Another 3.6->3.8 Rebuild Thread... - Page 5

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

a lot has gone on. For one, I got the cam drive system and cams installed, and set the parallelity of the cam gears. This was a surprise because the motor had only 2 shims on each side. Using the factory measurement approach yielded 3 and 4 shims for the left and right respectively (which is what is typical). I had to order shims, and they took a few days to receive. After they arrived I started to set the cam timing. I say started, because when I went toward the garage door to fetch some clamps from the basement workshop to tension the cam drive chain, I found a broken Porsche Motorsport head stud at the base of the door, complete with attached ARP nut and washer. This was Friday of Thanksgiving weekend. I tore down the 1-3 side of the engine, and found that the stud (from #1) was broken well above the case and was easy to remove. Called Pelican for a new set of studs, but they could not get here on Sat (I was impressed that they were working at all). So a 3.5 hour drive later to and from Dr. Timmins in DE, I had a set of new factory steel studs and cam tower cam seal gaskets. So ends Friday.

Saturday I had help from a friend for the afternoon, so in the morning I installed the studs for 1-3, and reinstalled the heads and cams, etc. Then my help arrived and we did the 4-6 side. That all went quickly. After that, timed the DC-20 cams, which also went pretty smoothly. Sealed up the cam boxes and this is how I left it on Saturday at 6pm (time for some chill - out wine and dinner!). Sunday has been a family day, so no work for a bit.

Ahh, the fun of DIY...

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

P.S. If you have been keeping track, this latest turn essentially means that I have rebuilt the motor _twice_ in the same go-round

Got up to to a short block - then had to tear down to replace rods
Got up to a long block, then had to tear down to short block to replace head studs.

Please, Dr. Porsche, no more....

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

Once I got the long block almost done, I had to turn my attention to the valve covers. I have the stock '90 964 magnesium covers, with the original paint on them. Why porsche painted the inside of these covers I do not understand, but mine were not in good shape. So I tried glass beading them clean, but my underpowered setup really did not remove the coating. It worked well on my fan, which I gave the etching AL wash treatment and then Krylon clear coated.

So I went the chemical approach and used a paint stripper on the valve covers. This did work for the most part on the insides of the covers, but what a mess to deal with and it still left me a lot of work with a dentists pick cleaning the covers. I spent _far_ too much time on this!!!! Arrgghhh.

I ended up getting them clean in the areas exposed to oil in the valvetrain, but the outer sides still had a lot of paint on them. Those I shot with Krylon gloss black, and I left the inside natural magnesium. Whew!

During this time I also installed the fan housing, fan shroud, engine wiring harness and fuel rails/injectors. The rebuilt distributor was also installed in preparation for installing new plug wires.

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

Since my plug wires were from 1990, I thought it best to replace them. I bought a set of the Beru wires cut to length with the crimped on ends installed, and used the existing cap and plug ends. This was a bit tedious given the various parts of the factory harness, but I was able to get everything installed using copious amounts of spray silicone lubricant.

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

I installed new exhaust gaskets in the heads, then used some Curil-T and installed the 993 heat exchangers with rotated flanges. The "problem nut" on cylinder #5 was attacked sucessfully by using a 12mm copper locknut, a Snap-On 12mm swivel socket and a 12" rocker end snap-on extension in 3/8". Whew!

SP2 · 12-04-2006, 10:54 AM

Wow Chris, excellent work. Interesting about the head stud snapping. But better now then when your engine is reinstalled, right. Anyways, your posts are a great source of inspiration to guys like me. Thanks!

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by SP2
Interesting about the head stud snapping. But better now then when your engine is reinstalled, right.

Yes, there could have been a much worse time than with the long block assembled! I was certainly disappointed, since these are excellent studs. My only possible explanation is that I did the 90 degree torque setting on the stud twice instead of once. I sure thought I was careful during that process, but I am just one amateur garage jockey doing late night engine assembly...

EDIT: I have 23 studs for sale!!!

kirkf · 12-06-2006, 04:17 PM

Chris,

Who did the work on the 993 exhaust for you to rotate the flanges?
Was it expensive?

Kirk

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by kirkf
Chris,

Who did the work on the 993 exhaust for you to rotate the flanges?
Was it expensive?

Kirk

I got it done by Steve Timmins, and I recall it was maybe $150 at most. Nice job, he subbed out to Tim McNeil.

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

I took the day off on Friday last week and got most of the rest of the engine together. Had one setback when setting the harmonic balancer bolt torque of 174 lb/ft, I bent the stud I was using to lock the crankshaft. Otherwise, smooth sailing. You can see the painted valve covers (not that great) are on and the varioram intake and sheetmetal. Time to wake up the battery in the recipient ('87 911) and get this baby installed! I am taking Friday off again this week and plan to have the engine in and fired up then.

89turbocabmike · 12-07-2006, 07:52 PM

Go Chris Go! I've been absorbing your thread and kirk's, need to get motivated on my 3.6 rebuild

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

Today is "the" day - I'll keep you all posted!

kirkf · 12-08-2006, 06:11 AM

Good luck.
Dont forget to take lots of pictures!

Kirk

911teo · 12-08-2006, 06:42 AM

Good luck my friend! U must be pretty excited!
Thanks for taking us along for the ride!

SP2 · 12-08-2006, 10:28 AM

What an excellent way to spend the day off!

Good luck Chris.

herman maire · 12-08-2006, 11:27 AM

Awsome Chris, I really hope you dont have any more surprises....

Jeeeeeez..... breaking studs and there brand new !!!!! Talk about bad luck man. Good luck

SP2 · 12-09-2006, 12:23 PM

Chris,

How did it go?

kirkf · 12-10-2006, 04:18 PM

Chris is probably too busy driving around to come on here now!

Kirk

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

Guys - thanks for the inquiries! Story too long and not done yet, but engine is still not working. Was in car, took back out today (sigh) and think I have everything under control but need to check a few things. Soon!

CBRacerX · CBRacerX's Garage

I am running guys. As I said in my last post, long story. Short verison is:

Installed in car last Friday, tried to start up. The ebay "lightweight" starter self destructed when cranking the engine for the first time, sending metal bits thru the transmission bellhousing and causing huge friction between the ring gear and housing. Using my stock starter was a non-starter. I pulled the engine on Saturday last week. Then had to do family/work stuff. Got back into it today, and double checked a few things before putting the engine and trans back together. Good thing I took a look, because I did the cam timing wrong 4-6. I did not advance to the overlap for cyl 1 postition before I set the timing, so it was 360 degrees out. I also found the dist had been improperly installed, it needed to be pulled and reset. Duh!

So I did all those things today, and also installed an RS Fan Pulley (the factory version). Got the engine back together and installed this evening. It is running!!!!! Started on the 2nd try, with no smoke or other issues. Being late at night in the 'hood, I only ran for about 30 sec (twice). Will do the 20 min cam and rocker break in on Sunday, then refresh the oil and go for a drive.

It's about time.