So its begun!

[Shteifen]

yay! i got my stuff back from Rob Baker this afternoon.
all looks great for the most part.
the only thing im a bit iffy about is the final machine job of the bottom face of the head, and the top face of the block. i havent taken the plastic wrapping off yet but it looks like on the machined face on the head there are some qute deep depressions in between the coolant galleries. and the same sort of thing on the top face of the block.
im pretty sure it where all that muddy scum was building up on the head gasket in that picture 2 pages ago.
anyone think this is gonna be an issue? head gasket wasnt leaking before or anything, or atleast wasnt causing any symptoms
will try get a picture of it up when i unwrap it
-steve

[Mrk_Mickey]

Ahh dude I haven't taken the time to go through this build yet but I am already jealous from seeing the engine apart and you getting it fixed up! I wish I could do that to mine already, but I have to wait a while....

Top stuff and looking forward to more pics

[Shteifen]

so im not gonna worry about those depressions in the head, pretty sure they are from coolant eating away at the head over the past 13 years. didnt cause problems before and the depression is smaller now that head and block faces have been machined, so new head gasket should be able to cop it.
painted the exhaust manifolds today with black head resistant paint, gave them three coats each so far, might give them some more later.
gave the engine cover a few sprays too cos i was bored murdered out FTW!
got the pistons onto the rods today yay!
the new pistons are definately made by a separate company, the webbing under the piston skirts are all different to the original ones. new ones are oem 2.9 pistons for vr's. they look better though, they have some kinda reinforcing metal stuff under the skirt which makes it look tougher cos its a different colour than the rest of the piston

i ordered new timing gear sprockets, two for cams, two for intermediate shaft, from work which will be coming in tuesday. should have replaced them when i did the timing chains a year or two ago so might as well do them now, they are fairly worn at the teeth.

this is the worst bit i reckon, having MOST of the parts i need, but not all of them. i have to wait until monday for the flywheel to come back from Orger engineering, tuesday for the timing gears, and sometime in the next 3-13 days for the clutch kit from Gripforce.

oh by the way! does anyone have a 15 degree ring compressor? i need it to get the pistons in (obviously). i have a normal one but im worried im going to eff up the rings if i try get the rings in without a proper one...

anyone got one i can use?
i need it asap!
ill get more pictures up soon
-steve

[Shteifen]

Ok not much progress so far this week.
cleaned some parts is pretty much it.
taped up and painted the block black, as well as the engine cover yay for black!
going to start polishing the intake manifold too and paint the rest of it....what colour? black of course!

question!
these blocks come with oil spray jets for the pistons that sit in the top of the main bearing, one is missing, the one that sprays # 5 piston.
its either never been there which i find hard to believe (cos it would probably have seized a bearing), though it may have been what caused the 5th and 6th pistons to have crap compression if they got too hot and wore out the rings? i dunno.
either way i need to find one. im going to call Rob Baker tomorrow and get him to ask his engine joint if they have one for it anyway.

mk1turbo79 has been so kind as to send me his 15 degree ring compressor so i can actually fit the pistons! yay for him!

need to find one of these oil spray jets before i can even get the crank in though
-stve

[DubSteve]

This thread is ghay without pics!

[Shteifen]

i know i know!
i took some more last night, ill chuck them on tonight if i get a chance. ill have the oil spray jet tonight so i may not have time tonight cos ill be gettin the crank in and the pistons too if mk1turbo79's ring compressor came in the mail today!
pictures soon!

-steve

[Shteifen]

Yay ring compressor came today! pity i cant figure out exactly how to use it! either that or i dont have the knack for it yet.
anyway, i got the crank in after cleaning the bores and drying it out. crank went in fine. i swear turning the main bolts another half turn after getting to the right torque setting is scary. feels like bolts are gonna stip. all went well though.
tried my luck with gettin the pistons in but couldnt quite figure out the ring compressor, maybe im just not familiar with it yet, ill get someone at work to help me out tomorrow.
oh i got the oil spray jet today and put that in before putting the main bearings and crank in too, it looks like it would have just fallen out when they were boring it out, got some loctite in there though, and the main bearing will stop it from falling out even if that doesnt, but it will.
pictures tomorrow i hope!
(after i fix my brothers car, i hate being the mechanic of the house sometimes!)
-steve

[PA.]

Sounds like a good rebuild Steve.

[Shteifen]

BAD NEWS.
im freakin pissed. and not the good kind of pissed.
first the good news, i got the crank in. yay. big woop.
trying to work out exactly how to work the ring compressor things i got from mk1turbo79, i measured the tapered hollow things he sent me to work out which one was the right size, figured that out, then tried to get the piston through it with firstly only a little oil, then alot of oil and still no luck.
the next day (today) i took a piston and both ring compressor things mk1turbo79 sent me into work and got a guy i work with to help show me how to get the piston through it without damaging the rings.
opened a bench vice wide enough to sit the ring compressor thing on top of it (not clamped, just sitting on top), put the con rod down the top of it, until the piston was sitting in the tapered hole. both piston and tool were both oiled.
then the guy who was helping me gentley tapped top of piston down with the wooden end of a hammer.....then a little harder....and then too hard.
BROKE THE DAMN OIL RING!!!
so now ive gotta find a place that will sell me either a new oil ring or a set or whatever number they sell them in.

apparently i dont have the technique quite right to get the pistons in yet. ive got another 5 to do so i hope to get the last one in right.

im too angry to put pictures up right now, i might do it tomorrow.

-steve

[Umai Naa!!]

Hi mate, the manufacturer of the pistons should be able to supply you with a single ring, or at least a set to do one piston. This sort of thing happens all the time, especially when fitting the rings to the pistons.