Thread: Picked up my Son's engine yesterday.

Tweet

Finally was able to pick up Dan's 455 Olds motor yesterday from the machine shop. They have had it since 7/6/11 ! I thought over 6 weeks was a bit long, but didn't want to rush them and have anything not be right this time.

It looks great ! The block, crank, and all the other parts were bagged and super clean, and the machining looks nice, at least to the naked eye. We went for the balancing, which he sends out, and he told us it needed balanced badly. The crank and pistons were the furthest out, and there is evidence on the crank of welding to add weight.

He says they washed everything, but we are going to scrub it all up with hot water and Dawn dish detergent just to be sure. He advised that as well. We will probably build this motor in the office of the shop as a "clean room" and are going to take extra care putting it together, especially in the ring gaps and cam degreeing, so we don't have a repeat of the last problem.

We also dropped off the bare heads Don gave Dan, they are heads off of the same 66 442 that the tripower setup came off of. He is going to magnaflux and clean them up, and then call us to talk about what the next step should be.

Here is the balancing card that came with the engine. The info on it means nothing to me, but I thought some of our sharp engine guys might tell me what they see on it.

Don

that i great don. sorry that it took so long but it sounds like it was worth the wait. i know that don jr. must be very happy.

Very cool.Might want to consider pix's during assembly.Sure does make asking questions easier.

Don -
I second the request for pictures

Consider using Tide laundry detergent rather then the Dawn dish detergent. The Tide I found is a lot stronger for removing residual goo then the Dawn

Good news. I for one have no idea what any of that stuff on the receipt means either Don! Would also like to add would enjoy photos of the assembly too, that kind of stuff is always helpful. Little tips here and there during assembly can go a long way towards improving another persons build! P.S. it just sunk in, a 455 that's a monster! For that light weight RPU it must haul......@#$

Thanks, guys. You bet that I will take some pictures along the way. Good tip on the TIde detergent.........is there a particular one you like from the Tide lineup? I guess it would be their liquid laundry detergent? I use their liquid Cold Water formula at home, and my laundry turns out nice and clean. (I also have some great recipes, if you are interested. )

Many years ago, when I got out of HS, I worked at a Ford Dealership as a used car cleanup person. We used Tide regular detergent (the powdered stuff) to scrub down engines to degrease them. We mixed up a very strong solution and it really did a good job, but it sure was murder on your hands. I think that is pre EPA when products had some good stuff still left in them.

Don

Yeah-I use Tide powered (the one with beach)and water for a hand cleaner.Just the best I have ever found.The down side is if you have any cuts(ouch-ouch-ouch)it finds those too.But hey,it disinfects at the same time too.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Thanks, guys. You bet that I will take some pictures along the way. Good tip on the TIde detergent.........is there a particular one you like from the Tide lineup? I guess it would be their liquid laundry detergent? I use their liquid Cold Water formula at home, and my laundry turns out nice and clean. (I also have some great recipes, if you are interested. )

Many years ago, when I got out of HS, I worked at a Ford Dealership as a used car cleanup person. We used Tide regular detergent (the powdered stuff) to scrub down engines to degrease them. We mixed up a very strong solution and it really did a good job, but it sure was murder on your hands. I think that is pre EPA when products had some good stuff still left in them.

Don

Don - I just use the powder (if I can find it at the store). You do need hot water to dissolve it. My wife was using it for the laundry and then we went to an "economy" brand. Back to Tide next time as the cheap stuff wont destink my sweaty shirts

What the EPA did was remove the phosphorus. Heck, the fertilizer I bought yesterday is 'green' and is missing it too

As a hand cleaner - yep, used it for years. Cuts and abrasions - yep, quick reminder!!

I'll have to try that Tide powder. Thanks.

Does anyone know what all those numbers mean on the balance sheet ?

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I'll have to try that Tide powder. Thanks.

Does anyone know what all those numbers mean on the balance sheet ?

Don

The best explanation on understanding your balance numbers is a pdf that I have for Harleys, just exstropolate for the 6 more rotating and recip masses. But how the numbers are obtained are well explained here....

http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/downloads/sscycle.pdf

Don, congrats on getting the engine pieces back, looks like an engine building party at Don's place soon. I don't want to start a 'best cleaner' on your thread but I'd like to recommend one of my favorites, it's called LA's Totally Awesome. It's a safe to use concentrate that works amazingly well on many surfaces, you won't believe what it does to aluminum parts. I found out about it on an LS1 forum, those guys recommended it for cleaning the gunk off the all aluminum LSx engines. It's very, very cheap to buy, available at most Dollar General stores and these other stores. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Mike

Thanks, Bob, for that link. I am going to sit down and read it tonight to learn about balancing. Much appreciated.

Mike, HAHA, funny you should mention that Awesum stuff, I have been using it to clean the counters, sinks, and showers at home for a while now. Really good stuff and cheap. I'll have to try it on car parts.

Here are a couple of pictures of Dan's motor. I got it put on an engine stand tonight so we can start scrubbing it next weekend. I looked at the pistons and found where they removed metal from them, the cuts look like a broach or die grinder cut rounded areas from the sides of the pin boss. Some have none removed and some have varying degrees of removal. The engine should be much smoother this time around.

Don

With my 383 NOT using the special build crank, but just a 400 crank, makes it an externally balanced engine. A true PIA on a car as light as mine. 1st attempt at building this engine resulted in an engine that would have felt silky smooth in a 5000 lb truck, but too much vibration in the 1790 lb T. My current 383 stroker would probably feel like an electric motor in a truck, as smooth as it is now. The way you have described the results of your engine build, I have a good hunch your parts grinders know what they were doing. Little things like the bob weight, makes a big difference where its meat is removed. The pdf is really well written, considering it was penned by Harley engine builders. I've never been a fan of Harleys, but saying that could get me in more hot water.

Yeah,dont say that Bob...Incidentally,I am told,that New Zealand is second only to US with Harley ownership,per head of population..

Don,I too,would like to see that engine going back together..My late father was a mechanic,and in my earlier years,I would have no worries pulling a rear end apart,and re assembling it,,but NEVER have I built/rebuilt an engine,,so thats the next thing in my bucket list..

edit---I did go start to read the Harley write up and it is totally wrong for a V8 auto engine----the v twins are nowhere near the same running /balance requirements as the automotive engines, so disregard everything that artical says.

I won't take the time to read the harley link but will explain the numbers on the balance card.

On a 90* V8, you have 2 rod/piston assys on each crank journal. The weight for the bob weight is made up of the TOTAL of wt of 2 BE(big end) of the rod s plus 2 bearings, this weight is arrived at by supporting the SE(small end) of the rod and weighing the big end. So that is how they got ROTATING WT 1329---663+663+3= 1329-----------RECIPERCATING wt is total of only ONE SE ROD, PISTON ASSY(piston,pin,rings,locks) as the 90* offsets the other one ---SOOOO the Bob Wt is total of ONE piston,pin,rings,locks,SE rod plus weight of 2 BE rod ,2 (4 halves) bearing inserts and an allowance for oil weight.
Then with the 4 bob weights made up, one is attached to each crank rod journal and the balance job goes forward from there--

I will try to take some pics of one of the balance jobs I will be doing this week and try to post them---if I end up with both internal and an external weighted crank I'll try to show some differances--of course then there are the internal front/external rear cranks from GM LT1/4 engines???????????????