Looking for an engine builder in Melbourne

[phin]

Hi all,

I'm on the lookout for a good and reasonably priced engine builder for my 2 litre siamese bore motor. Does anyone have any recommendations?

thanks
Phin

[gromit]

Engine re-builders are getting a bit thin on the ground, especially old-school ones.

Homestar was getting a 6-cylinder rebuilt by a company in the Western suburbs (so at least they understand F-head motors). Maybe PM him & ask.


Colin

[Homestar]

These guys are who I'll be using - Engine Solutions - Engine Reconditioners in Melbourne, Victoria. Engine Blocks, Cylinder heads, Engine Rebuilding (http://www.enginesolutions.com.au)

I haven't had the work done yet but have spoken to them twice and the old guy that owns the place (can't remember his name) is very comfortable doing older engines and has rebuilt F head engines in the past. If you're not in too much of a rush, I'll be dropping my engine in there in around 3 or 4 weeks - I'm just waiting on a set of main bearings that Mum's bringing back from England in a couple of weeks. :)

[phin]

Excellent thanks! I'll give them a call. Part of me is still tempted to to get a running 2 litre engine and put it in while I rebuild the original on the side. Main issue is it seems to be tricky to get a good running example...

cheers Phin

[phin]

Just had a chat to engine solutions and they said they hadn't done an engine like that for 30 years, but were familiar with them and happy to do the work. Looks like the engine will be out soon!

[Homestar]

Yep, that's what they told me too. Looks like he gets to do a couple of them in a short space of time. Do you want him to practice on yours or mine? :D

[phin]

Haha good question! my big issue if the $3k + worth of parts needed for a full rebuild. Dropping a running replacement is extremely tempting while I get all the bits together.

[loanrangie]

Did a good job on my TDI head and well priced , I'd happily use them again to do my spare head.

[klonk]

Haha good question! my big issue if the $3k + worth of parts needed for a full rebuild.


I've just accumulated the last items for klonks engine overhaul, the 1600 engine parts are made of gold coated in steel I'm sure.
Did you get cam followers as well ?

Cheers Steve

[Homestar]

Haha good question! my big issue if the $3k + worth of parts needed for a full rebuild. Dropping a running replacement is extremely tempting while I get all the bits together.

Ouch, sounds a lot more expensive than doing the 6, but I've been patient and buying parts as I find them at decent prices. If I bought everything from the big UK suppliers it would have ended up spending that, but I think I'm at the $1,500 mark and just need gaskets and a new cam which will be around $800 more.

And yours is 2 cylinders less than mine. :D

Not a cheap exercise but worth doing. :)

[chazza]

My 1.6 litre cost about $2400 for everything including; a new camshaft; rebore; crank grind; gaskets; and head machined and labour for the machining.

Ancillaries such as the distributor (if I use one) and carburettor have yet to be done,

Cheers Charlie

[phin]

The scary items I've priced up so far are pistons (I'm missing a whole piston and conrod assembly so really should get new ones), big end bearings and camshaft and followers. I think I'd be close to $2000 just for these alone at best list prices combined between Australia and locally. Very tempting to find a running 2 litre in the meantime and build up the bits over time.

cheers
Phin

[Homestar]

Pistons we're going to be a killer for me too - 125 quid each so with delivery over $1,800 alone! I found a brand new set with rings here in Aus for $400. I wouldn't have gone ahead with the rebuild if I would have had to get the Pistons from OS.

[series1buff]

Prices for engine parts have gone through the roof .

I was lucky to pick up two NOS series 1 camshafts for almost nothing , EBAY was young back then . A guy had bought a box of parts for his Rover P3 car and the cams were in the box...he didn't need them.

NOS pistons can be found here if you know where to look . But maybe another option is sleeving your motor eg if your pistons are OK why not reuse them ? Usually, the top ring grooves wear , this wear , if excessive, is easily fixed with spacers, the grooves are machined to accept the new ring and spacer. Piston Ring Tips (http://www.ringspacers.com/ringspac.htm)

http://www.intrade.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Groove-Lock-Spacers.pdf

People often grind cranks when it's not needed . If the wear is not that drastic ( out of round ) it's perfectly OK to polish the journals and fit new shells. Or even reuse the old shells .

With my siamese 2ltr all I did was hone the bores and fit new rings and exhaust seats in the block.

[phin]

Thanks - this is very heartening, we'll find out when it gets to the engine builder this week hopefully.

[Homestar]

Will be taking the 2.6 into the rebuilders this week with some luck to have them start the machining now all the bits I needed are safely here. :)

Will advise what sort of quote I get. I'll be getting a rebore and hone, and the mains and big ends ground on the crank to suit the new bearings.

Big ends aren't out of round, so no need to close and hone the rods. I might ask how much to balance everything as this is a smooth running engine - haven't it as silky smooth as I can get it may be worth a few extra dollars.

[67hardtop]

Just a quick question Homestar, does this engine builder have the boring bar block that sits on top of the engine block to " level" the surface to be able to bore the cylinders? I recollect when i was working at United Motors here in Adelaide at Mile End, they used to recondition the 4 and 6 cyl engines for the army, run them and then box them up for shipping back to the army. They had 2 guys working full time just doing that. I remember they had this wedge shaped block they used to bolt onto the 6 cyl engine block to level out the boring bar coz of the shape of the pistons etc.

Cheers Rod

Sent from my GT-I9507 using AULRO mobile app

[phin]

67hardtop - when I spoke to them the other week their plan was to bore from the bottom end as long as they could get that square, otherwise they have to send it out.

Homestar - will be very very interested to see how it goes! I can't feel a lip on the bores so maybe I'll be lucky and get away without a rebore.

[chazza]

! I can't feel a lip on the bores so maybe I'll be lucky and get away without a rebore.

The top half of the bores was chromium plated to resist wear. On my car there was no ridge at the top, but there was a horrendous step at the bottom!

When you get it going don't let it idle, or the camshaft will get wrecked; run-it-in at 2200rpm for at least 1/2 an hour. Make sure that there is plenty of lubricant on the lifters when starting is attempted; I think I will get an assistant with an oil can watching them with the side-cover off, when I try to start mine,

Cheers Charlie

[Aaron IIA]

Have you tried here for pistons and rings?

http://www.jp.com.au/JPPistons.html

They have listings under Rover. If don't have the right pistons, they can make them.

Aaron

[Pickles2]

Probably a bit late, but "Crankshaft Rebuilders" have been around for ages, and have a very good reputation for quality work.
Pickles.

[aussearcher]

Ditto. In Cottage St Blackburn, do a lot of work for the historic racing scene.

[Homestar]

They were the other mob I was looking at, but much further away so the local guy got the gig. He's done both the 2.0 4 cylinder and 2.6 6 cylinder F head engines before, so I'm not worried that's he's not up to the job.

With so few engine rebuilders left, I would think the ones still running must have the runs on the board by now or they would have fallen off the perch like 95% of them have over the last 15 to 20 years.

[Pickles2]

Several years ago, a friend of mine purchased a Messerchmitt 109 that had been shot down in Russia during WW11,...you could still see the bullet holes along the fuselage & into the engine block.
Crankshaft Rebuilders did work on the engine for him.
It was my friend's intention to restore the 109 to flying condition, but the task was beyond him, and so He sold it to U.S. interests who had the same intention.
Pickles.

[phin]

Very long time no update. Engine came out in October and is currently being rebuilt by Crankshaft Rebuilders. I've sourced all the parts except the valve train. Fingers crossed I have it back by midyear.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/04/255.jpg