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I suggest you send out for a chip burn given what set-up you have for the best results.Plastic gage the bearings if you want.Best bet would to have a machine shop hot tank,re-ring and re-bearing it to a short block form while you have it part to re-gasket it.Have them add a new oil pump. Also have them do a valve job checking for cracks and put in new guides/valve seals and maybe new valve springs if needed.There is nothing wrong with your first build to have a good machine shop build you a short block.That is smart money spent for sure.
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That Reher Morrison book looks nice. I think I will have to purchase it sometime. The machine shop will be doing your measurements/straightness IE cylinder bores, cam bores, main bores, block deck, cylinder head deck, crank journals (rods & mains) etc. They will install new cam bearings toosince being a newbie is difficult since you have to have those absolutely staright when punching them in. Using plasti gauging street engines issuitable enough. If you were building a Hi-po mill, plasti gauge is not as reliable when needing correctclearances for a lot of horsepower. Atleast I think it isn't.
Like Gary mentioned you should have them check the valves for sealing & proper operation. If the engine isn't in terrible condition you might just get away with a general valve & seat grind. Both books you will learn numerous things, just the racing one will go in-depth since you have to make sure every place that can cause heat (friction-your enemy) and go about the way to reduce it.
The machine shop wil have its process for cleaning, magnfluxing etc. If you can, or if they will let you, stand and watch and ask a question or two. I was fortunate enough to work at a auto parts store that had a machine shop so I hungout back in there when it was slow.
Thereare lots of aspects of the engine that become complicated but we wont touch on those until you get a good handle on the basics.
I just want to learn to do it myself, and to do it right. And I don't want no tire shredding machine, yet.
I wish I had the chance to work in a machine shop or mechanic shop or something, or at least knew somebody that does so they could help me. But I am on my own here, but hopefully with words of wisdom from you guys that know what you are doing when the heads and everything come off.
Eventually I want to be comfortable with putting a whole engine together by myself with parts I picked out myself.
I hate relying on others for repairs, I would rather do it myself even it costs more for tools and stuff. If you want it done right do it yourself.
I will let you guys know when I get the dvd and the books and I have read through them and I start peeling apart that engine. I was hoping I could do that this week but apparently Christmas is around the corner again and that tends to eat up any extra money I have set aside for this thing. It might just have to wait until after the holidays which is also a big on my face...
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Dont listen to what I say, listen to what I mean!
Yeah the tire shredder will come sometime along the road. Look in your phone book to see if there are any engine builders near to ask. If they are nice enough they will guide you also. Reading, asking questions (like already mentioned) is the best teacher for now. When you dig into the mill, there is us in the forum and the machine shop or engine builder to speak to.
For starting out, the engine is a big air pump like a compressor except with spark plugs or glow plugs until you reach the Heavy diesel engines which do not use glow plugs they use compression to ignite the fuel. The camshaft turns 1/2 the speed of the crankshaft on 4 cycle engines. Cylinder heads vary in chamber, valve arrangement designs. As do pistons from dished to flat to domed. Application to application, parts differ between years and displacement. If Chevy didnt change their 350 piston design from 1989 to 1995 your pistons should have valve reliefs (4 to each piston). I have just mentioned very vague descriptions so if you would like to move into more detail let me or Gary know or whoever else replies toyou. I am sure they wouldnt mind it at all.
The first one looks like more for racing engines, but I figure I can still learn a lot from it.
Hummmm-could the teacher here being suggesting a path that wouldn't include mistakes the teacher has already make in his past???.Oh shucks.........learning the hard way is sooooo,much easier.NOT!!!!.Over 40yrs of drag racing,was a engine tester at a GM plant,Master mechanic in small engines,just tell me where to stop with the creds.
Here is what I am telling you.While you read about $40,000 race engines(or more than that),you need to know how to read thru the lines to weed out the what relates to you or not.In order to do that,you MUST KNOW THE BASICS.You can count on me for that with my PM being open 24/7.
I am suggesting you take it slow with your first build for you to start to build the building blocks for you to learn from there.All I am trying to get you to understand is I will do my very best to keep you from trashing you first engine just to learn from that.Success with the first build is a really great learning tool and complete failure.....well not so much.
I will most definitely be asking for help here, but I figure a few good books would help weed out a lot of the "annoying n00b questions".
I ordered the DVD yesterday, it will get here next week probably and I will probably have to wait until after xmas to start tearing it apart, as I think I am getting some tools and stuff and I don't want to spoil anybodies gifts by buying something they plan on giving me.
I really appreciate you guys willingness to help. I feel like such a n00b and I know a lot of forums aren't so friendly, especially computer related forums they seem to be the meanest for some reason... Anyways, I will let you guys know when I am ready.
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Dont listen to what I say, listen to what I mean!
I think then you are on your way to learning about this subject.A honest assessment of what you know is a very good start in deed.I am not saying that to be mean either.I am saying that to let you know there are NO dumb questions.
Tell you what.How about some questions for you??.Just some basic questions for you to learn from.And guys no help here,let him realize how much he really does know.
1) What does a four cycle engine mean and what are those cycles??.
2) How many valves are there in a small block Chevy engine per cylinder and what are they?
These are not in any way to make you feel foolish.Moreover to make you feel more confident with what you do know or will learn.
BTW:Some people know tons more about tons of other stuff than me.If you haven't noticed,spelling is surely not my strong suit.And yes,I did attend college @ U.B. @ Buffalo.Looking up from the bottom of that ladder-I am certain you are a much better speller than me.Surely that makes you a tons better poster/author of threads like this than me.
In this thread @ 7:00 on the 29th you stated you want the help.Right??.At 9:54 on the same day in the general tech section you went back to saying you want to build the engine all on your own.Right??.I am confused.
In this thread @ 7:00 on the 29th you stated you want the help.Right??.At 9:54 on the same day in the general tech section you went back to saying you want to build the engine all on your own.Right??.I am confused.
He most likely wants to do it himself but be guided through it & have the helpwhen a question arises. It shouldn't be too confusing.
RE: Wanting to learn more...
