TBucket Engine Project (Dart SHP)

Yesterday I wanted to match the oil pump to the rear main cap where it mounts. I had already cut off a stock pump where I could see the difference, but I was concerned that not every pump was the same. Therefore I needed to make a template from the Melling 10552 pump that I bought.

Here are some of the materials I tried using. Clear plastic, notebook paper and a Dell brochure that was slightly thicker than paper. I finally settled on the Dell brochure after making 6-7 different templates.


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I used the ball peen hammer to cut the paper by tapping on the edge to identify the shape I needed.


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Then I placed the template on my rear main cap so I could use a Sharpie to mark the area where I needed cut. Make sure you don't get the template backwards or you will be cutting in the wrong place.


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Here you can see the area in black that I need to remove to match the pump and main cap.


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As I expected the stock pump did not have the same shape as the Melling oil pump. Here you can see the differences where the scribed line goes thru the black in the 1st picture.


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Here you can see the finished cut on the main cap.


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Here you can see where they cut two holes at different angles leaving a sharp edge that needs to be removed for better flow.
This view is from the rear main cap surface that meets with the block.


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That's all I have for today, hope this helps someone else!
 
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your work shows the difference in care that it takes between BUILDING/ASSEMBLING an engine VS the far more common approach of slapping parts together, and wondering why some guys have faster cars.
thinking things thru, knowing how things are suppost to work, and making the necessary mods to increase the efficiency helps.
all those little tweaks together ,and your taking your time to make components function correctly,etc.,do make a difference in power and durability, and while no single modification is likely to show up as a huge gain on the dyno the difference in durability and power on the finished engine is almost always noticeable in the long run.
its the small mods that most guys over look that easily make the engine last longer,look better and produce that extra few horsepower required to win races
 
Thanks Grumpy!!! I enjoy the process of making something better, so it's no problem for me to take my time and do the best job I can.
 
grumpyvette said:
Indycars said:
I coat the bearing seat surfaces, and bores and decks with a q-tip and some Vaseline to prevent paint sticking to those surfaces
Sound like you are painting inside of the lower end, around the bottom of the cylinders and main webbing......is that right???

I saw your cork idea earlier and liked it, so I already have them.


yes I paint all the non-machined surfaces to lock in micro crud in the castings
How do you get to the cam tunnel to paint??? Do you use spray or brush???
 
How do you get to the cam tunnel to paint??? Do you use spray or brush???

I spend a good deal of time with a heat gun, high pressure air and a stiff brush making very sure the surface is clean, grease free and totally dry , it takes a good fast evaporating solvent and high pressure air in many cases followed by a heat gun to provide a totally grease free surface for epoxy paint to firmly grip, its not to hard to do with a small 1/2" wide brush on an engine, block thats clean and degreased, once the engine blocks on an engine stand thats easy to rotate, a heat gun to speed up the time required in drying the paint helps prevent runs. just take your time, it should take under 20-25 minutes to do it correctly, if you can,t reach an area don,t get crazy, its not critical to cover every last bit of surface area, just do what you can reach
acetone.jpg


nozzle.gif

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http://www.harborfreight.com/1600-watt- ... 66098.html
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http://www.por15.com/ENGINE-ENAMEL/productinfo/EEPA/

http://www.eastwood.com/glyptal-red-bru ... e=mn130060

http://www.engine-paint.com/

http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraypaintdepot/DC-engine.aspx

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=125

one time use disposable brushes are fine

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http://www.harborfreight.com/36-piece-1 ... 41338.html

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http://www.harborfreight.com/1600-watt- ... 66098.html

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My next project was deburring and polishing the unmachined edges and surfaces of the Scat forged crankshaft.

Warning: I had a longer than normal mandrel (6") with a tapered cartridge roll. When the cartridge started to come unwrapped, it made the madrel so far out of balance that in split second it bent the mandrel as you can see in the picture below. Now it didn't break like it looks in the picture, I cut off the bent sections for later use. Even if the mandrel had NOT bent, the cartridge roll still could have gotten in to a machined surfaces.

Luckily I was NOT in a critical area at the time, but since that happened I don't use cartridge rolls when I'm working close to machined surface.


GrindingTools311.jpg

I use Carbide Cutters and UNITIZED WHEEL when working around machined surfaces. In the pic below, it's the round cylinder and there is one on the die grinder also. They don't create a mess like the cartridge rolls do with all the abrasive dust and threads everywhere. As the unitized wheel wears, they become a cone shape. When I need to reach around a corner, I will reverse the unitized wheel on the mandrel. You can NOT do that with a cartridge roll, it will unwind the abrasive when it's turning in the wrong direction.


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The next two pics show the surfaces before I had done much grinding.


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I used duct tape and masking tape to protect the journals, they were the perfect size. I would usually put about 5 turns of tape on each journal.


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These types edges were the most nerve wracking to work on.


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As you can see there are plenty of edges to take the sharp corners off of and I'm only pointing out a few of them.


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The only surfaces I didn't work on were the large flat faces of the counter weights. See red arrows.


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The finished crankshaft!!! Yea!!! Total estimated time was about 15 hours.(Next two pics)


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both the photos and the attention to detail are impressive, I rarely see guys take the effort required to do things correctly, so its a pleasant change, taking the effort to do things correctly and carefully match the components to produce the intended power curve is a skill that many guys don,t seem to grasp!
Its rather obvious that your willing to take the time and effort do do things correctly so I'm fairly sure we can get a instantly responsive high torque engine built that will allow that car to provide exciting performance without being high maintenance or a P.I.T.A. to keep tuned
 

Thanks Grumpy ! I hope it helps someone else go the extra mile if they see how it's done. Or maybe they have a few tips that might help me.

Now all I have left is the Rods and Pistons, they should be much easier to work on.
 
Been busy working on the Rods and Pistons prepping them for assembly. Got the rods marked with my initials so I can be sure what I'm getting back from the machine shop. Eventually I will have everything marked.

The pistons look so good, it's a shame that nobody will be able to see them. I've included in some pictures the tools I used, but feel free to ask how I did something. I didn't put any pictures of the wet sanding on the tops of the pistons with 400 & 1000 grit sand paper prior to using the buffing wheels on them. Damn this stuff is fun :D:D

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As you can see from the red arrows I smoothed every edge on the piston.

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Yes.....I did use a file on the pistons, but I was very gentle and careful.

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The piston on the right has not been touched, but the piston on the left has been worked.

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Below you see the three stages of completion. Left is untouched, Middle has all edges smoothed and the top is wet sanded with 400 & 1000 sand paper. Right has been buffed.

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Notice in the next 2 pictures you can see the refection of the shelf above.

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It's back to work now, I have 3 more pistons before I'm done. Thanks for looking!
 
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outstanding!
all this detail work seldom gets done correctly, its a pleasure to see someone take the time to do it right!
polishing the piston upper deck, and rounding off sharp edges , tends to reduce the tendency for ash from combustion to stick and form hot spots that can increase the engines tendency to get into detonation, its those minor modifications and attention to detail , like polishing combustion chamber surfaces piston surfaces and smoothing off spark plug threads in the combustion chamber that extend well past the plug reach, into the chamber that helps, maintain consistent result so you don,t find one cylinder detonates well before the others reach that limit
here is where you, or your machine shop can screw things up on ring to bore seal, you need to have the cylinders bored and honed to the correct size specified by the manufacturer of the pistons,after MEASURING THE PISTONS to verify their size per the piston manufacturers instructions, then gap the rings per the ring manufacturers instructions, when you hone the bores,get and use block deck hone plates, during the hone process , keep in kind you want to use the same (STUDS OR BOLTS) the machine shop used and the same torque settings they used when the cylinders were honed with deck plates or the distortion of the bore and ring seal won,t be identical (exactly round)or ideal, keep in mind the piston side clearance must match what the piston manufacturer states.

......................Piston Alloy Comparison
4032...................................................... 2618
High silicon............................................No silicon
Low expansion........................................expansion
Tighter piston-to-wall clearance................More Piston-to-wall clearance needed
Quiet Operation......................................Noise when cold
Less ductile............................................More ductile
More stable & consistent.........................Higher resistance to detonation
Longer life cycles....................................Shorter life cycles
Harder...................................................Softer

http://www.probeindustries.com/

https://www.flatlanderracing.com/trwpistonschoose.html

http://aftermarket.federalmogul.com/en- ... 7ibJ7FwU4M

http://www.jepistons.com/

http://www.venolia.com/

http://www.wiseco.com/

http://www.trickflow.com/search.asp?Ntt ... wordSearch

http://www.flatlanderracing.com/manleypis-chevy03.html

http://www.rosspistons.com/information/

http://www.ariaspistons.com/

https://www.uempistons.com/
 
Thanks Guys! I appreciate hearing back from everyone.

If someone has a different way of doing something you see here, please post your ideas ! I always like to see different perspectives, there is something to learn every time !
 
jteu2002 said:
just one tip do not polish your cylinder walls like your pistons :D
Thanks! I was considering it, but you're probably right ! Besides, I don't want to retire on this project. It would be nice to drive it !
 
heres a few threads related to maximizing ring seal,and related info
theres a great deal more to installing pistons in an engine than simply putting rings into piston grooves and getting the pistons inserted into cylinder bores,read thru the linked info, its well worth the effort. contact the piston manufacturer, and ring manufacturers, for info on where and how to measure the pistons and what the correct bore clearance, and hone grit should be!

if you ever have doubts, about any component in a certain application, the first reasonable step is to carefully read the advertizing and spec sheet info, AND THEN CALL the manufacturer for more detailed info if you can., you might be surprised but a lot of times asking for a transfer to the engineer department vs the sales guys is also a much better course of action when looking for confirmation on component use. info.

you may find this video interesting


viewtopic.php?f=53&t=3897&p=11709&hilit=hone#p11709

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=509&p=11324&hilit=hone#p11324

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=125&p=10972&hilit=hone#p10972

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2795&p=8966&hilit=hone#p8966

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2837&p=7342&hilit=hone#p7342

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=588&p=7313&hilit=hone#p7313

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=852&p=1311&hilit=ring+compressor#p1311

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=55&p=68&hilit=ring+compressor#p68

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=110&p=3631&hilit=hone#p3631

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=247
 
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This weekend I measured the volume of the valve reliefs. It's one of those details that you don't have an accurate number until you actually measure it. I was pleasantly surprised at how consistent all 8 pistons were, even after my massaging them. They were 5.2cc to 5.4cc, now I'm sure my accuracy was getting better at the end as I perfected MY procedures. Even with my inexperience, I believe that the TRUE volumes would not be outside of 5.1cc to 5.5cc. If that was the case, my SCR/DCR at 5.1cc would be 8.07/10.63 and at 5.5cc it would be 8.04/10.58. Pretty much a non event.
Got to have a few pictures, so here they are:

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For more details you can read this How To in the "Tools, Procedures, and Testing Trouble Shooting:" forum
"How to Accurately Measure a Volume in CC"


 
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now that's a top quality post in a great thread, anyone can be really proud of!
I doubt even one out of every ten guys bothers to verify the engines combustion chamber volume or uniformity!

BTW verify the valve to piston clearance both in lift and the radial clearance from the edge of the valve to the edge of the valve notch, you generally should try for a minimum of 0.100 in piston to valve lift clearance and I try for 0.060 valve edge to valve notch side clearance

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Checking Piston To Valve Clearance
RHS® strongly urges you to check the piston to valve clearance on the larger street cams and all race cams. The easiest and most accurate way to check this is to place strips of modeling clay on top of one piston, and then rotate the engine over by hand with the cylinder head bolted in place and all of the valve train components adjusted. If there is any resistance during rotation of the crankshaft, STOP! The piston has probably hit the valve. Then you must decide whether to fly cut the piston, or exchange the cam for a profile that will fit into your engine. Note: Minimum piston to valve clearance is .080” on the intake and .100” on the exhaust valves. If aluminum connecting rods are being used, add a minimum of .030” to these suggested clearance figures. Aluminum rods will stretch and expand more than steel rods.

Note: Be sure to check piston to valve clearance after the cam has been degreed. The positioning of the cam in the engine will greatly affect the piston to valve clearance.

With the camshaft installed, remove the cylinder head from the block. Clean the combustion chamber and the top of the piston and valve reliefs. The cleaner the piston, the better the clay will stick to it.

Apply a strip of model clay 3/8” to ½” wide approximately ¼” thick to the pistons. The clay strip should be long enough to run across both the intake and exhaust valve reliefs. Applying a small amount of oil to the clay will prevent it from sticking to the valves as they press into it.

Reinstall the cylinder head with the head gasket that is going to be used. It will not be necessary to torque the head yet. All head gasket manufacturers can tell you what the compressed thickness of their gasket will be. Measure the gasket before you install it permanently and add the difference to the piston to valve clearance. Install a sufficient number of head bolts to secure the head in place while you are rotating the engine. Install the pushrods, lifters and rocker arms on the cylinder you have prepared for the clearance check.

Adjust the rocker arms to their suggested clearance. If the camshaft you are checking uses hydraulic lifters, you must temporarily use solid lifters in their place. Hydraulic lifters bleed down and will provide a false measurement. Once the hydraulic lifters are replaced with solid lifters, adjust the lash to “zero.” Be sure not to pre-load the valve spring. Be sure to reinstall the hydraulic lifters before starting the engine.

Now turn the engine over by hand in the normal direction of rotation. Be sure to rotate the engine over two times. This will be one complete revolution of the camshaft and assure you of an accurate reading on both the intake and exhaust. Remove the cylinder head from the block. Do this gently, so the clay is not disturbed. It may be stuck to the valves or combustion chamber, so be careful.

With a razor or sharp knife, slice the clay cleanly -lengthwise through the depression, and peel half of it off the piston. The clay’s thickness in the thinnest area will represent the minimum piston to valve clearance.

To accurately check the thickness, use a set of dial calipers. The clay can also be measured close enough with a thin steel rule.

related info
viewtopic.php?f=50&t=501&p=11829&hilit=piston+valve+clay#p11829

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=181
before you reach for your wallet, do some basic math and read a few dozen related links
http://www.wallaceracing.com/calcafhp.php

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/en...-0902-chevy-engine-port-variations-measuring/

http://www.gmhpclub.com/performancecalculators.htm

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/port-speeds-and-area.333/#post-37705
USE THE CALCULATORS to match port size to intended rpm levels... but keep in mind valve lift and port flow limitations
http://www.wallaceracing.com/runnertorquecalc.php


http://www.wallaceracing.com/ca-calc.php

http://www.wallaceracing.com/area-under-curve.php

http://www.wallaceracing.com/chokepoint.php

http://www.wallaceracing.com/header_length.php

http://www.circletrack.com/enginetech/1 ... ch_engine/

http://www.wallaceracing.com/calcafhp.php

http://hpwizard.com/engine-horsepower-calculator.html

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/airflow-research-cylinder-power/

http://www.powerperformancenews.com/tech-articles/cylinder-head-tech-airflow-vs-power/

http://www.calculator.net/engine-horsepower-calculator.html

http://www.calculatoredge.com/new/horsepower.htm
 
Thanks Grumpy !!!.....now I need to order those Brodix IK200 heads. They won't be as light as the pistons, but at least I won't have to muscle them around like a cast iron head. :)
 
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