I Officially Started My Project This Morning

[toobroketoretire]

I am about one minute away from having my engine pulled out. Everything has been disconnected, the car is back on the ground, the chain hoist is attached, and after I rest for an hour I'll pull it out. By late this afternoon I should have the engine torn down (but with the crank still in it) and I'll be able to see what's going on with the oil rings. It has used a LOT of oil ever since I put it together last summer and I want to know why.

 

[kpic]

It has used a LOT of oil ever since I put it together last summer and I want to know why.

Methinks the Bon Ami cleanser..





.

 

[toobroketoretire]

#5 Rod Bearing Had Spun

I got my short block completely stripped and found the #5 rod bearing had spun. I find that really odd because it didn't make any noise and I had full oil pressure. The tangs had flattened so the bearing was spinning in the connecting rod bore. The rod journal is damaged and the main journals are scratched so I'll have to get my crank turned .020"/.020" and get my #5 connecting rod resized. My timing chain had stretched but as it has around 100,000 miles on it that is to be expected. All 8 cylinders honed nicely. I'm going to order a high-volume pump just for the piece-of-mind. I'll take my crankshaft to the machine shop tomorrow morning then dive into my cylinder heads when I get back.

My oil rings had completely seated so I'm still convinced the rings have expanders that are way too weak to control oil. As the cylinder bores are in excellent condition and my valve guides are good and with new Perfect Circle Teflon seals the only possibility for the high oil consumption is the oil rings. As the rings came un-boxed and wrapped in a "oiled paper" I suspect they were made in China. So hopefully these new Mahle moly rings will work better.

It's been a full day so I'm turning in early.

 

[Antz81]

As the rings came un-boxed and wrapped in a "oiled paper" I suspect they were made in China.

I'm still not convinced they were cheap Chinese rings. After all, your only evidence is a lack of evidence.

 

[kpic]

I'm still not convinced they were cheap Chinese rings. After all, your only evidence is a lack of evidence.

Probably, the same as cylinder heads, TBTR has rebuilt more engines than we've seen.

 

[toobroketoretire]

I'm still not convinced they were cheap Chinese rings. After all, your only evidence is a lack of evidence.

No, there is plenty of evidence. All 8 of the pistons have a thick layer of carbon on their tops which indicates oil burning in all 8 cylinders. There is very little buildup of burned oil on the undersides of the intake valves which indicates the seals are working good. That leaves only the oil ring expanders as the cause. As I pulled the pistons out I observed the oil ring gaps and found all 8 were around .150" which indicates not much pressure being exerted by the expanders. Remember the Bon Ami was only used after this engine had over 40,000 miles on it to see if it would reduce the oil consumption. It did but not nearly enough to make a huge difference. I have seen the result of weak or wrong oil ring expanders in the past and that is ALL of the cylinders are affected.

I'll take my crank to the machine shop first thing this morning then dive into my cylinder heads when I get back. The weather is absolutely ideal for this kind of work and I want to get it done before winter sets in.

 

[LLC5]

I got my short block completely stripped and found the #5 rod bearing had spun. I find that really odd because it didn't make any noise and I had full oil pressure. The tangs had flattened so the bearing was spinning in the connecting rod bore. The rod journal is damaged and the main journals are scratched so I'll have to get my crank turned .020"/.020" and get my #5 connecting rod resized. My timing chain had stretched but as it has around 100,000 miles on it that is to be expected. All 8 cylinders honed nicely. I'm going to order a high-volume pump just for the piece-of-mind. I'll take my crankshaft to the machine shop tomorrow morning then dive into my cylinder heads when I get back.

My oil rings had completely seated so I'm still convinced the rings have expanders that are way too weak to control oil. As the cylinder bores are in excellent condition and my valve guides are good and with new Perfect Circle Teflon seals the only possibility for the high oil consumption is the oil rings. As the rings came un-boxed and wrapped in a "oiled paper" I suspect they were made in China. So hopefully these new Mahle moly rings will work better.

It's been a full day so I'm turning in early.

Dude you need to find a different engine builder.

That is way too many problems to have in one engine.

 

[kpic]

Dude you need to find a different engine builder.

That is way too many problems to have in one engine.

That was my exact thought also. The only good news, he didn't pay for the work...

Way. way too many problems to have in a supposedly rebuilt engine.

TBTR, your post said the engine has a lot of "issues." As you did the work; what can we say....

 

[LLC5]

That was my exact thought also. The only good news, he didn't pay for the work...

Way. way too many problems to have in a supposedly rebuilt engine.

TBTR, your post said the engine has a lot of "issues." As you did the work; what can we say....

I would say it this way: His Junkyard mentality finally caught up with him.

 

[toobroketoretire]

New Valve Guides Coming

My valve guides had been knurled and then worn about .002" so I pounded them out and ordered new ones from Summit Racing. As I'm going thru all the trouble and expense to install larger valves there's no sense in using worn guides. This project will end up costing me close to $2000 but I feel it's worth it (or at least I keep telling myself that). When I order parts from Summit Racing I usually receive them the next morning because they have a warehouse in Sparks Nevada,

 

[kpic]

I would say it this way: His Junkyard mentality finally caught up with him.

As it's the first time I've ever heard of refacing new valves; I see your point..

 

[toobroketoretire]

A Week To Ten Days

The crankshaft grinder told me he's running a week to ten days behind so I won't be able to assemble my short block for a week or more. In the meantime I pounded the valve guides out of my heads and ordered new ones from Summit Racing. With luck they'll arrive this morning so I can begin my valve seat grinding. I spent an hour yesterday scrubbing the exterior of my engine block in preparation for painting but before I paint it I'll wash the inside out with gasoline then blow dry it. I also ordered a valve guide seal cutter so I can shorten and cut the tops to a .530" O.D. for the PC Teflon seals that will also arrive this morning.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Made Some Progress

My new valve guides didn't show up today but my new high volume oil pump showed up. I got my old pick up pushed into my new pump with red LocTite on it to prevent it from vibrating out. I also got my block painted and my new polyurethane engine mounts installed. Note the difference in the height of the gears in the high volume oil pump to the OEM height gears; a .250" difference in height. Then I spent the rest of the day cleaning parts and getting things organized. My new valve guides should arrive tomorrow and that's when the fun will begin.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Exhaust Guides Only

Only my exhaust guides got delivered this morning because the intake guides are coming from Ohio. I got 4 of them installed then decided to take off for lunch. After I get the other 4 installed I can start in on the valve seat enlargement and that's when the REAL fun will start. I was doing some port grinding earlier this morning and my compressor's output suddenly slowed WAY down. I took the cylinder head off and found one of the .010" thick intake reed valves had broken and the pieces scored the cylinder. As I have some .005" stainless steel I made two reed valves and got them installed hoping the twin .005" reeds will flex easier. Other than the damaged cylinder bore it at least works again. I really need a larger 2-stage compressor for the work I do because I'm killing these little twin cylinder Harbor Freight compressors that are made for 2-3 hp electric motors. I'm spinning it at 1-1/2 times it's rated speed with a 6 hp gasoline engine so that's why the reed valves fail. Plus my governor is set to 150 psi which is 30 psi over the compressor's maximum limit.

 

[kpic]

I'm spinning it at 1-1/2 times it's rated speed with a 6 hp gasoline engine so that's why the reed valves fail. Plus my governor is set to 150 psi which is 30 psi over the compressor's maximum limit.

As usual, you sir, are really scary.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

e I'm killing these little twin cylinder Harbor Freight compressors that are made for 2-3 hp electric motors. I'm spinning it at 1-1/2 times it's rated speed with a 6 hp gasoline engine so that's why the reed valves fail. Plus my governor is set to 150 psi which is 30 psi over the compressor's maximum limit.

Anybody need more proof of this guy being a complete troll?

 

[kpic]

Anybody need more proof of this guy being a complete troll?

I did a search for "Too broke to retire and Corvette"
CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion - Search Results
Beats me if it is the same TBTR. However, it sounds similar...

Here is all this TBTR's posts:
CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion - Search Results

TBTR:

Set your M-20 onto blocks of wood so it's sitting dead level. Then measure the distance from the cement floor to the bottom of the mount surface then measure the distance from the floor to the center of the output shaft so you can calculate the distance from the mount surface to the center of the shaft. Then take the same measurements of your new transmission and see how they compare. If the measurements are the same no shims would be required. If the new transmission is say 1/4" more the crossmember would have to be lowered 1/4". If the new transmission is say 1/4" less then you'd need a 1/4" shim to make up the difference.

One of the answers:

This is what need to try-better than a block of wood as there's a lot more technology available thesedays-

Get the Tremec app and a smartphone-
AND know that just moving both a little will be the solution-as you have TWO operating angles.

Did your new transmission come with instructions and all of the important dimensions?

By TBTR
{quote]Your secondaries don't "kick in" but rather slowly open as the engine's need for air increases. That's why AVS or vacuum secondaries are always vastly superior to mechanical secondaries on street engines. To be able to open the secondaries the choke must be fully OFF because there is a mechanical "lockout" on the right side of the carburetor base that prevents the secondaries from opening when the choke isn't fully open.[/quote]

One of the answers:

Disagree. A lot.

A lot of the answers sound pretty similar to what we read here...

Yep, I've been married and divorced 3 times so now I'm Toobroketoretire.

Hey TBTR, is it you?

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

He is at it again - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion

Sound familiar?

 

[Antz81]

Anybody need more proof of this guy being a complete troll?

Sadly I think he just doesn't see the problem.

 

[Tom Bryant]

What happened to those gears from the old pump? It looks like metal shavings or sand has been going through it.

Tom