Catlin
Member
Really should have started this thread a lot sooner but here's a quick look at the process of rebuilding my engine since it went pop at the end of last year. I'll try to keep this a lot more up to date from here on in.
Couple of pics of me sat at the side of the A5 after a big bang and all of my oil deciding it would rather be on the road than in the engine. RAC bloke helpfully suggested pouring a litre of oil in (all he had) and giving starting it a go. I politely declined and had it towed!
It transpired that one of my rods had shot through the back of the block (pic of the damage later) so a replacement bottom end was order of the day. I quickly decided I wanted to do a proper rebuild, ditching the old six injector setup and going with the newer setup that everyone else seems to be running. If the car was going to be off the road for a while I might as well do everything properly.
So introducing, the brand new bottom end:
Complete with date of manufacture sticker, it didn't appear to have been out of the box since.
The focus then moved on to removing the head from the old engine to check for damage. Carl who has been helping out (saving me) throughout agreed on a deal to swap my head and some cash for one he'd ported and polished (pics later), so I got on to stripping more bits off (when I say I, most of this work was actually completed by my mate Paul).
Eagle Rods and Wiseco Pistons were ordered to try and avoid throwing a rod again and get the engine ready for a hopeful power increase.
Popped to Carl's one Sunday to collect the head and ended up staying all day as he gave me plenty of advice, didn't expect to be leaving like this:
Was well worth it when I got this home, Carl did a great job, even fitting his own hydraulic lifters to it when there was a doubt around those already fitted. Valves were also swapped out for Saab sodium filled ones.
Never thought in my life I'd own an engine stand (or the engine crane that has followed) but her it is as things got moving.
Balance shafts out and cut, bearings knocked in.
Rods assembled, rings gapped and pistons in, then timed up.
Inlet manifold ready to go off to be tig welded.
Block lacquered:
Then finally time to take the old engine out to allow me to start tidying up the bay ready for the new engine.
Getting a few bits tidied up for the new engine.
And finally where I am now:
Hoping to get it in over the next couple of weeks, really need to get the bay freshened up a bit and get the loom sorted. Few changes required moving from six injectors back to four, injector plugs for the Z20LET injectors should be with me tomorrow as well as some loom tape to tidy things up and replace the plastic sleeving Courtenay had used originally.
Need to buy a new coolant tank and have been toying with the idea of silicone hoses but have read mixed feedback on them
Couple of pics of me sat at the side of the A5 after a big bang and all of my oil deciding it would rather be on the road than in the engine. RAC bloke helpfully suggested pouring a litre of oil in (all he had) and giving starting it a go. I politely declined and had it towed!
It transpired that one of my rods had shot through the back of the block (pic of the damage later) so a replacement bottom end was order of the day. I quickly decided I wanted to do a proper rebuild, ditching the old six injector setup and going with the newer setup that everyone else seems to be running. If the car was going to be off the road for a while I might as well do everything properly.
So introducing, the brand new bottom end:
Complete with date of manufacture sticker, it didn't appear to have been out of the box since.
The focus then moved on to removing the head from the old engine to check for damage. Carl who has been helping out (saving me) throughout agreed on a deal to swap my head and some cash for one he'd ported and polished (pics later), so I got on to stripping more bits off (when I say I, most of this work was actually completed by my mate Paul).
Eagle Rods and Wiseco Pistons were ordered to try and avoid throwing a rod again and get the engine ready for a hopeful power increase.
Popped to Carl's one Sunday to collect the head and ended up staying all day as he gave me plenty of advice, didn't expect to be leaving like this:
Was well worth it when I got this home, Carl did a great job, even fitting his own hydraulic lifters to it when there was a doubt around those already fitted. Valves were also swapped out for Saab sodium filled ones.
Never thought in my life I'd own an engine stand (or the engine crane that has followed) but her it is as things got moving.
Balance shafts out and cut, bearings knocked in.
Rods assembled, rings gapped and pistons in, then timed up.
Inlet manifold ready to go off to be tig welded.
Block lacquered:
Then finally time to take the old engine out to allow me to start tidying up the bay ready for the new engine.
Getting a few bits tidied up for the new engine.
And finally where I am now:
Hoping to get it in over the next couple of weeks, really need to get the bay freshened up a bit and get the loom sorted. Few changes required moving from six injectors back to four, injector plugs for the Z20LET injectors should be with me tomorrow as well as some loom tape to tidy things up and replace the plastic sleeving Courtenay had used originally.
Need to buy a new coolant tank and have been toying with the idea of silicone hoses but have read mixed feedback on them