These two plugs on either side of the front journal. Gotta be there to keep oil up top. If not, it will just gush out back to the pan and you wont have a single psi of pressure.
Gotcha! I thought would be something like that! so, plug those somehow to build the oil pressure... oh but wait a minute.. isn't the oil priming done after the whole engine is assembled? meaning the cam, timing chain, cover etc will all be there? i thought it was, but i'm probably wrong lol
Those plugs are staked in so oil pressure won't push them out. Once they are installed, they stay there. Yes the oil priming is done after everything is assembled, right before you fire the engine for the first time.
ok got it now!!! I have to double check.. I dont think my block has those plugs in it. need to look at some photos. edit: just had a look at photos in my phone and yep those plugs are in place. I'll make sure they are loose.
The white assembly lube you have is junk. You will realize this when you open it, and all you get is the liquid, then the grease. It separates, bad! So it does the same thing on parts. Plus it doesn't "hold" onto parts, it will fling off very easy. If you have a tube of cam lube that came with the cam, you will see the difference...
They are usually removed during a rebuild, so the block can be thoroughly cleaned. There is a pipe plug on the back of the block at the other end of each galley that is also removed. A brush is pushed all the way through the block several times with hot soapy water to get all the crap out of the galley. You'd be surprised at the amount of dirt hidden in there. I don't know of anyone that has rebuilt an engine and left them in. Hopefully someone else can comment on that.
yes that! ooppsss! typing in a hurry oh right! didn't know that! first time ever doing this, so I'll get that done. remove the plugs and clean the galleys. Also, I seen a build thread where someone deburred the (don't know the name) area where the lifters are? those openings, in the middle of the block, to the cam. is it worth doing that? it's a shame I'm finding these things as I go, because I think I have cleaned that block like 5 times now, always find something else I have to do, then clean it all again.. hahaha
Addressing this so others can benefit... The carbon (as mentioned) near the top of the cylinders would be the dark lined buildup that run in the direction that the pistons travel, (vertical to the cylinder) and would be seen from the top of the cylinder down to where the ring ends it's travel. The line I'm referring to circles around the cylinder, and IS where the ring ends it's travel, where it bites into the cylinder a tiny bit. It's dirty because it is worn below the surface, and the hone has not cleaned it up yet, make sense? There is a clean thin line above it because 'that' is just above the ring's travel and is unworn cylinder. You can see that the hone is not contacting the area because it would have cleaned off the carbon above the worn spot. The portion of the cylinder straight down to the ground where you slightly lean down on it has perfect clean up, therefore I know it can be cleaned up. You can see portions where the hone begins to scratch it. If you were to move your arms in the slightest way while honing, it will clean up. It's just leaning away from the rest of the bore. It's a problem because unless you have changed to a piston that is shorter, has the ring groove location 'lowered' , or a shorter rod...the ring will ride over that slight trough every cycle. It may last a short while if babied around at low rpm. At full throttle there's more pressure against it, and along with the rods stretching slightly with full rpm, it will travel slightly past the trough. On a fairly worn engine having a more pronounced 'ridge', it break rings and can crack pistons. To prove your point and not take my word as a person that works in this industry, not a hobbyist, please scrape the top of the cylinder with a razor blade and see what remains. I've spent more time describing and typing this at what should be shop rate than machining your block in it's entirety.
yes you are right on this, I noticed that when I was doing the hone. there was an area that was cleaner than the other, and I pin pointed that to the fact it was probably where my arm wasn't exactly straight in line with the cylinder, as the area cleaning up more was the lower area to the ground, meaning gravity was just making my arm go slightly down. So yes, at the time I started moving my arm around in a circular rotation everytime I was coming to the highest point on the hone. Man.. I'll try and clean that stuff. I want it clean as much as you do, last time I done the second hone I just didn't want to be there forever doing it as afraid it would open up too much? not even sure that is possible, but as I wasn't getting much of a visual result on the top I thought better stop doing this before I go too far and eat too much of the cylinder walls away. Plan for today is to move the engine from our workshop to my friend house, I'm going to go to the workshop a couple of hours earlier so I can have a look and see if I can clean it up
Again, clean that most important part of the worn cylinder first, trust me on this. It's not an 'if', more of a do that first before proceeding. You aren't going to oversize it enough to need to purchase pistons. If you are really worried about it then now's the time to measure as you go. Bore gauge, feelers with a piston, whatever... I'd have to be fairly ignorant to overlook that.
Right, engine been moved to my friends house, didn't have time to get to the workshop in time to clean the bored before moving the engine. Saturday we start the assembly... and we will try clean up those brown lines on the bore and clean the oil galleys behind the plugs. After we moved the engine I went back to the workshop and cleaned up all the other surfaces, intake, oil pump, timing cover, etc. and found that I forgot to paint the intake! I primed it when the cold weather came in and as was too cold to actually paint I left it and completely forgot about it! Another thing I forgot is to clean the crank.... need to try get down to the workshop one evening this week and blast it with brake cleaner and air..... Getting excited about this now!!
Make sure the oiling holes in the crank are cleaned out and free of debris. Those holes carry oil from the mains to oil the rod bearings.
Will do. I'm taking the crank to the workshop tomorrow evening as the air compressor in there holds more air and more pressure than the one I have in my garage at home, planning on spraying a load of brake cleaner and blast air through it and down those holes
Started assembly today. Got a bit of bad news and all I wanted was really to be left alone, but my friend dragged me to his house to get this done.. Anyway, got the honing tool back out again, to try get rid of those brown rings... no chance. up and down, up and down, tool halfway out of the bore, it does make it slightly better but from what I was seeing, no matter how much more up and down I'd be doing on it, it won't clean it perfectly. it's almost like it would need a flat surface to scratch the brown evenly. So... we cracked on with assembly. and now writing this and looking at the photos I forgot to remove those caps and flush the oil galleys! I did remove the allen keys plugs on the other end, but then completely forgot to flush brake cleaner through it. My mind is all over the place at the moment. cleaned the crank till it was spotless. flushed the holes, blasted air through it, then cleaned it again some more at my friends house. There was assembly lube with the cam so we used that - after installing the bearings, the cam spins nicely with no bitting points. used the white stuff on the bearing shells - once the crank was on it also spins nicely with no bitting points. there was a lot of cleaning still to do in parts, like where the oil lifters travel, the place where the cam bearings sit, etc. Used one of those clever tools to knock the old bearings out and fit the new ones in, you know.. the one with the cone. very clever bit of kit. I probably done something wrong, but I'm trying my best. Installed all the cam bearings as per TA instructions - holes at 3 and 7 (looking from the front and engine upright) - holes don't line up but I guess that's the whole point, the oil will travel along the grooves and that creates a bit more oil pressure.. or something like that? The rear main seal is a pain in the ass to install. I'm not even sure I have done it right. We installed it offset, but those 2 little seals on the side...dear me. one side it wouldnt go down all the way, then had to pull it out and try keep the seal at the bottom while sliding the other bit over it (name fails me!) and all the way down.... I think it's ok as I could see it sitting on the bottom part, we will see... if it leaks at least I can change it from underneath and just take sump out. But the best was done... anyway, here's some photos as I always like to take photos for future reference. Possibily putting the pistons in tomorrow, all the rings are on. - on that question, my piston rings, only one set have the dot mark, which is facing up, the other set doesn't have any marks and is not beveled. it should say on the box, but the box broke inside during transit, so not sure which go 1st and 2nd... looking on the internet looks like its the one with no marks first (top of piston) and the one with the mark facing up second? one of the cam bearings had seen better days...
Been a while since I had my hands inside one of them small blocks. Last time I'm sure I measured side clearance of rods to counter weights. My caps tried to shift while torquing them down. I tried to feel the side of rods where there bolted to caps. No gloves JP.you shouldn't be able to feel any lip where Two halves meet.
The purpose of the TA cam bearings is to introduce the oil at a different location so it won't be "squeezed out" by the camshaft under all that spring pressure. And for the rings, google is your friends. Just type in *piston ring manufacturer name here* installation guide. From what I've read, and done, the rings with the dot are installed on top with the dot facing up. Rest is self explanatory. Fun tip for the connecting rod caps, place feeler gauges in between the caps before you torque them down, the biggest gauge that will fit so you have the most clearance.Then take the rods and just use your hands, or a helper's hands, and hold the rods together towards eachother so they don't touch the crank while you tighten. Or use more feeler gauges, if you have 4 sets of them. Screenshot from Horsepower TV's 350 Buick Buildup.
more progress today... and a few doubts/questions/concerns... So, to start with, I think I have the wrong lifters? I said to TA that I have a 69 engine, that does not oil through the pushrods and wanted the lifters that match this, but looks like they sent the wrong ones? they shouldn't have these holes should they? I know my old lifters didn't have holes. does it make any difference? the pushrods I'm using don't have holes in the them.... and on that note, the oil goes to the rocker shaft via a hole on the bolts further apart on the shaft, should the shaft itself have this cut as well, or because the hole here is bigger the oil goes between the bolt and hole on the shaft? Just want to make sure I have the correct rocker shaft... and on that note... how do I take the end caps of the rocker shaft? want to clean it inside as it's full of that grey gunk found on the oil passages, but can't figure out how to take it apart... and the final question.. head gasket. Am I right in thinking it's alright with the gasket not having the holes for the 2 waterways further apart? it would have holes if I was building a race engine or some sort of engine that would require the extra cooling? So, those were the questions. thank you. and now photos of today, pistons are in, heads on, I put the lifters and pushrods, but can take the lifters out if they are a problem with the holes, timing gears are in, dots match perfectly... thanks all! JP
Yes thanks. I read it, but from what you guys talk on here I thought TA Performance were the "know it all about Buick" company to go for, now looking at the website, the TA1406 lifters (the ones they sent me) have the same description as TA1405 (oil through pushrod) When I ordered the parts I have made the point of not sending an email and call the US directly on the phone to explain the engine I had and how the oiling is not done through pushrods. they said yes ok, that's fine...and still send the wrong lifters... or maybe they sent those lifters and the pushrod length to work with them? because I asked about pushrod length and the guy said with the cam I have, and the lifters then this type of pushrods will be fine. Who knows.... I certainly don't know. On my other thread there's different options. some say the lifters with no oiling hole are shorter, so my only option was to go with TA, which I did... but ended with lifters with oiling hole. other say it's fine and it works - lifters with oiling hole and solid pushrods. Not really sure what to do.
