Thread: Looking for an engine builder in Melbourne

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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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.

Originally Posted by phin

! 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