[lordhelmet]

weeeeee! My favorite build thread is coming back!

[speedfoos]

Update!

Practiced setting the pistons in today. I was 0 for 3 when Andy started distracting me on AIM. Fucked up the first 3 because I didn't tighten my cheap compressor enough. Turns out one more click makes all the difference. I used my practice block and old stock pistons this time. That way I didn't cry too much when I kept messing up.




Peep my ghetto piston stay. It's a Skillcraft pan. It's made by blind people. I don't know why they have blind people make pens. Kind of sick joke. I wonder how they test them....




I did this three times in a row and didn't fuck up the rings at all. So three times I messed it up, three times I did it right. I'll try my Wisecos with the old rings on them now. Then I'll gap the new rings and install them tomorrow!




Had to stop cuz my pooch wanted to go for a walk. Woof!

[filipinop1405]

good to know that you're practicing bro!! GL with the wisecos!

[speedfoos]

They're going into the engine in about 45 minutes Jay!

[FoSho]

hah....Last time i checked you didn't need vasoline for an engine build....I bet you and the pooch did a little bit more than take a walk

[dopes6070]

ROFL... Engine build looks like its going pretty well. I hope you make some really big numbers!

[speedfoos]

Fucking site. Have a big update and it won't go through.

[speedfoos]

Piss on it. Go here instead. Same thing. Better site.

http://www.7thgenhonda.com/forum/sho...t=5174&page=22

[dopes6070]

haha ya im about done over here.............................................. .......................... This site SUX ASS NOW! Its so unreliable, unlike our Honda's haha.

[speedfoos]

Test.

Brump ba bah! Today was another good day. Two good things happened.

1. I found some sucker to buy my truck for $700. He is also going to make sure my car passes inspection next week. I'm still taking a helluva loss as it bluebook's at its lowest condition of $4100, but fuck it.

2. The rotating assembly is installed.

Take a walk with me down memory lane, kids.

Here's a nice comparison of why I'm doing this instead of just putting the stock rotating assembly back in. It's like comparing how sexy a k-swap is (on the left), to a built, boosted D17 (on the right). There is no comparison.





My girl is getting ready to be stuffed like a Thanksgiving Day turkey. But this is better, because it's made of metal. There is no such thing as too much metal.




Now here's a good reason to have children.




You're big enough to steal their toys and convert them to useful mechanicking appliances. This is a (new) sand bucket that I've filled with 30 weight to dip my pistons in before installing them in the block. Kids are suckers. They're so small and weak.





Don't yank my crank.




OK, it's time to install the pistons. First, get yourself a pencil or something like that to run through the wrist pin to suspend the piston in the cylinder above the rings. This way you can still get the ring compressor around the rings and still have enough skirt above the cylinder to get things square. This is the only time when you want a little skirt showing. Most times they should just be flipped up....

[speedfoos]

Hmmm......Another test.

OK. About to seat the first piston. I'm really nervous...




Bam bam! In and done! I actually chipped the edge of the 2nd compression ring on the 1st piston, but used an old one (gap was still good) as a replacement. I'm sure it will be fine, they only had about 1500 miles on them.




Moving right along. The other two pistons went in really easy. Flippo the blocko over. I cut myself a little because the bottom of the block is really sharp. Everyone should feel sorry for me and send me chocolates and flowers.




Hahahaha! I'm sooooo kidding! That's assembly lube! You guys (and gal, because I think there is still one here who hasn't been scared off) are such suckers! I'm so smart and you're so dumb!

OK Foos. You're 32 years old. Quit it.

Anyway, the best thing I did was this little guy. I made an MS Powerpoint representation of my crankshaft, labeled which bearings go where, and put the the torque specs and tightening sequences on it. Nice, easy quick reference.





First half of the bearings are in.




And the rods are torqued down. If you don't have a rod stretch gauge (like me), Crower recommends torquing and loosening them 4 times to get the proper stretch. Sequence is a two-stage of 10ft/lbs then 40 ft/lbs. Took a little while, but I'm sure it's worth it.

[speedfoos]

Surely it can't be working again. I don't think it will last.

That being said, some torque specs are for suckas. Apparently the oil pump bolts should only be torqued to 8.7 ft/lbs. Well, I never bothered to check and thought 20 ft/lbs sounded good.

I broke 4 out of 5 of them.

Weak ass bolts.





My girl's girdle is strapped on and ready to go. I skipped photos of the plastigage because my fingers were all greasy and my garage camera's battery was dead (can't find charger). There were taken with a camera phone, and I didn't want to get it too greasy.





I will only have to extract one of the pump bolts tomorrow. The rest of them snapped, but did not separate. So here is how my baby's guts are going to sleep tonight. I just rested the oil pan over her since she's a little bashful.

Thanks for coming out!

[speedfoos]

Got some more work done today. Bottom of the block is pretty much completely assembled now. Here's a shot of the underside after re-installing the oil pickup and replacing the pump bolts. 8.7 ft/lbs this time instead of going for 20!




Then I flipped her over and put my head studs back in. Ran out of Moly lube so I used ARP assembly lube instead. I'll just have to run a torque sequence on them 2-3 times so they stretch properly.





And since one of the most common questions I see are "Where is the _____ on the back of the engine?" I made this little diagram. It has every major component on the back of the motor labeled up. The only difference between my motor and a stock one is I took out the PCV valve on the box there and replaced it with a brass nipple for my evac system.




Then I whipped out a can of shiny black Rustoleum and freshened up my miskalaneous bracketry, crash bar and FMIC. It looks nice again.





Now I'm about to reinstall the cam and rockers and adjust the valve lash. Once that's done, I'll strap the head on and lift the motor into the car, maybe tonight, probably tomorrow. I'll be doing it by myself so it might be a little tricky clearing the radiator cross member. We'll see what I come up with to make it work. Block and head only weigh about 130 pounds so it shouldn't be too hard.

[filipinop1405]

Good luck with that bro!!

[speedfoos]

Thanks Jay, I'm on the home stretch now.

Worked on the engine even more today. It's pretty much done. Just had to do the valve lash like I talked about. So I set everything out - the weather is actually decent right now and only raining occasionally - and got to it. Pretty easy. .007 on the intake and .009 on the exhaust.





Then it was time to put the rockers back on. What I learned the last time I did this was to put a little RTV under the endcap areas otherwise you get leaks. The manual says to use Hondabond, but I don't have any and RTV worked last time. I put a little too much on, but you get the idea.






And here's the head all put together and the valve lash adjusted. Rocker caps are 14 ft./lbs for the 8mm bolts and 104 in/lbs for the 6mm end caps. Well my torque wrench doesn't have in/lbs so I torqued them to 10 ft/lbs. Close enough.




The TB looked a little manky so I give her a quick polish with some steel wool. I'd had the TB plate out before so she came out nice and easy. Oh so shiny.




Time to strap the whole mess together! OEM Honda head gasket FTW!!




After torquing down the head studs (to 70ft/lbs this time, I don't want leaks), it was time to, well time it. The crank was already at TDC and the head was close, I think I was a degree off after setting the valve lash. I learned a neat trick today though. You can stick a 6mm Allen key in the timing belt tensioner to give you some slack on the timing belt when installing it. Just like on a serpentine belt tensioner. This was soooo much easier this way!





So the motor is pretty much assembled. I still need to put the water neck on and all the accessories, but it's good enough for today!





I slapped some paint on the oil pan and need that to dry before hoisting the engine in tomorrow. This should be funny. Here's a picture of my engine "hoist". My wife is going to help me get the motor into the engine bay tomorrow. I'm going to film it because it should be a hoot!