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Since you are that far in the job, and it has 149,000 miles, personally, I would pay to have the cylinders honed/bored over if needed at the machine shop. Usually I let the machine shop install new freeze plugs too.
Some times it's cheaper to have an automotive machine shop to do a complete short block rebuild especially if you don't have all the tools.
I would at least have all of the cylinders honed to make sure the new rings properly seat and, if needed, bore out the cylinders if the measurements prove that is necessary.
I would at least have all of the cylinders honed to make sure the new rings properly seat and, if needed, bore out the cylinders if the measurements prove that is necessary.
Good deal.I got the engine fully torn apart today. Was planning on taking some measurements and hopefully getting it to the machine shop on Tuesday.
I did have a few casualties when removing the head - I for got to disconnect from the fuel filter and the oil pressure sensor. This resulted in me having to set the head back down in a less than ideal position.
noticed this on the hg when I took the head off. There was also a bunch of oil in some of the head bolt holes from having to set the head down. the dowel marred up the nearby spot a few of the more serious scratches on the head. Would ya'll have this re surfaced?Just had it resurfaced within the last HG job. Not sure how much they took off though it looks like the max to take off the heads is about .020"
FSM has values for min deck and min head height. I would have a shop do both surfaces if still in spec. (You could also go to min on both and order an adjustable cam adjuster. You "could" get a bit more compression out of the engine that way. :p )
Blow the oil out the head bolt holes with compressed air and clean the threads. Chase them, if possible.
Get it honed if you can get away with it. Else, bore and hone - then order pistons.
FSM has values for min deck and min head height. I would have a shop do both surfaces if still in spec. (You could also go to min on both and order an adjustable cam adjuster. You "could" get a bit more compression out of the engine that way. :p )
Blow the oil out the head bolt holes with compressed air and clean the threads. Chase them, if possible.
Get it honed if you can get away with it. Else, bore and hone - then order pistons.
Good deal.I just checked the deck height of my head and it came out to about 3.1235 - 3.1250 (crappy harbor freight caliper hence the range) so I think Im going to have it shaved down again. I am hoping with a slight resurfacing of the head and block that I'll still be within the .020" limit.
Dropped off my block, rods, and crank at the machine shop today. He seemed kind of concerned about the pistons and think that they need to be bored. With dish washing it, freeze plugs, decking, boring, and grinding and polishing the crank I should be looking at about 300 dollars. I don't think I had the cylinder boring in my prev estimate.
LCE or 22reperformance are my favs. With the engine out, get a new fuel filter in there. Replace the "coolant passage on the back of the head" gasket as well. Also do the rear main seal and, why not, the thrust bearing for the clutch.
LCE or 22reperformance are my favs. With the engine out, get a new fuel filter in there. Replace the "coolant passage on the back of the head" gasket as well. Also do the rear main seal and, why not, the thrust bearing for the clutch.
You know it's funny. I just replaced that back of the head gasket because it was leaking after I put the head back on. I think I had the engine out the truck in the same amount of time that it took me to replace that gasket with the engine in the car, ha!. But yes Im going to replace it while it's out - cheap insurance for not scratching my hands to all hell.
With school starting and the machine taking quite a long time to get all of the work done. I just got the engine back this past week.
Bit of recap of work that was done:
- .010" on crankshaft- mains and rods
-.020" bored out on cylinders due to wear and tear
- cylinder head and engine block decked and given haircuts
- rods checked
- freeze plugs installed
All of that ended up costing me $450. The cylinder bore job upped the estimate quite a bit.
So today I spent some time mostly just doing some measurements because I am paranoid and don't trust anyone, ha.
I measured the bore and pistons. All are good and in spec (at least from me measuring within thrust direct at several places).
I measured piston ring end gap and I did have some conflicting measurements from what the FSM says.
my #1 compression rings all came out to be about .016 - .017 which is on the high side of what the book says.
Hastings recommends .0035" per inch of bore so 3.642 * .0035 = .0127 or .13
my #2 rings came out to be about .013- .014 whereas the book has a low of about .023. Not sure if I need to file these puppies down or not yet. Hastings does not specify different equations for #1 comp vs #2 comp nor do they give a maximum ring gap.
I am going to give LC engineering a call to see if this is normal as I know they work on these engines day and night. The FSM has lower gap for #1 and higher for #2.
Also, I now, between block and head, have about .02 shaved from factory spec. Currently debating between a thicker headgasket or adjustable cam to compensate. Any body have experiences going with either?
Last edited by Mason Edmison; 02-23-2019 at 04:50 PM.
You should have Seafoamed your engine first, but yes I would definately Seafoam the hell out of that engine. Put that stuff in the gas tank, crankcase, and then down the brake booster vacuum line a couple times til it dies. You'll want to do this with the engine warm and then "hot soak" the engine for 15-30 minutes. This should be done at normal intervals (yearly...ish) to maintain the health and cleanliness of you engine.
You should have Seafoamed your engine first, but yes I would definately Seafoam the hell out of that engine. Put that stuff in the gas tank, crankcase, and then down the brake booster vacuum line a couple times til it dies. You'll want to do this with the engine warm and then "hot soak" the engine for 15-30 minutes. This should be done at normal intervals (yearly...ish) to maintain the health and cleanliness of you engine.
Why would you need to put Seafoam in everything? Seafoam is a good product, but as with any product, it should only be used when necessary.
It would have been a good start, is all. It helps make the inspection process easier as everything cleans up easy. It would have gotten any debris from the first assembly into the filter and not compound any existing problem. Seafoam is good to use at any time, but I agree with you...it should only be used when necessary the way I described.
Not even ten posts in and you are dropping Amazon affiliate links and ridiculous suggestions like seafoaming (that's just kerosene BTW, camping supply sell you a whole gallon for less than half the bottled magick people) a knocking engine.
I had the block thrown in the big dishwasher thing the machine shop and cleaned. I also plan to blow compressed air through each galley with a blowgun before installation.
The initial problem was a knock which was confirmed by toasted rod bearings. I can see how seafoaming an engine before a diy budget rebuild (no big machine shop dishwasher) could be a good idea but the engine is completely disassembled at this point and has already been machined so...
Last edited by Mason Edmison; 02-27-2019 at 06:00 AM.
I had the block thrown in the big dishwasher thing the machine shop and cleaned. I also plan to blow compressed air through each galley with a blowgun before installation.
...
They tanked it and machined it, generally they will brush the galley and replace the caps. Might want to check with them about it.
Just called my machine shop guy and he said he DID brush the galleys in the crank and in the block. Still not sure what you mean by replace the caps though.
Last edited by Mason Edmison; 02-27-2019 at 10:17 AM.
Just called my machine shop guy and he said he DID brush the galleys in the crank and in the block. Still not sure what you mean by replace the caps though.
The galley and freeze plugs (caps) are pressed in to get them out they usually destroy them and they get replaced with new ones.
Edit: here are some pictures from the LCE folks. Link
Not so good news. I installed the crank and pistons today. Turns over at maybe about 18 foot pounds. and I noticed a small scratch in the cylinder (one of the rings must of had a burr?). I lubricated the cylinder and rings with motor oil.. and the pistons skirts etc.
I have already had the cylinders bored out .020" and honed
Does this warrant breaking the whole thing down to have this honed out? I cant feel it with skin on my thumb but it does slightly catch a finger nail... This really sucks.
UPDATE:
so after calming down a bit and having a beer. I ordered a dingle berry hone and am going to run that through a time or two. The scratch is very shallow (probably less than or around .0001") but I'll feel better I know that I at least did something.
Piston has been removed in which case Im going to remove rings and de-bur all edges.
Please someone correct or add if I am on the wrong foot.
For anyone reading this. De bur you GD rings before installing. Learn from my mistakes! lol
Last edited by Mason Edmison; 03-02-2019 at 06:47 PM.
01-05-2019, 05:48 PM
