Stroker rebuild

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Mon May 05, 14 2:45 pm

Pete wrote:I think it is a case of make the best of it as said previously.

Only one thing to add really...I think you can pull ANY engine apart and find fault - however minor, it is a question of degree.

What you need to decide is what is "Good Enough" for your purposes.
You are not out to make monster power.

You may have to put up with Piston slap noise and high oil consumption - or you could buy a replacement block that MAY be OK, new Pistons, bearings, Rings, re-balance, divorce, etc.....

You may need new rings anyway - check ring gaps - and again that could be a case of what is available.

I have an engine where the ring gap is excessive but the bore wear is not, but nobody makes oil rings that are oversize in that configuration.
In my case it is either risk oil blow-by or have a re-bore.

Choices, choices.

All the best with it...

brilliant advice peter, get it tore down have someone check all clearences etc if within and even on the edge re ring it hone it, bearings pump etc etc, you will have a good enough engine, i would hazzard a guess at least half the engines on this forum are turds but do what the owners require,,,,,,,,

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Mon May 05, 14 2:54 pm

I think I will get a Sonic test done on the block first as recommended, that seems to be a logical first move.

I have done a search and cant find anywhere around Essex that does this any ideas where I can get this done? Please.

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Mon May 05, 14 3:29 pm

Carl wrote:I think I will get a Sonic test done on the block first as recommended, that seems to be a logical first move.

I have done a search and cant find anywhere around Essex that does this any ideas where I can get this done? Please.

I'll ask about mate

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Mon May 05, 14 3:49 pm

Johns Engineering......formerley C&S engines.......John Ellis, good guy!. used to do all my machine work/balancing yrs ago, built Race engines as well, and ran a Pro Mod yellow Capri.....give them a try.....

http://www.yell.com/biz/john-s-engineer ... d-4793918/

John's not there that much these days but hopefully his staff know what they are doing?.....just down the road from me, if you try them and John is there?.....let us know, I may still be able to get a bit off there on price.....maybe?

Les

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon May 05, 14 6:19 pm

So if the Sonic test reveals the block is weak, then what are you going to do? Throw it away?

Tear down, Measure, options, Re-Ring, Hone, Bearings, quality timing chain, assemble, Hoon.............

Philth · Post by **Philth** » Mon May 05, 14 6:27 pm

Don't know about sonic testing but this place did a good job refacing my cylinder heads: -

http://www.gosnays.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

You can even pop into Mossy's for a cuppa....

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Mon May 05, 14 6:31 pm

Philth wrote:Don't know about sonic testing but this place did a good job refacing my cylinder heads: -

http://www.gosnays.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

You can even pop into Mossy's for a cuppa....

Yep. On me doorstep and I didn't even know it was there !!!j

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Tue May 06, 14 6:31 pm

Philth wrote:Don't know about sonic testing but this place did a good job refacing my cylinder heads: -

http://www.gosnays.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

You can even pop into Mossy's for a cuppa....

I know Gosnays along the A12 been there several times for work on my 300zx's good company but don't think they do sonic testing. Cheers anyway Phil

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Tue May 06, 14 6:43 pm

Pete wrote:So if the Sonic test reveals the block is weak, then what are you going to do? Throw it away?

Tear down, Measure, options, Re-Ring, Hone, Bearings, quality timing chain, assemble, Hoon.............

Not sure yet Pete depend on what that reveals if it needs a re bore to true the cylinders up and there isn't another re bore left in it, there isn't much I can do with it. Im not going to spend good money on a lemon, I will consider my options then, its a project so time isn't a factor.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Tue May 06, 14 6:44 pm

Les Szabo wrote:Johns Engineering......formerley C&S engines.......John Ellis, good guy!. used to do all my machine work/balancing yrs ago, built Race engines as well, and ran a Pro Mod yellow Capri.....give them a try.....

http://www.yell.com/biz/john-s-engineer ... d-4793918/

John's not there that much these days but hopefully his staff know what they are doing?.....just down the road from me, if you try them and John is there?.....let us know, I may still be able to get a bit off there on price.....maybe?

Les

I will check them out Les cheers.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue May 06, 14 8:32 pm

I really wouldn't bother sonic checking.

You only need to consider getting that done if the bores don't clean up with a hone and even then only if you can find pistons that will fit. Like chevy sizes or something.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Tue May 06, 14 8:50 pm

So that puts me back to square 1.

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Wed May 07, 14 11:34 am

don't worry

hone it

clean up the pistons

oily wetndry rinse in the sink followed by a polish with anusol sorry autosol

build it

run it

aussies have been boring Poly 318s and Hemi 6s to 4 inch bore for years

thats a 90 thou rebore and the hemi 6 is an LA style casting came out of the same casting/experimnet/programme that made the LA318 and ultimatly the 340 and 360

obvioulsy if the walls are thin you risk warping and blowby problems eventually, but you'd see signs of that now. your scoring in the bore would come and go -- - - - - - - - - across each warp.

it would be wavy shiny/misty/shiny/misty as you go down the bore

BUT

you rebore to put the motor back to how it was when you expected it to last 150,000 miles

do you need this to last 100,000+ miles? NO... 40 yeah maybe

i have put new bearings in a motor with worse pistons than that and done 3 years of commuting on it.....

I was young and skint and at was low revving 1600 VW engine but it worked just fine pushing a heavy old van along.

if you had not had the rocker adjuster issues/backward piston you'd still be happily ignorant of any of this and that motor would have probably slightly underperformed its way to a good long life.

get it running and buy a 360 for when if ever it actually goes bang

everyone assumes that the horrors they find in a rebuilder happend due to neglect towards the end of a long life

am willng to bet some of it happend in the first 6 RPM

Dave

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed May 07, 14 11:45 am

What he said.

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Wed May 07, 14 1:50 pm

Not everyone wants to build and spend money on an old slapper motor and run it just to get back out there, especially with a 4spd and hope it lasts a while, its good money after bad...... if your bores clean up and you have .008 PTW after you've cleaned/checked the pistons, thats twice whats recommended, it'll run, but beat itself to death especially as a stroker....you'll need to pre-heat the motor up before you start it!!!!, and even then it'll be crap.

I personally don't see it, spend your money wisely and build a good motor with the right clearances that wll seal well, one that you can be confident with on the street or the occasional 1/4 mile run and not worry about it breathing out the sides of the bonnet, do it ONCE. I guess you got to see what the bores measure up at and what the clean could produce at least and then you know where you are and if its worth continuing for you.

There are plenty of options you could go with that won't cost a fortune, 360 LA block, stroker kit, or even a 318 to 390 stroker, or just a 360 with Comp. and your heads etc etc., 400hp ain't hard or expensive to achieve if built proper.

Les