Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Assembly

[Hegg]

I'm nearing the reassembly of my TR7 engine and am looking for some opinions on a few things.

(1) How do you recommend doing the painting process? Once I get the block back, I'd like to paint it the original (or close) color, as well as the head, valve cover, and oil pan. What's the proper process for doing this, and what are the correct colors? (This is a 1980 Federal TR7 DHC) Do I just simply tape it and paint before any assembly? Do I assemble first, then paint? Do I need to paint with a sealer of some sort, then paint with the color?

(2) I'm interested in making as close to "leak-free" engine as I can. What types of gasket sealers and techniques does anyone recommend? What about any prep work, such as smoothing the oil pan mating face or something?

(3) Any tricks or advice for assembly in general, such as how to get the head on easiest or how to fill up the coolant without trapping air bubbles?

(4) What is the recommendation for "breaking-in" the engine? I was expecting to do what I did with my Falcon: first few drives are very easy, low rpms that go slow and smoothly through the gear range, then stopping -- never keeping a constant engine speed for the first 50-100 miles. Then change the oil (keeping non-synthetic for the run-in period). Run it a little heavier for the next 300 miles, but still not over-stressing or running at a constant engine speed as much as possible. Then change the oil again and drive normally for 500 miles. Then change the oil to synthetic and drive the car like you stole it!

Thanks very much for any advice. I'll probably be posting a few other questions (got some transmission and A/C questions also) as the build progresses.

I'd better get this done before all the nice weather is gone this spring! Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Hegg]

I'm pretty suprised nobody has any comments! Is it better to just take the engine block to someone and have it all done?

 

[SilentUnicorn]

Re: Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Asse

Hegg,
i am also astonished you have recvd no replies.

i cant help you with the specific tr7 stuff, gut i have painted and sealed an engine successfully. Pics of my motor are here
(try not to laugh too hard) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
painting:
i masked and painted everything before assembly. all parts were cleaned and then wiped down with a prepping solvent. This removes waxes and oils from the surface. Then spray bombed away. many light coats are better than a single heavy coat. I used hi temp engine paint on everything. it has been 2 years since i painted this and have had no peeling or flaking problems.

Sealing:
i am not a big fan of gasket sealant (rtv) but it does have its uses, small amounts of the stuff are handy for tacking gaskets in place. The biggest thing is cleaning and making sure the mating surfaces are flat. also no gouges or dents, A fine file, scraper and a nice stone are about all i use. mate up the parts and tighten to the tourque spec in at least two stages, using a sequence either specified by the book or a seq. that spreads out from the center.

Engine Break in:

Will You do MINE?

i tend to drive it like i stole it from day one

hope this has been helpful

mark

 

[jsneddon]

Re: Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Asse

OK....

I just have to ask....

No offense but....

Is that a replica of an MG engine made out of LEGO blocks???

Actually it looks pretty cool in a wierd way. I'm no originality nazi and it certainly looks better than the greasy hulk dripping in my driveway right now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Webb Sledge]

Re: Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Asse

Like Mark, I can't help with the specific TR7 stuff, but I can tell you that I painted my block, head, and other miscellaneous engine pieces seperately and then bolted them on.

It's important to keep revs low for the first 1000 miles on your engine as the rings, valve seats, and gaskets wear in and settle out. After we built my engine, the mechanic told me to keep revs below 1000rpm for the first 1000 miles, and I've had no trouble. After the first 500 miles, change the oil and filter, reset the valves, and retorque the head. Your brake and clutch fluid should be checked weekly, as well as the radiator level and overflow bottle. Change the oil and filter again at 1500 miles, as well as the valves. Change oil and filter a final time at about 4500 miles, and every 3000 miles after that. After the first 1000 miles, you're engine will be fine if not run hard during that period. I've heard all that stuff about varying the RPMs and not letting them stay in the same range for long, but I wouldn't worry with that to much. Just drive the thing, and they'll vary themselves. If I were you, I'd regularly check all the linkages and hose clamps and such too, at least for a couple months after putting the engine back in.

On the oil pan gasket, I definitly WOULD use sealant, and did so on my TR6. It's hard to get absolutely every bit of the old sealant off, and if you left any at all on there, oil will leak out of that spot because the gasket won't lay perfectly flat. It's important to get that part AS CLEAN AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. I'm talking hospital clean. If you don't, you'll regret it later. Sealant's really not that bad to put on or clean up, though. Just smear about 1/16 inch coating all the way around the gasket and wipe off what's left. No biggie. I used a spray on glue type stuff to hold the gasket on my carbies, but I'm not sure exactly what it is.

Hope this helped.

 

[Hegg]

Re: Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Asse

Webb Sledge -- So just to clarify, keep the revs below 1000rpm for the first 1000 miles? I don't know if I can even get it to idle that low! Please tell me that 1000rpms is a typo! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

As far as having everything "hospital" clean, the block and pan (and everything else) will be boiled clean by the machine shop, so theoretically no gasket material left. I'll of course wipe it off before assembly. What type of sealant would you recommend? For my Lotus, the Permatex Hi-Tack (or something close to that) was recommended. It seems to work well and has a cool yellow color.

As far as painting, I'd assume you just painted the exterior parts, right? And is it as simple as just taping off everything (spark plug holes, bolt holes, gasket mating faces, etc.) and then taking a high-temp can of spray paint? Sounds about like what SilentUnicorn did, so I'll follow that. Now to just find the right colors (AutoZone is my best bet, I suppose).

I know I need to keep revs low for the first while, but I am nervous about the 1000 rpms. That to me basically means idling through the gears everywhere for 1,000 miles. While I certainly don't think I should be redlining it in the first 1,000 miles, I would think the engine would "break in" a little better with the varied vacuum and all that (maybe up to 2,500 or 3,000 rpms?).

Thanks again everyone!

P.S. Got my doors fixed this weekend so they don't rattle anymore! This is gonna be a much sweeter ride once I get that 4-banger back under the hood.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

Re: Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Asse

jsneddon,
it a real chunk of iron, i call it my crayola engine.

mark

 

[martx-5]

Re: Engine Rebuild Advice: Painting, Sealing, Asse

I'd say SilentUnicorn just availed himself of the half full cans of spray paint he had sitting on the shelf in his garage. Waste not, want not./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif