The rebuild has finally started today and so far in a few hours I've managed to completely strip the interior.

 

 

 

Next job on my list is to get both the bumpers, tailgate and bonnet off.

 

After that i'll work on the body panels and stripping down the engine.

Here we go, all turning fine, but just seems really stiff.

 

[video=youtube_share;59CQRmP7dQo]

does look a tad stiff given the size of the breaker bar Lee....when you started the build and put the crank in all buttoned down,could you turn the crank nice and free...then after the pistons and connecting the rods another test to see iff nothing was binding before the sump pan went on. looking at the way your pushing that bar ide be tearing it down and checking again mate :wink:

Agreed,

 

Engine rebuild Take II :)

 

Ordered up some proper lube you originally suggested, i'll start breaking the engine down tonight and start again.

 

I started this build in the works yard and moved everything to my home garage so i've either done something wrong

or something is wrong with the bottom end since it was dismantled.

 

 

 

 

does look a tad stiff given the size of the breaker bar Lee....when you started the build and put the crank in all buttoned down,could you turn the crank nice and free...then after the pistons and connecting the rods another test to see iff nothing was binding before the sump pan went on. looking at the way your pushing that bar ide be tearing it down and checking again mate :wink:

Agreed,

 

Engine rebuild Take II :)

 

Ordered up some proper lube you originally suggested, i'll start breaking the engine down tonight and start again.

 

I started this build in the works yard and moved everything to my home garage so i've either done something wrong

or something is wrong with the bottom end since it was dismantled.

 

yea that move out the unit was really bad timing mate and just at a critical part of the build...take it apart mate and re-adjust your mojo and ime sure you,ll be fine Lee..iff you was,nt that far away ide be up there tapping into your coffee and helping out..looks like you have the job licked just need to re-check thats all:cool3:

Engine now stripped back to block.

 

 

 

And another wee video showing the rotation of the pistons and crank.

 

[video=youtube_share;evj13B2NBbw]

Engine now 99% stripped to its base components :

 

 

 

I've left the crank in held only by the oil pump and seals and rotation is very good and free.

 

Even with the crank cover on it felt just as loose and free as it is with it off.

 

I don't think I will bother stripping it any further as I would have to split the seals and risk wasting two paper gaskets.

 

I made another wee video to show the crank moving.

 

[video=youtube_share;RJ2qKhlaoc4]

Bottom end reassembled and everything is rotating easy enough. :)

 

So before I bolted down the cylinder heads I dismantled them once more on the bench.

 

First I removed all the lifters in sequence and then fitted the camshaft, at this point I just wanted to see if they rotated easily enough

which they did when they were properly lubed up.

 

After carefully fitting the lifters again and ensuring that they are not jammed and move easily I torqued down the cam shafts again.

 

As a test I but one of them on its side and using a spanner tried to manually open the valves.

 

This is were the problem lies :(

 

It took a lot of effort to get them moving so I think the valves must be damaged.

 

Tomorrow i'll dismantle them again and get the valves out to check but I believe that i'll have to order a new set.

Thats a pity Lee :sad:

At least you have potentially found the issue before using the car. Will you have to replace the guide too now?

Guide?

Turning the cams by using the "flats" on the shaft with a wrench against the valve springs is surprisingly very hard and it does feel like there is something stiff but this is normal...to determine if each stem is binding in the guides just take off the collets and drop each valve out...No dis-respect Lee but if this is your 1st deep engine build then you dont really have anything to gauge good or bad from and what appears to be wrong to you might be perfectly normal...check the individual stems before spending more money as how could of you damaged the valves if you only turned the motor by hand:confused:.

Edited September 10, 20178 yr by znut

I'm thinking I've damaged the valves when I originally dismantled everything.

 

As I don't recall putting everything at top dead center.

 

I'll soon find out i'm just about to take the valves out again and see how easy they move.

 

Turning the cams by using the "flats" on the shaft with a wrench against the valve springs is surprisingly very hard and it does feel like there is something stiff but this is normal...to determine if each stem is binding in the guides just take off the collets and drop each valve out...No dis-respect Lee but if this is your 1st deep engine build then you dont really have anything to gauge good or bad from and what appears to be wrong to you might be perfectly normal...check the individual stems before spending more money as how could of you damaged the valves if you only turned the motor by hand:confused:.

Well, its good news.

 

Dismantled the top end carefully and the valves are all good.

 

One by one I removed them and checked how smoth they moved.

 

I also inserted the lifter again without the spring to see if they move freely enough and they do.

 

Next job is to start again and put it back together. :)

I original planned to get the zed home at the weekend but discovered that the trailer wouldn't be available.

 

So the schedule had to be bumped up a bit and she made the trip home tonight.

 

Two hours all in to get her strapped up, moved back to its new home then take the trailer back.

 

 

 

Arrived home we offloaded the zed into the street.

 

 

It took three of us to push the zed of my drive, over the stones to its final stop in the new garage.

 

 

 

A nice fit with plenty of room all round.

 

 

Looking great in the garage mate and you can now work away at it in your own time. Hope to see it in the metal next year.

everything is looking great and all coming together nicely considering you were running two big projects, great job

Very nice Lee!!

All came togther nicely and on time.

 

With less than a week from the drive getting done and the leave date on the yard is next monday night.

 

Still to move my gearbox, old exhaust and a few tools that i've left.

bet you are a happy boy to get it home lee.

Not too tight, i have a double garage and with storage cupboards/garage type things stored in there, i have similar room to what you have.

 

Invaluable that Lee, make sure it's securely locked, security lights, shed alarm or better, etc, i know you have your camera trained on it but you need deterrents :cool3:.

Very nice Lee excellent work.

Back working on the engine again today and the sump is sealed up nicely and the top cylinder heads are torqued down again to spec.

 

I was about to put the lifters all back in and I noticed that they all went soft so 2 hours later they are all rebuilt for the second time.

 

Lifters now back in place next job tomorrow night is to start putting the camshafts in and torqueing them down.

Not had an update for a month and a bit so here goes :

 

Due to the caps for the cams locking out when torqued and also a few other issues I've had to source replacement cam blocks.

 

Many thanks to Mikeybean for supplying these at a very reasonable cost.

 

Back to my rebuild and the blocks are layer caked in all kinds of crap so I've completely striped them down and organised all the

parts to go back in order later to ensure no issues this time round.

 

I've had to steep them in a soapy solution for a few days then rinse them off a few times.

 

I've been using an engine degunk solution on them which has lifted away a lot of the crap but the carbon on the inner sections remains.

 

I would prefer a deep clean but funds are nearly non existent so does anyone know of anything I can steep the blocks in for a few days.

 

My brother suggested diesel but never heard of that before.

 

 

So far I've manually scoured over the head area with soft brillo pads to get rid of the old gasket and also clean the valve areas.

 

Any other suggestions ?