Re: First engine rebuild
I just got the block back on the stand and I had to open the bag to bolt it on. I can put the bag back on but shouldnt I oil all of the new bare metal on the block so it doesnt rust?
Should I use a light coat of assembly lube? I have a can of it.
I dont think I can post links to them but should I get cast rings, or moly rings? The moly rings made by Federal Mogul are only $38 vs cast is $30.
Is Federal Mogul a good brand or junk?
And on the rod and main bearings. I see ones without the chamfered oil holes and ones with.
I should get the ones with the oil hole right? Thats the kind that came out of it.
Thanks
Did the machine shop advise you to clean the engine after you got it back? Since it sounds like they did just a simple hone job, they may have cleaned it up for you. In the case of the engine I did, I had them bore .030 and deck the block. They told me to wash it down with hot soapy water, then rinse with hot water.
Instead of oiling the block down, making it a big PITA to paint it later on, I would go out and get some engine paint and paint her up. The block may flash rust a little bit, but during this time of year when the humidity is relatively low, you have a while before this happens. Just make sure you mask off the parts of the engine that you don't want paint in (lifter valley, cylinders/deck, timing chain area, crank case, fuel pump mounting pad).
Federal Mogul is fine. They make good standard replacement parts. I would use the Molly rings, since they usually break in and seat allot better than plain iron rings. When its time to install the rings, they need to be installed so the openings face a certain way. If you line all the openings to the rings up, or just throw them on with out paying attention, your new engine may suffer from excessive blow-by. This would be a good time to have one of the many books on rebuilding a SBC, most of which have the diagram of how to orient the rings openings to minimize blow-by.
The bearings with the chamfered oil holes are fine. I would use a set of Clevite 77 bearings. They make a good product, and pretty much the industry standard for replacement bearings.
While your shopping, make sure you pick up some assembly lube. Some people cheat and just use heavy weight oil, or white lithium paste. I prefer a good assembly lube that you know will stick to the parts, even if the engine sits for a period after the rebuild. Lithium paste isn't really meant to be an assembly lube, and it can make the oil hard to "read" (analyze during break in).
Also since you will most likely be using flat tappet lifters, make sure you pick up some zinc additive to add to the oil. Modern oils are all but devoid of zinc, since it will foul catalytic converters over time. Old school flat tappet lifters need the zinc to help protect them from galling during break in. You should be able to find zinc oil additive made by most major aftermarket cam manufacturers (comp cams, crane, etc).
One final question; Did the machine shop install ALL the oil galley plugs? There are 3 in the front above the first cam bearing, and three threaded pipe plugs in the back above the rear cam bearings cover. There is also a hidden one under the rear main cap. here is a tech article by CHP describing their installation
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...ics/index.html
