Rebuilding an engine

[solitaire]

This is something I have always wanted to do... my old man could do it in his sleep but I didnt have the forsight to learn when he was around.

Is there any sort of evening course etc where i can learn basical engine tear down & assembly?

Am i making a mountain out of a molehill? Is it fairly simple?

This is something I will be looking to do late this year early next year on a 4age, once mister 2 is up and running reliable.

[deaf_rattle]

i have an engine stand you can borrow

[RomanV]

People will tell you that you cant, and it's too hard, and blah blah blah.

But if you want to do it, and you take the time to learn what you need to do, and you are methodical and make sure everything is clean, no reason why you cant.

You'll have to get a few things done at a machine shop like honing and some of the precise measuring, but reassembly isnt exactly rocket science, if you are methodical and precise.

Someone said there are 6 Cs of engine building...

Check check check, clean clean clean

[solitaire]

i have an engine stand you can borrow

Sweet! Awesome thanks Matt will keep that in mind

But if you want to do it, and you take the time to learn what you need to do, and you are methodical and make sure everything is clean, no reason why you cant.

I'm fairly anal about these sorts of things, so i like to think i have the right attitude to do it... biggest problem is what is the learning method? keen to take the time to learn and not rush things, would even be prepared to pay (being able to build and engine is sort of a bucket list thing for me)... i just don't know where to go if that makes sense?

[thornz]

Always been keen to have a crack at something like this myself. My plan was to buy some heap of shit engine that I didnt even need and have a crack with that, that way, if it all turned tits up, no big loss, but if it turned out well, you could probably flick it off on trademe to someone. But, no space for anything like that at present, so it goes on the "to do oneday" list.

[Dell'Orto]

If you can get hold of a workshop manual, then you're pretty well set. There are no real black magic secrets to building a normal motor (race motors however....) you just need to make sure everything is clean and ready to go.

[nz_climber]

If you have never pulled any engine apart I would suggest pulling something simple apart - like a lawn mower engine, rebuild a broken one with new rings gaskets etc.. Gives a good insight to a combustion engine, has massive tolerences, and less parts so its easy to keep track of stuff. Plus at then end of it you have lawn mower

Thats what I did, got given a broken mower only a few years old that would not work because it ran out of oil, bit of cleaning, gaskets, rings, plug - started first pull! now have 6hp mower that would cost over $700 to buy new

Plus you only need minimal tools, and no expensive machining needed

[Sick Puppy]

Good on ya man, I'm in the same boat for next year myself, and looking forward to it, although I have no idea what I'm doing (yet!)!

[XSVWGN]

i have wanted to do similar things. I have pulled apart and rebuilt many a 4age 4agze etc. Im heading to do an Automotive Engineering course.

Dont want to be a mechanic as im happy as a chef but knowing a thing or two about engines is all good

[fuel]

Can't agree more with 'check check check clean clean clean'. I would go as far as saying as getting the machine shop to put together the bottom end as you really want those bearing clearances spot on and they would have all the accurate tools such as micrometers to measure the size of the journals right the way around which using something as plastigauge doesn't always pick up. It's not very often you can get spot on clearances from fitting the bearings straight out of the box, sometimes all it takes is the bearing shell to be pulled out and put back in again to alter the clearance somewhat as it may be 'pinched' differently by the bearing cap.

[sergei]

Don't cut the corners on machining/machinists, get someone who has experience with these engines (not some random guy who only does big V8s ).

[fuel]

Yep and also most modern engines now these days have each journal machined to a specific size or size range and you often order each pair of bearing shells individually to suit that particular crankshaft. However having said that you can often get away with 'one size fits all' ACL bearings.

[RomanV]

I lol when people fit 'race' spec ACL bearings (or from who ever else)

When they have significantly worse tolerances than buying the factory bearings to suit the markings on the crank and block.

(Except in the case of when you get it linebored or whatever, and factory markings are no good...)

[Akane]

I lol when people fit 'race' spec ACL bearings (or from who ever else)

+1

[MAGN1T]

I don't think too many people do planned rebuilds, not as a beginner. It normally comes as a bit of a suprise when you blow your first motor by accident.
That's how I rebuilt my first one, had a workshop manual, got the machining done put it together and it ran.
For a planned rebuild, cheapest way is to buy a couple of blown motors, blown in different ways, then build one from two on the cheap.

Steve

[rollaholic]

surely any blown engine you buy will be the HG tho steve

[Bling]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA Snap.

[MAGN1T]

Not if it's rattling in the bottom end. Well it might do from detonation.
Hahaha.

Steve

[Dell'Orto]

I lol when people fit 'race' spec ACL bearings (or from who ever else)

When they have significantly worse tolerances than buying the factory bearings to suit the markings on the crank and block.

(Except in the case of when you get it linebored or whatever, and factory markings are no good...)

I would hope that most people who do that dont just throw them in in and she'll be right refer the latter 3 C's