Engine refresh

flattop1

Dawg 89
Just an update on the 2014 thread why engine costs not outragous .
Our engine needed rings due to poor performance and 10% leak down.
I am on vacation so have some free time < I should be able to knock this out in a few hrs.
First thing yesterday I get started bam, 15 minutes and all 15 bolts removed and a pile of stuff on the floor. hone it take it in the house to wash up. wife complains about me using the sink again. in and out with piston and rod. want to change cam so stop for the night. waiting on driver to go to shop and get new cam. Start out fresh today 12.00am wife says to get parts off the flower bed or else. can't work in garage as it full of other projects plus doubles as warehouse. so grab my new burette and go to cc the thing receive questionable results( unacceptable) . dis assemble clean and start over still not satisfied. disassemble cc individual heads and cylinder on the second attempt at repeatable results as the fluid is flowing out the burette i see foreign material enter the spigot and stop the flow. Having no choice but stop and clean burette a mosquito has sacrificed itself in the fluid, after 20 minutes and finally disassembling the burette hes almost out , grab the air hose and blow nozzle press button no air as it all leaked out because I left the nozzle in the leaky connector. finish that up and move on things looking good cc'ed ok at 27.5 time to stop for the night . im only 36 hrs in and got a clean block with cam lifters and piston/rod assembly all buttoned up with a side cover.
Heck, when the grand kids get here tomorrow im sure to make some progress
 
Update so today i decide its time too grind the crank flash off the modifed preadator , per arc .
I bought a hemi and non hemi swapped heads cam , port , arc rod and flywheel with attending spring and retainers .
All in 2015 . Brand new never ran . Kept oil in it rolled it over squirt oil in cylinder . Took good care of it .
Today its hard too turn over . Pop flywheel off , pull side cover . Its got a small amount of debris and corrosion . Where that came from i have no idea as i thoroughly washed it . Pop rod off , cranks dry and has witness marks from bearing sitting over winter . After i get the crank out i pull the piston out the bottom , just to see if it can be done . As its been mentioned you can change the rod this way . Why i have no idea .
Pop head off of course the cylinder has flash rust . Along with the bottom of one push rod and the under side of valve cover along with the push rod plate .
Inspect the piston and rings now the ring lands need relapping as well .
Now i see the return passage way has a small build up at the drain end . I will dremmel that open and round off the edge .
All that and the output shaft is clean no rust .
Another reason the engine builder is worth the money .
Save frustration and disppointment , pay the man .
 
Found the low oil hole open along with the crankcase vent .
Allowing moisture and debris in . It followed right up the drain back passage . Into valve chamber wreaking havock there as well .
Took a differnt path today decided to clean up and put all the tools away before continuing .
Clean my best 5 gallon bucket out . Take it in the house to fill with hot water .
Set it down in kitchen for a dash of soap . The darn things leaking . Out the door . Now not only am i washing a block . The bath and kitchen floor .
In the distance i hear don't use my towels on the floor . To late .
Add some mineral spirits to prevent cylinder rust and off we go .
Find a new bucket . Now i have a totally clean honed and oiled block .
2 afternoons in on a simple remove and replace job .
Now too order new replacment parts for the new unran rusted stuff .
I think my opinion of pag oil has changed . This is the second engine too rust up in storage with pag oil .
 
Another 2.5 hrs . Lap rings clean up piston cam and lifters .
Of course the flathed lapping tools too small .
Hand lap them . Install bearing in block , side cover is clean .
Set end play two gaskets is too much one is too tight cam falls out on second try . One gaskets just right .
Lubed with motor oil and lubriplate no moly.
All holes plugged and wrapped in a plastic bag .
 
Set the flywheel yesterday . Valves and springs are in the mail . So i decided to get the modeling clay out and double check my piston to head clearance .
I think i may have used solder last just not sure . Any how its minimum .038 . Checked via caliper and micrometer both correlate with my in the hole and head gasket thickness .
The heads been milled a bunch , right down to the laser etched marking .
The overall head width is 2.85 valve cover surface too head gasket surface .
 
Gaskets and springs came in .
Popped a keeper trying to short cut the spring compressor.
Thats a do as i say ; not as i do momment .
Needle in a haystack moment came true .
Quick lap and cc head 17cc after milling .
I may have gone too far , the plug extends beyond the head .
Necessitating a relief in the piston .
Going to need indexed for sure with washer .
2.5 hrs and its complete .
Right at 8 hrs to disassemble and reassemble an already completed engine .
Less carb and exauhst .
 
Last edited:
^^^Yea me either , too late to switch horses . Ha ha
Decided to fire up the one i did last fall .
Its a no start . Straight too the plug as its outa my old triumph .Put in a new one it fires up and runs like crap .
Straight to the fuel bowl . Main jets clean a little water in the fuel bowel . Idle jet needs a slight cleaning , spray everything out with carb cleaner .
Reassemble . Wahla runs like a champ . Its already mounted on the dyno so next we shall see if the ol`computer has any life left in it .
 
There's many times I've beat my head against the wall wondering why I ever got into this business.
It sure wasn't for the money.
But for the most part, I love what I do every day for 30+ years now...not many people can say that about their livelihood.


-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
31 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Back
Top