BLOZ UP Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Reordered some main bearings so I can replace the one I fucked up. Ordered some other stuff to relocate battery and fused links and get rid of my nasty fused link tray, as well as a short shifter to match my new shift knob I got for Xmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Circuit Sports 240SX shifter, it's $120 bucks or so, and actually really nice. I'd attach an image but I'm looking for/working on a new image host. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) So, I ordered new main bearings because I dented the #1 bearing. I swear I dented it. It was pretty bad, on the inward facing edge. I put the crank in, torqued it, slept on it and the next day ordered new bearings because it was stupid to not replace it. Bearings come in, I dissassemble... they are all pristine. I don't understand. Not a scratch anywhere. The crank journals are fine. The only thing I can think of is that the soft bearings were compressed back into shape. Regardless, I replaced #1 and #4. Turns out the new #2 and #3 bearings were scratched during shipping/handling. Luckily I didn't need those, and now I also have an extra set of rod bearings so I can select only the ones in best condition. Not that I should have to, but still. Got the pistons back from being cleaned and ARP bolts put in. Had my exhaust manifold worked on to expand the 8mm holes to 10mm, and sliced inbetween the runners which sort of tweaked it--but it should bolt down in place fine. Dissassembled lower intake on the old VG30, found oil filled up to the top in one of the intake bolt holes... Spilled coolant all over garage when trying to empty the block out Should reassemble the short block shortly (ha!), and it will start to look like an engine. Edited February 7, 2014 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Did you really say you "twerked" it?? I dare you to post a video of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) I couldn't think of the right word. I tried to avoid using [censored] but it was the only thing that came to mind. Warped, twisted, distorted. There. Edited February 7, 2014 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Tweaked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 Ah, that's it. Let us never speak of this again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) Pulled off the valve cover for the old VG30. Not too bad. Was expecting more sludge. I've put a lot of seafoam and maybe even some ATF through it though. Pulled the intake as well, there was oil filled to the brim of the bolt hole. All intake ports were pretty nasty. Except one which had signs of coolant seepage. I'm surprised this thing didn't knock. Or maybe I just couldn't hear it. Besides all the custom external components such as cooling system mofications and such, I really just need good cams from this motor as cores. I'm planning on using Schneider's (yeah, them) 274 grind, which is a bit wild, but I'll eventually have adjustable cams and I think the combination will really help bring out the 3000-6000 range I'm aiming for. Edited February 9, 2014 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 New intercooler. It's a bit bigger than the previous one. It's going to require some fabrication work to avoid cutting out the radiator support surrounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Here are the cleaned 3.3L pistons, ready for rings. Guy did a half-assed job cleaning them. They were also torqued to hell, I'm guessing he did that to press them all the way in. Great. Could have done that myself. 5/6 done... and.... dammit: Ordered a new set of rings. $30, not the end of the world, but I already had to reorder main bearings as well just to replace one. So not being careful has cost me a total of $70 on this build so far. The bore was scratched, I rehoned it which took care of all of it save one main scratch. I think I'll sand down any ridges and call it good. Ugh. I'm tempted to run my TIG torch along it at just at low power, but I think it's really not a huge deal. So I ordered new rings, port and polish kit, some cheap carbide burrs for my dremel (already have some for my air grinder). And since my ancient Dell tuning laptop died I also remembered to get a 2.5" IDE adapter so I can pull the data of it's SSD. Yeah, that's right, it had a PATA SSD in it. I believe I'm getting a full size laptop to replace it. Kind of a pain to handle in the car, but the screen resolution upgrade will be a godsend. Sick of 1024x768, that's for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I love it when they put oil and water ports on an intake gasket surface. This way when you lose a $5 gasket you can lose a $3000 engine too.Time to step up to 1920 x 1080. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 No, see there're just intake ports and coolant ports. Not sure where the oil came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Oil adds extra lube to your cylinders and to cool your pistons when you're running 9000PSI. Almost as good as the guy who wanted us to send his stuff to the machine shop. Bore the block .060", use original pistons with new .060" rings. "I do this all the time, lets the motor spin freely". Later, he wondered why he didn't have oil pressure. He had left a rag in the oil pan when putting it together. Secrets to horsepower. It works in mysterious ways. Please don't touch your bore with the welder. Maybe the rings don't reach that height anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Really? Just a little TIG pass over, no filler or anything, low amps. Just to kind of smooth it out? Any protruding edges would melt down into the scratch. I think. Then I could sand and hone it again. One of the rings was the reason for the scratch, so yeah, the rings reach it. I think it's pretty smoothed out anyway but whenever my new rings come in I'll venture back out in the garage and check it out and touch it up if it isn't (with sandpaper, not a welder). Sucks though. It's going to be one of those things in the back of my head now when it's all assembled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WizardBlack Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Leave it, it's fine. The TIG pass will not really gain you anything you will ever notice and could possibly cost you a block. Do you really want to open yourself to another big expense from not being careful with a TIG torch? Lets not even talk about heat treating variations, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) After checking it out some more, the scratch isn't that bad. A little more honing and it would be gone, but I opted to run it as is since it doesn't catch my nail. You can feel it, yeah, but just barely. Oh well. I am getting another motor to do a serious build from any how (VG33 or LS, we will see). Got new rings in the mail, and they are crappy compared to the JIS ones I used. Good thing I just need the oil ring, which is, AFAICT, identical. Short block needs the oil pump, rear main, and an oil pan, and it should be good. Took the heads off the old VG30 motor, pistons and such look fine. Didn't look at the valves. Pretty clean, surprisingly. Could be burning coolant that cleaned it up though. Head gaskets showed no visible signs of leakage. Took the cams out with minimal frustration. That front cam seal is dumb, they should have had a relief on the OD to make it easier. Those are being packaged up and sent to Schneider as cores for their 274 grind. And finally, I cleared off my welding table and am getting things organized to start grinding away on the 3.3L heads. I will start out with the lower intake to get the hang of things (since I have a spare), then I'll go to town. Just by looking at the two (VG30 and VG33), I can tell the VG33 has much nicer castings. Hopefully this will all be together and running by the end of March, but I'm starting to have doubts. Still have to redo intake piping (including a new BOV flange), port and polish both heads and intakes, powder coat lots of stuff, and possibly ceramic coat a few things if I have time. Edited February 16, 2014 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78zstyle Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Next motor should be a V8 so you can join the club. I just ordered speedhut gauges.. 700 bucks gone.. woosh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Took the heads off the old VG30 motor, pistons and such look fine. Didn't look at the valves. Pretty clean, surprisingly. Could be burning coolant that cleaned it up though. Head gaskets showed no visible signs of leakage. Just curious, but doesn't it look like #1 had a useless top ring? The brown is deeper, compared to the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Next motor should be a V8 so you can join the club. I just ordered speedhut gauges.. 700 bucks gone.. woosh. They're really nice. Whenever I stop splurging on engine parts and stuff I'm replacing the 3 center gauges as well. Only regret with speedhut is that they don't offer some kind of analog out so I can datalog the gauges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) Just curious, but doesn't it look like #1 had a useless top ring? The brown is deeper, compared to the others. I wouldn't know from the color. They're all about the same, it might be the camera flash. Not sure if I'll pull the pistons out, I just need the pan and some things on the side of the block. Edited February 16, 2014 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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