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re-using engine internals ... yay or nay?

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timbn2

timbn2

Jedi Hopeful
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well, having rebuilt (built up) a previous 4 cyl motor to make it stonger and faster, this will be my "first" stock rebuild.
Im wondering if its okay to re-use engine internals assuming they are in good shape and cleaned up? I know it would be "ideal" to use all new parts, but....

opinions, experiences?
 
I did it with the low-budget Honda rebuild I did for my son last winter - it's still running great, so it must be ok /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
timbn2,
Starting from the crank.... In the rebuilds that I do, I will have the crank magnafluxed to make sure it is not cracked and use it if good. I will usually have the crank milled to the next undersize journal size to resolve any out of round issues. I will also have the rods checked. Since I have the engine torn apart anyway, I have the cylinders checked and invariably bore to the next size; replacing the pistons and rings in the process. New wrist pins are in order. The cam is then checked and if in acceptable tolerances, have it reground, if not, a new one is purchased. Replace the lifters anyway. The pushrods should be checked for arrow straight. Replace the set if any are bent.

I always replace the oil pump. Rebuilding it is too much trouble. The screen is usually re-used.

I always have a valve job done on the head. you may need new valves but they can sometimes be reground into the seats.

The timing chain, tensioner, and possibly the gears should also be replaced.

Just about everything else should be usable, that is the distributor shaft, etc.

You could go on the cheap and do a quick re-build without this detail but you will just tear it apart again sooner than later.

Ron
 
Roger, oops, forgot that one. I rarely have had to replace them BUT that is certainly a likelyhood...
Ron
 
[ QUOTE ]

Im wondering if its okay to re-use engine internals assuming they are in good shape and cleaned up? I know it would be "ideal" to use all new parts, but....
opinions, experiences?

[/ QUOTE ]
It depends on what you mean by "internals". I pretty much agree with Ron. If you just replace rings & bearings it might last a while, or maybe not. Certainly not long if the crank journals or cylinder bores are worn. It takes precision equipment or a lot of experience & skill to measure such things.
D
 
timbn2,
Just in closing... If we are talking about a BN2, then we are looking at a 50+ year old engine... lot of wear and tear in those decades... The cost will be much higher if you do the full re-build but you will be much happier driving down the road with an engine that purrs like a healey...

engine compartment.jpg

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
thanks for the fast replys guys! I kinda figured "replace it all" was going to prevail. I dont know how long the motor sat before i got everything, but i was delighted to find the other day that the crank and pistons turned freely with no rust on the cyl. walls. everything was still covered in a good coat of oil.

For what its worth, the engine will have all the goodies done to it to make sure its in good working order, clearances checked, grinding done if needed, etc.

can anyone recommend a good healey motor guy in Washington state?

thanks
tim
 
Tim,
I guess, with this new info, that the engine was re-built before you purchased it??? If so, have it checked anyway.. The BN4 that is pictured in my last post had the engine re-built before I bought it but I tore it down anyway... ended up that it was re-built with a hatchet and mallet. Some of it was still usable but I ended up replacing one cylinder sleeve, bearings, rings, timing chain, tensioner, etc... The previous owner had evidenly had the head done professionally so it was OK.

Ya' just never know. We spend way too much time and effort on these cars to go halfway and end up with half a job done, and it will show....

I think we should all get a life!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Tim,
Ya' just never know. We spend way too much time and effort on these cars to go halfway and end up with half a job done, and it will show....

I think we should all get a life!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Well said!
 
Tim,
I can recommend Autosport on Eastlake Ave in Seattle (talk to John or Brad). They are sometimes backed up like a lot of machine shops, but if your's is a winter project perhaps a quick turn around isn't necessary. Pin them down though. Also Action Machine shop on 170th and Aurora in Shoreline (just north of Seattle) have done several Healeys. I am sure neither is inexpensive (Autosport did my BJ8), but I think you get what you pay for, especially on an engine rebuild.
Skip
 
Tim, just out of curiosity, would you share with us the approximate cost of a six cylinder Healey engine rebuild?

Also, I have known people to make compression checks and if all cylinders are close to the specifications go ahead and reinstall the engine. Mileage means more than age IMHO, assuming the engine was stored with oil in it. The engines are rugged and if not driven hard should last a long time.
 
Tim, As Johnny posted, you could check the compression and, if good, re-mount the engine and you may have many miles of use. Admittedly, I shortcut on occasion. My '66 MGB daily had low oil pressure due to worn bearings, sooo, I dropped the pan and replaced the bearings (some size as the worn ones) and have driven the car for many miles.

However, there are restorations and then there are RESTORATIONS; that is, fix what's broken and drive away, or tear it apart and RESTORE it to new condition. It all depends upon your budget for time and money and your desires for the car.

There is nothing wrong with a nice clean Little British Car (LBC) that is not frame off restored. My 'B' falls into that category. It runs, I drive it, and it needs to be restored, eventually. I still enjoy it. It actually gives me a break from the frame- off RESTORATION projects (58 AH 100-6 and '57 MGA) that I have going right now.

It is up to you. This is a hobby to be enjoyed, not to be consummed with angst about every nut and bolt... unless you want too.

Good luck... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

MGB 1.jpg
 
Hello Tim,

my view is that it is a waste of money to replace any parts that are in tolerance. In other words, check the dimensions of all components, replace or machine those that are out of tolerance and reuse the rest. This will entail, unless you are exceptional well equipped with tools, a visit to an engineering workshop.
Also bear in mind that every regrind or rebore has shortened the life of that component.

Alec
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif--Alec

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif-Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif
 
It all depends on how hard the engine will be run & your tolerance for sudden failures.

A lightly stressed engine may last a long time on reused parts. Certain parts such as connecting rods, their bolts, crankshaft, & pistons are subject to fatigue failure due to cyclic loading. Gradual fatigue failures are not reversible & will proceed to failure if the parts are run long enough. Especially vulnerable parts such as rod bolts should be replaced on any old engine. Crankshafts should also be checked for beginning cracks. It's surprising how many high mileage crankshafts are found to have beginning fatigue failure.

The same principal applies to some drive train & suspension parts.

Really critical applications such as aircraft engines call for replacement of certain parts on a periodic basis, regardless of apparent condition, to prevent catastrophic failures, for obvious reasons. If you never run the car hard & can live with unexpected breakdowns, reused parts will do fine.
D
 
The criteria here Dave, as stated by Alec the parts must be intolerance.Yes it takes an additional bit of experience or common sense but you will end up just fine.---Keoke
 
Impending fatigue failure cannot be measured & thus "in or out of tolerance" has no bearing on the outcome. Suit yourself. No wonder supposed rebuilts fail when you least expect it.
D
 
Wow, Lot of opinions here.
Like I said earlier [ QUOTE ]
It is up to you. This is a hobby to be enjoyed, not to be consummed with angst about every nut and bolt... unless you want too.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you choose to use every possible existing part that you can, since it is torn apart anyway, at least have the crank magnafluxed for unseen cracks, and have the cam mic'd... If there is no 'lip' at the top of the cylinders then you can probably get by with the existing pistons/rings.

It is up to you. It is your car... and as I said earlier, a nice clean LBC that runs reasonably well will give you many hours of pleasure...

I,onthe other hand live by what my late father taught me.. I quote, If there isn't time to do it right, there will always be time to do it over.

I tend to be anal about it. Some of us are. If I am tearing it apart, I want to avoid the POSSIBILITY of doing it over, at least sooner than necessaary...

Have fun....
 
I am totally unware of any high failure rates in the Healey engines Dave, and a lot of them are done this way.?--Keoke
 
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