Progess report

[Rsgwynn1]

Shortly after the modified heads showed up, the cam and lifters (Comp Cams) arrived and I finally started to reassemble the engine. Shall I list the steps?

1. Coat head gaskets with sealant and carefully torque heads to required specs.

2. Remove heads after realizing that lifters/tappets won't go in after heads are put on. Clean sealant off gaskets and blocks. Curse liberally.

3. Insert cam. Insert tappets. Replace cam gear.

4. Remove cam gear. Replace cam plate. Replace gear. Curse liberally.

5. Coat head gaskets with sealant and carefully torque heads to required specks. Experience deja vu.

6. Turn engine stand around several times while torquing heads so you cannot remember how the rocker arm assembly (which you carefully laid out when you dissambled the engine) went. Curse liberally.

7. Figure out how the rocker arm assembly goes. Drop wrench on toe. Curse immoderately.

8. Insert valve rods and fit into rocker arms.

9. Tighten rocker arm assembly to torque specs.

10. Notice that one valve rod is out of rocker socket. Loosen rocker arm assembly. Retorque. Curse moderately.

11. Replace front cover. Notice that something is binding so that it doesn't fit flush against the cover plate.

12. Spend an hour looking at everything that could be binding against the front cover--remove camshaft bolt, remove camshaft gear, refit front cover, etc. Curse extremely.

13. Decide that front cover isn't binding at all; it's just waiting to be tightened so that the o-rings in the water passages will expand and fit it.

14. Go to Ace for more bolts (original purchase was too short).

15. Go back to Ace for more washers. Curse slightly. Stop at liquor store on way home.

16. Task completed. Deep satisfaction. Open bottle of Shiraz. Consider taking up smoking again but take Chantix instead.

17. Contemplate attaching oil pan. Contemplate cursing in advance. Sip Shiraz.

18. More Shiraz. Manana.


Signed,

A. Novice

 

[napa 1]

Thanks for the laughs. Makes me feel not so alone in my novice mechanical escapades. I know that deja vu feeling quite well, and I'm afraid my ever-present eight year old twins may have added a couple of overheard, previously unknown, colorful words to their vocabulary.

Carry on.

John.

 

[Bill Blue]

Guys, rest assured that as long as you rebuild, you will continue to experience this kind of stuff. Especially if you insist on branching out and rebuild different kinds of engines. After a while, you won't even curse any more.

Well, at least not very much.

Bill

 

[V_Mad]

I definitely concur. If anything can compensate for your troubles its a Shiraz.

 

[skywords]

I know that feeling. I finished assembling a Porshe engine only to find myself wondering what this piece of sheetmetal was for (oil baffle) Duuuuh. It was about step one in the assembly process. Split the case.

Your not alone.

 

[V6 JOSE]

Oh Sam,

I feel sorry for you. I have a little bit of not so good news. The head gaskets should be put on dry. Other than that, it sounds like you are following the path that all of us go down, when we start rebuilding engines. I was a lot like Rick, in that I completely rebuilt a VW bug engine, and wondered what the large snap ring was for. I turned out to be the snap ring that holds the distributor drive gear in place. I never did split the cases to install it, so had to stop the engine in gear, because if it detonated and the engine ran backwards for an instant ( which is common for these engines), the gear would slip and the next time you went to start it, it would be too far advanced to start.

Jose

 

[Rsgwynn1]

The head gaskets I removed (brand new) had sealant on them. It took me an hour to get all of it off the block before reassembly. Tell me I don't have to break it all down again. Please.

 

[bulldurham]

Progress Report

I am only a few days away from the beginning of a v-6 rebuild and this is not encouraging at all. But if it takes as long to build as it does to get the parts together I'll be able to manage the stress w/o getting to blasted.

 

[Rsgwynn1]

I hear you. I've been gathering parts since January and am still short a couple of things. I may have some extra pulleys, though.

 

[bulldurham]

Progress Report

Thanks for the info. Supposedly both are on the way to me from Ohio and hopefully they are the correct ones. I will keep you on my parts list though.
This same source may have 2 engines for sale as well. When I can determine exactly what he has I will post the info for others.
Doug

 

[Jeff Scoville]

The head gaskets I removed (brand new) had sealant on them. It took me an hour to get all of it off the block before reassembly. Tell me I don't have to break it all down again. Please.

I guess it dependss on what you used.
If you just used the spray on "tacky" stuff you will be fine.
I can say though it is not a great idea to torque, then take apart, then re-use head gaskets as they crush and seal when installed.
Not trying to add to your worries, I'm sure you will be fine.
Just for safety sake you might want to wait a couple days and re-torque them again, maybe adding 5lbs.
Just to be clear, back in high school (late 70's) I had a buddy who drag raced a 69 Chevelle. He got a small block 400 from a junk yard with God knows how many miles on it. Now mind you we didn't have much of a budget. So we pull it apart, throw rings and bearings in it (not measuring a thing) re-use the factory gaskets that didn't tear, silicone sealed everything and away we went.
That motor lasted for 5+ years, 3 different cars and alot of wins.
Never leaked, never smoked, never blew up.
You'll be fine.

 

[weaselkeeper]

An "old school" Cummins and Detroit diesel mechanic friend of mine swore by this head gasket sealant tip.. don't use head gasket sealer or spray "tack". He retired from the truck mechanic business using spray can automotive primer on the head, block and gasket. He put down a fairly heavy coat or two and let it set for a couple of minutes to skin over, but not completely dry before assembly. I did this on a 350 Chev and a 454 Chev in my '72 Blazer. I got another 100K on the 350 before swapping it with the 454, just 'cuz. Last I saw it, it was still churning.