This is how I measure for and correct valve spring height. Very simple process. all you need is a 35 dollar tool. It's called a valve spring micrometer. This is essential for correctly setting up valve spring heights and making sure you have the correct installed height for the correct seat and open pressures. Failure to do this can have catastrophic results. As always, this is how I do it. Thanks for following along.
Here, I am touching on some of the points about block prep. How utterly important it is to make SURE the block is clean. I always call it "operating room clean". Even with a bare bones budget build like this......maybe especially on a build like this, because likely if you're doing it on a budget like mine, you cannot afford a second time. So here it is and remember how important clean is! This is my method. Feel free to use or not.
On this one, I just give some general assembly tips and suggestions regarding bearing clearance and whatnot. It's not really a How To, per say, but you get the idea. Pay attention to where I talk about how I assemble the rear main seal retainer. This is how I've always done it. It leaves little room for leaks in that area. As always, this is my method. Feel free to use it or don't. lol
This is the time honored method by which I lap valves. This is called a "basic" valve job and is primarily used for refreshing the valve faces and seats. Also, it was stressed to me by the old gentleman who taught me how when I was a kid, the importance of being able to see the actual area where the valve seats. I think it's so important, I even disassemble new heads and lap the valves. Yes, while it's true, the modern Serdi machine is the way to go, nevertheless, I will come behind that...
Here is my procedure on how I clean pistons, ring lands and re-ring pistons. This is how I do it. It's worked "for me" better than forty years. I don't use a ring land cleaning tool. I never have. A lot of you don't either, as I am sure you're well off enough to buy new pistons. I've never been fortunate enough to do that with every build, so I "use what I have". This is how I do it.
This is how I replace connecting rod bolts. I actually went against a cardinal rule of mine here, as I always have the rods resized when I replace the rod bolts. Lots of people do not. Since this is a bare bone budget build and the rods were in great shape, I passed on resizing. Everything measured out fine anyway. I barely tapped hard enough to knock the rod bolts out, so no harm was done to the big end. Again, this is my procedure. I don't profess this to be "by the book" and if that's...
This is my method for honing cylinders with a ball hone, otherwise known as a dingleberry hone. This procedure is only recommended for cylinders with minimal wear, as it removes only a very, very small amount of material. Just enough to break the glaze cause by the polish of the rings going up and down in the cylinders and produce a new finish to break in with a new set of rings. Again, this is how "I" do it. I don't profess that this is the perfect way, so if that's what you're after, stop...
Man I wish I knew about stitch weld before I threw a bunch of big $$$ motors out, easy also just takes a few hours.
I just happened to stumbbled across this thought I would share it. I have seen this asked for many times on here and also FBBO. I know many times I could have used it while adjusting valves.
In this chapter I am going to go through installing the pistons in the block... In the last chapter I showed you how to install the rings on the pistons... Now it's time to install them, or as we used to call it back in the engine factory "shoot the pistons" into the block...This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 6... If you missed them, you can find it here...How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block PrepHow to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing InstallHow...
In this chapter I am going to go through installing the rings on the pistons...This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 5... If you missed them, you can find it here...How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block PrepHow to Rebuild a Small Block Part 2: Cam Bearing InstallHow to Rebuild a Small Block Part 3: Install Water Jacket and Oil Galley PlugsHow to Rebuild a Small Block Part 4: Pre Flight Inspection After Machine Shop Before AssemblyHow to Rebuild a Small...
This is the second stage for assembling the engine... In this chapter I am going to go through installing the crankshaft and checking the bearing clearances with plastic gauge...This is the next step to continue after Sections 1 - 4 where we tore the block down and cleaned it up, then put the cam bearings, freeze plugs, and oil galley plugs in, and verified everything was done correctly... If you missed them, you can find it here...How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep...
This is the first stage for assembling the engine... If you go to a machine shop for your block work, this is where you want to begin... In this chapter I am going to go through inspecting the block after a machine shop to make sure everything was done properly and give some sources for parts... Not every machine shop is familiar with Mopars and can make mistakes, you want to verify that they did their work properly and catch it now before you begin to assemble the engine...This is...
