Another Rookie 3.0L rebuild

[jdbunda]

How the time flies. I have been making slow but steady progress, finally reached a major milestone today. Chain covers, tensioner oil lines, distributor, rockers, and valve clearance all done. It's all rolling downhill from here, right?

[frankc]

Looking great John. How did the cam timing go? This is one of those tasks that seems to require both precision and patience.

[jdbunda]

Frank - cam timing was fiddly but not difficult. Having two dial indicators, one on #1 and one on #4 made it quicker and easier, especially for a first timer - easier to know where you are at when turning it through as you adjust #4, and for confirming both sides are close when you are done. Idler blocks for the cam chains (thanks John L) were very helpful also. I think clamps would probably work just as well, but the blocks are just cool. Once I understood what is being measured and how to it dial in, it was just a matter of time and patience. Bill came over and we both learned the drill - it was great to have two brains and two sets of hands as we figured out what we were doing - we really just followed the book. Of course I am also grateful to Jamie for the encouragement - and checking our work afterward.

The book is a little unclear in its treatment of oil-fed tensioners depending on whether you are adding new ones or re-using them. I figured it out eventually- I think - but there were some head-scratching moments. You absolutely must have a pin of precisely the right size to hold a tensioner compressed for installation, and I did not even try to fill them the way the book describes, the springs were too stiff for me to compress the pistons by hand in a bath of oil, I just filled them little by little with an oil can while compressing and releasing in my bench vise (with rubber jaws).

[mikedsilva]

Yes I just had a crack at cam timing on my 964... Did you install all the rockers or just the ones at intake 1 and intake 4?

When you removed the pin, did your cam move?

[jdbunda]

Hey Mike -
Put in the #1 intake, timed the left side, then put in #4 intake and timed the right side. Straight outta the book. Yes, it moves a bit after putting in the pin, it was a bit of an iterative process. I found I had to go a little past my target, then insert the lock pin.

[jpnovak]

Woohoo!! A Longblock...

Getting closer.

[silverc4s]

Good work John!
All downhill from here

[jdbunda]

Some busy work last night, putting on the valve covers, installing spark plugs, and cleaning up the studs for the oil sump plate. It's time for me to get serious and start thinking induction. I still need to finish cleaning the throttle bodies and bore them to match the intake ports.

[jdbunda]

I didn't get a lot done on my motor tonight, but I did manage to complete a major milestone - in particular, installing the part that, had it been used in the prior build, would have no doubt resulted in a much longer-lived engine. Some enterprising soul, instead of purchasing this $25 Porsche part, used a cheap plumbing fitting instead, which resulted in a crack in the case around the fitting and a nasty oil leak. I took great satisfaction in torquing this bad boy down on a fresh seal ring:

[mikedsilva]

Looks nice.. curious, did you use any sealant on the threads?
Loctite?

[jdbunda]

Mike,
No, I didn't use any thread locker or sealant, the book doesn't call for it. I did wonder about that as I was putting it in, but just left it dry and put in a new seal ring. Does anyone suggest any different?

[theiceman]

the seal ring will do the job. I jut use the seal ring on my new fitting and it worked fine. PO put green bearing retainer in the old one and I had a hell of a job getting it out. spent three days with a dental pic working the threads

[theiceman]

i have not looked at your whole thread but looked at your latest pics . it differs from my 78 3. litre.

did you relocate your engine oil pressure and temp sensors. it looks like you have the pressure sensor located where the idiot light would normally be . did you use a dual function sensor that would eliminate the need for the temp sensor at the normal location ?
if so why did you go this route ? i would normally like sensors where i can get to them.

[jdbunda]

Hey iceman -
I have just put things back where I found them. It wouldn't be the first incorrect thing I have found with this motor. Could you be more specific about what you are talking about?

[theiceman]

sure of course .. but yours may be completely stock . it may just be year to year differences. Im sure someone who knows can chime in .. i will post a couple pics of my setup , maybe things did change from my 78 to yours.
i did see you didnt put your temp sensor back in yst , thats why i didnt see it there..



on mine the can type pressure switch is mounted at the back of the engine and have a seperate switch at the front ( the one i covered in epoxy ) at the front to trigger the oil pressure light.

I guess on later cars they used the can type switch at the front for both as i see two leads coming off yours and only one on mine.

This could be good as the one i have covered in epoxy has a habit of "popping out" time to time and spewing oil everywhere. never done it to me so i used the JB weld as an ounce of prevention.

[theiceman]

Better pic of my idiot light switch for oil pressure ( before i coated it in JB weld ) a little different type switch to yours. If i had known i could change the switch to your style i would have.

[jdbunda]

Ok, I see now what you are saying. It might be different due to my motor having been put into an earlier car, not sure of the differences in the harness, etc. Mounting the can pressure sensor at the rear as you have must require a 90 degree elbow of some kind?

[theiceman]

yeah it comes out from the case goes to a block that the sensor is mounted in then the cam oil line goes from there. So the cam oil line will be shorter on my car too.
i wish i had a better pic of the area.

[theiceman]

got one

notice i have only one connection on my can sensor ?

i bet your two connections are for the switch and the guage ( much cleaner in my opinion )

[jdbunda]

Progress update - I had found a "correct" '72 yellow shroud on eBay a while back. It had a big crack between the oil breather housing cutout that ran up the "hump" of the shroud - you can see it in this picture - I repaired with some epoxy and nylon mesh tape on the underside, it won't really be visible once the intake is on. To install it, though, I had to take the back of the alternator off again - the book said to connect it, but I discovered afterward that the harness with all its connectors and branches would not pass through the hole in the shroud - lesson learned.



I did some trimming on the shroud for clearance around the injector adapters with some needle files, and was able to get the shroud mounted without drama.



With the shroud installed, it was time for the tin, which I had powder coated a while back. The tin is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, but since it really only fits one way, not that difficult to figure out. I dry-fitted the throttle bodies, stacks, and air box to give myself a big feeling of accomplishment.