Some Notes on Rebuilding Engines

Well, it's done. The engine for my truck is rebuilt and I have installed it. I thought I would take the opportunity to go over some of the things I have learned over time about rebuilding engines. My very first rebuild was a one lung motorcycle engine, and I had an owners manual and some basic tools. I think I was 13 at the time. Back then, an owners manual gave you the instructions needed to do that kind of job. Today, not so much. I think they give you instructions on putting air in the tires with a warning not to suck on the inflator while depressing the air trigger.

An internal combustion engine really is trivial. What is not trivial is making one that can operate under rude conditions for 1000's of hours without blowing up. That first rebuild of mine? Yes, they did recommend taking fine grained emery cloth to the bearings if the thing did not turn freely. Piston pin tough to get in? Sure pound her home it will be ok if the piston can still slide back and forth on the rod. That engine ran like a scalded ape until I thrashed that bike into oblivion. I gave that motorcycle a final ride off a cliff into an old water filled rock quarry. A burial at sea of sorts.

Then... My first car.

I was 16, and I bought a pretty clapped out Triumph Spitfire, and I learned about Lucas Electrical. "All Hail The Prince of Darkness." Even though I had successfully rebuilt the engine on that motorcycle, I knew enough to know I was ignorant as hell. So I went to Billy. Billy owned an automotive repair shop and gas station near our house he was also a very wealthy man. He and my father would play golf together on occasion so that was my entre, I had caddied for him before. Billy gave me a corner of his shop to use,  and showed me the basics. Billy, was also a fine figure of a Southern man, who had a taste for fast cars and hot women. "Close your mouth boy, you'll catch flies" he would often say to me as one of his women showed up to come on to him. From him I learned how to make critical measurements using a micrometer and a dial indicator to make sure the various parts were within tolerance. He also taught me how to improve the performance of an engine, and a few things about women.

Since then I have done dozens of rebuilds from old Ford tractors to a Jaguar V-12. The numbers change but the same things apply for all engines. The main thing is, attention to detail. 

1. Don't think, know, make the measurement three times and  average the results.

2. Use the factory manual for torques and specifications. A proper factory manual will also show you each step in the tear down, inspection and rebuild process. With the Internet you can get this stuff for a small charge or for free.

3. Take photos, label things, and bag things as you go with clear descriptions of what and where. Take notes, draw pictures and clearly identify your point of reference. I always take about a dozen or so photos of just the engine in-situ before I start for a general view of how things hang together.

4. Before starting study the factory manual for the order of disassembly and re-assembly. I load the manual onto an electronic pad so I have a ready reference available. If you have no other choice get the Haynes or Chilton manual for that vehicle. Be careful though they can be incomplete, incomprehensible or down right wrong on occasion. Exploded assembly drawings are invaluable. Search for images of the assembly using the "exploded drawing " tag on the internet.

5. Use the specialty tools mentioned in the manual. You can borrow them from most auto parts stores with a security deposit. Proper tools usually do not include using the phrase "I need a bigger hammer."

6. Use the proper adhesives, sealants, and lubricants called out in the manual. I use almost exclusively Permatex products. For sealing threads for fluids I use Teflon based thread paste available at most hardware stores. Check the label for high temperature, multiple fluid usage. Always use an assembly lube on the bearings and the like when re-assembling the engine.

7. Keep your workspace orderly, and for pity sake put your safety glasses on.