Starting another engine build, this time a former SPi engine and A+ rod change transmission. The tranny is in pretty good shape, just needs a new set of synchros and a good clean and reseal, we'll also be adding a cross pin diff. but keeping the 3.1 final drive. (maybe)
The engine will be getting 40 over 10.3-1 compression pistons, a Calver head, cam and rockers and a new HIF44, MiniSpares intake manifold and a Maniflow LCB exhaust header and RC40 exhaust system.
All the machine work is done, the crank was turned 10 under on both the rods and mains, the block overbored, the new pistons have been installed on the straightened and resized rods. The block was decked a few thousandths to clean it up and give a good surface to hold the gasket (the head is new) Most of the parts are here, so the last few days I've been cleaning parts and waiting for a clear day to paint the block. There was a LOT of old paint on the engine and it took a couple of days of wire brushing scraping and even paint stripper to get it clean enough for paint - today I got the self etch primer on and the first coat of Sunrise Red RustOleum paint on it.
Once all the paint is done I'll let it cure out for a week or so then I can start the build.
Today I reset the block in the stand so I can install the cam bearings and build up the lower end.
To get ready for that I cleaned everything again, ran a tap thru all the bolt holes, cleaned off all the overspray and cleaned and painted some more parts to be ready to install when I get to that point.
Tomorrow I'll start putting it all together....
OK, got all ready to put the cam bearings in today as they're the first thing that needs to go in.....let's see, where are the cam bearings? We didn't order any? crap......
So I got an order fired off to Moss, should be here sometime next week......sighs.
STILL don't have my cam bearings, so I've been working on other things.....
The head is a brand new Calver head, and he also bought the 114 rockers, new high performance shaft and stands, so I got to assembling that. Once thing I noticed right away, since the stands are narrower than the original ones, I'll have to do some shimming to get the rockers to line up well over the valve ends. So, yet another order - this time to MiniSpares as I needed some other parts too that Moss didn't have. Also, these rockers didn't come with adjuster screws, fortunately I had a spare set of those on hand.
So that's mostly buttoned up till the shims get here.....I've also been cleaning and organizing all the little parts and fasteners - takes for frickin ever!
On to the transmichigan....
Next it was time to tear down the transmission....it's a later model rod change which I find not too hard to work on, other than there are a LOT of little bits and bobs and this one was really crudded up.....I'll spend far more time cleaning it that the teardown and reassembly.
I had to order a few bits - a couple of bearings, layshaft, some lock tabs and small stuff and of course synchros. He's decided to go with a 3:44 diff, so I'll be changing that over from the 3.1 that's currently in it.
Once all the parts finally arrive I can get going on the rebuild, in the meantime it's just clean, clean clean....Man there are a lot of parts in one of these transmissions!
What is going to happen to the 3.1 final drive set coming out?
I'll have a use for it!
I currently have 3 - 3:44's in stock, it will be good to use one of them up!
Cam bearings came in at last, so I installed them using my custom cam bearing installer tool, then put in the lifters, cam and oil pump.
Once that was done I went ahead and installed the pistons, then the crank and torqued everything down to spec.
Then I installed the front plate, cam retaining plate, chain and tensioner, so I can begin to time the cam.
Before I did that I set up the dial indicator on the end of the crank so I could measure the end play - you want 3-4 thou of play.
Today I went ahead and timed the cam in, then torqued the cam nut to 66ft lbs, and bent over the lock plate. I put the seal in the front cover, gave everything a good once over and put the timing cover and front pulley on..... lastly the water pump went on, so now the front end is pretty much done. Still plenty of bits and bobs to go on, but the next thing up will be installing the cylinder head.
I'm still waiting on shims so I can locate the rockers and I also found I don't have any core plugs (aka freeze plugs or expansion plugs) and I don't know when they decided to do it but once again I found more metricosity - the core plugs are 33.6mm, so not much hope of finding them at the local Autozone.
With the cam dialed in, next job is to put the head on - which is the easy part. The fiddly part is getting the rockers installed. I had built the assembly up before, but you have to take it off each time you add shims to get the rockers in line with the valves, plus you have to make sure the push rods don't rub on the sides of the holes in the head.....you also have to mostly disassemble the shaft each time to change the shims and in doing so it's easy to reverse one of the stands - ask me how I know!!!
So after a couple of hours of fiddling about, it's on and torqued down - next job is to set the valve clearance Clarance.
Once that's done It's time to take it out of the engine stand and start on the transmichigan as I can't install any of the stuff that goes on the front with it in the stand. I still have parts on the way for the trans and they won't be here till Monday, plus I'll be out of the shop the next two days so not much will happen till next week.......
Carb and exhaust mock up.....
Ceramic coated headers...
Brandy new HIF 44, needs a spacer to clear the linkage...
Pipercross air filter.....not impressed with it tho, doesn't fit well and I had to cut a hole in the backing plate - which is just a thick piece of rubber - for the bolt that holds the cover to the filter part to clear.
The engine is pretty much ready to come off the stand now, so I can install all the front parts, oil filter housing and pipe, oil pressure relief valve, dizzy, alternator and starter. But I may wait on all of those till I get the engine mounted on the transmichigan
Looking good, What type of primer are you using on the engine I never did in the past other than for custom builds. The last few I used duplicolor engine primer and was very impressed with how well it worked/bonded.
Rustoleum self etch primer, followed by Rustoleum spray cans. seems to stick and hold up pretty well. Stays shiny too!
I like rustoleum enamel, it seems to stick.
Some may want to try this recipe from Sherwin Williams that i color matched to a green valve cover that turned out well on an engine simulating MOWOG GREEN.
I've been spending huge amounts of time cleaning and painting parts of the engine and transmission - you have no idea how encrusted and mucked up this transmission case was, I may have to have my solvent in my parts washer tank changed again! At any rate, I think I have everything ready to build the transmission now so I'll get started on it Monday.....it will take at least a day or two to assemble it before it's ready to mate up to the engine block.
More as it happens....
Got a good start on the transmission today, main cluster and bearings are in, laygear and shaft are in and also reverse.
Once these are all shimmed I can install the differential and stub axles, then it's pretty much ready to assemble the engine block onto it. I also installed the center oil pickup, it has to go in with the laygear as you can't put it in place after the laygear is down in it's postion.
Could be ready to run this weekend if the other few bits I need come in the next few days.....
Looking good Dave.
Thanks, it's getting there.....slowly.
I should have the trans buttoned up today and ready for the engine block to mate up, then it's just a matter of adding on all the bits to make it run.
I won't be in the shop Wed and Thurs, but I may get it running this weekend sometime. I think I have all the bits painted and ready to go on the engine now. Still have to shim the third motion shaft bearing, diff bearing and idler gear.....
I finished assembling the gearbox today and mated it up with the engine block, still lots of parts to go - I don't have the core plugs yet for instance - but I'll be out of the shop for the next two days so they should be here by then.
You got the fan on the right way ... well done.
Ha! ;D
Yes, I've done more than my share of them.
The one on my Racing Green car was on backwards when I got it, I turned it around. The car didn't run any cooler (it didn't run hot anyway), but it sure is noisier!
With a thermostat there would be no difference, except on a hot day idling in a traffic jam. I use a modification of the 3R saying, i.e. the 2R saying
"Rough (fan hub) to Rad".
Closer, the rest of the small bits I needed came yesterday while I was gone, next I need to install the rear housing, clutch and flywheel. Then the intake and exhaust, then it's ready to mount in the engine stand and make some noise. Should have it running by early next week.
Looking good Dave.
Thanks Malcolm, just waiting on a shim for the intermediate gear now, then I can install the rear cover, flywheel, clutch etc and load it into the engine stand to fire it up.
Starting my second 10K off with a video.....
This one went home today, I had a few teething problems to handle, nothing major.....today when I went to start it for him it wouldn't go. I guess my coil in my engine stand died cause I hooked it up to his coil on the motor and it popped right off and ran sweet.
Loaded up and on its way home now.