engine rebuild

[rhkcommander]

Getting ready to drop the heads and block off. Was wondering what all i should know, do, look out for, etc.

Plan is to hone/bore the block, ive heard we have to take it slow due to high nickel content?

What valves, valve guides etc are best? Already have the latest style rockers. Light porting could be nice, ive heard its time consuming for little gain though.

I plan on coating the pistons, havent settled on brand nor rings but plan on getting the fancy ones with gapless second ring or whatever. Ceramic on the top and friction on sides. Opinions welcomed, i was thinking the lowered compression pistons could be nice, i think it is 19.5:1 but its been a while. Rods will be treated, not sure how yet. Balanced rotating assembly.

Ive read that the older cams would cause a vibration, any fixes for this? At least i think thats what i thought was the cause...

Which bearings, clevite?

Already have studs, victor head gasket set, a uhaul ip and the BBs i am using with less than 1,000 miles. Planning on cam grind too. Also have a 1,000 watt block heater and the starter is young. When i have more money i will work on getting a fresh ip and new turbo but these will do for now.

Im thinking i should rebuild the oil cooler while i can too.

I know Russ has some contacts for engine rebuilding but it sounded like he is busy. I live about a half a hour from him..

 

[Popspuller6.9]

This sounds like what I would like to do to my 6.9. I am really interested what pistons you use and the gapless rings. And where you take the rotating assembly to get balanced. I am in the Dallas working right now and live in eastern Washington. I will be following your build!

 

[Hardass559]

i say do the compression drop but that depends on fuel delivery to get it started takes a lot of fuel to start lower compression easily and need lots of boost to use up all that fuel so dont get too crazy... i would look for performance cam i saw something about it on here. but im power hungery i dont like pulling hills at 20 mph in second gear with a light load of 9000 pounds im sure some of it is timing why im having ishues but not much i can do about it outher than to buy the stuff to time my truck . good luck with the build

 

[icanfixall]

The cam is not the problem with vibration. Its the older cam gears. The old gear has two drilled and tapped holes in it for ease of removel. The new cam gear does not have these holes in it. The typ4 cam is the recommended cam. It works very well both turbo and non turbo. Please talk with Russ about parts too. He knows whats going on in these engines very well. Any time you have the engine out is a good time to rebuild the oil cooler. Its easy to reach when the engine is out of the truck.

 

[88 Ford]

Getting ready to drop the heads and block off. Was wondering what all i should know, do, look out for, etc.

Plan is to hone/bore the block, ive heard we have to take it slow due to high nickel content?

What valves, valve guides etc are best? Already have the latest style rockers. Light porting could be nice, ive heard its time consuming for little gain though.

I plan on coating the pistons, havent settled on brand nor rings but plan on getting the fancy ones with gapless second ring or whatever. Ceramic on the top and friction on sides. Opinions welcomed, i was thinking the lowered compression pistons could be nice, i think it is 19.5:1 but its been a while. Rods will be treated, not sure how yet. Balanced rotating assembly.

Ive read that the older cams would cause a vibration, any fixes for this? At least i think thats what i thought was the cause...

Which bearings, clevite?

Already have studs, victor head gasket set, a uhaul ip and the BBs i am using with less than 1,000 miles. Planning on cam grind too. Also have a 1,000 watt block heater and the starter is young. When i have more money i will work on getting a fresh ip and new turbo but these will do for now.

Im thinking i should rebuild the oil cooler while i can too.

I know Russ has some contacts for engine rebuilding but it sounded like he is busy. I live about a half a hour from him..

Are you planning on running higher boost levels at all? IMHO there is no point in dropping compression on an engine with stock boost levels. They hold just fine up to 15psi...

 

[hesutton]

If you need the deck on the block milled at all, then the lower compression height pistons are a good idea to keep the valves and pistons away from each other. If the decks are fine and don't need machining, stock compression height pistons would be best in my opinion. Love the 206 torque (typ4) cam in the 6.9. I used EngineTech exhaust valves with a stellite face and 10 thousands margin and Perfect Circle intakes (also with a 10 thousands margin). I used Precision Engine Parts hardened cast iron vavle guides. I wanted their Manganese Bronze guides, but the machine shop didn't have the equipment to properly ream/hone them after installation. 3 angle grind on the valve seats. I used the Comp 910 springs as well. All that stuff is in the 6.9 build threads somewhere.

I like Clevite 77 bearings for the mains, rods, cam.

Heath

 

[dgr]

Can I tack on a question you might have during the build? Which valve stem seals? It looks like there are at least 3 different choices:
1) Rubber umbrella style
2) Premium with short oil shield
3) Premium with long oil shield

 

[turbo elk]

Is there any way we could get a 'sticky' set up with build ideas for different combinations? And part numbers?....or...do we already.

 

[rhkcommander]

Is there any way we could get a 'sticky' set up with build ideas for different combinations? And part numbers?....or...do we already.

Thats kinda what I was getting at. It would be nice to not have to piecemeal several builds worth of info, and wing it.

Ive got over a thousand subscriptions, most of the engine build threads are in there somewhere. But part availability can change like the seasons so i figured current answers were better.

The lower cr pistons don't lower compression that much, and i will probably have to deck the block. Still looking at pistons, not going with KB silvo-lites because of price, and I've heard elsewhere that some were getting sealed power instead or vice-versa. Not wanting less than 19.5:1.. Stock would be fine, or just under. There is a trade off between CR and start-ability, and boosting.

Are you planning on running higher boost levels at all? IMHO there is no point in dropping compression on an engine with stock boost levels. They hold just fine up to 15psi...

Not going to keep the banks turbo for long, or the ip. I might try the db4 hybrid later on though. I'm looking to be able to boost pass 30 psi. Intercooler of course. But turbo and a better ip will wait until the block is done. My current block has poor compression, wont start off ether... I will make a water/methanol kit also. Have the parts sourced but haven't had a need yet.

The cam is not the problem with vibration. Its the older cam gears. The old gear has two drilled and tapped holes in it for ease of removel. The new cam gear does not have these hole

That's right, cam gear... I knew i read something along those lines.. Thanks. I want to get this thing balanced, rotating assembly. I'd be upset if after everything I had a vibration from the gear!


Anything important to tell the machinist? They are reputable but the guy got weird when i said diesel, until i told him it was similar to a bbf - he thought i meant something BIG. Ill send russ a PM, im not in too huge of a rush but would like to swap it in by new years.

Bought this spare block from Plywood about a year ago I think, still willing to help you with your A/C too Part of the agreement was to build it into something nice . Heads were off and he said it was out of a farm truck, had ran water for coolant for a while if my memory serves me right. The passages look kinda crappy but I think muratic acid will clean it right up. If it was a 7.3 I'd be more worried about cavi...

__________________________________________

Little back history on my current engine:

po said everything was good, etc. Everything looked decent when i bought it. Ran good, started fine when warm/hot. Glow plugs were mixed brand and crap so i fixed that and went manual control no problem. A few were autolite and champion, bosch, and one other... All came out so i got LUCKY. Starter got weak, batteries weren't holding a charge. Found a trickle charger hidden by driver side headlight. So I got new group 31s, gear reduction starter, 3g 130A alt. Cleaned the wires and no more problem except i found a bunch of waxy crap around the block heater dripping coolant under starter.

Oh great, maybe its the block heater and the ******* tried to seal it over..? Nope. Broke the crap off with a pick, most of it came off real easy. There was a plug rather than a block heater... And a four inch weld.

Started seeing signs that this was an early block from a junkyard - crushed oil pan, grease pen writing on valve cover, etc... He swapped engines. Threw in some stop leak, new rad hoses, added 600w katz hose heater for easier starting. Patch radiator, leak slows / stops. Good enough. Radiator overflow barb was in bad shape so I tore it out and stuffed a piece of 3/8" copper pipe in, soldered it in and it held. Resurfaced the radiator cap gasket surface too and soldered a pin hole in one of the cores from the fan flinging a rock or tool into it. After that it has held coolant pretty good!

Oh almost forgot when i changed all the filters, there was sand around and past the air filter. In the intake mani there was a little too. Got out all i could reach and did oil change... No wonder compression is crappy. Made me love the idis more though, if a sbc ate sand it would be dead.

This engine still runs good, just eats some oil and hazes, blowby, and doesn't like the cold very much. Last year I had it starting decently with Bosch plugs and new injectors. Then I had air intrusion so I did return lines. A few leaked so I redid them. No leaks except maybe the tee in the back where both sides meet. I think there is an 'olive' there but I haven't had time to tear into it. Could just be oil too from the CDR or turbo (hope its not the turbo seal).

Engine mount on the driver side was shot, one of the two studs were flopping around and the other punched a hole through the plate because it had only a hex-head nut. I swapped that out for a ?king? nut with the rounded base with bumps to dig into it. That kept the engine from flopping around... And I cut off about three inches of some weird metal contraption he had added, I think to "fix" the engine mount issue to the front of the block.

Plus more things than that outside of engine work. But another time



One of the reasons besides those that is prompting me, is that I found oil on some of the glow plugs. Looked like I had dunked them in used oil and pulled them out. 5 & 7 IIRC. Only the top half was "clean"



I'll update with pictures, part #'s as I go

 

[88 Ford]

It sounds like you have all your ducks in a row. I really look forward to your build. I am also very curious on the power curve or the Typ4 cam on a higher boost engine. I think it will really make some nice low end power with it. Anyway I understand progressively buying parts. That is what I am doing on my build. I'm gonna boost the heck out of my engine til it blows (if it even does) and then I will build it properly. That is much later down the road anyway. Lol. Get some pics up as soon as you can and I will be watching for sure.

 

[rhkcommander]

I am also very curious on the power curve or the Typ4 cam on a higher boost engine. I think it will really make some nice low end power with it.

Anyway I understand progressively buying parts. That is what I am doing on my build. I'm gonna boost the heck out of my engine til it blows (if it even does) and then I will build it properly. That is much later down the road anyway. Lol. Get some pics up as soon as you can and I will be watching for sure.

Not 100% sure on if I'll 'typ4' cam or try the justins' one yet. Either one is definitely an improvement... Leaning towards the other only because the typ4 cam is the one the loggers were using even on N/A way back when, but I haven't done enough research into either. don't know if the typ4 cam ever saw any updates. Something proven time and time again versus something recently developed with turbos in mind . Like I said, more research needed there. And on valve guide options

Tomorrow I can probably take some photos of the heads, block, and some of the parts laying around

 

[hesutton]

My understanding is the J2 cam will require lower compression height to avoid piston/valve contact? Not 100% on that. Seems I read that in one of Russ's posts.

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.

Heath

 

[lbzbuick]

My understanding is the J2 cam will require lower compression height to avoid piston/valve contact? Not 100% on that. Seems I read that in one of Russ's posts.

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.

Heath

No I think its a direct replacement cam. It should work with everything stock

 

[88 Ford]

No I think its a direct replacement cam. It should work with everything stock

You are correct. They weren't sure until after Racin ran it on his engine. There are a few other running the cam as well on stock engine too.

 

[riotwarrior]

Since the question was asked about valve guides, Are BRONZE guides available and if so would they be beneficial compared to iron guides? I was always thinking bronze guides better...but could be re-edumicated otherwise with correct and substantiated info!