ShortMag

I measured it by prying the crank all the way back, zeroing the gauge, and then prying forward. I can almost pull out the top bearings and the bottom ones fall out if the cap isn't on and i push the crank forward or back. I'm wondering if the original ones from enginetech will work if i lube them up with the engine assembly lube. I'm afraid to use the ones that came with the engine because the odometer reads just below 300,000.

flyingbrass

It would be interesting to compare the thicknesses of old and new. Do you have a caliper? If not, the 6" digital model at HF can usually be found for $20 or less (and 15-20% off any single item coupons are easy to find). Got mine on sale there for $10. They read practically the same as my old Swiss made non-digital caliper up to about beer can diameter. I didn't check anything bigger. Good value.

ShortMag

Yeah i saw that last night and almost bought it. I'll have to go back and get it. I'm curious how close each one is to standard

flyingbrass

BTW, if you try your other set again, I'd try lightly oiling instead of using assembly lube. Also, as I probably should have done to start with, you can put the uppers in after the crank is in place. I don't know how else you'd do it when not using grease or assembly lube to stick them in place.

Push the crank slightly one direction and roll the washer in on the loose side, making sure the grooves in the washer face out. Push/lightly pry the crank tight up against that washer half and roll in the other side.

1990yota-pickup

you gotta love Harbor Frieght tools

ShortMag

I took the block and crank into Macon today and found out the ones i originally ordered were right, they just had something built up on them so we took them to some 180 grit sandpaper and they fit right in with clearance just under spec. I just started installing my piston and rods and on the last one i noticed the rod caps are numbered 1,1,3, or 4. Does it matter which cylinder they go in seeing as everything has been machined?

flyingbrass

How much thrust clearance did you end up with?

You and/or the shop should have numbered the rod ends and caps on the side that didn't already have numbers or letters. "1" stamped on the cap, "1" stamped on the same side of its corresponding rod, and so on.

Rods and caps are matched pairs. Don't mix up the caps or put them on backwards. Careful also not to put the pistons on the rods backwards.

I don't know how much switching rods from their original cylinders matters. If nobody else answers here, engnbldr is only an e-mail away.

Are you plastigaging your bearings as you assemble?

ShortMag

Ended up with about .002" Thrust clearance.

I left the caps on the corresponding rods assuming the shop would too. I guess this is what i get for assuming.

The shop assembled the pistons on the rods and i double checked and they are all good.

I was told by a good friend who works at auto zone that switching the rods between the cylinders would not matter since i have new pistons.

I am plastigaging as i go.

flyingbrass

Sounds like you're doing pretty well. If you're curious like me, check your quench after the bottom is together. Turn the crank so one set of pistons is at the top, hold something flat across one (straight edge, back of a caliper), and stick some feeler gauges in to see how much the pistons stick above or below deck height.

What did you decide to use for a head and cam?

andrewvo1

nice work man keep up the good work...!

ShortMag

Thanks Flyingbrass! I've decided to go with Engnbldr's stock head with all new internals and the 261C Cam. I will be ordering that along with a new timing cover and water pump as soon as i finish this post.

Here's a big update.

I did measure the crank clearance and all of the plastigage was around .051mm which is within spec.







When I took the block and crank to Macon he told me to sand the bearings down with 180 grit sandpaper because they had some sort of build up on them.



Turns out that worked perfectly. If anyone does this I suggest doing it on the outside (the side with the oil gaps) because that side has a layer of bearing material compared to the other side which is steel.

This is a measurement before I sanded further than what we had while I was at the machine shop



I forgot to take a picture after I sanded them down but it ended up around .002".

Tonight I feel I got a lot done. I installed all four pistons/rods and measured the rod bearing clearances. Again, all of the plastigage was within spec, measuring around .051mm.





For the whole assembly I've been using Lucas Engine Assembly Lube. It is really thick and sticks to everything, but it does it's job extremely well. I went with assembly lube instead of oil because this will last longer while the block sits in my garage until "D-Day".





Pistons in their homes!



Upside down shot of the crank.




The cap bolts are torqued to 76 ft-lbs. and the rod nuts are torqued to 56 ft-lbs. All of the piston rings are aligned correctly and all of the pistons, rods, and caps are facing the correct direction.


Purty paint






I can't wait for this thing to be up and running!

1990yota-pickup

good deal with all the pictures.. your taking out all the uncertainty with assembling a engine.. keep up all the good work

Donsway

Going to try and post a pic of this since I just did it the other day.



Looks like it worked.

thebodj

when i painted my block, i used i think rustoleum blue high heat engine paint. idk if that primer is for body work or if its high heat?

but i did mine blue like here
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...0&l=c634715b49

2wd i know but i have done some wheeling in it!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...0&l=3284a505d9

and im getting new tires to go on my new wheels monday. 235 75 15 yokohama geolander ats
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...0&l=15772023fe

thebodj

haha i rebuilt mine this past summer
ahhh the memories of picking which color to paint it. it was either lime green or this. i decided this would match better
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8&id=593516500
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8&id=593516500
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...5&id=593516500
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...5&id=593516500

ShortMag

Truck and block look great bodj. My machinist said he uses normal rattle can for his engines and he hasn't had any problems yet. I read the back of the cans and they say up to 200F which is a little concerning, but we'll see.

Thanks for that pic Donsway. What did yours measure at? Is there a certain clearance I should have?

BIG NEWS!

I just placed my order with Engnbldr!
A stock head, 261C cam, COV900 Timing cover, and WP900 coolant pump should be on their way soon!

ECU Harness will be my next purchase seeing as i broke about half of the clips off of mine.

I plan on painting the valve cover and all of my brackets this weekend. Still tossing around the idea of painting the engine bay. What do y'all think?

Donsway

That was after I got the block back from the machine shop about a week ago. Had it bored 40 over brought it home, put the lower end together (master kit from Ted) and checked how high the pistons were in the cyls. All but one were .012 under the deck. The 3rd was .013. So I took it back apart and is now back at the shop to have .012 taken off the deck to make all but one piston be level with the deck. (0 deck height)

Here is where I found this info.
http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showfl...=&fpart=1&vc=1

Took 3 months to get it back the first time because the guy does big accounts and they come first I guess???? I've had him do some small block Chevy blocks, and a nice set of double hump heads, so know he does good work. Just slow...

This is the last eng. I built that he did the machine work on. Never has made it in the Nova it's going in. Things came up and it got a big hold put on it. I have a built TH400, 3200 stall to go behind that already. So sad...



I hope I don't get banned for posting a SBC on a Toyota forum.

flyingbrass

I've read of people using normal paint on the block with good results. Some say it holds up better than rattle can high temp engine paint.

My ignorant opinion is that surface prep and following application instructions of the product you're using probably matters more than the type of paint.

I think for your valve cover you'll need to degrease extremely well with a solvent that doesn't leave behind any residue and use a self-etching primer.

ShortMag

I just checked the quench. Pistons 1 and 4 are at deck height. 2 and 3 each had a spot that was .05mm under the deck. That's .00197". I don't think it is worth it to take the block back to have that taken off.

That post up by engnbldr is awesome. It answered my much needed question of exhaust size. (The pipe from my muffler to the tip rusted off at the muffler.)

My machinist also put other bigger accounts ahead of mine which didn't make me too happy.

I personally don't mind an SBC. A Ford though... that's a different story.

For my solvent i think i'm going to use break parts cleaner. The stuff is potent and won't leave any residue.

Where can i pick up self-etching primer?

Donsway

That quench is just right, would not even think about it again.