apprenticing my first engine rebuild

[opeldean]

dam is this fun! I am learning a lot. Will my engine run well in the end? I guess we will see.

A local shop said they would guide me with the stuff i cant mess up, they will do the rest.

they took the engine apart for me with an air ratchet..didnt take very long.

parts have been washed and the pistons sandblasted and washed...cylinders have been lightly honed to get ready to re-ring..reusing same pistons of 1.9 -.5mm over

tonight I have all the parts home with instructions of what to do.

here goes:
1- clean off all casting flashes..you dont want a piece to break loose
2-file a small bit off the saddle corner..this helps the bearing seat w/o out a sharp edge
3- crank was turned 10-10 for both mains and rod ends
4- take steel brushes and clean out all the passages

dont worry about debris as the engine will be getting washed again...the parts must be clean enough to eat from so that the bearings dont get scratched and damaged at start up..right now I am shopping for a 10-10 bearing set and gasket set.

[opeldean]

here is close up of the bevel. my camera doesnt do close up well. it s not much. the bevel purpose is to prevent a "lip" as the two bearing halves "kiss" together.

in my last post..what is that rubber stopper thing?

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by opeldean dam is this fun! I am learning a lot. Will my engine run well in the end? I guess we will see. A local shop said they would guide me with the stuff i cant mess up, they will do the rest. they took the engine apart for me with an air ratchet..didnt take very long. parts have been washed and the pistons sandblasted and washed...cylinders have been lightly honed to get ready to re-ring..reusing same pistons of 1.9 -.5mm over tonight I have all the parts home with instructions of what to do. here goes: 1- clean off all casting flashes..you dont want a piece to brake loose 2-file a small bit off the saddle corner..this helps the bearing seat w/o out a sharp edge 3- crank was turned 10-10 for both mains and rod ends 4- take steel brushes and clean out all the passages dont worry about debris as the engine will be getting washed again...the parts must be clean enough to eat from so that the bearings dont get scratched and damaged at start up..right now I am shopping for a 10-10 bearing set and gasket set.

Ask the shop if they also machined the crank's rear main thrust surfaces .010" under. .010" over main bearings are also .010" over on the thrust surface!, so the crank's thrust surfaces need to be ground .010" under.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by opeldean here is close up of the bevel. my camera doesnt do close up well. it s not much. the bevel purpose is to prevent a "lip" as the two bearing halves "kiss" together. in my last post..what is that rubber stopper thing?

Exactly where on the block is it? Kind of hard to tell at this close-up . . . pic upside-down?

[nobody]

Dean the rubber plug is where a stock dipstick would be. If you bead blasted those pistons the ring lands are gone, they were not the best to begin with but if not abused they were ok for maybe 1 more rebuild. Not that I know that short block or have it's specs in a data base here or anything.

Ok on this one I can't comment again, Have fun but I will never let go of anything I built again.

[GTJIM]

Dean,

If you want some of the best engine building advice and information available try and get hold of the book: "Smokey Yunick's POWER SECRETS" by Smokey Yunick with Larry Schreib. ISBN 931472-06-7 Published by S-A Design Books, 515 West Lambert, Bldg. E, Brea, CA 92621-3991

The book pertains to SB Chevy V8s but much of its content is universal - an enormously interesting book for any engine builder .....

Regarding glass bead peening of pistons - your engine builder sounds very good and it is rare to find one so keen to help and explain (MUST be the GT connection at work again!). I would guess that they have glass beaded many, many pistons without too many problems....

BUT (for future reference): "Glass peening provides surface strength on the dome that retards cracking, and it produces a finish around the body ("skirt") that promotes better lubrication. Peen the whole surface of the piston, except the ring area. The ring grooves absolutely must not be peened because this will destroy the smooth surfaces that cage the ring and (will) prevent proper sealing between the ring and the piston groove."

That is a direct quote from Smokey's book and I have found it to be pretty accurate. Always tape the ring area around with several layers of masking tape before glass peening.

Hopefully your pistons have had only a light glass beading and the ring groove have not been damaged - but make sure EVERY groove is checked for smoothness and correct specs for the side clearance between the rings and the groove.

EVERY SINGLE GLASS BEAD must BE CLEANED OFF THE PISTONS!!!!
Be particualy careful to remove any glass beads and glass dust from around the piston pin bores as it makes exceptionally good lapping paste!

PS: don't get upset with the machineshop as they do seem much more helpful than is usual with them. Just ask if they think the glass peening of the ring groves will affect the sealing of the rings in the grooves.

I guess LOTS of machineshops do not have a copy of Smokey's book!

[opeldean]

i will get the book

here what i began last night..fior the neophytes like me...this is what i learned

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by GTJIM Dean, If you want some of the best engine building advice and information available try and get hold of the book: "Smokey Yunick's POWER SECRETS" by Smokey Yunick with Larry Schreib. ISBN 931472-06-7 Published by S-A Design Books, 515 West Lambert, Bldg. E, Brea, CA 92621-3991 The book pertains to SB Chevy V8s but much of its content is universal - an enormously interesting book for any engine builder ..... Regarding glass bead peening of pistons - your engine builder sounds very good and it is rare to find one so keen to help and explain (MUST be the GT connection at work again!). I would guess tha they have glass beaded many, many pistons without too many problems.... BUT (for future reference): "Glass peening provides surface strength on the dome that retards cracking, and it produces a finish around the body ("skirt") that promotes better lubrication. Peen the whole surface of the piston, except the ring area. The ring grooves absolutely must not be peened because this will destroy the smooth surfaces that cage the ring and (will) prevent proper sealing between the ring and the piston groove." That is a direct quote from Smokey's book and I have found it to be pretty accurate. Always tape the ring area around with several layers of masking tape before glass peening. Hopefully your pistons have had only a light glass beading and the ring groove have not been damaged - but make sure EVERY groove is checked for smoothness and correct specs for the side clearance between the rings and the groove. EVERY SINGLE GLASS BEAD must BE CLEANED OFF THE PISTONS!!!! Be particualy careful to remove any glass beads and glass dust from around the piston pin bores as it makes exceptionally good lapping paste! PS: don't get upset with the machineshop as they do seem much more helpful than is usual with them. Just ask if they think the glass peening of the ring groves will affect the sealing of the rings in the grooves. I guess LOTS of machineshops do not have a copy of Smokey's book!

ANY good shop knows this and I imagine the they "taped" all the pertinent areas before blasting away. I'd ask GTJIM's question regardless though!

[GTJIM]

Dean, Makin' Motors is about as much fun as you can have - outside the bedroom! Just remember it may have been "someone" elses baby before ......

[Travis]

Caefull not to confuse 'peening' or 'glass peening' with 'beading' or 'glass beading', these terms are not interchangeable.

Peening is a very specialized process under highly controlled conditions where constant calibration of the equipment is needed. This is the process that puts the surface of the part in compression, resisting fatigue and is what Smokey was referring to.

Beading or media blasting or any one of numerous other terms is a part cleaning process. It can have a somewhat similar affect, in putting the surface in compression, but the depth of the area in compression is insignificant compared to peening, and uncontrolled.

-Travis

[nobody]

Ok let's take another aproach to it. I know that the ring lands have been bead blasted, those pistons weren't that clean in that area. What I would do is take one of the old rings as a guide. When I say old they had about an hour on them and 2 blocks of driving. Put a set on a piston and check the side clearance with a feeler guage. The top or #1 compression should have between .0024 -.0034. #2 compression should be .0013 -.0024 and oil control should the same as #2 compression. Keep in mind those pistons were fit to that block by Lanier so honing the bores will effect your skirt clearance.

Last but not least go get some light oil like a hydraulic type and lint free rags. Oil every surface that was bead blasted and then wipe clean. Keep doing it until all you get back off is oil.

Any type of media used breaks down and you get a very fine abrasive dust pushed by air pressure into a porous allow.

You do this any time that an abrasive is used on any internal motor part. If you don't your basicly adding the residual abrasive to what your building, and no a solvent won't get it all off only light oil rubbed in and wiped off.

[Old Hippie]

Looking very good, Dean. I have never beveled edges before but as long as there's no "upthrust" at the mating surface, it should be fine. I myself love the time rebuilding. It's usually by myself and is very quiet. If I may suggest? Have a can of Orange Hand cleaner and a good clean pile of rags about. Dirt always finds a way to show up during a rebuild. I keep my hands VERY clean when applying pre-lube when installing bearings and rings. If you need a helping hand on a weekend for heavy stuff, give me a ring. Alas, I haven't been able to sell my little house yet, so my shop is on hold till it's sold.
Barry

[yiger]

Not to push one product over another (especially a trivial one), but for soap, I recommend ProSoap... You can get a free sample if you call 1-800-Pro-Soap and it will last you a while- great product and it's free- can't beat that!

[GTJIM]

Dean,

Don't let any of the comments above "get to you" - most of them are just opinions! That and a hill of beans will still just give you gas!

Above all, enjoy your first engine build and it will go because you have a very helpful engine builder by the sound of it!

Keep having fun - and when it bursts into life you will be thrilled to bits.

[opeldean]

this is a great way to learn. by staring at this and cleaning, i have learned how the oil flows.

the reason is as you all have said...things must be clean. NEVER use AL oxide on a block..it wont wash out, i think you could use soda..

i have been d brushing with my brushes dipped in 3/1..stuff is coming out.

craig lent me they brushes,some are almost 3 feet long..it is needed to traverse the passages

i have been using a brass brush here and there too

[opeldean]

normally I would have watched more football this weekend, but I listened while I worked. My block is nice and clean after I brass brushed about everything.

tonight I cleaned the pistons a bit for hidden debris. tomorrow the block and pistons will get washed in craigs " automotive dishwasher"..i think he said the temp runs at about 180 Degrees f and high pressure in the water jets, not a hot tank.

i think i measured the gap correctly, i used a ring and stuffed 3 layers of 12.6 micron shimstock between the ring and the valley of the piston, "nobody" asked me to check it..this is what I got. too much gap? ring seems rather well fitted.

i didnt feel like running out to get kerosene..so i used kingford as a solvent..seemed to work pretty good

[namba209]

Well, Dean, I'm not sure charcoal lighter is not kerosene, I've used it to clean the nitro and oil residue from my model racing boats, so I guess it's o.k. to use. It may have some Naptha ( Zippo cigarrette lighter fluid) in it too, and both are great cleaning solvents, just very highly inflammable. Definately need "No Smoking" signs close by when using it.