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Hey guys. Got this grey I want to build up to be a sweet street engine. Nice clean engine with a lumpy idle.
This is what I'm starting with:


Never built a motor before so it's going to be a big learning curve! So I'm basically after I guess a list of what you would do/specs if you were building this motor for your car. And from theme I can start collecting parts and go from there.


COSTS SO FAR

138 GREY MOTOR - $45 (carton of beer)
WORKSHOP BOOK - $5 (nambour swapmeet)

Cheers
Woody.

It all depends on how much you want to spend, and how long you want to live with it. My thoughts (for what they're worth):

a) Do a compression check now - if you get nice even compression, the chances of a suprise later are less.
b) Pop the head off and measure the bores with a vernier to see if it has been bored out previously.
c) If the compression results are reasonable (and budget is tight) consider just honing and re-ringing the bottom end. If you are going to live with it for a while, go for 10-thou bigger than what is in it now. This will mean new pistons and machining. Oversized pistons can be collected over time.
d) Plan on new bearings regardless of what you do. Sizes will depend on how shagged the originals are... hard to tell without a full strip down.
e) Plan on having the head skimmed and bigger valves. Depending on how overboard you go, this can be $600-$1600. If budget is tight (and the compression check is OK) consider just new stem seals. You may fluke a worked head being sold every now and then.
f) Cam choice depends on how much tolerance you have for crappy idle. Some options from Camtech:
GMH Standard Standard camshaft 480-4000rpm
Camtech 648B-109 Smooth idle, good throttle response and low end torque. 800-4200
Camtech 612A-108 Good street performance cam. Excellent low end and mid range power. 1000-4500
Camtech 639-108 Good street performance cam. Strong mid range power. 1500-5000
Camtech 621 Performance street and track use. Strong mid range and top end. 2000-5500
Camtech 609 Performance street and track use. Great for weekend cruise car, street strip meetings or circuit use. Very strong mid range. 2500-6000
g) Plan on a set of twins, or if budget allows triples/SUs. Buy these over time.
h) Plan on a set of extractors ($170 new - buy a second hand set over time) and 2-2.25" exhaust.

Cheers,
Harv

Thanks for the reply Harv, exactly what I was after. It's not going to be a quick build, as you say collect stuff over time, but I want to do it properly so I don't have to pull it apart again.
I have a workshop manual, so I will be reading up on that too.

Great idea for a thread Woody. I'll follow with interest...

Stewart

Okay so I had abit of time over the last couple of days, so I started pulling the motor down. These motors seem easy to pull apart, hopefully it goes back together as easy!

I started by pulling all the bolt on stuff off - generator, exhaust manifold, manifold, fuel pump, water pump etc. As I was pulling off the thermostat housing I noticed a lot of rust in there - so I thought why stop there - I'll take the head off.

Next was the rocker gear...

Everything numbered - bagged and tagged...

Off with the head...don't really know what I'm looking at so opinions and input is welcome!! (If you need more specific pics I can do that)


*** do I need a special tool to compress the valve springs to get them out or is there a trick? ***

Here's the pistons and block. This is what I found after removing the head.



***anything I should be looking for at this stage? I'll have to invest in a set of verniers. ****

How it sits tonight

hey woody definatley looks like your engine is roached

if you want another one your quite welcome to have the one out this ute ,and if u need the valve spring tool i have one u can
borrow.

Been sitting a while. Bores look like the have some light rust in them - hopefully no pitting.

Invest in a SuperCheap digital vernier (accurate enough for home use, no good for lathe operators ) and measure the bores.

Time to tip it upside down and see what the crank looks like.

Cheers,
Harv

Okay - motor is fully stripped down now. I have a feeling that was the easy bit!

Flipped it upside, and started pulling bits off. Sump had a nice layer of sludge in the bottom.




I used Harv's guide on how to remove the timing gear - excellent information in there! If anybody is thinking of doing this themselves, then that is a must read!

Found a nice score mark on piston number 2.


How it sits now..


Bore measurements (quick once over with the vernier) -

1 - 3.064"
2 - 3.064"
3 - 3.063"
4 - 3.062"
5 - 3.064"
6 - 3.063"

How does No.2 bore look? Was it just the piston that got munched?

Sad too say that these days I'm more interested in seeing a grey motor getting stripped than the other sort of stripping. Must be getting old

Looks to be just the piston that is damaged. Can see abit of a dag in the side of the bore that would have caused the damage. Right down the bottom, I'll try and grab a pic tomorrow.

Haha probably better then the strippers in rocko anyway!!

Woody01 wrote:Haha probably better then the strippers in rocko anyway!!

Last one I saw was around the same age as a grey motor, and I'm sure if I got my verniers out she'd have had a similar bore diameter...

MeFB wrote:

Woody01 wrote:Haha probably better then the strippers in rocko anyway!!

Last one I saw was around the same age as a grey motor, and I'm sure if I got my verniers out she'd have had a similar bore diameter...

sounds like she was certainly due for a rebore !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! must have been awfully oily around the ring ???????????

Last one I saw was around the same age as a grey motor, and I'm sure if I got my verniers out she'd have had a similar bore diameter...

sounds like she was certainly due for a rebore !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! must have been awfully oily around the ring ???????????[/

Classy guys . Clearly Woody's is a virgin bore 138. Methinks it needs to be a 10-thou over one given the damage to No. 2.

Grab that vernier again Woody and measure up the crank journals and throws... time to see if shes had a bearing replacement on the bottom.

Cheers,
Harv.

Nice work Woody

Got plenty of grey bits here if ya need some, may even have a few twin manifolds.

Cheers

Gazza

Okay I think I measured the right spots...quick measurements again, but hopefully they will do.

Starting from the front -
(MBC = main bearing cap)

MBC - 1.998"
1 - 1.748"
2. - 1.750"
MBC - 1.998"
3. - 1.749"
4. - 1.750"
MBC - 1.998"
5. - 1.750"
6. - 1.750"
REAR MAIN - 1.998"


Thanks gaz - will catch up for a beer and chat soon!