Jthod's engine build work log

[jthod]

Well, it hasn't been on the road since June. I parked it after it started blowing blue smoke at idle, WOT, on shifts, on startup, and about everywhere in between.

Compression checked good, cause is likely valve seals. I've got 3 other vehicles, so this one doesn't need to be driven. I was planning on parking it this winter anyway.

I got lucky this quarter at school, and I have the opportunity to take an engine machining class for free. It's a pretty extensive machine class, but there are a some things I'll have to pay for at a shop out of town.

I've about got the engine pulled, other than the front end. I'll be boring over my 3.0 to a 3.2 to accept stock 3.2 pistons. I'll also be working over the heads, and cleaning everything up. I'm a student, and the only income I have is odd jobs I can round up, and hauling scrap metal (which is barely worth it at this point).

The plan is to get all the machining done on the motor and heads, and throw everthing together this spring when I'm back to work. By that time, I'll probably sell one of the four vehicles I have as well.

1990 stock 3.0 124k, regular oil changes, 60k'd, rod bearings, etc...

Stuff I'll do at school:
-Bore and hone cylinders
-deck block
-hot tank block
-line hone main bearing bore and caps
-deck cylinder heads
-3 angle valve grind, seats
-valve guides if needed
-valve seals
-gasket match
-port and polish
-polish crank

Outside work:
-shotpeen 3.2 rods
-zero balance

At home:
-paint everthing
-assemble
-haul ass

Let me know what you think, ideas, criticism.

I'm not going for huge power or anything, I just want a good build. I may down the road go to a lower boost turbo setup, but not anytime soon.

 

[Racer X]

You might want to skip decking the block and heads. The tolerance for doing so is almost infinitesimally small, take too much off, and your valve train will be horribly out of time.

 

[Phoenix]

Leave the block alone as far as decking it , specially if its straight.

As far as heads , I believe the max is shaving them 0,0010 in. , at least thats what SHONUT told me. more you shave more you increase compression ratio (very slightly). This is the infos he gave me for high compression pistons (12.5:1)

If you shave the heads 0.010", we can offer a maximum of 12.85:1
If you shave the heads 0.002", we can offer a maximum of 12.50:1
If the heads are unshaved, we can offer a maximum of 12.42:1

 

[jthod]

Good to know. The head and block should be fine, I wasn't sure if it was a common thing when building a SHO motor, most others you would.

 

[Eric VerValin]

x3 on decking. Every little bit changes your timing.. when I had my heads sent into the machine shop @ 161k miles... they said they were "damn near flat" unless you know for a fact your motor got really hot for an extended period of time, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

You will probally find too that when doing a 3 angle grind you may not need any shim's. I had a few that were too thick, and the machine shop just flipped the shim, and then shaved a hair off the top of the valve stem. Most of them were in spec after the grind tho.. I was pretty suprised myself.

 

[jthod]

Ok, I'll measure the decks, but they should be good to go.

The plan was to do a 3 angle, and check the shims at home.

 

[jthod]

Got it tore down to the long block, and I'll start working on it next week.

 

[firebat45]

You took the engine out without taking the hood off? So much easier to get at stuff with it off.

Post lots of pictures! Painted and cleaned up SHO engines look awesome.

 

[jthod]

The hood is wired up out of the way, it was far from in the way. I'll be putting it outside soon, and I didn't want to mess with that heavy ass hood.

Before that, I need to pull off the rear hubs and press in the new studs.

 

[jthod]

Well, I got it stripped to the bare block tonight, everything looked great in there. Mains still looked new, rod bearing had been replaced, but all looked good. The thrust was also very good, I couldn't feel any thrust movement at all.

Next week I'll hot tank the block, bore to 3.2 and get it all cleaned up.

Heads are after that, 3 angle valve grind, freshen up the seats. Gasket match intake, cold tank.


I'm also rebuilding a 305 for my father in law. Found a nice treat in there today, a phillips head machine screw pressed into the #1 piston. nice and shiny head with a matching indention in the cylinder head.

 

[jthod]

Hot tanked tonight, and MAN did it clean up nice!!!

I then prep-ed the block for boring. I measured the wall thinkness with a sonic tester, and found the minimum thickness.

After talking to the instructor, I decided to just clean up the valves and seat, and pass on the 3 angle job. I don't really have time for it, and it's not really worth all the work.

 

[jonheese]

Regards,
Jon Heese

 

[jthod]

I should have been taking them along the was, but I don't like covering my camera with oil and blood, and there was plenty of both...

I'll deffinitly get some after cleanup and machining though.

 

[jonheese]

I should have been taking them along the was, but I don't like covering my camera with oil and blood, and there was plenty of both...

I'll deffinitly get some after cleanup and machining though.

I keep my wife's old crappy camera in the garage for this purpose. The screen is kind of wonky, but it takes pictures fine as long as it's got fresh batteries.

Next time you "upgrade" your camera, keep the old one and use it as a "beater".

Regards,
Jon Heese

 

[jthod]

that's the plan, the one I have now is still too nice for that, plus it eats batteries like Oprah eats at a buffet.

 

[jthod]

Got all but one cylinder bored out on Thursday. Went well, but took forever. It can usually be done in one or two passes, but this took 4 passes per cylinder.

We're boring it over ~ .120", whereas the usual overbore for a rebuild is .030-.060".

I took some pics, but I'm not patient enough to upload them at 24k at home.