Quote:
Originally Posted by Momoclo
The ONLY place on the engine where RTV should be used is the upper oil pan surface (there is no gasket).
If you absolutely insist on using a sealant, use High Tack. No matter how little RTV you use, it will squish out and contaminate the engine internals. Using a "JUDICIOUS" quantity is guaranteed to cause internal problems/damage, primarily plugging the oil pickup screen. Bits that get past the screen can also wedge in the relief valve and cause low oil pressure issues.
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I have to second this. We bought gasket kits for the whole engine and replaced every single gasket and used RTV on the upper oil pan.
I am sorry it has been so long since the last update. I had an accident about a month ago, involving this engine. We were attempting to crimp the new masterlink on the timing chain with a tool that we found at harbor freight that we thought might suffice. The tool was a harbor freight chain breaker. (see picture 3) It worked fantastic on the first one. I walked over to watch the second one and the rod on the end(very high carbon cheap steel) shattered. I had just come in the garage and didn't yet have my safety glasses on. So of course out of everywhere it could have gone a 4mm piece entered my left eye. We rushed to the emergency room and thought that the black spot in my iris (see picture 2) was the steel and they would be able to remove it. We later found out that the black spot was just a hole where the steel passed through my iris, shattered my lens, passed through all of the viscerous gell, and punctured my macula, which is the center of your retina, the part that you read with. So I was then rushed to Emory for intensive surgery. I no longer have a lens. Its been an intense recovery process and it has left me partially blind in my left eye(still healing, God is good).
ANYWAY! The moral of the story is wear saftey glasses always and dont buy harbor freight for anything important!!!!
There is one thing good to come out of this, and that is it made me so upset that I was so close to finishing that engine and it had defeated me so I got my dad and my grandfather and within 4 days from when I was actually able to go outside, we had the engine in the car running
So that made me happy, and weve actually been driving it and working some kinks out!
Im sure you guys would love to just see the finished project, but I'll just pick up where I left off
I left off at Engine Dissasembly.... SO the next would be a stupid amount of cleaning. If you have a car that is so greasy you have to literally SCRUB every part down 20 times before its some what clean, it is just worth taking them to a machine shop and letting them jet wash it for you. Its such a time consuming, grueling task that its just worth spending a couple extra bucks to let them do it. Plus They are gonna get it cleaner than anyone ever could by hand. (Cant wait to show you the pistons
)
After cleaning, I would say the next step is Ordering Parts and Machine Shop. LISTEN TO THIS NEXT STATEMENT. Find someone who knows what they're doing and is confident. The grey-er his hair the better. We took the head and the block to a guy that all he did was v8's. We decided to leave it there because it was close. Like 3 minutes close. He was the nicest guy in the world, but was scared of this engine. The head and engine sat there for 2 months (maybe 3
) and all that happened was he honed the cylinders and rubbed down the head with high grit sandpaper. WASTE OF SO MUCH TIME. We finally broke down and drove an hour to this machine shop in acworth (Goza Machine for anyone in north GA area) and we knew he was good. He could hardly hear us, waddled around, and had all grey hair! He had a huge, organized shop, he had driven a diesel mercedes before, and worked on domestic and foreign. Now, you have to take your stuff to the machine shop before you order parts so they can measure everything out. So within a couple days we were ordering cylinder sleeves, all new exhaust valves, valve stem seals for him to replace. We also brought him all the pistons and he told us they were all worn equally. Very little though. which is incredible because they had 300,00 miles on them. and FYI you cant get a new set of pistons for under $1500
So he decked the block, the head, put the new sleeves in, bored them to the pistons, pressure tested head and replaced exhaust valves, and replaced all stem seals. He also washed everything, including pistons. It all looked brand new.... I think that that set us back $1800....?
After that the rest of the parts were ordered. We love pelican parts. Probably spent $2500- $3k there now. Just on the engine. I dont even feel like listing out everything weve bought, would take days. Lets just say everything that could possibly wear and more... besides pistons.
When it comes to assembling the engine, its pretty easy... Its amazing how everything just wants to go back together. Just make sure you have a nice torque wrench! Im also not gonna repeat myself and say stuff that is easily found on these forums or in the haynes manual. (get one).
I will say, dont try to pull off the power steering pulley unless you have the mercedes puller. bad idea. Also, unlike gasket sealerm you can never go wrong with judicous amounts of assembly lube. everywhere. bearings, cylinders, everything.
When painting the block and head, and everything else for that matter, spend your time in masking and prep and use high heat engine paint. its worth it. Use naptha to remove all traces of grease or oil, and spray. I did 3 coats and its beautiful.
MORE TO COME.