Re-build-The Summary

[neal c.]

I have posted some pictures and updates since I started re-building last summer.
When I bought the car I had planned to re-build when I was ripe and ready. A leaky main seal, scored piston and burning a quart of oil every 100 miles changed that schedule to: Right now!
Taking the engine out and apart was very educational and interresting. So many parts and so many of them bad!
I had the crank machined and new bearings fitted, new rod bearings, new cam, lifters and bearings, bought new pistons and cylinders, casket kit and a boatload of small parts. I cleaned the heads, took the valves out and ground them in very lightly.
Assembling the engine was easy. I followed the book and checked the BBS.
75% of my time was spent cleaning parts, 15% looking for the right parts on the garage floor.
It was very satisfying to crank the engine over and hear it start. I had a small oil leak at the strainer, otherwise no leaks.
I have 250 miles on the engine now. Burns no oil, does not leak and runs strong.
On the bad side, some things did not fix themselves.
I still have the wrong FI brain that the PO installed and the MPS still leaks.
I am not sure if I did the right thing. I did not check the MPS before I rebuild and I did not check the FI brain either. Now I am wondering if I should have installed a carb cam and thrown the FI out all together?

Neal

[Scrappy]

With a bad MPS, the mixture runs rich, as I remember. While it will keep the engine cooler, it's not real great on ring lubrication.

My opinion, and for all the trouble, the injection is still the best.

How 'bout some specifics on the car and I'll check and see if I have an MPS & Brain that is correct for the vehicle. I have a few spare parts.

[neal c.]

Scrappy,

thanks for the offer!
I have a '73, 2L, engine code GA.
It is running rich for sure and fouling the plugs.

Neal

[Alfred1]

Congrats on the rebuild. I personally like the idea of having an original motor but if you can't fix your d-jet problems or don't want to spend the money, there's always megasquirt.

[jkeyzer]

What size engine is it?

D-jet parts for 1.7s are pretty easy to come by. The 2.0s are hard.

[neal c.]

I started to read up on the megasquirt and it appears like a good option. Looks like I should subscribe to the Yahoo list and listen in for a while.
I can't see myself paying $800 for a re-built MPS and any used MPS is also at least 30 years old and prone to fail soon.

Neal

[Alfred1]

Do a search on this board and on the 914club board for Megasquirt info. People like 3D914 and Dnhunt report good results with the Megasquirt on their teeners plus it doesn't hurt that it's very inexpensive.

[norustscott]

Is it realy fouling the plugs? As in carbon build up to insulate the electrode cause a miss fire? Tha is really rich...black sooty plugs still fire. by the way. Your engine isstill young. avoid constant throttle driving for anothe 500 miles. TAke it out on the road and vary throttle ... pull hard in third gears to 4K then let of and decel while in third gear. This puts force on the rings in oposing directions. Constant throttle can result in a polished cylinder wall...You need to make sure the rings are seating. You should also fing that you need to adjust the valves again by now and again in another 500 miles are so.
Your engine should be using oil...not terribly much but more than @ 1500 miles. This will e your indicationthat the rings have seated, are marked decrease in oil consumption. Iam sure your sense of hearing is at peak operation. Most of what you hear is normal, it just sound bad. But keep an ear tuned to valve noise.

Good luck.