yes the engine tech is just reboxed keithblack or speedpros i cant recall which

yes that is a ball hone 3.5 inch diam ball hone will do the trick , the only problem is i cant recall the correct grit to use

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-1-2-Engine...9778c0&vxp=mtr
or
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-1-2-Engine...3c3f50&vxp=mtr

u will need 1-2 large cans of wd 40 as well

u spray down the hone well then start the drill and push it into the cyl while its spinning, and maintian a smoth up and down pattern with it so u get a 90* crosshatch pattern

all the while u need to keep the hone very well lubed with wd-40

u do all 6 holes then completly clean the block, the bores are cean enough when u can put trans fluid on a white rag and wipe the bores with the rag and it comes out with no dirt or grey stuff on it

best method for cleaning out the block after is with hot water and dish soap, also u have to clean out the oil galleys very well, lil round wire brush cleaners and brakleen with compressed air works well, as the honing grit gets everywere

i almost forgot when u get new pistons its very important that u number the rods so that they go back in the holes they cam out of so the bearings are back in there original places , use a scribe or punch to number them carefully on the rod bearing caps, caus emarker will just get burnt off when they put the lil ends of the rods in the rod heater to expand them to put them on the pistons.

or u can label the tops of the new pistons and have them put the matching piston on the number matching one they took off.

pysically marking the rod is the best and safest bet to insure that they go back int he right place though when u get the rods back, as most any machine shop is going to remove all 6 pistons and then install the new ones. not do them one ata time

 

those are to coarse, the 240 is perfect for cast iron rings u want something a lil less coarse like this 400 grit if ur using the moly rings
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-1-2-Engine...item5649f7c9fa

 

any updates????

 

Sad to say but Nope.. i just got the keys to my new house today and will be moving in this weekend. Its a hr from where im at now so you can imagin its gonna take a day or 2. But as soon as it get everything up there and settled in the Camaros work will begin again.

 

i figured as much but have u got a plan for the rebuild yet?

going to go with the new pistions rings and quick hone job?or have u decided another route?

btw congrats on the house

 

Thanks for the congrats

Still on plan for the pistions and moly rings on the car with a quick hone. Basically the cheeper route for now. If it goes again, bigger block is next. 3.4L

 

dont mix up ur bearings in the move, put them back in the rods and tighten the caps so they cant fall out, do the same with the mains.

u want to reuse ur old bearings when it goes back together

the most important part will be when u take the old pistons/rods to the machine shop to have them install the new pistions. u have to somehow mark the rods so u know which bearings came out of what rods and what hole they came out of.

u happen to have a number punch set? u can punch the corisponding number into the side of the cap on each rod, marker will more then likley come off when they clean the rod and stick it in the oven to heat the lil end.

anothe roption is to write a number on each of the new pistons, and make sure that the machine shop understands that the new number 6 piston muct go on the rod that is marked #6 this way they all go back in the same cyls.


if for any reason u get the stufff back from the machine shop and u think they mixed the numbers up or the markings are gone do not reuse the old rod bearings, just buy new ones a set is only 25-35 bucks.

but do whatever u can to reuse the old ones they are already worn and clearanced were they need to be

 

Ok dave. I do have a number punch set. I actually got that done already and marked the rods and caps with the cy number. That was about the only thing i had time to do this week..lmao

 

Congrats on the house Mark. Now, if you thought that car mods were expensive, just wait until you delve into home modifications...

 

Thanks Rob. I know man, thats why the cars sorta on the back burner for a bit. Ive got all kinds of ideas since this is the first house I've ever owned. No more renting for me...

I still am gonna get her up and running but next year i have to take it easy on that car and just be content with whatever it makes.

 

Here is a few pictures. Can anyone explain why the one rod is thicker, and also looks to be a heavier grade then the other. These are both out of a 3.1L but ones a 1990 and the other a 1991. Never knew there was different width rods on thirdgen 3.1L.


1991 rod


1990 rod




Left is 1990 right is 1991. There is a noticible difference here. Thanks for info. Finally got to mess with my car this weekend. Not much but enough to keep me happy.

 

the 91 rod does look beefier

 

IDK.. its just weird as i never new the rods came in different widths. If you mic it there a difference all the way arround. But anyways I picked up this block cheep, it just going to have to work till i can afford to build up the other 3.1L the way i want, which might take awhile. But if i can restrain myself a little this other block should work fine for now.

 

whats the difference in width?

the beams look the same to me only thing i see thats bigger is the small end it looks like were the pin is its a lil wider

the difference could be that one set of rods was made at one plant vs the others but techinically all the rods are supposed to be the same

 

blow it up and grab a 3500 lmao thats what my plans are for the 3.4

 

.456 .945 is the 2 measurements on one and .498 .846 on the other. So the 1990 is different quite a bit. Just something different really and never heard of it.

The pin width is .15 roughly wider on the 1990 rods. .844 vs .985

Joe I can't blow it up too fast it's gotta keep me happy till I can afford the real build

 

lmao for 50 bucks u should have bought more engines, then u wouldnt have to worry about blowing it up , haha new engine for about 2x the cost of an oil change

 

I know..lol cheep. Now i just need to sell some of the stuff of it that i already have 2 or 3 of...lol 15lbs injectors.lmao I dont think ill ever need those things again.

 

heres some pics.

This is the 1990 block


They all look like this, smooth but i can see a little copper on the bearings but just on the area where the rod bolts back together.



All the cylinders tested out to 155-160psi and held within 5 psi for 5 minuets a piece(thats all i could wait..) But why does it have some funky colors to it. The pistons are not scored up like the other ones, but i am concerned a bit. Or are the cylinders, there not scored up to the touch but just look funky. I do know this the bastard didnt change the oil enough because the lifters were crappy to get out with the oil resuidue on them. But even the cam bearings look well as i took the cam out and they look so much better then mine...


Got this with the deal.... take it or leave it he said. Free...lol




A few turbo questions. Would this 90* bend be ok with those headers?? I wanted to redue my poor job when i was rushed before. I need to order another T3 ex flange and also the 4 bolt downpipe flange, but for now I just want to get the heads where i want them and the exhaust to the turbo. The downpiping is nothing to toss together since i run no muffler...lmao.

 

that 90* is fine.

the discoloration is prolly from sitting , and or mouisture , just clean the motor very well and reasemble

hell put the shotblock up on an engine stand get some purple power from autozone spray dpown the entire block and wash it with the hose and a cheap scrub brus.

be aware when u was the block u will need to coat everything with wd-40 as soon as u dry it or it will rust instantly


hey man a good trans spare is good to have i used to have 2-3 spares at a time in the shop . this way if u blow up the one u have now before u can do the 350 swap u have abackup


whats the outlet on that turbo 2.5 or 3 inch , if it is 2.5 get an ex reducer and put that right on the turbine outlet to go from 2.5 to 3 inch

 

The ex outlet on the turbo is a 3" one.

Ya i do need to clean up the block, but am scared to do too much becasue of the rust issue in it and water seaping into the crank bearings and such. Really dont want to take that whole block down to the bare block.......... Ideas?

It is nice to have a spare trans. Id like to get the car back together in the next month before it gets too cold so i can bring it up to my new house. Its sitting in my parents garage right now because its in a million pieces... Once its up here it would be better to work on since i woundnt have to drive a hour to play with it.

 

put it on and engine stand and hit it with the garden hose and soap then bust out the wd-40 ( leave the crank in )

then reinstall the pistons and use assembly lube on the rod bearings when u reasemble it

i would however pull each main cap one at a time after u wash it and spray some oil or assembly lube on those as well


dont be afriad to clean it just pay attention to what ur doing and make sure u get a light coat of oil on everything so it dont rust up

 

Ok dave. Thats the plan this weekend. Id like to clean it up, and assemble it back together. Cam and all.

I didnt check the ring gap on the newer block but have to. I want to see if its as tight as the other which it probly is. Thanks for the tips on the rings. I never knew that they had to go in the same exact way they came out. Ill make sure to mark the tops of them to get them right.

 

be very carefull when u remove and reinstall the top rings , it is possible to bend or pull the ring out of shape , only pul on the ring just enough to get it to slip out of the ringland.

hers another tip for u

take a top ring off the other motor/piston and break it in half , u can then run that ring threw the top ringland of the pistons that came out of the new motor.

this will clean out any carbon or gunk in the ringland

i.e cheap ring land cleaner

do not i repat do not try cleaning the pistons or anything in the block with a wire wheel in a drill etc , those drill attached wire wheels loose some of the wire and if one gets left int he block the oil pump can suck it up and it can cause major damage to the engine

just snap it in half and insert the clean end of the ring into the ringland and push it around the piston , beats buying the 30-50$ tool made for doing it

 

Ok on the rings and how to clean out the ring lands. Thats a good trick.

Dave, i know better then to use a wire wheel on the pistons or anything that important and sensitive....lol

In the future when i first get to fire it up again should i use something like those break in additives. I remember using some stuff by lucas oil when i broke the cam in. zzdp or some additive like that. Im wasnt sure if when i reassemble the engine if it needs special car when first started.

 

i dont think u will need it , but it wont hurt to pour a bottle of zzdp in it

 

I ordered a new t3 flange for the turbo. Any idea off the top of your head what those water ports on the turbo are size wise??

 

not a clue, didnt it come with fittings for the wate rports?

 

newp, mine didnt either

 

all you got was the 2 metal gaskets and the 4 studs/bolts for the exhuast??

 

im pretty sure they are metric fittings

 

The thread of the coolant ports on the center section should be -6 AN (o-ring ready), and the adapters used for them should have -8 AN for the hoses on the other side...

 

both of u guys need these lines for the water ports
heres a pair of 90* fittings

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Turbo-Water-...43d462&vxp=mtr

or if stright ones will work better

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Turbo-Water-...43d450&vxp=mtr

i have a funny ffeeling that having one stright and one 90* fitting would work best lol

 

I think one straight and one 90* would work best too. Thanks for the link!!

 

Didnt have the time or $$ to acid dip the block, but I did my best to make it look better.

I got the delta cam in the engine block, the rings actually didnt need gapped at all. The top ring gap was .025 I think that was plently and that was basically plus or minus .0025 on all rings. So before I put everything back in I put the pan back on the engine, taped off any hole whatsoever and tossed the timing/water pump back on and painted it with multiple primer, base, and clear 1000F paint. Before i did that I spent about 2 hrs cleaning up that block as best as i could. For the most part it should be ok.






I did my best also to clean the gunk off the piston tops letting them sit with some wd 40 on them for a few minuets then wiping clean. The cylinders look better and have less of those stainds in them for the most part.

The cam bearnings looked much better then my other ones. The one thing is I noticed in both blocks that if you feel on the top of the cam bearing it feels somewhat rough?? Ever seen that before?? But not much copper at all on the new block compared to the other and this one actually has the oil holes lined up on he cam bearings. Remember on my other block the hole was about a 1/3 off of where it should be.

Heres te old cam bearing on the front... and believe me the farther ones back are solid brass...lol


Heres the newer block. A little better at least the farther ones back arent so shot.


And a few pics of the cylinders, they look a little better. Just shot wd 40 in there and let it sit for awhile. Didnt feel compfortable doing much more then that to them.




And ya I know they needed cleaned out better but these pics are before i took the remaining pistons out.

There still is a funky line on those cylinders though but I "think" it will be ok at least I hope...lmao

 

the line is from were the piston/rings were sitting as long as ui cant feel the line it will be ok , if u can some wd40 and a scotch bright pad should remove it

dont forget to chase all the threads in the block with a tap specially the headbolt holes

hopefully u put some engine assembly lube on the bearings or some thick oil on them when u reassembled. if not just prime the pump.

speaking of oilpump did u shim the relief valve?

 

I did use assemby oil but ill still prime the pump like i did before. Rather too safe ya know.

Ill chase those head threads out and I dint get to the oil pump yet though. Where do i actually shim it...lol.. remember ive never done it before.

 

unbolt the pump form the motor, remove the 4 bolts form the bottom and remove the cover, then inspect the gears and pump case for burs or galling on the side pof the pump will be a roll pin u need to drive out, once u remove the pin a spring and plunger will fall out thats were u shim it


theres a few other mods involving the pump that u can do but they are beyond what u need right now .that invold measuring gear endplay and machining the case for tighter tolerances for better oilflow at high rpm. but u wont need them


when u get oil pick up some shell rotella -t 15-40 its diesiel oil but its perfect for a turbocharged eninge and its what i run

if i dont have that i use castrol straight 40w

 

Ok I'll shim up the pump tomorrow. Hopefully next weekend I'll have the heads on and the engine will be ready to sit back in.

I have to still assemble the heads with the new springs, locks exc. But at lest I'm going in the right direction.

 

u using the unported heads? or did u just get new stuff for ur old heads

 

New stuff for the ported heads, just the springs, retainers, locks. I'm going to just toss in the valves outta the heads that are unported for the time being. Valve lap them in and call it a day.

 

Got the pump shimmed this morning. Only used one washer, a thin one. I used the pump that I had in my previous block just because.

Ran out of time for the weekend but id say I got alot done. Just need to assemble the heads with the new parts then toss them on. Theres a good amount of welding to do on the piping but my main goal is to get the engine back in so that I can re pipe it back up.

On another note, im going to use the fresh oil pan off my newer block so that I can weld in the oil return bung better then last time when i welded it on the car...lmao I still laugh becaue that was the hardest part when I origanny turboed the car. That oil bung is a PITA when the pans still on the car....

Pic of the progress. I actually forgot my tubes of RTV at my new house. So i didnt get to offically start bolting stuff together. I wasent about to buy more when i have so many tubes at the house. But the engine is getting there. The lil V6 that could will be back, ready to go again soon. May not be capible of 400hp like id like. But Ill just have to settle with the goal of being back into the low 13's untill I can properly build up the original 3.1L



Dave I cant feel the discoloration at all on those few cylinders... So i left it be for now. I can always go back in and wd them some more but I want that paint to cure correctly before I start using solvents anywhere near it.

 

lookin good. that color looks familiar...

 

I think I broke my new house in just right...lmao.

Cleaned up the heads today as there as good as there gonna get. Just used hot soapy water, rinsed quickly, dried, and wd-40's the crap out of them. Cleaned up as well as its gonna get

Plan to assemble the heads tommorow night and if any luck get most of the engine ready to drop back in on sunday.

One question...how much can i get away with putting back on the block??? Intakes wise and dizzy.... Never droped a engine back in before on this car so im not sure how much I can get on the engine ahead of time. Working on a stand is so much easier.

Pics....lmao

 

looks good, u should be able to assemble the entire engine including the headers before u drop the engine in .

u may have to leave the x over off till its in the car. only way to know for sure is to try it

but complete engine + turbo headers shouldnt be an issue

omg lol i just relized what the first picture was.

my gf nearly flipped when i washed a turbo compressor cover in the kitchen sink, she would prolly kill me if i washed a cyl head in the sink lmfao

 

Thankfully my girlfriend doesnt live with me or she'd flip big time..lmao.

Ill try to get as much on as possible. The more the better. I do have to do some welding though for the new turbo. That downpipe flange doesnt give me much room for error like the other one did. Tight welding there but im sure I get it right if I just take my time.

Hey one thing though is on the turbo water ports Rob said something about them being o-ring ready? I didt get the fittings yet but there is just threads that go about 1/2" down then a hole after that. Theres no face under the threads.

I did get some of that black heat wrap this time for the headers. 1"x25Ft tape so its much easier to wrap on those things and doesnt get dirty so damm fast. I would think that should be enough for those headers....25 ft of it.

 

the banjo fittings have copper washeres that seal, u can use stright fittings to with some teflon tape.

it will be ok to run for a lil while withotu the water lines hooked up but i wouldnt do it for to long

generally water cooling is for ball bearing only, but some journal bearing turbos do have it with journal bearings u dont need the water cooling but since this is an knockoff turbo id get them hooked up just incase

 

one thing I have done is leave the heads off, drop the short block back in, then, you can get the top tranny bolts without a mile of extensions or whatever method you use (I haven't found an easy one, yet!). Then you've got to tq the heads down in the engine bay. that's not always the easiest thing but I would rather do that than fight with the tranny bolts.

 

i always use 1 6ft ext or 2 3ft'ers with a swivel socket on the end for the top bolts. and never have to fight it to bad.

then again id rather have to deal with 2 bolts instead of putting the heads on in the car

 

I did notice that when I took the trans off. I already had the heads off and the tranny bolts were much easier but I have had to put the trans in 2 times so far and the only thing that really was a PITA was getting the trans under the car since I dont have a lift and only trust it on stands so far into the air. But with help and those 3ft extentions I have it isnt too bad to get it in.