEI.

i know the arguments between odd/even, one is stronger the other is smoother etc..but i have never heard of anyone breaking a crank while wheeling...

so..

i dont like the roughness of the oddfire...just rattles too much for me. i like the smooth, quiet ride but i want the low end torque of the oddfire though (for which i have already bought the offy dual port intake for the oddfire and rhodes anti-pump ups aswell).

here is my delima. i *think* the main and rod bearing journals are the same. i know the bore/stroke is the same. i think they use the same blocks (i know the heads are diff in size AND water jacket placement but not the blocks.) so therefore, theoretically the cranks are interchangable.

i know what needs to be changes when switching from odd to even fire, but will the bottom end bolt right up or will i have to do some machine work on the block/crank?
cam/distritubor/flywheel and crank make up the difference in the short blocks from my knowledge...i have access to all that in junk yard so along with what i have, it shouldnt be hard to change this...if it is interchangable.

anyone have alittle more knowledge on the block differences? anyone share some insight with me?
a friend said he did it in the opposite direction.made a tougher evenfire and he said it ran like an oddfire, but then he sold it so i dont know how it did @ 50k or 100k miles or if it still runs. i want to build it 1 time and be done with it for atleast 15 miles this time...=)

save me from myself please..=)

 

from what I have seen, the blocks ARE NOT interchangeable due to the offset crank.

 

why would the offset crank be a problem?
as long as you switch to the evenfire cam, distributor and flywheel.
the offset crank is only in the rod journals...and they are just staggared alittle to make it fire smoothly.
maybe i am missing something here...=\

 

look at both from bottom. the even fire has the #3 journal OFFSET while on the odd fire all the journals are IN A ROW. the crank is different due to a revised firing order.

 

ok...i will look. thanx.
i am just going to build the oddfire i decided once i looked up the numbers on the evenfire motor. turns out its an 81 regal or whatever turbo motor. i matched the block, heads, crank and rods to a buick site..
might ebay it or build it at a later time with evenfire gear and stick in something.

anyone want an evenfire with the window adjustable points style distributor? =)

 

odd fire fires every 90* then again at 150*. the even fires at 120*. seems my source for the firing order is on the 60* (2.8L) :v6: not the 225/231


http://home.off-road.com/~merls_garage/oddfire.html

 

Right off the top of my head I want to say the crank will fit, if I remember correctly the rod bearings and ther journals are larger in diameter by 1/4" on the even fire but I think the clearance under the cam webbing is suffecient for the off set of the rod and larger journal.

 

ok kewl..we are all on the same page of what makes an oddfire differ from an even fire. i fully understand all this and have used that page to install my HEI 2 years ago...

i am talking strickly dimensions here. i know the HEI from an even fire will slide down in the oddfire block cause ive accidentally done it (and it ran untill you put it under a load). i know the cam is the same except for the actual valve timing (and yes, i know they actually made the cam bearing larger as an overall modification), i know it uses the same pistons and rods (except for '81 and up when they made the rods larger on the bottom and had to switch to a different harmonic balancer..these have 2 dots and the number 763 on em)...
are the bearings the same..thats my question? if so, i know the mains are in the same place, so being that the rod journals are moved (and only shifted, not changed), that just affects timing because the stroke remains the same. they just moved the rod journals alittle to "smooth it out alittle." if that all they did, replacing the balancer, flywheel, crank, distributor and cam should turn my oddfire into an evenfire using the same block. since all they did from what i have read was split the rod journals and "redistribute" them along the crank to even the firing out and nothing more (besides adjust the rest of the timing gear to match the new piston placement).
see, i dont have mics to measure the bearings..they will tell the story. just make sure to date the crank and use appropriate balancing and match your goodies to the style crank you use (odd/even) and they should interchange.

this is what i am thinking anyhow.
i am knowledgable on the "workings" of each motor and most of the modifications they underwent to make them where they are today..just not the dimensions. and being that i am working 18 days strait 10 hour days, i dont have time to go to the autozone and compair bearings, or have them look em up. i was just hoping that someone here had some insight that might help me out.
but, its kind of a moot point at this time due to me deciding to just finish the oddfire and being done with it. i can handle the rough idle untill i build my buick 350 and stick it in a cherokee or wagoneer and sell my jeep (need a 4x4 kid mobile that seats 1+5 kids).
thanx for your time in reading this.

 

Here to reincarnate a good post.
This is what I am trying to do please correct me if anyone sees a problem(mechanical not mental)
1971 225 Odd Fire Block
1986 231 Even Fire Crank
1986 231 Std pistons
1986 231 Heads
1986 231 Rods
1986 231 Timing Cover
1971 225 Oil Pan
1986 231 Turbo GN Cam and timing chain set
1986 231 manifolds
1971 225 Flywheel (balanced to rotating assembly)
1986 231 Bearings (Main, Rod, Cam)
1986 231 even fire distributor HEI
1987 CT26 Supra turbo
All odds and ends to make fuel injection.
Anybody see any compatabilty issues?