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Lucas [oil that is]

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Me too Doc, nothing here but a bunch of folks trying to help and make a point.

We've all done dumb things by accident or because we did not know better.

Time to back up and check it all before an expensive error is maybe compounded. Fix it while it is cheep to fix.

The real point is he came here to ask, and he came to the right place, got good answers, and now knows how to proceed.

We await the rest of the story and expect because of this thread someone else, maybe me, won't screw up the same way.
 
Back when I was 16 I got a VW Bug engine done at a local machine shop. I assumed it was done ok so I just assembled it. I didn't pay attention to the fact that one conrod while spinning around the crankshaft was tight at two positions and loose at two positions. (On bug motors the rods go on before the crank goes in. This one had an oval rod journal)
Needless to say, the engine lasted about a week. Then they wouldn't do anything for me because I installed it and ran it. I ended up buying a junkyard engine.
 
John Moore said:
whatever you do, use something very light. If you goop it up with too heavy of an oil you run the risk of the rings not seating when the times comes. Believe me I know, I've made that mistake!
Click to expand...
John I agree,
I know this may sound counter intuitive, but the provider of my rings (Omega) said to lightly wipe the clean cylinders with motor oil. A dab of assembly lube on the piston skirts, a bit of oil on the piston pins. NO oil on the upper part of the piston or rings. As each piston - ring assembly is inserted, most of the oil on the cylinders will be scraped to the bottom where it should be. This procedure is vital to good ring break in & seating.

It worked well for me. The rings apparently seated in the first 20 minutes of a 40 minute fast idle cam break in procedure. The engine temperature dropped noticeably at this time. At the end of this first run, the compression checked 190 on all cylinders & has not changed since.
D
 
Good idea I should check my compression.

Wait, do I want to know the answer?
 
Hap et al, no offence meant - none taken. (I always yelled at my kids a little louder if they were running towards a busy street than if they were safe in the backyard.)

I'd much rather have swift responses than a wrecked engine.

The quick answer to many of these rhetorical questions is that every thing that is frustrating me now is something I didn't disassemble myself.

Anyway, it's a gorgeous day - I'm heading for the garage and I'll let you know

thanks all for your advice & care

JP
 
WOW !!

After reading all of this -- makes me realize my limitations. I'm not going to attempt to rebuild an engine - it's all greek to me.

John - good luck on your problem. 99.9999% these guys are right and you just dodged a high ticket bullet. Fix / adjust whatever in the heck they are talking about and drive happily.

George Zeck
 
10:00 am. Pistons match, inserted in correct order, engine has light oil lube, checked, double checked, triple checked, spins like a top. Thanks so very much friends, I appreciate your prompt (and direct) care!

George - the only reason I am doing this this way is so that when asked I can answer, "Yes, I did it myself." I figure that while there will be the occasional hiccup along the way, it's the only way to learn and besides, with three manuals, and this group of people and the reality that cars don't get much simpler than Midgets, you can't go wrong in the long run.

thanks again all
JP

PS. I'll get back to you on timing shortly. In the meantime off to mow the lawn.
 
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