I need machine help, I am feeling lost.

[Anonymous]

Many of you know I am tearing the engine out of the Mustang right now. I am also planning the rebuild and talking to two machine shops I have narrowed down to.

Both of them want a list of all work to be done and they would love it if I measured my clearances and rod height first. I have never done this and was trying to find a shop that would do some of this for me. It appears I have to figure this out first.....

I have read the Performance handbook cover to cover many times and I have a better knowledge of the process, but I am not convinced I know enough to do this????

I was hoping to find a shop that would take the block and head and do the work measuring as they go, and install the head and rockers, basically get back a complete assembly, timed, and ready to be installed and broken in. My budget for this is between 1200.00 and 2000.00.

I am starting with a C8 200 block and Aussie2v head.
The car has a C9 head now.... (That will be sold off)
I am pulling the engine next week as a unit including the C4 transmission...
Once I get it out I can tear it apart and begin to take inventory of what I have now... I have no idea what has been done to this block since I have only had the car for a couple of years... I need to measure for bore and height, make sure I have a decent starting point.. What else should be done at this stage? The 2v is in the garage and has been magnafluxed, I have no valves a complete set of springs and stock adjustable rockers, valves were lost in shipping.

Here is my initial idea….
Install a COMP 252H cam kit with matching valve train package. (They offer K, SK, CL, - not sure what those letters mean yet.)
I assume a complete kit would include: Lifters, Rods, Springs, Locks and Seals.
As far as the valves for the head go, what are your thoughts on 1.75 Intake and 1.5 Exhaust? Since I am adding valves anyway, I might as well have them machine for larger ones. I would then need retainers, and guides for the larger valves?
On top I am still debating using either roller tipped rockers or Full Roller rockers. For the full rollers, changing to the oil thru lifters and rods, is that something I can work out with COMP? And I am not sure if I would need a shim plate for mounting or not?
Other than install a port divider and mill both the block and exhaust surfaces that is pretty much all I am planning on the head. Blast and polish the intake.

As for the block, that depends on the bore and condition which I will not know until I tear it apart. If the block has already been bored up to .040 then I am SOL.
If there is room in there and on top, then I was going pretty basic down here, Small dish replacement pistons (6.5cc), Moly rings, Static and Dynamic Balance. I also have a set of timing gears for this as well.

So what else do I need to do here and tell these guys, do I have conflicting buildup ideas? I am VERY sure the head gasket on this car is aftermarket since I have a 250 head and 200 block. I need to find out if the block was decked or the head was milled prior????

OH YEAH, and I am running a Holley 2300 500 cfm carb, 2.3L T5 with 3.03 7.5 rear.

 

[Anonymous]

Well after a long day calling round town and getting repsonses like:

ME: I am in the process of rebuilding a Ford 200.....
THEM: Oh I'm sorry!!!

I may have an option to send this engine out of town:

I found this tonght:
A breakdown of the prospective shops catalog:

Our labor rate for machine work is based on $25.00 per hr,very odd or R&D will be quoted by the job. We can keep our rates down by keeping low overhead. We work with many racing teams on their engine programs.



Labor Rate
Multi-angle valve job per cyl. (2 valves) $25.00
(4 valves) $40.00

Engine boring & honed w/deck plate per cyl. $30.00

Deck block ,,(must fit under our mill wheel) for a 4 or 6 cylinder starting at. $75.00

Re-condition rods and install new rod bolts $18.00 ea.

Pocket port 2 valve heads (per port) $25.00 Stage 1

Gasket match Intake & Exhaust ports Up to 1" deep in port or manifolds $12.00 ea.port side.



Engines & Cylinder Heads
GM,Ford 6 cyl. inline cylinder HEAD ,bronze guides,1 pc. stainless valves,ported,remove head bolt boss on GM,CC'ed, milled,chambers polished,springs & retainers,screw-in studs, ready to bolt on. $1350.00 (customer must supply good cores, we have some avalable for sale.)

Complete Basic 4 cylinder ENGINE* assemblys start at $1995.00 for oval track or basic E.T. dial brackets, $2595.00 for inline 6 cylinder. Basic engines have forged pistons if available,bored and honed w/ deck plate,re-cond. con. rods,turned crank,multi-angle valve job, new valves,springs,cam,lifters,rocker arms,push rods,gaskets. (customer supply core or we will supply when available)

* Less intake & exhaust manifolds and tin ware,long block assembly.

Complete ENGINE GM 250 all the good stuff,top shelf, carb,intake down to the pan.This is a running engine. $5595.00 + frt. send for a list of parts.

Mopar 2.2/2.5 Racers we now have a computerless distributor with advance weights available.ready to bolt in for $345.00.Distributor (exchanged),ECU,coil,cap, rotor,plug wires and instructions included.

Flow-bench R&D work $25.00 per hr.(machine work extra)


I have sent in a request for a quote... we'll see what they say.


Jimbo

 

[CobraSix]

Jimbo,

I'll warn you now...if your order from COMP...order 2 months in advance...They told me 2 weeks...it took 2 months. They also sent me the wrong locks. I got the complete kit (forget which letter), springs, locks, cam, lifters and seals.


Question: I think I'm getting my terms confused...Roller Rockers are different from Adjustable right? I don't have to change anythign other then the pushrods to go with adjustable, correct?

Slade

 

[addo]

I'll have a crack at a few answers.

Numero uno procedure is to clean the sucker before teardown - thoroughly - and note any oddities. Some guys measure the cam end-float - this may be a useful thing to assess, but it's up to you. Is the seal running surface of the damper OK? Check the crank bolt pattern to make 100% sure it matches your flywheel-intended. Note the deck height.

Bottom end first:

Check those bores. Expect the worst, and have a line ready on a virgin block if required. Pull the oil pan and look for any odd things visible - bright wear spots, heat discoloration, crud accumulating... Your machinist will not want the oil pump, mounts, fuel pump, dipstick tube, road draught tube (if fitted), brackets, timing cover etc... These are yours to detail sooner than later.

Now is the time for you to get friendly with the machine shop. First, the whole cleaning régime. Next, they can run a boring cut to rough oversize. You can safely order pistons for this cut size. Comparing the pin-deck heights of the old and new slugs will confirm how much deck to mill. The pistons have to be honed to fit, with a torque plate and dummy bolt-ons (front cover, water pump). Ideally, a piston is hone fitted to a specific bore, not a generic size.

Resizing and beam polishing/shotpeening then static balancing of rods and pistons is as per V8. Similarly, the reground crank with micropolished journals, chamfered oil holes and whatnot, can be spun up with the bob weights just like an eight, for the dynamic balance. They won't need the flywheel, though.

Rest of the reassembly of the short is pretty much like a bent motor - hope these guys are super thorough on getting the crud out of the oil galleries. Even if you can't get the cam in time, check that the one you ordered has a standard bearing size. That way, the new bearings can be drawn in while bolting it all together. I really do have a lot of liking for Crow cams. The 63603 might be the ticket. It's a basically symmetrical 280° cam with a gentle lobe profile. You can get many parts from them to suit - the right springs, locks, seals - skip the lifters and timing set.

I could write plenty on the head/top end. But it's all been said before. but the full roller rockers are a much nicer unit. Aussie Jeff may see them as overkill, but they are great. Manley can supply pushrods to suit, if required. Just buy quality Windsor lifters (not anti-pumps), singly if cheaper.

Don't port-match the exhaust to the Fel-pro gasket. Use another brand - maybe the ACL or Monotorque 2V set.

Time for someone else to throw in their 2 bob's worth.

Adam.