Complete Engine Build step by step

ChrisCairns said:
I don't understand something on one of your steps.

You said you put all the shims on the cam button, found end play at .018 so REMOVED a .010 shim and ended up with .008.

If you removed a .010 shim you'd end with .028 thou clearance.

Did I miss something?
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Sorry about that. There were so many steps in between that i tried to simplify it for the reader and i goofed up. What i did was, Started with all of them on, Removed a few and ended up with .018. Then i ADDED the .010 shim and came up with .008". Sorry about that.

Here are some pics of the motor in the car. Camera is a POS but you can make out some of it. I have to do some under hood cleaning and get my over flow for the radiator in there. The first is just the engine bay.
 

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hey, that 'anything but synthetic oil' stuff to break in an engine is old news.
You can break in an engine with synth now. The old folklore of "the synthetics reduce friction too much and the stuff wont seat properly" is just that. old folklore. You can break in your engine with any oil. throw whatever in there, put a magnet on the oil pan (a huge earth magnet, one of the neos), and a GOOD FILTER, like wix or mobile 1, drive it like you were told to break it in, and change it out after 300 miles, dropping the pan and cleaning it out with the first oil change. then, after like another 700 or so, do it again. same procedure.
After that, change the oil just like you regularly do, (oil and filter) at 2000 miles later. youre now worked up to your regular 3000 mile change intervals. every 3 grand now, with whatever oil and filter you so choose. but i wouldnt use anything but mobile one, amsoil, or rotella, with either a wix, amsoil or mobile one filter. purolator in a pinch.
 
Anyone who follows that advise would be very lucky to have it all work out in the end. After cam break in with dino oil, immediately drain the oil. Throw in some straight weight 30 dino. Get out there and get into low boost (10psi) about 1000rpm short of redline for 5-6 1/8 mile passes. Drain that oil and then throw in the synthetic. your rings are now seated and broken in properly as well as all the valves being seated properly. And it only took less then a mile to break in. Your engine will burn very clean for its entire life and itll make great power if everything else is in order, if you break it in this way. We had a winston west motor come in that was down 150hp because the previous engine builder broke it in (or tried to) with synthetic and the leakdown was horrible. We had to tear it down and rehone the cylinders, replace the rings and bearings, go with new pistons and a different cam, and when it was done, the guy actually started placing in races.
 
i did 3 of my engines that way so far a while ago, and nothing happened to them. never had a problem yet....

In fact, i had a guy come in the shop, with 700,000+ miles on his 3rd gen N/A 3.8 he had when new, and never did ANY of that stuff....
 
Went to the track yesterday and did some tunning. Things were busy and people were wrecking so i only got to run once and didnt get to do any data logging. But, i went 12.82 at 114 with a 2.03 60' on 6 lbs of boost and 0 lb launch. Car ran good. Next time we work up to 30 lbs. First off, I'de like to thank Jack Cotton for hooking me up with basically everything i put into this car and doing it correctly. Couldnt have done it without Jack. Also Jack and Brian for helping me out at the track with some tunning. If you need anything for a Buick, call cottons!!!!! Brain Webber for helping me find the correct timing chain and the correct Crank Key for the CAT crank. Saved my ass when i was in a jam. My local engine builders for all my machine work. And Justin of Justiin Time Designs for my intake, overflow, deep sump oil pan, tranny drain plug, all the other little things he welded and for helping out with the build. If you need anything welded, PM me and i'll let him know. Last but not least everyone on this board that helped out. Thanks alot everyone! see you next season.
 
87we410877 said:
Went to the track yesterday and did some tunning. Things were busy and people were wrecking so i only got to run once and didnt get to do any data logging. But, i went 12.82 at 114 with a 2.03 60' on 6 lbs of boost and 0 lb launch. Car ran good. Next time we work up to 30 lbs. First off, I'de like to thank Jack Cotton for hooking me up with basically everything i put into this car and doing it correctly. Couldnt have done it without Jack. Also Jack and Brian for helping me out at the track with some tunning. If you need anything for a Buick, call cottons!!!!! Brain Webber for helping me find the correct timing chain and the correct Crank Key for the CAT crank. Saved my ass when i was in a jam. My local engine builders for all my machine work. And Justin of Justiin Time Designs for my intake, overflow, deep sump oil pan, tranny drain plug, all the other little things he welded and for helping out with the build. If you need anything welded, PM me and i'll let him know. Last but not least everyone on this board that helped out. Thanks alot everyone! see you next season.
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How the motor running? Before starting the motor did you prime it? And how many miles did you put on the motor before you raced it?
 
vacuum 6 said:
How the motor running? Before starting the motor did you prime it? And how many miles did you put on the motor before you raced it?
Click to expand...

Motor is running good. I put about 500 and 3 oil changes before i "raced" it. I was only at 6 lbs running way rich so im sure i didnt hurt anything. Its cold out now and off the road so i just start in every weekend now and let it warm up. Yes i did prime the motor before starting. Came right up to 80 lbs with a drill after about 2-3 rotations. It got pretty hard to turn the drill once pressure was built up. Now running i have about 80-85psi on start up, 15-20 warm idle and about 50-60 cruising then back up to 80-85 on the gas.
 
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