any advice for a first time engine rebuild?

[Warren]

i need any advice on from you guys who have built up your engines. i'm not concerned about my head rebuilding because i'm just sending the whole head to Kenny and he is going to assemble it. but i'm concerned about my bottom end. i've been asking a guy at work that has built up a drag/street car, and he told me that i will probably need to get my cylinder honed(sp) out before reassemble everything. is this true?

and also what is the best way you guys prep gasket surfaces? it seems the number one failure after a new build is a gasket going bad right off the bat. i would like to avoid this if possible.

my manual says that i should replace my cam chain during rebuild. should i do this too or should it be ok?

i know everything i have to do with all my bolts so i'm not worried about that either.

if i have any other questions i will post them up later. but for right now it's just these 3. but if you guys have any other advice please feel free to post it up.



just for reference of what i'm putting in:

+5 stroker crank
11:1 piston (stock bore)
CNC ported head
+2 valves
RJ cam
bee hive springs
HD clutch springs from TQS
new OEM clutch

[Kenny]

i need any advice on from you guys who have built up your engines. i'm not concerned about my head rebuilding because i'm just sending the whole head to Kenny and he is going to assemble it. but i'm concerned about my bottom end. i've been asking a guy at work that has built up a drag/street car, and he told me that i will probably need to get my cylinder honed(sp) out before reassemble everything. is this true?

and also what is the best way you guys prep gasket surfaces? it seems the number one failure after a new build is a gasket going bad right off the bat. i would like to avoid this if possible.

my manual says that i should replace my cam chain during rebuild. should i do this too or should it be ok?

i know everything i have to do with all my bolts so i'm not worried about that either.

if i have any other questions i will post them up later. but for right now it's just these 3. but if you guys have any other advice please feel free to post it up.



just for reference of what i'm putting in:

+5 stroker crank
11:1 piston (stock bore)
CNC ported head
+2 valves
RJ cam
bee hive springs
HD clutch springs from TQS
new OEM clutch

It does need to be honed, but finding someone locally that has a $300+ dollar diamond hone is nearly impossible so you will end up doing a good cleanup with gray scotchbrite from the parts store, along with some brake clean spray. Wash it real good with hot soapy water before you install it.

Here is how I prep surfaces.
http://www.raptorsource.com/forum/index.php?topic=3967.0

You will want to have the following...... 220 and 400 grit is fine. A new timing chain is good cheap insurance

[dabigbratj]

when are we building it

[Peelz]

Get booze, lots of it

[Diggs59]

My advice is to hone the cylinder as the master Kenny has already stated. I also recommend the OEM gaskets. Just too many storied of aftermarket gaskets leaking. Not sure if it's user error or what but there's little doubt that there are more people who used aftermarket gaskets complaining about this than there are people who used OEM gaskets. I have no input on the cam timing chain replacement. All I can say is that you're probably fine unless you have hours upon hours on your quad now. I assume the suggestion to replace it is in refernce to quads that have taken a beating.

[Warren]

when are we building it

i'm hoping to have everything before november. so sometime around then. fingers crossed.


thanks guy for the good advice. now i have to find a place that can hone my cylinder.

[Duane]

cleanliness is key. I think that is the key issue with the normal leaking gaskets. Make sure all gasket are spotless, run your finger over teh surfaces, it should be nice and smooth. A paint stir stick (soft wood) works good for a "scraper", and then hand lap the surface like Kenny said.

Make sure you use a torque wrench and not a calibrated elbow.

[Warren]

cleanliness is key. I think that is the key issue with the normal leaking gaskets. Make sure all gasket are spotless, run your finger over teh surfaces, it should be nice and smooth. A paint stir stick (soft wood) works good for a "scraper", and then hand lap the surface like Kenny said.

Make sure you use a torque wrench and not a calibrated elbow.

i deffinetly plan to use my torque wrench on everything.  i have a bad problem with breaking bolts off or stripping threads out if i don't. lol

[russ-russ]

Have you opened up the motor yet?  You may not be happy about the condition of the cylinder if you haven't.  It may need a sleeve or replate, the stock plating isn't all that durable compared to aftermarket or even other brands of OEM plating.

[stlboarder]

Depending on how many hours you have on it you may only need to clean up your cyl. When I did mine last year that's all I needed and it's still running like a champ. *knock on wood**

[Warren]

nope i have never been into the engine. i'm guessing i have somewhere around 100 hours it.

[preddy08]

My Nikisil was starting to weat off around 40 hours or so. I'll bet its time for a replate or rebore.

[Warren]

where can i send my cylinder to get replated? and how much does that cost to do?

[preddy08]

US chrome does a good job replating, but it cost just as much to have a big bore sleeve droped in. Might as well go big.

[Alkire193]

If you can try grabbing an Iron sleeve so you dont have to worry about nikasil. Most sleeves I see are 70-80 bucks. And mine is at US Chrome right now getting bored out. Ill let you know next week how they do


Preddy has it right, go big or go home