Engine torn down - what do I measure?

[JPSmit]

I got the flywheel off yesterday, the timing chain cover the day before. The engine is almost all stripped. I mean to borrow some calipers this weekend to measure:

Piston bore?
what else?

I really don't want to replace & rebore pistons unless I have to but rings/ bearing etc would probably make sense since it is this far apart - right?

 

[tony barnhill]

I would suggest taking it to a machine shop so they can check clearances/wear...calipers won't tell you if a cylinder is egg shaped....I don't replace pistons unless the bore is damaged/egged.

 

[jlaird]

Call around, take your head to have checked for level and valves seated. Block to be boiled, new freeze plugs, new cam bearings and bore checked for size, etc and honed or what ever for new rings. Rods check for straight and cracks. Crank checked for bearing surfaces and reground if necessary.

Lots of stuff for a machine shop but is not expensive to do it right and you want it done right.

Now, new oil pump, new chain with sprockets if necessary, new lifters as required. Rock on.

 

[aeronca65t]

You'll need at least a bore micrometer to measure the bores...a simple caliper won't do. You'll need to measure the bores to see if they've been cut before. Otherwise, you won't know what size rings and pistons to buy.
But just as important in these engines is the crankshaft journals. The lower end is the real weak point in the 1500. You'll need to measure the rod mains and crank mains (with an outside micrometer) and replace them no matter what. I would not put the engine back together without changing the rod bearings, even if they look good.
And you really should measure the thrust washers and replace with the proper size (you can get slightly oversize thrust washers if needed).
Again, do not put the old thrust washers back in even if they look OK....false economy.
On my 1500 racer, I renew rod bearings and thrust washers about every 25 hours (and the car get new oil and filter less than every two hours of running time).
When the 1500 was first introduced, BL tested the setup by running the cars at top speed for about an hour....resulting in heavy rod bearing wear. BL managment did nothing to resolve this, "hoping" that most drivers would drive more gently. The average low-cost economy car could easily hold up to a test like this.

Also, I'd have the head planed just as a precaution...it's pretty cheap. And I'd replace all rod bearing hardware and use a new timing chain.
There is a procedure to measure wear on the oil pump, but basically, if the side plate on the pump is worn, you can fix this by lapping it against some fine grit sand paper backed up by a nice piece of flat glass.
Before I put an engine together, I pressure-wash it with soap and water and then spray it with WD-40 right away. Clean is good.

 

[Guest]

My suggestion is that you take the block, head, crankshaft, camshaft, and pistons & rods to a recommended machine shop. Check with your local MG or British car clubs to see which machine shops their members use. You will want the machine shop to hot tank (clean) the block & head. They will "mic" (size the bores, crankshaft, etc) the parts to see what is required (cylinder bore, crankshaft journal turning, decking (top of block and head leveling). You may want them to install hardened valve seats (if your 76 is a 49 state car) so that unleaded fuel is no longer a problem. They will also install new valve guides, clean the oil passages, & install new soft plugs (use brass ones). Have them get you new pistons, rings, complete gasket set, valves, main bearings, rod bearings, timing chain & gears, oil pump, lifters, & new or reground camshaft. Usually a machine shop can get you the parts cheaper than you can buy them on the outside. Hope this info helps.

 

[jlaird]

Don't forget to paint it preaty before it goes back in.