A Photo Diary of a top-end rebuild. Or, The Tale of a one-armed rebuild.

[wowzer911]

I just jacked and blocked, jacked and blocked, jacked and blocked....you get the idea.
Working alone, It worked just fine to get the engine up to engine stand height.

Regarding the chain, I think the tensioner rod location looks OK, other than that I'm not sure what a overly stretched chain might look like.
Others here would surely know better.
I think you should replace the chain ramps as a general rule though.

[NathanR]

All,

Forgive a couple newbie questions:

Rob is Camden started his Odyssey with the follow fact (among others):

Compression numbers (warm) are: 1) 180 2) 190 3) 180 4) 190 5)190 6)180.

Aren't these numbers pretty good? (I realize his oil consumption justifies the project anyway, I'm just curious)

Another posted they were using 1 qt of oil per 750 miles. Isn't that ok too?

Thanks all.

Nathan Rowland

[wowzer911]

Compression numbers are OK, but a leakdown test is needed to tell the tale.
I don't have to add any oil between oil changes, so I can't attest to that kind of consumption being OK or not.

[Dixie]

One dumb question, since I am late to the party, how did you get the engine from the floor to the engine stand? What was the strategy there?

If one is working by himself, can you simply safely jack the engine up and put some blocks underneath then jack some more and blocks again?

That's how I did it. I used two floor jacks, a motorcycle jack, a bunch of wood, and eventually my wife's help. But I don't recommend doing it that way. By the time I got the engine *just* high enough, everything was very precarious. I was afraid to lower it. I was afraid to leave it and go get a engine hoist. Luck was with me and it worked out. But you can bet I'll use a hoist when it comes down. I don't like making stupid a habit.

[Dixie]

Now there is an argument for regular use of Techron, and spirited driving to go with it...

Well, I'll try to drive it more spiritedly. But I don't know how...

[efhughes3]

FWIW, an ATV jack, which makes a good tool for dropping an engine, can get pretty close to the height needed. Then, 2 people can lift it onto the stand pretty easily, IMO.

[efhughes3]

Originally Posted by Capt. Carrera

Well, I'll try to drive it more spiritedly. But I don't know how...

I wasn't trying to insult. It just seemed like a bunch of crud in there. Other than the nut behind the wheel in my car that caused a missed shift, my 130,000 mile 3.2 was surprisingly clean inside.

[TibetanT]

Hey Guys, thanks for all the great suggestions for getting the engine on the stand. We can't be too careful since one mistake could take a foot off or cause more unnecessary damage to the engine once out.
If I do what Rob and wowzer911 did, I will have to be very careful and work slowly.
Agreed that the chain hoist is the best for safety.

[Mitch Leland]

Ed, don't do it...

Borrow an engine hoist, remember what goes up must come down so you might as well get it right now. Most garages have a folding engine hoist that can be transported pretty easily.

If you have a beam in the ceiling of your garage you could use a chain falls... Life is a risk anyway, you don't need to knowingly add to it...

[sjf911]

HarborFreight chain hoist and leveling bar anchored to a 4X4 across 5 joists.
Made it a one man operation.

[Dixie]

I wasn't trying to insult...

No need to apologize Ed. I realized you weren't trying to be insulting, or even be disparaging. That's why I ended my response with the ""

[trconway]

subscribed............

[Dixie]

Here's the cost in parts to date. Hope it's not too hard to read. I'm delivering the heads and flywheel to Protech Motorsports in Greenville Monday. They'll do the machine work.

Qty Price Cost Part
4 $1.50 $6.00 911 CV Joint Bolt
1 $81.75 $81.75 Reverse Light Switch
1 $72.00 $72.00 Cam Bar tool
1 $25.20 $25.20 Heat Exchanger Nut Removal Tool
1 $54.25 $54.25 Thermo valve
1 $163.19 $163.19 Fuel line
4 $4.00 $16.00 Ball Socket Retaining Clip
1 $1.20 $1.20 Cable Holder
2 $97.00 $194.00 Position Sensor, Motronic Ignition
1 $73.75 $73.75 Temperature Sensor
2 $7.50 $15.00 Chain Ramp
24 $4.50 $108.00 Rocker shaft RSR seals
1 $27.00 $27.00 Cam oil line RH
1 $46.00 $46.00 Cam oil line LH
6 $0.25 $1.50 Sealing rings for cam lines
1 $19.75 $19.75 Pulley Seal
4 $0.50 $2.00 Pressure switch ring 18 X 24mm
2 $0.50 $1.00 Sealing ring for ?
1 $218.00 $218.00 Cylinder gasket kit
12 $13.50 $162.00 Head studs
1 $3.75 $3.75 Oil cooler seal - large
2 $4.00 $8.00 Oil cooler seal - small
1 $2.00 $2.00 T-stat "o" ring
1 $4.25 $4.25 Breather gasket
4 $2.00 $8.00 Oil return tube seals - large
4 $2.00 $8.00 Oil return tube seals - small
4 $12.75 $51.00 Oil return tubes

TOTAL $1,372.59

[Kaliv]

Why did you only buy 12 head studs? Aren't there 24 that need to be replaced or am I overcounting?

[Dixie]

Why did you only buy 12 head studs?

Good question. Here’s the answer. On a normally aspirated 911 you only need to replace the lower studs. Only the lower studs are divlar. The uppers are plain steel.

[TibetanT]

Excellent point!

The 1978 3.0L engine I am rebuilding (with 122K on the clock) had all upper steel studs in and perfect condition too. The exhaust side, not that good with five total broken head studs.

I am replacing all bottom, 12 head studs, with Wayne's steel (coated Black) offerings here on Pelican.

[efhughes3]

The ironic thing about my 3.2, when I rebuilt it last year, is that the Dilivars "looked" in better shape than the steel at the top. I know aesthetics aren't much when it comes to what is going on in the cross-section of the studs, but I was pretty surprized. I ended up going with a set of Supertec's studs, it really wasn't that much more in the grand scheme of things.

[rob911]

Originally Posted by Capt. Carrera

Now for a couple questions:
How does the chain look? Pretty good, or stretched to the limit?

How was the other tensioner? When the chain is really stretched the other tensioner can saw through the engine casing.

[ulrichd]

Has anyone ever done a video play-by-play of an engine rebuild? I would pay good money for that. I am a visual guy who can follow the instructions in "101 projects" with the help of the pics and would maybe attempt an engine drop, but a rebuild without a lot visuals is (currently) beyond me.

Ulrich

[efhughes3]

Originally Posted by ulrichd

Has anyone ever done a video play-by-play of an engine rebuild? I would pay good money for that. I am a visual guy who can follow the instructions in "101 projects" with the help of the pics and would maybe attempt an engine drop, but a rebuild without a lot visuals is (currently) beyond me.

Ulrich

That would be pretty time consuming, and cumbersome for a non-pro to do, IMO. Get Wayne's ENGINE book, if you don't have it. It has a step by step with a lot of pics. That was my basis for reading and the order of the steps. It really is pretty intuitive, for the most part, and as you go, you'll find any questions can be answered on this forum.