Engine Rebuild

[BoiseGTP]

I toasted every bearing in my engine last year so I am getting ready for racing this year and thought I would share. Everybody always says oh just go buy a new used shortblock and be done with it. I decided to rebuild instead. No spun bearing or any ring/piston damage. Something else went south and crapped into the engine and took out the cam, main, and rod bearings. Engine had 6 to 8 k on it.Sucks. It is a very high horsepower build though.

Anyway took it down to the local machine shop and had it tanked, honed and cam bearings installed. Crank was okay so I had it polished. Cleaned everything extensively when I brought it home. All new clevite bearings and total seal rings were purchased. Didn't need any gaskets, had everything I needed. No new rod and main bolts as all are arp.


Clearenced the mains


When I took the engine apart it all looked really good except the timing chain. The chain needed replaced, luckily I had another set. I cleaned the pistons very carefully. I didn't want to take the coating off so I just used solvent and a brush. Gapped all the rings and clearenced the rod bolts and installed.

Notice my new oil pan.

Installed new cam too. Haha forgot about that. The rebuild was less that $500. If it had been a spun bearing it would have been much worse. When I took the heads off they really looked like they had been lifted. Heads are in the machine shop now.

[BoiseGTP]

Transmission is taken apart now and just about rebuilt. Should be together tonight. We do all the transmission stuff ourselves except the final putting together. We have a tranny guy who does that for us. It cost more than the engine to rebuild for sure. Third gear clutch pack was smoked completely. Metel on metal and coned. A couple of upgrades should take care of this problem. Planetary gears were gauled. Also replaced all bushings, clutches and steels, pump, gaskets etc. Should be in good shape for racing this year. I have some good pics of tranny just not ready.

[MattStrike]

Glad to see I'm not the only crazy person!

I do my own transmissions though.

[BoiseGTP]

Glad to see I'm not the only crazy person!

I do my own transmissions though.

Hard to get back together. Haha the guy here uses a coathanger.

[sandrock]

I've used wax-coated flat twine, the same stuff that's used in aviation for electrical cable bundling (like inside of radios or transponders). Holds the packs together nicely when dropping them in, and a few snips and out it comes. What little remains (if any) harmlessly gets chewed up.

[BoiseGTP]

I've used wax-coated flat twine, the same stuff that's used in aviation for electrical cable bundling (like inside of radios or transponders). Holds the packs together nicely when dropping them in, and a few snips and out it comes. What little remains (if any) harmlessly gets chewed up.

Thats sounds like a pretty good idea. We were getting the coathanger a bit snagged the other evening.

[MattStrike]

Coat hanger? Wax twine?

Here is a rather interesting look at how it's done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZQqWRF2MOE The first two minutes or so. Notice how it only takes a few seconds to drop most parts in?

Everything is loaded in about 5 total assemblies. The factory has a fancy tool. I use horizontal loading with a counter-weighted shaft. I'm not saying it's not tricky, but some people like doing things the hard way.