Engine Rebuild how to's?

[zarnah]

Anyone know of a good step by step guide on the net I can use as a reference in rebuilding an engine for the first time? at the end of the day I just want to have a crack at it and see how I go but woud be good to have a bit of a guide to follow

[Koom]

Factory service manual?

I've got one for the BC5 in pdf if you want me to email it to you. Its probably on the net somewhere cause thats where I spent days downloading it on dialup back in the day although I haven't gotten around to putting up on the Subaru wiki that was started earlier this year.

Although, have you got proper measuring tools for the bore's, bearings etc. Need the proper equipment for that cause without them, you could end up with huge (or barely any) clearances right where you really don't need it.

[zarnah]

 Koom said:

Factory service manual?

I've got one for the BC5 in pdf if you want me to email it to you. Its probably on the net somewhere cause thats where I spent days downloading it on dialup back in the day although I haven't gotten around to putting up on the Subaru wiki that was started earlier this year.

Although, have you got proper measuring tools for the bore's, bearings etc. Need the proper equipment for that cause without them, you could end up with huge (or barely any) clearances right where you really don't need it.

yeap im going to have the crank, bores and pistons I use etc checked properly before assembly, and I have feeler guages, digital calipers etc I have never used haha, what other specialist tools would come in handy? I have all the usuall tools, was thinking a piston ring compressor thingy? they look handy

[Guest SPANKU]

yeah download yourself a workshop manual

i get all my block measured and machined by the pros the rest is just reassembly which is pretty straight forward with the workshop manual gives you the step by step instructions and torque settings and sequence

[rex-leggy]

i didnt need all that much really gauges to check ring gaps you will want ans the ring compressors , otherv than that the rest is basic tools and remembering to put s!&t back were you found it lol

[Ryan]

Plasti-guage is a good idea for checking bearing clearances to be 200% sure, its a tiny length of wax/plastic the you place on the crank and bearings then do a mock assembly then pull apart. Check the squash size of the plastic and compare to chart and it shows your clearance. I can't stress enough how important having the correct clearances are (and yes I've learned the hard way haha).

Also make sure your compression ratio is correct, incase the heads or block have been machined in the past and you need pistons to suit etc. If your just reassembling a engine you've stripped done and done bugger all to you should be sweet but if you want to do it proper then there's a few things you need to do along the way. I've got some photos I took during one of my builds if you want a bit of a insight

Edit: here's the photos http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43028&id=100000025571994&l=d7cd1b733e

[Koom]

 Ryan said:

Plasti-guage is a good idea for checking bearing clearances to be 200% sure,

Micrometer and bore gauge would be 900% percent sure using that scale then?

Can also check concentricity with bore gauge.

But if he's getting all his important stuff measured up and just installing, may be able to get away without those tools. But then may as well just pay the machine shop to put the bottom end together.

[Ryan]

For sure, always use a micrometer to check journals but just saying the more ways you use to check it the more reliable the end result. Getting a shop to short block it would take alot of the risk out of things, always a good idea haha.

[zarnah]

 Koom']

[quote name='Ryan said:

Plasti-guage is a good idea for checking bearing clearances to be 200% sure,

/quote]

Micrometer and bore gauge would be 900% percent sure using that scale then?

Can also check concentricity with bore gauge.

But if he's getting all his important stuff measured up and just installing, may be able to get away without those tools. But then may as well just pay the machine shop to put the bottom end together.

I want to put it together just to say ive done it pretty much haha, wouldnt mind taking it somewhere where they dont mind me hanging round and showing me how they do all the measuring up etc, everyones gotta start somewhere

[Ryan]

 zarnah said:

I want to put it together just to say ive done it pretty much haha, wouldnt mind taking it somewhere where they dont mind me hanging round and showing me how they do all the measuring up etc, everyones gotta start somewhere

For sure, good on ya. The first engine I built was a EJ and now it seems all other engine designs are back the front haha. If you see those photos you'll have a bit of a idea what your in for

[Koom]

 zarnah said:

I want to put it together just to say ive done it pretty much haha, wouldnt mind taking it somewhere where they dont mind me hanging round and showing me how they do all the measuring up etc, everyones gotta start somewhere

Pretty much how I learnt a whole heap of random stuff by hanging out at RDL nearly every day.

[zarnah]

 Koom']

[quote name='zarnah said:

I want to put it together just to say ive done it pretty much haha, wouldnt mind taking it somewhere where they dont mind me hanging round and showing me how they do all the measuring up etc, everyones gotta start somewhere

/quote]

Pretty much how I learnt a whole heap of random stuff by hanging out at RDL nearly every day.

Are they right in town somewhere? I vaguely remember driving past a workshop near the centre city somewhere and seeing a white bc5 with a cage etc in it and something tells me that was RDL?

[WRXER]

Nah not RDL they are out Hornby ways, although may have been at Stubaru's. Him and Tony are pretty well connected

Details are in my sig link

[Koom]

 zarnah']

[quote name='zarnah said:

I want to put it together just to say ive done it pretty much haha, wouldnt mind taking it somewhere where they dont mind me hanging round and showing me how they do all the measuring up etc, everyones gotta start somewhere

/quote]

Pretty much how I learnt a whole heap of random stuff by hanging out at RDL nearly every day.

Are they right in town somewhere? I vaguely remember driving past a workshop near the centre city somewhere and seeing a white bc5 with a cage etc in it and something tells me that was RDL?

Yeah as Nick said, RDL is out in Hornby Industrial area. If you saw our Legacy about 3 or 4 weeks ago (the only time its been plain white recently) it could have been at the paint shop. Or maybe the body shop which is just a random workshop somewhere with not many signs. Otherwise, it was someone else's.

[D-Style]

If you havnt done any or only just a little engine building, I would try and watch/help someone build an engine or 3.

That way you get to learn the different tricks and traps that come about during engine building.

How about starting small, like rebuilding a lawn mower/motor bike engine? it may not be the most interesting engine to build, but if I had a dollar for every apprentice/goon/failracer I heared talk about building 2000hp RB26's then fail to build a simple 2 stroke lawn mower engine right...

Make sure you have good tools. Not saying go out and buy $30K worth of snapon stuff... but have have a good range and qaulity.

Follow product instructions to the T. If a company wants you to stand on your head wearing a tutu while bolting down a Head on one of their headgaskets... then thats what you gotta do.

[zarnah]

 D-Style said:

If you havnt done any or only just a little engine building, I would try and watch/help someone build an engine or 3.

That way you get to learn the different tricks and traps that come about during engine building.

How about starting small, like rebuilding a lawn mower/motor bike engine? it may not be the most interesting engine to build, but if I had a dollar for every apprentice/goon/failracer I heared talk about building 2000hp RB26's then fail to build a simple 2 stroke lawn mower engine right...

Make sure you have good tools. Not saying go out and buy $30K worth of snapon stuff... but have have a good range and qaulity.

Follow product instructions to the T. If a company wants you to stand on your head wearing a tutu while bolting down a Head on one of their headgaskets... then thats what you gotta do.

I have rebuilt my own dirtbikes for about the last 6-7 years