When I play with my car I like to do stuff myself, not only to save my but to have the knowledge for doing the next time. This summer I really started thinking about the engine. It was a simple waterpump change that convinced me that the stuff with the engine is tedious, but I save myself 150$ in the process. But I want to learn more about internal engine stuff. I'm planning on having a new engine built, and when they tell me its gonna be 450$ fot just assembly, I say WOW. I know this is totally out of my league to just put the interals all together, but what can I do to start learning more about these kinds of things?

 

There are a lot of books on that stuff out there, go to your local bookstore or amazon.com, and check them out.

 

I might suggest getting and old v8 engine be it a 307, 305, or even a 4.3L V6. You should be able to get something real cheap. Take it apart and put it back together. That might be a good way to learn.

Invest in some good reference material too. That way you can be doing the hands-on and reading at the same time.

Ben T.

 

Hey dude......look at my sig. Until august I had a total stock vehicle excapt for a CAI and some bolt ons and I had never touched a car engine. I did all that myself with a friend and the help of the awesome guys on this board. Took engine out, tore apart....assembled and put back in myself. Started as soon as I touched the ignition, and idled perfect.

Not only to learn but its an awesome feeling of achievement to do something like this. It's not nearly as hard to do as you would think. I was shocked actually how ez it was. I got a manual and read that thing crazy.

My machinist said this and I have used it every since. "80% is planning and 20% is doing." So true. Just take your time and double check everything before you do it. You'll be fine.

 

S.J.S. what referance materials did you use and what manuel. I am also getting into do everything my self and so far all i have is Auto Repair for Dummies, and i will be doing my own oil change within 200 miles.

 

S.J.S..... I'm assuming what you mean is you installed all the bottom end components yourself? Thats what I would really like to learn to do, I just don't know what all equipment, besides a torque wrench, would be involved and if I would have access to it. Any books or specific refrences you would suggest to help me in this area?

 

What engine are you planning to rebuild.... there is an LT1 specific rebuild manual available.....

How to Rebuild LT1/LT4.........

Lot's of books available on the Gen 1 small block Chevy's as well.

 

Yea I've been planning to buy that. I was curious as to how well that will help someone like me. Will I be able to assemble and engine by reading it? That kind of stuff.

 

John Lingenfelter's book on the small block Chevy is excellent, though it has little LT1 specific info. Any of David Vizzard's books are worth reading, though they are a little dated and therefore don't get into fuel injection much.

Rich Krause

 

Make sure you read up on the assembly process.

$450 is cheap and around the average price for assembly and it's probably the most taxing lowest pay any shop does per hour, if they do it correctly.

It can go from basics of just putting parts together to really blueprinting and making sure every part is 100% accurate and the tolerances are all correct. Doing this requires expensive measuring equipment, knowledge and the tools needed to fix it. Things like a Hone, Mill, Lathe and surface grinder come in handy when you are doing all of this.

Bret

 

Just a little emphasis on Bret's ponts from my own experience. I used to bolt my own engines together, until I learned just how much was involved in doing it "right". It's both knowledge and experience. If you are building a stock replacement engine, then get some books (and better yet a knowledgable friend) and have at it. If you are building something that is intended to make a lot of power, run at high rpm, and last, you really need more in the way of tools, knowledge, and experience than 99.9% of us have.
OTOH, if it's just freshening up a previously well assembled motor with new rings and bearings, that's a pretty straightforward job that many of us could do. Ditto for a cam install, etc.

Rich Krause

 

Yeah.....If the machine shop does all the work and balancing correct it aint that hard. Just make sure to check the bearing clearances, don't knick the crank when putting the rods on, try not to touvh the face of the bearings, and torque everything down to specs in the right order. I used the Haynes manual (crappy), and did a lot of reseach....asked engine builders info and stuf like that. Oh yeah, read a lot here and take notes. I use this quote too "TRUST but verify." When I read stuff I'm not sure about I jot it down and get a second opinion. Just rememebr ....80 / 20.

Dunno how this motor will last but I know I wont regret it. Oh yeah.....its good to have a mechanic friend hang out with ya while you do it. I had a firend hanging out who I told to just watch.....if you see anything I'm going wrong let me know. Also make sure its a "NO BEER ZONE".

 

Best quote of the whole thing man. I can't tell you how much I screwed up because of that rule. J/K it's a no beer zone here for that, engine assembly is slow, ****, nerve racking tedious ****. Especially on the assembly of the bottom end. Bolting on heads oil pans and intakes is easy just make sure you TQ everything and check and double check the TQ's. I have a double check list on that. I do all the TQ's with one wrench and then do all them again with another wrench to measure that I have everything dead nuts right. You can easily miss something so doing it more than once and having a list to make sure you did is a big deal.

Bret

 

Yeah....my machinist gave me that quote when I picked up my block and told him I was gonna do the assemblt.