Quote:
Originally Posted by JLMounce
I do think the hydraulic rollers may have been part of the cause here. I wouldn't look at any other set on this except the Johnsons, which currently have a decent reputation.
I'm certainly looking at the idea of solids however. My only worry has been idle time. This is a street car and while I don't typically drive it in stop and go traffic where it may be at idle a lot, it does see some idle time. This seems to be somewhat of a known problem area for solid rollers.
At least locally, it appears that assembly costs on a rebuild run around $750.00 or so. So it's probably a wash after purchasing tools. I would need pretty much everything. All I currently own in this department is a torque wrench and dial calipers. I'm thinking the minimum assembly tool list looks like this.
Micrometers
Dial bore gauge
Deck height gauge
Timing wheel
Ring compressor
Ring filer/squaring tool
Anything I'm missing there at minimum?
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I have been doing this a long time. I do not have a bunch of micrometers. Just a 0" to 1" and a 3" micrometer and rarely use them.
No dial bore gauge either, but I will get one to check used bores. They are not expensive and if you are going to bore or ridged hone this thing you do not need one.
I mean, so if you want to check every little thing and you have extra cash there is nothing wrong with it. But I have a guy, a machinist and if he says your rods and mains are this clearance they are exactly what he says they are. Every time I have checked its been spot on.
But you need snap gauges to check your main clearances with a micrometer too.
No deck height gauge either. But I do have a cheap Harbor Freight 12" digital caliper for checking pushrod length and you will need one of those. A 6" too because everyone needs one of them. The 12" can be used to get close on your deck height. Deck to main and do the math.
You will need a adjustable pushrod to check their needed length.
You need one of those Summit adjustable ring compressors with the big hose clamp. Cheap. Ring filer, cheap.
Get the Summit degree wheel, cheap and you will need one of those Comp Cams crankshaft sockets to be able to turn the crank while degreeing it.
And Jegs makes a real nice and not expensive balancer removal-installer kit (77$) and you will need one of those for a press fit balancer. No slip fits on a real engine.
Good torque wrench. And if you are wise and use Molnar rods Lisle makes a torque angle meter for 60 $.
But you can buy a decent Harbor Freight torque wrench and does angle too for 180$.
750$ sounds pretty cheap for assembling a engine. Does that include degreeing the cam ? Guys I know charge a lot more than 750 $
You could just run a sft cam lifters and not worry about a thing after you get a good break in. I ran a chevy sft lifter in my 455 for years and it worked fine. Did not modify the lifter bores either for the oil band difference. Probably should have and its just a little labor and easy. I would be temped to run a chevy tool steel lifter on a custom Bullet sft cam and do the lifter bore mod.
Can not imagine one going flat.
And I just got off the phone with BAM lifters. Their lifters are pressure fed and have been shown to be practically indestructible in race engines.
With the spring pressure you are going to run you could not hurt them.
IMO get a custom Bullet SR cam from Tim G. and run the BAM lifters.
Not cheap but noting about this hobby is.
Some good pistons, right ring pack with ported rings, lighter steel rods and a custom SR cam and your engine will run So,ooooo much better and put a smile on your face.