Cutting Corners on 911 Engine Rebuilds...
 

A lot of people have been commenting about my stance on doing a quality job and doing things right. Just to clarify. If you use the methods outlined in the new engine rebuild book, you will have:

- A good, strong running motor with excellent compression and leakdown numbers
- An engine that is considerably better and more reliable than when it was new
- An engine that will last at least 100,000 miles (or more if it's an aluminum case engine)
- A leak-free engine (most people forget about this point)

Sure, you can slap together some old worn out junk, and it will probably work. Will it work well? Probably not. You might have piston slap, or excess clearances that burn oil, and the engine may last about 40K-50K miles. You'll also have reduced HP, and increased gas mileage.

I believe in saving money when you can (like not replacing the number eight bearing if it's in spec). But there are somethings that you have to replace in order to achieve an engine that will satisfy the above criteria.

Anyone who has ever done any construction work on their house knows firsthand that you have to use the correct tools, the correct knowledge, have plenty of patience, and use the correct materials in order to achieve a good quality job. The same is true with the 911 engine.

For example, if you tear down a magnesium case and simply replace the pulled head studs without doing anything else, you're asking for trouble. Why? Because the cylinder base spigots bend and deform. When you go to bolt the whole thing back together, the center spigot will be higher or lower than the ones on either side. This creats a poor fit, and results most commonly in oil leaks.

In the new book, I tell you the way that you can be assured to do the job properly, and end up with a strong, leak-free engine. To skimp or compromise on the tasks or machine work that is needed specifically means that you will most likely have oil leaks or performance problems later on. You might get lucky, but you are spending so much time working on your engine, you'd hate to put it together and find out that you have a major oil leak. I'm a firm advocate of doing it right the first time. I also advocate that if you can't afford to do it right, then it might not be worth doing at all.

Follow the book, and your engine will turn out right. Start cutting corners, and you're increasing the risk of something going wrong...

I do think that a lot of the debate and comments on this BBS are written by people who have not read the book, and don't quite understand the processes that they would be skipping (like the spigot problem mentioned above). I do know that people who have the book, and have read it, have come to me, and said, "ah, I understand now why you recommend that," or "yes, it makes perfect sense to me since you explained it that way in the book." I suppose that I should just wait until the people on this forum have read the book, and have a firm understanding of why I am making these specific recommendations. Perhaps until then I will be simply spinning my wheels trying to convince some of you otherwise?

-Wayne

Wayne -

What makes this forum so great is that it brings together so many people who ALL have a shared 'common' interest, REBUILDING A 911 ENGINE... BUT who also bring a INCREDIBILY VAST SPECTRUM of knowledge, experience and talents.

There is no way that you can give any single response that will seem adequate to everyone, particularly within a group having such diverse backgrounds.

There are probably some forum participants who are attempting their 1st engine rebuild and also there are obviously many forum participants who have years of experience, having done numerous 911 engine rebuilds.

In the land of the BLIND, the ONE-EYED man is KING.
In school it was an old saying that an "expert" was someone who has read the book before you.

For those who have NEVER SEEN or DONE what you and others discuss on this forum, your VIEWS are definitely helpful, and every added bit of INSIGHT is appreciated.

For those participants who have seen or done it before, they obviously MAY VIEW things differently.

Your information is VERY HELPFUL, particularly to the beginner, novice 911 engine rebuilder. Even though, what your are saying MAY BE SEEN differently by SOME individuals with different experiences and different views, I really appreciate all the exchange of information that many of the more experienced 911 engine builders are putting out there.

Some of YOUR AUDIENCE, the audience that is BLIND, i.e. those who have never seen or done what you write about and discuss, ... your GUIDANCE and VIEWS give a helpful chart on how to go about this task ......... Thank You

Wayne, I'll be purchasing the book, when it's available! I've never rebuilt an engine, so I'm sure I'll learn a lot from the book. Hopefully my 100k SC engine won't need any attention for a while. I don't disagree with any of your post, but am curious about one point made. Specifically, why do you state:
- An engine that is considerably better and more reliable than when it was new

Why do you feel that this is the case? (No pun intended.)

Well, the original engines had various problems with them, that can be corrected during the rebuild phase:

- Installation of Case-Savers
- Replacement of Dilavar studs
- Installation of Carrera Chain tensioners
- Installation of the later-style oil pump
- Replacement of valve guides

and a bunch of other upgrades. It makes the engine more reliable than when it was stock.

-Wayne

Whatever you do, DO IT WELL!

This is a fact of life and will separate the crowd between Winners and Losers. (I am told I drive a black car because it symbolizes "perfection" - I liked that symbolizism)

Another great post Wayne!

JCBear: "Expert" pronounced X-spirt
X - an unkown quantity
Spirt - a drip under pressure
I "R" one! Hah ha!!!!!!!!!!

Do It Right The 1st. Time .............it's always cheaper in the LONG RUN.

Hey, I drive a black car as well! But the car is *not* perfect. I wonder what that means. That I strive for perfection?

Hmmm...

-Wayne