Engine assembly progress

[Brosky]

Not much new today, but when new stainless bolts arrive on Monday and the steering column is back in, things will move along at a more lively pace.

It's starting to look good now. :laugh:

The head/water pump & housing still need to be clear coated. :eeek:

 

[NutmegCT]

Paul - wasn't there a time in the recent past when your signature line said "2008 - the year of mucho driving!" ?



(looks great there fella!)

Tom

 

[Brosky]

Sure was, Tom! I had planned to dive with the old engine, until I found a spare to rebuild, which I thought would take months. I found one in two weeks and decided to bit the bullet early and get this done by spring.

I hope to begin the break in process on Weds evening. After that, we'll be back to mucho driving in 2008.

 

[Trick6]

Look at that upgraded timing gear guys. Paul spares no expense. Is that a fancy header I see lurking about in the background? Special head bolts too. Now what about all the nice stuff we don't see?
Great looking motor, Paul.

 

[Brosky]

Al,

That header is a JetHot coated Pacesetter that has been on for two years. The triple carbs are going back on and there will be more chrome with the stainless hoses going on.

Internally, there is a newly blueprinted oil pump and all of the pistons are AE brand, .030" oversize. I have King tri-metal main and rod bearings matched to the .010" under cut & polished crank. The rods are all shot peened, straightened and reconditioned with new bushings and trued after balancing.

The head studs and nuts, crankshaft bolts and connecting rod bolts are all made by ARP.

Bob Mason did machine the block an additional .003" to allow the fitting of Scott Helm's custom made solid bronze thrust washers. these did require additional chamfering and radius work to mate to the crank, but just because of the way that we did this application.

The valves are new, with stainless exhausts and have been given a three angle valve job. The bronze guides have been machined and fit with new valve seals. All of the ports have been cleaned and any rough surfaces removed. All internal parts are matched in weight and every rotating part is balanced, including the damper and water pump pulley.

The engine block also has Marc Goldblatt's custom steel saddle block. Everything was mated and checked after the line boring for the crank and the cam bearings.

The head has been resurfaced and each chamber cc'd to match with the compression ratio at appx. 9'5 to 1. The block deck surface has been resurfaced removing .007". which allows for a zero deck height (actually the pistons are 0.0005" above the surface).

The cam gear is a Vernier adjustable unit with the upgraded chain and gear set from Germany. I got these for BPNW as well.

The distributor is a 22D from a 1975 that has been recurved to match the engine specs of the original PI engine. I have an external adjustable knob on the distributor for tweaking timing on the fly. This is a completely rebuilt unit from Jeff at Advanced Distributors.

Damper rebuilding was handled by Damper Dudes in California.

And rounding it out, after all of the machine work at Mason Racing Engines, is Erik Nygaard, owner of Her Majesty's Service in Swansea, MA, who is doing his usual superb job of putting things together just as I want them to be.

This also includes the new wiring harnesses for the Master's Headlamp Relay Package and the Spal wiring kit for the 16" electric fan on the new Wizard Aluminum Radiator that I got from Arthur at TRParts.com.

I purchased stainless steel radiator and heater hoses and their matching clamps along with the new Optima battery and hold down bracket from Summitt Racing.

There is a new balanced aluminum 9 lb. Fidanza flywheel with a balanced pressure plate and clutch disc, along with a new KOYO T/O bearing from BPNW.

Under the carpeting will be the TRF plastic transmission tunnel all the way to the back with all new bolts and retainers in the floor. TRF supplied every new stud and bolt for the exterior of the engine, with the exception of the stainless exposed bolts from FastenAll.

EDIT: I almost forgot Justin Wagner's Silicone valve cover gasket & Scott Helms Thrust Washers.

Vendors below:

https://www.hermajestysservice.com/

https://www.masonsracing.com/machineshop.htm

https://www.arp-bolts.com/

https://www.britishcarweek.org/tr6.html

https://www.bpnorthwest.com/

https://www.advanceddistributors.com/

https://www.damperdudes.net/

https://www.imaconstruction.com/sealingblock.htm

https://www.fidanza.com/

https://www.trparts.com/newitems/radiator.html

https://www.summitracing.com/

https://www.advanceautowire.com/

https://www.the-roadster-factory.com/

https://www.quantumechanics.com/index.php

https://www.capecodpowdercoating.com/

https://www.jet-hot.com/

https://www.newenglandchrome.com/

https://www.jmwagnersales.com/T6SiliconeGasket.htm

Whew! I think that may be it.

 

[Scott_Hower]

Nice engine.

Mind if I ask for a ballpark estimate on machine work to cut the cam journals for bearings?

I'm working a Spridget 1500 that I intent to keep for a while, would be nice for the bumpstick to run in bearings.

You balanced the water pump impleller? May I ask why?

 

[Brosky]

Thanks.

The labor for the cam bearings was $450 from the machine shop. He lost his shirt on that one.

I didn't balance the impeller, but rather the pulley. I did it because it spins at a high RPM and they are all balanced on a TR6. I wanted to be sure it was right on the money. It wasn't right on, but it wasn't off by much.

 

[Tom74TR6]

Hi Paul,
Thank you for itemizing everything. A couple of questions:
Gaskets - did you purchase a complete kit or pick and choose based on gasket location / best material?
Wood shims at the saddle - is there something better out there?
King bearings - do they make standard size and how would they be rated against Vandervell? Are they sold by the big 3?
Piston rings - also by AE?
Thank you!
Tom

 

[Brosky]

Tom,

I did miss some things. Sorry about that!!

The AE pistons came from BPNW with the AE rings installed and Bob said they are top quality parts and the ring fit was perfect for the .030" overbore.
https://www.bpnorthwest.com/.sc/ms/cat/TR250-6--Main Engine Components/4


I forgot to mention that I am using Payen gasket sets for the top and bottom of the engine, also from BPNW.
https://www.bpnorthwest.com/.sc/ms/cat/TR250-6--Main Engine Components/3


Nothing better that I know of for the saddle block and that's what comes in the Payen lower end kit.

The King bearings are tri-metal as the Vandervell were or are, if you can ever find any. And they are available in STD.
https://www.bpnorthwest.com/.sc/ms/...arts/6853/Bearings Tri-Metal HD Mains TR250-6

Adjustable Cam gear is here:
https://www.bpnorthwest.com/.sc/ms/dd/TR250-6--Performance Parts/7255/Cam Gear Vernier TR250-TR6

 

[PeterK]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The AE pistons came from BPNW with the AE rings installed and Bob said they are top quality parts and the ring fit was perfect for the .030" overbore.[/QUOTE]

Did he have to gap the piston rings? Check each one? I ask because I have a set of new AEs for my TR4A and wonder ifm since the rings are supplied installed, it means they're already gapped.

 

[Brosky]

Peter,

Just as a safety precaution, the rings have to be individually checked to their matched cylinder bore, one piston at a time.

Bob said that they fit well, but he also did the machining so he knew exactly what the bore was that he started with. With that being said, I'm sure he would have told me if there was a fitting issue with the rings, so they must have been very close to the proper gap for .030" over.

 

[Brosky]

Tom,

I know that TRF & Moss also sell King bearings.

 

[PeterK]

Thanks. I figured as much. I'll guess pull then off and check each one.

 

[Brosky]

Tom,

I don't know if you saw this from a fellow CT guy. These eliminate a major problem or potential problem with these engines. Marc is not too far from you.

https://www.imaconstruction.com/sealingblock.htm

 

[Tom74TR6]

Hi Paul,
Yes, I was considering this solution but was curious why continue with the wood shims? Since humans are walking upright now, you would think there would be a good Delrin, Hytrel or other non hydroscopic material that could substitute in this area.
Just one neanderthal sitting in the garage pondering..

 

[Guest]

If I may interject here, Tom. The wooden wedges actually work very well. A thought: as Paul and I both did, consider converting to the steel sealing block in the front. That aluminum one has a tendency to have the threaded holes stripped from the oil pan bolts, thus a source of leaks. That way you can snug up everything with a vengeance and not have to fear (so much) the inevitable oily engine front. (Although this is a good way to keep your frame rust free. )

 

[Opa]

wood is good as a sealing block,however not so good for sneakers.

 

[Trick6]

Paul:
Looks like you have everything pretty well covered. What are you using for valve train components? I have the roller rockers added to the hardened rocker shaft. I am still dealing with the pushrod dilemma. I have the stock length upgraded ones but they are a little long given the head being milled. My shop said that they were OK. I still have adjustment on the lash locks, but I am not to happy with the rocker roller location on the valve tip. I might place spacers under the pedestals to compensate for the head cut. I placed an adjustable pushrod in there to determine the correct length but no resolve yet. The jury is still out. More study required.

 

[Brosky]

Al,

No roller rockers. I have a brand new rocker shaft assembly that I got from TRF last year with only 250 miles on it.

I have the moly push rods from BPNW that are .120" shorter than stock because of the total removed from my head. I was at the end of the line with the stock ones last year and there is more off of the head today, which we knew was going to happen, hence the shorter rods.