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Haven't felt this ignorant in a long time...

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Most machine shops are pretty tolerant of us who have fewer skills than they do, so you'll learn a lot and find what you can do. That Vizard book isn't something you read through and understand everything, but a book you pick up fromtime to time as a reference and or just for the pleasure of reading.
 
Baz, why do you feel you need to do the valves? My philosophy is run what you got into the ground, then rebuild it when you have to. If your car runs decent and isn't boiling smoke everywhere, keep it on the road. Odds are that if you start tearing into the motor, you won't stop until you have a brand new motor. That is not a bad thing, of course. But I look at Spridget ownership as a Miles per Smile proposition. If you can keep driving her without dropping $1000 on an engine rebuild (Jack got very, very lucky when he picked his machine shop) you are going to get a lot more smiling miles. Then, when the motor does start boiling smoke, it will probably still cost you $1000 to rebuild.

That's just my $0.02. Take it with lots of salt.
 
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I just pray there's nothing wrong inside that motor that'll send me over the $500 mark

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For what it's worth, when I rebuilt my 1500 motor, had the machine shop:

1) complete rebuild of the head. New valve seats and guides, install valve guide seals (which weren't original on these motors), triple grind on the valves, install new valve springs/retainers. Valves were fine, so didn't need new ones. Seats and guides are important, and just looking at them by a novice won't necessarily catch a problem. leave this to the pro's. This was the most expensive part of the machine work... $250.00.

2) Boiled block/head. They checked all tolerances for me. Bored engine .020. had to grind crank .010 on all journals. They checked the block and head to ensure mating surfaces were flat and true. Cost was around $275.00.

Total machine shop costs were reasonable imho. $525.00.

But that was just the beginning. Bored engine meant bigger pistons, $200.00. Rings/bearings were another $100.00(?). New camshaft, hot street cam, (mine was wasted due to DPO putting in wrong fuel pump), $300.00. New double valve springs, $25.00. New tappets, $35.00. New vernier double row timing chain and gears, $300.00. New freezeplugs/gaskets/seals/etc, figure another $100.00. New oil pump $100.00, Without adding up all the receipts, it was easily around $1,700.00, maybe just a bit more, for a total rebuild of the motor.

This also doesn't include the small parts (new oil pressure spring, head studs, rod bolts, flywheel resurfacing, new clutch/pressure plate/bearing) etc.

A lot is dependent upon what you want done by the machine shop, performance increases, etc. But, there are always unexpected variables when you begin to rebuild a motor. To get away with a total rebuild for $500.00??? I'm not sure that can be done.
 
my .02, having just done this.

1. If you are on a budget put Vizard's book down immediately! You will start with porting the head and before long you will be changing the cam, offset rocker bushing and so on and so on etc.

2. Rebuilding the engine is not a duanting task. Machine shops are usually very helpful and you have a wealth of knolwedge available here from all of your friends.

Patrick
 
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Baz, why do you feel you need to do the valves?

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Most gas stations here in town are running a min of 10% ethanol, and "regular" unleaded (oxymoron) is impossible to find. Our State legistlature is proposing that by next year, all pumps be a min 10% ethanol and to have E85 availablility up by 250%
I may as well change the valves now so I can run this 'gasoline' with a little more confidence. I'm not planning on putting E85 in it, no way, but even 10% ethanol can potentially hurt an LBC over time. This is something I want to do only once, so I may as well be ahead of it and this winter appears to be a good time; besides PO is unaware of the head ever being removed.
If I'm going to be a bear, I'm going to be a grizzly.
Thanks all, I'll be starting this weekend, very slowly.
 
This maybe ignorance on my part, but I thought that ethanol would only hurt things like certain types of materials used in carburator jets and rubber components. I did not think it would hurt your valves.

Am I wrong?
 
Morris, as far as I know, you are correct.
 
Drew: A couple of items to add to all the information - balancing the engine will get you increased engine longevity & effiency, a little more power and will be a little smoother. I've always had the deck (top of the engine block) surfaced on the engines I've rebuilt in additon to having the head surfaced. Just like having two really flat and level pieces to bolt together! You'll do fine and it really is a blast to start up after you put it in the car! Roy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
Just got a quote from the machine shop, very encouraging...
$60 block surfacing
$40 Head surfacing
$40 boiling (block & head)
$80 installing & levelling valves.
$220 in all, and, if I spend more than $200, I get a free flywheel grind or something....
I'll move on this.
 
BAH!!! (not you, Roy!)

There's NO reason to NOT go for the plan, Drew. A "spare" engine built over time & used as a "learning experience" is the BEST way to absolutely KNOW your LBC! Rely on a good machinist/machine shop, the printed info and this group for info and support. Hap has certainly forgotten more about these A series engines than most will ever know. The rest of us have a collective experience in years to frighten mere mortals... Bottom line: find a spare engine, be methodical in your teardown, if you don't own micrometers go to the machinist for help/advice. I've said before: this ain't a shuttle launch. This equipment is well over four decades old in design and certainly not outside your ability to understand and maintain. You've proven it: Most folk are intimidated by electron flow, you REWIRED your whole car. Mechanical stuff is actually EASIER to understand: Once it's apart you can SEE the relationships and what actually happens in there.

I say: "Frell th' torpedoes!" Dive in and if ya get confuzzled, there are those here who've "been there, done that" dozens of times.

"Grab 'n GROWL!" -- yer back is covered.
 
Don't forget the freeze plugs and check and maybe regrind on crank and and cylinders, at least hone to seat new rings.

See I told ya about 360 will do the job.
 
Y'know Jack, after all the talk of freeze plugs earlier in the thread, I totally forgot to ask him!
I'll try and run that gas tank dry this week and get started.
You chaps, and Doc E above have certainly lit a fire.
"Grab 'n GROWL!" It is.
 
Hey, Baz & Drew. If you want, I'll tear one of mine down at the same time you do, and follow you through the procedures.
Relaxation, for me. What'll it be? 948, 1098, or a 1275?
Jeff
 
YES!!! This should be an internet "first"!!!

A 21st century "Follow th' Bouncing Ball"!
 
We'll do a group 1275 build. Bonding time!

I've got a few leads on local engines, plus a possible entire project car for the stripping. I'm motivated (Doc's stoking the fires). This should be fun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I'm going to supervise.
 
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I'll tear one of mine down at the same time you do, and follow you through the procedures.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is an awesome idea, see if Basil can get some 'video conferencing' going or something. Seriously, something like that would be a massive help, write it up, put some lace on it, it'll be in a local bookstore in a month.
 
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Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"

[/ QUOTE ]

Paraphrased: "But, who'll watch the watchers," or
“who'll guard the guards,” or “who'll act as gatekeeper to the gatekeepers?”

Hmmm, Jack, methinks they aren't certain they can trust you....heheheheh
 
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