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What a Revoltin' Development THIS Is!

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Here are a couple of shots of the damage:

TR8CylinderSleeve002.jpg
[/img]

TR8CylinderSleeve001.jpg
[/img]


Lovely, ain't it? That's number seven cylinder, the worst of the four on the left bank. Can't wait to see what else is in there! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cryin.gif
 
Mickey
Did you see my previous post about a block in Canada? I'm an old mechanic and have seen those marks before and they usually mean sleeves or another block
Dave
 
14dna said:
Mickey
Did you see my previous post about a block in Canada? I'm an old mechanic and have seen those marks before and they usually mean sleeves or another block
Dave
Click to expand...

Yeah, I did, Dave. Sent you a private message with my email address for them. Will let you know if I need it.

Thanks,
Mickey
 
Brosky said:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]It sounds to me as if the piston pins walked sideways for some reason,
Click to expand...

Just a wild guess and I'm not at all familiar with that engine, but since it was all one bank, could they have been installed incorrectly on the rods? Like reversed and engine torque drove out the pins? Again, just a wild guess. [/QUOTE]
There's only two ways to install the piston pins. You either have a 'floating' pin in which a circlip or spiral lock secures the pin inside of the piston or a 'press fit'.

I think the builder used the stock 'press fit' but left the bushing clearance a little too loose. This allowed the pin to move out and do the damage.

If a 'circlip' or spiral lock' failed you would have more damage from the offending part scratching the wall.

One other thing that MIGHT have happened is the rods were prepared for a 'floating' pin but the engine was assembled without the pin locks...in that case THAT was a major screw-up.

While I'm no expert in these aluminum Buick engines, I believe the original sleeves can be removed (not a pretty sight...ususally accomplished with an air chisel!) and new sleeves simply pressed into place without any additional machine work. This would be a much simpler repair and completely within good engine building practices.

Keep us posted!

UPDATE....Yes you can replace just the sleeves to repair the damage...you can even convert the engine to use a larger slleve and use V-8 Chevy pistons and get 298 CI out of it...cool!

A simple ggogle search for 'Buick aluminum v-8 engine' will get you loads of info Mickey!
 
I never worked on one of those beasts, I take it there are no circlips. Is a Stag the same way?
Tom Lains
TS8651 & 58107
 
Totally different engine, the Stag engine is a true Triumph engine. IT does have circlips for the gudgeons though.
 
These are press fit pins - no retainers at all, which means heating the rods and fitting the pins. I built the engine, but had the machine shop balance and check everything, bore the sleeves for the new .020 over pistons, and assemble the pistons onto the rods. All I had left to do after they did their thing was put the pieces together, and nothing was left out in assembly. A real shame, as this thing ran like stink! I was really happy with the performance.

Today I'm going to prep the car for pulling the engine. The weekend is pretty well loaded as the church is participating in our downtown festival. Hopefully, Monday I'll be able to pull the engine so I can get it over to the shop next week.

If anyone wants a road trip for Monday to come play, the beer's on me!
 
"Will work for beer."

Unfortunately Tennessee is too far outside the yard for me. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
 
Hey, now that you've sweetened the pot with beer, Tennessee doesn't seem that far away now. In the meantime, if you haven't already checked into v8buick.com (go to Small Block Tech), this is a good resource for these engines. Even though they'll be talking Buick and you'll be talking Rover it doesn't make any difference.

As for a replacement block, I would seriously look at a Buick 215. I've got a Buick block in my 8 and it was practically a one for one switch for everything that came off the Rover block. The only thing that didn't transfer over from the Rover was the engine mounts. The Buick block is missing a tapped hole for the upper mounting bolt, but I fabbed up a piece coming off the head bolts that handled it just fine. I think there's a couple of Buick blocks on ebay right now (search Buick 215) and while they'll probably need a rebuild, at least they won't need sleeves and they're available now.

I'd sell you my Rover block, but I'm saving it for the future in case I have one of those anal "matching numbers" episodes. Good luck and keep us updated.

Tom
 
I'm not worried about sourcing another block. Brad Wilson, Wedgeparts, is right here in good ol' River City and has several spares. Plus, I've a line on a built 3.9 with around 5k on it, street cam, etc., etc.

My issue is this was MY engine - built it with pretty much new everything, and was quite satisfied with myself (shoulda known better THERE!).

Anyhoo, we'll see how this plot thickens...

Thanks for all the moral support. And by the way, it's your choice of beer! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thirsty.gif
 
YankeeTR said:
Brosky said:
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]
UPDATE....Yes you can replace just the sleeves to repair the damage...you can even convert the engine to use a larger slleve and use V-8 Chevy pistons and get 298 CI out of it...cool!

A simple ggogle search for 'Buick aluminum v-8 engine' will get you loads of info Mickey!
Click to expand...

I have chevy rods and chevy forged pistons in my 3.5. This was mainly for upping the compression and a bit, better rods and big end bolts, newer pistons with a better ring pattern than the 1981 OE style stuff.

And yes, I think the only aluminum block made that did not have steel liners was the Vega Cosworth, maybe one or two Fiats - but there may be more!. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cryin.gif

A caveat on newer Rover V8 blocks - 3.9 and 4.2 liters of the 1990's: The cylinder sleaves tend to get sucked down the first time you get too hot, breaks the head gasket seal and coolant everywhere. This is a current problem with V8 Rovers from the mid 90's to early 2000's.
Click to expand...
 
UPDATE:

Just pulled the head off the right side - sleeves look fine - no scoring.

So, we've got scoring on the left bank only - all four are damaged. Right side appears fine. Weird, really weird.

On schedule to pull the engine Monday and take it all to the machine shop for their "amusement".
 
Mickey Richaud said:
On schedule to pull the engine Monday
Click to expand...


With your luck, Mickey, you will have some distraught Episcopalian housewife who will need extensive Priestly advice and counciling that will interfere with our chosen calling, working on our cars. Funny how work tends to get in the way.
 
swift6 said:
Totally different engine, the Stag engine is a true Triumph engine. IT does have circlips for the gudgeons though.
Click to expand...

Not only a True Triumph V8 engine, but the ONLY Triumph V8. Overhead cams, great performance, unmatchable exhaust note burble ... The BEST way to Triumph!
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif
 
Mickey Richaud said:
UPDATE:

Just pulled the head off the right side - sleeves look fine - no scoring.

So, we've got scoring on the left bank only - all four are damaged. Right side appears fine. Weird, really weird.

On schedule to pull the engine Monday and take it all to the machine shop for their "amusement".
Click to expand...

Mickey,
Have the machine shop recheck bore to crank perpendicularity on that side compared to the opposite side.
 
StagByTriumph said:
Mickey,
Have the machine shop recheck bore to crank perpendicularity on that side compared to the opposite side.
Click to expand...

Huh? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif

Not familiar with that one. I'm guessing it's whether the pistons travel at true right angle to the crank. So, how could one side be OK and the other not? Or am I missing something? (Probably!)
 
Choice of beer...hmmm.

Tom
 
Mickey Richaud said:
StagByTriumph said:
Mickey,
Have the machine shop recheck bore to crank perpendicularity on that side compared to the opposite side.
Click to expand...

Huh? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif

Not familiar with that one. I'm guessing it's whether the pistons travel at true right angle to the crank. So, how could one side be OK and the other not? Or am I missing something? (Probably!)
Click to expand...

It could exist from original manufacture, if the main bearing line bore is off, or from the engine shop not performing the bore process on the correct center line datum on each side, rechecking on each cylinder index.
https://www.aa1car.com/library/cylinder_honing.jpg
A cylinder bore is usually done on the inline cylinders individually at a time and indexed, so left are bored, the the block is rotated, and bored individually on the right side. If things do not get set properly for the first cylinder, it could throw the whole process off
 
Cheapsnake said:
Choice of beer...hmmm.

Tom
Click to expand...

How about a case of Fullers Vintage Ale, say 1998?
 
Thanks, Glenn - will keep that in mind.

The line bore info, that is...

Don't think Clarksville would have any Fullers, circa '98 or otherwise. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

Mickey
 
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