Engine Rebuild: 2

Phase two of my engine rebuild took me from a short block to a long block in an afternoon.  Essentially this meant adding the cylinders, pistons and heads.

Flywheel shims are first

The very first thing to go onto the short block were the shims.  Before the flywheel or the main oil seal could be fully installed--torqued down--I had to check the crankshaft endplay.

Crankshaft endplay is perfect

Endplay is the distance that the crankshaft moves from one end to the other --front to back--now that it is seated on the main bearings inside the freshly sealed case.  Too much endplay and the crankshaft will chatter and tear up the insides of the engine.  Too little endplay and the crankshaft will bind in its bearings will and freeze up the engine.

Just like Goldilocks would have wanted, the endplay has to be just right.

In goes the main oil seal

No more leaks here

It takes a set of three shims, which yield a total of no more than 7mm and no less than 3mm of crankshaft endplay.  I bought a set of six shims in varying thicknesses and a micrometer for measuring the endplay.  I chose a set that matched what came out of the car, figuring this would be a good place to start.  The shims go on under the flywheel, which is then torqued down and measured.   It was good sign for the previous state of the engine that the three shims I chose were perfect.  The endplay was just over 5mm.

The 'Torque Dude' in action

Flywheel lock is simple

Once the shims were in place, the next piece was the main oil seal.  This rubber ring is reinforced with a steel spring, and it fits tightly into the gap between the crankshaft oil slinger washer and the edge of the case, keeping oil from leaking and spinning all over the back of the flywheel, which goes on next.  The oil seal went in straight and easily, with just a  few taps.

Case studs ready to go back

Ready for some pistons

Next came the flywheel.  Using the two miracle tools that helped me get it off, I had no trouble installing and torquing down the flywheel.  The simple little flywheel lock and the ingenious 'Torque Dude' made this task like the proverbial piece of cake.  In a few minutes I had the flywheel on and torqued down to 270 ft lbs with just a torque wrench.  Tasty.

First piston is in

Cylinders are in place

Now it was time to put the 'long' in the long block, adding the bits that make it an engine.  This process began with the re-installation of the case studs, which hold the cylinders, heads and pushrod tubes in place.  These sixteen rods went back into the very holes that they came out of months ago.

Cooling tin between cylinders

Head test fit

With these in place, the pistons could be mounted on the connecting rods, and the cylinders could be mounted over the pistons, all of which took place in fairly rapid order.  Since this was at least the third (possibly the fourth) time to do this, it went rather smoothly.

Now for torquing

Pushrod tubes are tight

Pushrods tubes and heads were next, allowing for the shims at the base of the cylinders and the spacers on the top, next to the heads.  Bolting on the heads takes some patience and care, circling round the bolts to tighten it evenly.  The pushrod tube seals fit perfectly, as did the little cooling tins that fit between the cylinders before the heads went on.

Next is the rocker arm

Finally, some bling!

After the heads were toques down, I slid in the pushrods and bolted the rocker arms back into the heads.  It's too soon to check the valve clearances, but it looks good so far.  Nothing is binding or too loose, and everything is lining up the way it ought to.  The last step of the day was to put on a bit of bling: the chrome head covers look real slick!