Assembly Tips for 1st 109 timer

[GangsterMD]

I just got my block back from the machine shop and plan to start assembling it. The Machine shop lined bored the mains with the billet caps, sized the rods, installed the cam and balanced the rotating assembly. I think he said they degreed the cam to 1* advanced? So I have to install the oil pick up and pan, cam button, oil pump and front cover, cam sensor, roller rockers push rods, aluminum heads, intake etc... I know this is a vague question, but can you guys please give me some things to watch for in the process? I did the Earl Brown cover mods, but any tips on the cam button, oil pump, cover, checking pushrods, sealing the heads etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kingots2004]

tip on cam button..dont forget it lol ask me how i know. also when you put your heads on and torque them heat them with a heat gun then let them cool overnight and retorque. i did it twice and the first time one was a little lose 2nd time they stayed tourqued so i put it in and havent had a problem yet knock on wood

 

[turbofabricator]

Setting cam thrust is very time consuming. Buy two or three timing cover gaskets. Shoot for .005-.010" thrust clearance with a hydraulic roller. Spend lots of time verifying bearing clearances, too. Timing cover needs to be ported and set oil pump gear thrust to .0005-.0015" (half a thou.to one and a half thou.) Shoot for a bearing clearance of .0017" with .0015 too tight and .0025 too loose.

 

[stickybones]

set oil pump gear thrust to .0005-.0015" (half a thou.to one and a half thou.)

Ken, I really respect your expertise with these cars and often refer to your posts for tips, but isn't that a bit tight? I mean are the face of the gears even flat to that tolerance? I also thought the service manual allows up to 0.006" or something like that? (Don't quote me here, I'm going by memory.)

The reason I'm asking is because my engine is apart right now and I just recently rebuilt my oil pump and set my end clearance to 0.004". If it's really beneficial to go lower, I'll try a thinner gasket from the TA kit.

Mike

 

[Mike Licht]

I go for .001 or less get the thin gasket
Mike

 

[GangsterMD]

Ok so .005" to .010" on the cab thrust button, how's the best way to measure it? Then .001" on the oil pump, and again how do I check it? Are the aluminum heads torqued the same as irons? Mike, I bought all this stuff from you - heads, cam, push rods, rockers etc, but do I still need to check push rod clearance somehow?
Thanks again for the tips guys, keep'em coming

 

[Mike Licht]

For front cover oil pump thrust I put a dial indicator through the cam sensor hole, For the cam thrust I use an indicator on the back of the cam, the cam plug must be removed of course. Since block deck height, gaskets and valve jobs all are different you ALWAYS need to verify lifer preload and proper valvetrain gemometry. We are happy to exchange pushrods for a different length if needed. We have a tool which make it VERY easy to measure them and get the correct size
Mike

 

[turbofabricator]

Yep, what Mike says..........or.........
For poor mans thrust checking you can use *Plasti-gauge* Takes alot more time, but it does work. Harbour Freight has dial indicators for real cheap, though.
For the oil pump, I use a machinists parallel, and lay it across the gear face and measure, with feeler gauges, how far the gears stick out of the pump housing. This proceedure helps me determine if the gears are parallel with the parting line. Aftermarket TC covers are notorious for having pump cavities too deep and the gears sit flush. This means you will have a clearane of .006-.010" with standard gaskets. Use a factory cover if possible. The aftermarket covers are hit or miss if they even have the passages open, cam sensor bore in line with pump shaft, ect. The sensor to shaft alignment issue cost me a COMPLETE tear-down to find out why there was metal particles in the oil. Turns out the angularity was so bad that it had terrible side load on the sensor and it WIPED the sensor bushing out and it spun and sent aluminum through the engine. I thought it was a spun cam bearing.

 

[GangsterMD]

Hmm... so what you're saying is I wasted $$ on a new front cover and I should've just used the factory cover?

 

[GangsterMD]

Oh, and what about the heads. Are they the same torque patern and specs as the stock heads? Or are they different?

 

[turbofabricator]

Yep! The aftermarket covers require ALOT of work to make them right. The stock cover is a nice part. Torque the heads per the factory sequence. Use ARP bolts or studs, though. I torque head bolts to 75ft./lbs except the two long bolts I torque to 80ft/lbs.

 

[Nick Micale]

Yep! The aftermarket covers require ALOT of work to make them right. The stock cover is a nice part......

Not true if you use the new TA cover, it is built to much closer tolerances than stock.

 

[GangsterMD]

Covers and Seals

Ok so I need to decide what cover to use. The old cover appears to have cracks all around the seal, and even in other areas. Does this happen? Also it's such a mess... Also I've got 2 seals, one that came with the gasket set and one that came with the front cover. They are quite different. The one that came with the gastket set has a hard flange around it that will have to be driven in, the other is softer and should just push in.
Thanks again for the help guys.

 

[GangsterMD]

cover and seals

Ttt

 

[turbofabricator]

Those are not cracks, but just casting anomalies. If you sand tham out, they will go away. Not needed, though. Use the old timing cover, and use the standard FelPro neoprene seal. The aftermarket T/C uses a seal that presses into the front, where as the stock one presses in from behind. No gain in either design. If the seal needs replacing, then it's probably time to pull the cover anyway. Before installing the neoprene seal in the stock cover, file smooth the staking marks that they use to hold the stock metal retainer in place. This may already have been done, though, if there was a neo seal installed.