adrial

Anybody have any tips?

The engine is out of the car, pistons are out...crank is going to stay in the block as the motor only has 90k miles and I dont think its necesary to go through all the extra work of getting the crank out and the $100 on main bearings. If anybody disagrees with this, please let me know.

As far as cleaning everything up goes, what cleaners are safe to use on everything even though the crank and thus main bearings are still installed? Can I use Gunk engine degreaser, Simple green or something similar and be fine? My main concern is something being in the engine when I put it all back together, so I want to do the best that I can to make sure its all clean.

TIA,

Adrial

Geo

I'm interested as well since I'm getting close to going down the same path.

Let me get this straight. You tore down the whole engine. Just a few more bolts to replace the mains. For $100 you don't want to replace them? Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, but I couldn't imagine not doing it. You've done 98% of the work.

I swear by Berryman's Carb Cleaner. Before I built my Sentra SE-R engine I bought a parts washer. While looking for solvent for it I found a gallon can of Berryman's cleaner (can't remember the exact product name now) that came with a tray for soaking things. I used it for 90% of the stuff for the engine. It'll clean damned near anything. For large items I started using their carb cleaner. I buy it by the case now. I don't use anything else. This stuff is great. If you can find it (it's semi-regional it seems), buy it. Other carb cleaners don't match up.

adrial

Geo,

The impression I've been getting from most people is that it's not worth bothering with the mains on such a low mileage engine. After reading your post though, I realize you do have a point. I cant seem to find any literature on removing the crank though (I'm looking primarily in the factory manual and skip's tech session and clarks garage). I dont want to just go in there and start turning bolts with something this expensive.

EDIT:

Found it...its not in the turbo supplement, but in the regular 944 engine section as I guess this part of the engine is the same. However I would still like to know what needs to come out before the crank can come out. Also Any tips for removing the crank pulley now that the flywheel/clutch assembly is off and there's no way to use a flywheel lock.

cruise98

Adrial:

I do not know of a way to clean everything without removing the crank. At this point, all that is left is the oil pump, oil suction/returns tubes and the crank girdle. Do not use water on an open engine, unless it completely disassembled.

If you are not going to remove the crank, clean the bores with a good solvent and lint free cloth while the block is sideways, then clean the rod journals prior to assembly. Use a very large plastic garbage bag to cover the block when you are not working on it. This is sort of a "dirty rebuild".

Tom M'Guinn

For what it's worth (maybe very little), the old 356 engine rebuild videos use WD40 as the final cleaner on all the oil gallies, etc. It leaves no residue they say.

As for the pully, at least on other cars, I've seen people bolt a long steel bar to the flywheel or crank end, and then use the floor or something sturdy to brace the bar while cranking the pully nut in the other direction -- if you can see what I mean. Of course, air tools would probably work too.

Tabor

adrial,

Don't you want to pull the crank and have it cross drilled at the same time? I would.

Chris Martin

If you remove the crank you can take the block to a machine shop and have them put it in their jet for an hour or so. Follow that up with a good cleaning with brake kleen or something similar and you should be set. No sense in not going all the way at this point.

Geo

Actually, it does. I use WD40 on things that I want to leave a small protective film on. When I was building my Sentra SE-R engine, after I cleaned the bores (it is aluminum, but with liners) I sprayed them down heavily with WD40 precisely because they would leave a protective film.

RedlineMan

Ummm...

You kinda jumped in with both feet before you checked how deep the pool was, it seems. No need whatever to pull an engine just to do a head gasket. Now that it's out, I don't see it making much sense at all to not just go ahead and rebuild the whole thing. I mean everything! Clutch, oil pump, seals, gaskets, rings, bearings...................................... Doing half a job will always bite you in the *** eventually.

As for cleaning, carb cleaner is good for initial work, and I always use brake clean because it evaporates quickly and leaves little residue. A blow gun is also helpful to dry it off. After through cleaning I might indeed squirt every thing with WD40 to reduce the liklihood of corrosion forming. Just make sure to clean off the gasket surfaces before you assemble anything!

www.redlinerennsport.com

adrial

Well I left out some details in the original post...let me fill everybody in.
Basically...Compression on cylinders 2-4 was 130psi warm, cylinder 1 was 100psi w/o oil and 120psi with oil. I didnt try adding oil to the others. So, at that point I decided that it was definetely HG (car was drinking coolant), and likely rings as well. The oil pan gasket was leaking, so I figured I was gonna be working on the top of the motor and the bottom...so I might as well just yank the thing to make life easier.

My original intention was also to do the main bearings and crankwork, but I started to hear that there was no need from some people. Obviously, this is not the case.

Clutch was done 8k miles ago, but it seems the wrong part was installed...so after talking to my mechanic I hope I will get the right part in there (turbo cup vs. turbo).

So the crank will be coming out and I'll be doing a complete rebuild. I haven't had a chance to really look it over yet, I'm on my way out for new years stuff. But, can someone give me a quick breakdown on whats involved in removing the crank from where I am now? (water pump, oil pump, balance shafts, inner belt cover, oil filter housing are still installed on the block)

thanks!

--Adrial

Geo

I wouldn't say this is obviously not the case. I just think you should really ask yourself if you want to spend all that time and money and only do 95% of the job (a much better way of expressing this than I did the first time).

GMS

If you have a problem in a few thousand miles, will thise people help you?

Take the crank out, get it cleaned, polished and checked and repalce the bearings. There's absolutely no point doing only 98% of the work.
You DON"T know what the bearings are like and nor does anyone else and it's YOUR engine, not anyone elses.

Granite 944

I don't know if you were planning on doing this, but with 100 lbs of compression in #1, and after seeing all the oil on that cyl. head. (earlier pics you showed of the head) I would strongly suggest you take the block and pistons to a "porsche familiar" machine shop and have them check the pistons and bores real good. I wouldn't assume you could just slap new rings in there and "life will be good". Could very well be egged shapped. At least, I'd want to know "for sure" what everything in this engine measured out at against specifications. Its way to time consuming/expensive not to do it right the first time, or at least "KNOW" what the condition of everything is.
"Doing half a job will always bite you in the *** eventually" Boy......I aggree with this John!
I believe its the forward most main bearing you need to take with you to the machine shop, so lower cradle can be bolted to block properly, so a measurement of bearing holes can be done. It might cost about $60.00 to $100.00 to have shop mic out everything, but info I believe is much needed prior to even starting the "complete rebuild"
I'm currently "in process" of this myself right now. I'm in no hurry, I'm running a temp. engine in my car right now, so I can "take my time" and do it right. (hopefully). I think this is the best advice anyone can give you when doing an engine rebuild, especially the first time, is to NOT get in a hurry, or impatient with it! Thats when ***t happens. Good luck!

EZRider

Absolutely not the case. 90K is very high mileage for high performance engine driven like meant to be and used on the track. On the other hand, the 90k on my car driven very conservatively and never seen track is low mileage. Either way if and when my engine is pulled I will ovehaul it totally from bottom to top including drive train components.

Matt Sheppard

Yes, you will have brass showing on at least the center main bearing. $100-$200 (w/ inspection costs) is worth it at this point. Are you going to have the upper-block resurfaced as well? New head studs?