Clay’s Wedgewood Blue FB Ute

[EK283]

What Rob said pretty much.

I always check each bearing for size torqued with the rod bolts or main bolts and crank size just to be sure.

I've even swapped the conrods around to get the best clearance for each pin, they used to call this blueprinting.

Just me being anal of course, and I have had a machine shop take off to much on one pin and that would of been disaster on start up.

If you have vernier callipers then you can measure it quick and easy, just don't score the journals.

Greg

[Errol62]

Thanks Greg. Might give the plastigauge a go.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Errol62]

Picked up pistons and flywheel. And some plastigauge.

I think I will dummy crank, check clearences, mix and match if any variation. Maybe larger clearances to outer journals if I can't even them out? Instal crank and dummy pistons minus rings. Sound like a plan gurus?

FB ute driver, EK van project

[EK283]

Sounds like a plan, you will probably find everything will be ok and within tolerance.

I just check for my own piece of mind and like I said just anal.

Just another story, I had the pressed in rocker studs on a Chev converted to screw in types a few years ago and everything look shmick until I tested the rock over the valve stems by the rockers. They were all over the shop, meaning rocking from one side to another over the stem was 1mm on a couple of valves and nearly 4mm on others WTF.
Anyway turned out the pads were machined down and tapped at different heights so I measured and made spacers for the 16 of them to get the desired rock geometry. Not necessary on a street engine but very critical on a fast revving donk.

Just measure to be sure Clay that's all.

Greg

[Errol62]

Yep thanks greg. I can afford to take my time now, not that it ever pays not to. This will slow me to a safe pace.

Oh, I accidentally picked up another pair of 14x6" Sampson Magnums. Very nice condition. Advertised 90% tread. Well yes, but one was a retread and the other had a crack in the wall. They won't get me to Toowoomba.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[Brett027]

What an unfortunate 'accident'

[Blacky]

Oh, I accidentally picked up another pair of 14x6" Sampson Magnums. Very nice condition.

I nearly got a pair of 14 x 8 in really nice condition for $100 the other day - I got to the airport on Sunday to fly to Brisbane and saw them advertised while I was waiting for the plane and pretending to drink coffee so I didn't have to wear a bloody mask but the bloke wouldn't be in letting me pay for them via bank transfer then picking them up later

[Errol62]

I think the 8" should work with LC diff, well almost. Wonder if they were Sampson. My 8" are CSA.but very similar.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[Harv]

They were all over the shop, meaning rocking from one side to another over the stem was 1mm on a couple of valves and nearly 4mm on others WTF.

Sounds like they subbied the machining out to Vincent, the motorbike mob who made the rockers for the Repco heads. The exhaust rockers have so much wander that it is a wonder they dont punch through the fancy ally rocker cover

Cheers,
Harv

[FJWALLY]

I love a good Mechano set - nice one Clay.

The pots look a bit porous after the hone - could they have gone a touch further or is that just dust I'm seeing?

[Errol62]

Just dust Rob. Bored from 3 9/16" (179cui) to 3 5/8" (186cui). 0.0625".

FB ute driver, EK van project

[FJWALLY]

Just dust Rob. Bored from 3 9/16" (179cui) to 3 5/8" (186cui). 0.0625".

FB ute driver, EK van project

Awesome - thats some big gains - time for a snail? Or a Norman


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[Errol62]

I would hsve been happy to stsy with the standard bore if servicable. Will run in with known entity swapmeet stromberger. Should get me to Toowoomba and back. Then WW Stromberg and X2 headers. That should be more than taxing enough on the box and diff.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[Errol62]

Picked up head. They fitted standard size valves for bottom end torque. Hardened seats of course. Springs to suit my cam.

Main bearing clearances all came in at 0.0025" which is at the outer limit by my Gregorys. And about right for a 2.19" journal by the 10 thou per inch rule.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[Errol62]

Early start today as I don't see any point lying in bed awake from 4am.

All going well fitting rings, installing pistons, checking clearances and torquing up rod bolts to 48Nm. Seems pretty tight.

Then one snapped. Check the specs. I was reading from the damn VH manual which use the later rods. The red motor rods are 25ft lb which is more like 34Nm.

I will have to find a bolt and see if I can replace it. I have a 161 looks like it might get ratted.

FB ute driver, EK van project