4cyl engine rebuild

[dandlandyman]

I'm contemplating overhauling my four cylinder engine next year. I'll be reboring it (probably out to 20 or 30 thou) and buying new pistons, rings, gudgeons, bushes, etc. It will most likely need new cam bearings, but I haven't completely settled on a course of action with the camshaft. I have heard fitting a diesel cam will improve the torque - a useful improvement in many instances. I haven't any direct experience with this, though. Does the torque improve across the rev range, or just down low? What, if any, are the drawbacks? Does it trade off horsepower or fuel economy?

I am also looking at doing up the head with hardened valve seats. I know that diesel heads have replaceable seats, but can these be fitted to a petrol 8:1cr head? I will be fitting new valves, guides, good quality seals, etc. I'm also trying to find someone in Australia who sells decent quality (Payen?) OE engine gasket sets, and even moly-inlaid ring sets to suit. Kind of sick of the rubbish that's increasingly getting around.

Any advice??

Dan.
69 2A 88" pet4 (in disguise), 68 2B FC pet6 (dozing quietly), plus others.

[Mustlust]

I was considering a rebuild for my 2.25 petrol for my 2a. I rebuilt a renault 12 engine 20 yrs ago at Uni, but haven't pulled a motor apart since. How much would a rebuild cost if it was outsourced?? And how hard is it anyway? I am very interested in the opinions of others on your parts list.

[Johnno1969]

About ten years ago I rebuilt my 2.25 diesel and the costs were roughly:

Reconditioning head: around $400 (that included a skim, new exhaust valves, valve guides etc)

All seals and gaskets and bearings, timing chain etc: ....around $500, I think...(though that does sound a lot, now I think about it....)

Cleaning up block, acid dipping, crank tested, polished and other bits and pieces including boring out .040" and getting the cam bearings fitted: around $500 again

All up, if memory serves me correctly, those were the bills. I could have saved a bit by getting a bit less done at engineering shops - but that was what it cost to get all the bits nice and clean and ready to go for assembly. I also spent a little bit in getting the injector pump cleaned and tested and the injectors done too.

The motor is still running very well and gets around 30mpg. It does have lots of torque down low (beats the pants off the Holden six that was in the vehicle previously), though does not have much grunt at the top end. I have really enjoyed driving the Landy with this engine in it.

Cheers,

John

[turkeybrain]

All seals and gaskets and bearings, timing chain etc: ....around $500, I think...(though that does sound a lot, now I think about it....)



Around 2 years ago I got the engine in my Ford Laser rebuilt, the gasket kit alone cost around $450. With the timing chain and bearings on top of it, your memory of $500 ten years ago is probably about right.

[redgoon6]

Hi,I did my 2 1/4 engine a while back and ordered all the stuff from Paddocks in the UK.I know I should be supporting industry hear but when thay are asking $450 for pistons only and I got everything(pistons rings, bearings,water pump,gaskets and a new dizzy) for about the same amount, what do you do? I cannot remember if that included postage as well, but I did have chest pains when I got the quote!!Hope this helps. Eric.

[VK3UTE]

Hi All. I've just finished rebuilding my 2.25 diesel, sourced all the parts from paddock spare too. Their prices are the cheapest by far even with shipping. I had my machine work done by a good engine re conditioner, you should budget around $100 per cylinder for re boring, $80 to hot tank the block(money well spent saves hours of cleaning), $60 to skim the top of the block and i think it was about $120 to soda blast and skim the head. All up with parts and machining and doing all the assembly work myself it has cost about $1500, the little bits and pieces add up. I spent hours on the assembly paying particular attention to maintaining the correct clearances and tolerances and keeping the build as clean as possible. A must if you want the thing to last. :D If i do another one i will have every single part including all the nuts and bolts hot tanked as the cleaning takes days:thumbsdown:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/499.jpg
Make sure you give the new pistons to the machinist so they can match the clearances to each individual piston. The new pistons i bought varied by 4 thou.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/499.jpg

Plastigauge used on the big end, spot on 2.5 thou

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/499.jpg


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/499.jpg

All painted, hope to have her back in the car over Melbourne cup weekend:D

Cheers Simon

[Johnno1969]

Hi All. I've just finished rebuilding my 2.25 diesel, sourced all the parts from paddock spare too. Their prices are the cheapest by far even with shipping. I had my machine work done by a good engine re conditioner, you should budget around $100 per cylinder for re boring, $80 to hot tank the block(money well spent saves hours of cleaning), $60 to skim the top of the block and i think it was about $120 to soda blast and skim the head. All up with parts and machining and doing all the assembly work myself it has cost about $1500, the little bits and pieces add up. I spent hours on the assembly paying particular attention to maintaining the correct clearances and tolerances and keeping the build as clean as possible. A must if you want the thing to last. :D If i do another one i will have every single part including all the nuts and bolts hot tanked as the cleaning takes days:thumbsdown:


http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/vk3ute-albums-mary-picture2827-img-0313.jpg
Make sure you give the new pistons to the machinist so they can match the clearances to each individual piston. The new pistons i bought varied by 4 thou.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/vk3ute-albums-mary-picture2826-img-0285.jpg

Plastigauge used on the big end, spot on 2.5 thou

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/vk3ute-albums-mary-picture2825-img-0290.jpg


http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members/vk3ute-albums-mary-picture2832-img-0327.jpg

All painted, hope to have her back in the car over Melbourne cup weekend:D

Cheers Simon


Hey Simon,

That looks great. Reading your post was a case of Déjà vu, right down to how you did things and what it cost. I sourced all my parts locally (mostly from Cairns) and $1500 was about what it all cost, with assembly at home in the shed. I hope that you have a good run with your engine. Mine has been wonderful (knock wood). It would be nice to have a few more horses, but it is what it is, and in the bush it's great.

John

[VK3UTE]

Thanks John. I hope she runs OK, I don't mind having a few less horses if it means I don't have to put up with spark plugs and points! :rocket:
Cheers Simon.

[Johnno1969]

Yep, the 2.25D turned me into a lifelong diesel convert......