mirrorimg
Well-Known Member
8/03/09
Well the other day I had a blast cruising around skyline drive. Everyone who had the honor of driving behind me noticed I was smoking out of the exhaust when I was heavy on the throttle. Patrick diagnosed it as bad valve seals. That would mean pulling the head, replacing the seals, headgasket,and head studs.
After I got home, I noticed I couldnt see any oil on my dipstick. I had just done a fresh oil change 2 days ago, put in over 4 qts, and replaced the Oil pan gasket. Im pretty confident Im not leaking oil.
So where could that much oil go in just 500 miles? Im guessing Im burning it up because its leaking past my piston rings. I plan on getting a compression tester this afternoon, and depending on those results, a leakdown tester.
Edit 9/10/09
So I have taken my motor out, and it is already sent to the machine shop. Hopefully I will have it back by the end of next week, and can begin putting it all back together.
For anyone that is wondering, Im doing a refresh on the head. A valve job, cleaning the valves, new valve guides and new valve seals. The head is getting cleaned and resurfaced also. Staying with stock valves, springs and retainers. Money does not allow for that to be upgraded right now, and stock cams.
The block is getting cleaned and decked. I am boring out my cylinders to 82mm, which will bring me up to 1880 CC over the 1834(?) CC. I have some RS Machine ITR style pistons along with some Hastings piston rings. The rods are staying stock, and will most likely need to be milled to allow for the new pistons, but I have ordered some ARP rod bolts, and have ARP Head bolts to hold things together. This leaves me options for building the motor more in the future. Crank will probably get mag'd and polished, and I hope to re-use my current rod bearings. The shop will let me know how good of shape they are in, or what thickness bearing I need to get.
Upgrading my flywheel to an ITR flywheels, which is 3lbs lighter than stock. It will be resurfaced, and clutch is staying stock. I broke my crank pulley getting the motor out, so I ordered a new one from Lro255. It is a lightened aluminum pulley.
The ITR style pistons and new bore will bring my compression up to about 10.5:1, which means premium fuel for my LS. I know it isnt that suitable for a turbo build, but that is so far out in the future, that I want a little extra power right now.
Pictures will follow when the motor is back, and I will take some while I am doing assembly. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT GUYS!
Edit 9/15/09
Talked the the shop, and because I have had some fuel leaking past my rings from running rich and thinning out the fuel, I have some uneven wear on my main caps and crakshaft. The shop will machine the crank and is ordering a full ACL bearing set. I have been persuaded not to re-use my worn rod bearings
The shop also informed me that I had 3 bent intake valves and one bent exhaust valve. Since Im having a valve job done, and the shop has most likely already machined the valves that were fine, I wont be buying a complete aftermarket set of valves, and simply replacing the bad ones with OEM valves.
10/04/09 Page 6
Bolted the cylinder head onto the block, installed the cams and timing belt. With the help of my brother-in-law I was able to get the motor back into the bay and bolted back up to the transmission. Man was that a pain.
10/10/09
Engine was cranked over for the first time. I was pretty anxious and did it in the evening after bolting everything else on and filling her up with oil. The first time I cranked it I gave it a bit of gas and it fired up. Not only did it fire up, but the throttle got stuck and it reved all the way up to 5k before I turned the key and shut it down. Boy did that scare the CRAP out of me. I loosened the throttle cable and reluctantly tried again. I heard some insane screeching from the bay and looked into the engine bay. It seemed to be coming from the alternator belt, easy fix.
10/11/09
I went to Autozone with the current belt and got one a size smaller, the same with the powersteering belt. I also stopped by the gas station with an empty gas can and filled it up with premium. When I got home I installed the belts, topped off the tank with the premium, and went out for a ride My CEL popped up immediately as I neared the end of my street, so I turned around and went back. Pulled the code and it turned out that I had forgot to plug in the IACV, another easy fix. While I was there I noticed my clutch fluid was a little low and took care of that.
10/24/09 Page 7
The car had been running well well, but it seemed to make a bit of a rattle as I accelerated. I parked it on 10/18/09 and ordered a Oil pressure gauge and stainless braided line with necessary adapters. When it all came in, I got to work. I removed the stock oil pressure "dummy light." It doesnt even seem to work as it is unplugged now. I used this tapped hole to use for the braided line to the pressure sending unit, mounted near the clutch master cylinder. I removed the dimmer switch (it needs to stay plugged in for the cluster lights to work, so I simply put it in the cavity behind where it sits.) I ran my wires and had to open the hole a bit to fit the gauge in. It sits in snuggly and I have my oil pressure readings readily visible
I will have a running total of my expenses in parts and labor fees as I get new parts. I wont be including additional tools I have purchased because I feel as though it is a sunk cost, and can be used for other projects further down the road.
Expenses - Parts
ARP Head studs - 133.00
ARP Rod bolts - 49.00
Replacement OEM crank pulley - 30.00
RS Machine 82mm ITR style Pistons with Hastings piston rings - 168.00
Gasket kit - 60.00
ACL Full bearing kit - 155.00
B18A1 parts motor, bought for replacement valves - 65.00
ITR flywheel- 60.00
Clutch pilot bearing - 13
Waterpump, Timing belt, Tensioner - 70
Oil Pump - 140
Radiator hoses - 30
Dizzy cap/rotor - 20
Exedy OEM replacement clutch and pressure plate - 105.00
Power Steering belt - 12
Alternator Belt - 15
Oil pressure gauge and braided line - 100
Fluids:
P/S Fluid - 10
Oil - 20
Oil filters x3 - 21
MTF - 16
Machine work on head
-Hot tanked
-Valve job
-Resurface
-Replace valve guides
Machine work on block
-Hot tanked
-Bore out to 82mm and hone
-Decked
-Machine 1mm off of rods and have Pistons pressed on
Other:
Resurface flywheel
Machine work ~ 900
Well the other day I had a blast cruising around skyline drive. Everyone who had the honor of driving behind me noticed I was smoking out of the exhaust when I was heavy on the throttle. Patrick diagnosed it as bad valve seals. That would mean pulling the head, replacing the seals, headgasket,and head studs.
After I got home, I noticed I couldnt see any oil on my dipstick. I had just done a fresh oil change 2 days ago, put in over 4 qts, and replaced the Oil pan gasket. Im pretty confident Im not leaking oil.
So where could that much oil go in just 500 miles? Im guessing Im burning it up because its leaking past my piston rings. I plan on getting a compression tester this afternoon, and depending on those results, a leakdown tester.
Edit 9/10/09
So I have taken my motor out, and it is already sent to the machine shop. Hopefully I will have it back by the end of next week, and can begin putting it all back together.
For anyone that is wondering, Im doing a refresh on the head. A valve job, cleaning the valves, new valve guides and new valve seals. The head is getting cleaned and resurfaced also. Staying with stock valves, springs and retainers. Money does not allow for that to be upgraded right now, and stock cams.
The block is getting cleaned and decked. I am boring out my cylinders to 82mm, which will bring me up to 1880 CC over the 1834(?) CC. I have some RS Machine ITR style pistons along with some Hastings piston rings. The rods are staying stock, and will most likely need to be milled to allow for the new pistons, but I have ordered some ARP rod bolts, and have ARP Head bolts to hold things together. This leaves me options for building the motor more in the future. Crank will probably get mag'd and polished, and I hope to re-use my current rod bearings. The shop will let me know how good of shape they are in, or what thickness bearing I need to get.
Upgrading my flywheel to an ITR flywheels, which is 3lbs lighter than stock. It will be resurfaced, and clutch is staying stock. I broke my crank pulley getting the motor out, so I ordered a new one from Lro255. It is a lightened aluminum pulley.
The ITR style pistons and new bore will bring my compression up to about 10.5:1, which means premium fuel for my LS. I know it isnt that suitable for a turbo build, but that is so far out in the future, that I want a little extra power right now.
Pictures will follow when the motor is back, and I will take some while I am doing assembly. THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT GUYS!
Edit 9/15/09
Talked the the shop, and because I have had some fuel leaking past my rings from running rich and thinning out the fuel, I have some uneven wear on my main caps and crakshaft. The shop will machine the crank and is ordering a full ACL bearing set. I have been persuaded not to re-use my worn rod bearings
The shop also informed me that I had 3 bent intake valves and one bent exhaust valve. Since Im having a valve job done, and the shop has most likely already machined the valves that were fine, I wont be buying a complete aftermarket set of valves, and simply replacing the bad ones with OEM valves.
10/04/09 Page 6
Bolted the cylinder head onto the block, installed the cams and timing belt. With the help of my brother-in-law I was able to get the motor back into the bay and bolted back up to the transmission. Man was that a pain.
10/10/09
Engine was cranked over for the first time. I was pretty anxious and did it in the evening after bolting everything else on and filling her up with oil. The first time I cranked it I gave it a bit of gas and it fired up. Not only did it fire up, but the throttle got stuck and it reved all the way up to 5k before I turned the key and shut it down. Boy did that scare the CRAP out of me. I loosened the throttle cable and reluctantly tried again. I heard some insane screeching from the bay and looked into the engine bay. It seemed to be coming from the alternator belt, easy fix.
10/11/09
I went to Autozone with the current belt and got one a size smaller, the same with the powersteering belt. I also stopped by the gas station with an empty gas can and filled it up with premium. When I got home I installed the belts, topped off the tank with the premium, and went out for a ride
My CEL popped up immediately as I neared the end of my street, so I turned around and went back. Pulled the code and it turned out that I had forgot to plug in the IACV, another easy fix. While I was there I noticed my clutch fluid was a little low and took care of that. 10/24/09 Page 7
The car had been running well well, but it seemed to make a bit of a rattle as I accelerated. I parked it on 10/18/09 and ordered a Oil pressure gauge and stainless braided line with necessary adapters. When it all came in, I got to work. I removed the stock oil pressure "dummy light." It doesnt even seem to work as it is unplugged now. I used this tapped hole to use for the braided line to the pressure sending unit, mounted near the clutch master cylinder. I removed the dimmer switch (it needs to stay plugged in for the cluster lights to work, so I simply put it in the cavity behind where it sits.) I ran my wires and had to open the hole a bit to fit the gauge in. It sits in snuggly and I have my oil pressure readings readily visible
I will have a running total of my expenses in parts and labor fees as I get new parts. I wont be including additional tools I have purchased because I feel as though it is a sunk cost, and can be used for other projects further down the road.
Expenses - Parts
ARP Head studs - 133.00
ARP Rod bolts - 49.00
Replacement OEM crank pulley - 30.00
RS Machine 82mm ITR style Pistons with Hastings piston rings - 168.00
Gasket kit - 60.00
ACL Full bearing kit - 155.00
B18A1 parts motor, bought for replacement valves - 65.00
ITR flywheel- 60.00
Clutch pilot bearing - 13
Waterpump, Timing belt, Tensioner - 70
Oil Pump - 140
Radiator hoses - 30
Dizzy cap/rotor - 20
Exedy OEM replacement clutch and pressure plate - 105.00
Power Steering belt - 12
Alternator Belt - 15
Oil pressure gauge and braided line - 100
Fluids:
P/S Fluid - 10
Oil - 20
Oil filters x3 - 21
MTF - 16
Machine work on head
-Hot tanked
-Valve job
-Resurface
-Replace valve guides
Machine work on block
-Hot tanked
-Bore out to 82mm and hone
-Decked
-Machine 1mm off of rods and have Pistons pressed on
Other:
Resurface flywheel
Machine work ~ 900
Last edited:
