head is off, engine is about as dirty on the inside as it is on the outside
11-03-2004, 02:05 AM
#16
Race Car
andrew- congrats on getting the head off.
don't use a wire wheel on the mating surface (ie, where the head gasket goes). you don't want to mar that area. i took my head and block to my machinist and he hot-tanked everything. they came out very clean, even looked like brand new aluminum in some places. that's what i would do
don't use a wire wheel on the mating surface (ie, where the head gasket goes). you don't want to mar that area. i took my head and block to my machinist and he hot-tanked everything. they came out very clean, even looked like brand new aluminum in some places. that's what i would do
11-03-2004, 03:11 AM
#17
For what it costs to have the work done by a machine shop, it's not worth risking possible damamge. There are several processes that can make the head look good as new. Find a shop that has an ultrasonic cleaning tank, that can get most of it, and, there is a process using a mild acid I believe it's called alumabright that can get most of the rest of the crap.
While it's out a good resurface and have the valve guides redone. Should run about $400 +/-. As far as the block I rotated the engine so that no piston was all the way up, put towel into the piston and block spaces, and used scotch brite with just a little denatured alcohol to carefully clean the crud off. Let the alcohol evaporate then vaccume all of the crud you can and carefully remove the As there were no gouges or uneven areas this worked well.
While your there a widefire gasket is cheap insurance.
Good luck.
While it's out a good resurface and have the valve guides redone. Should run about $400 +/-. As far as the block I rotated the engine so that no piston was all the way up, put towel into the piston and block spaces, and used scotch brite with just a little denatured alcohol to carefully clean the crud off. Let the alcohol evaporate then vaccume all of the crud you can and carefully remove the As there were no gouges or uneven areas this worked well.
While your there a widefire gasket is cheap insurance.
Good luck.
11-03-2004, 09:43 AM
#18
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
as far as cleaning pistons goes, i don't think it'll be an issue since everything's coming out. it's the rings that are suspect so i'm going to be pulling the block apart as well. i just pulled the head off first because it wasn't hard to do with the engine in the car and i figured it'd give me some more clearance. i won't have to jack up the car as much because the engine won't be as tall without the head on.
as far as the machine work goes, is there anything special about this engine that a porsche only guy would have to work on it? i know, living on long island, if i bring this engine to a porsche guy for machine work, i'm going to get killed on price. i'd rather just bring it to a generic automotive machine shop and not tell them it's a porsche engine at all. hopefully they don't pick up on it and don't charge me the extra. if there's something they need to know while working then what might that be?
as far as the machine work goes, is there anything special about this engine that a porsche only guy would have to work on it? i know, living on long island, if i bring this engine to a porsche guy for machine work, i'm going to get killed on price. i'd rather just bring it to a generic automotive machine shop and not tell them it's a porsche engine at all. hopefully they don't pick up on it and don't charge me the extra. if there's something they need to know while working then what might that be?
11-03-2004, 11:02 AM
#19
Race Car
whoa, back up the truck......
i wouldn't count on some guys to know what they're doing if they don't know what kind of car it is. there are some special procedures for a porsche, especially when it comes to honing the cylinders, if needed.
i live in a small town of 25,000 in oklahoma. i took my engine to a local machine shop (this guy has built domestic race motors for years), and he has done an excellent job so far. he is very thorough, and the price for everything (cleaning the block, regrinding and polishing the crank, rebuilding the head with new guides and springs, and cleaning the oil cooler, and cleaning and balancing the pistons and rods) is going to be around $600 excluding parts. that is very reasonable.
if i can find someone in small town oklahoma, you can surely find someone in new york
good luck
i wouldn't count on some guys to know what they're doing if they don't know what kind of car it is. there are some special procedures for a porsche, especially when it comes to honing the cylinders, if needed.
i live in a small town of 25,000 in oklahoma. i took my engine to a local machine shop (this guy has built domestic race motors for years), and he has done an excellent job so far. he is very thorough, and the price for everything (cleaning the block, regrinding and polishing the crank, rebuilding the head with new guides and springs, and cleaning the oil cooler, and cleaning and balancing the pistons and rods) is going to be around $600 excluding parts. that is very reasonable.
if i can find someone in small town oklahoma, you can surely find someone in new york
good luck
11-03-2004, 02:03 PM
#20
I got my work done here in Portland OR by Dan Hall, he specializes in Porsche Lotus, Ferrari, Mercedes, His shop rates are reasonable. He rebuilt a head for me For $380 that included a new exhaust valve, guides, resurface, and some custom work.
With the alusil liners on the block you can't just hone it. The shop you use MUST have a Sunnen machine, or they can destroy the linner.
Going to a good machine shop is not like going to the dealer. Check around, if you can't find a good local shop, I'm sure some Rennlisters could recommend a shop near you.
-Mark
With the alusil liners on the block you can't just hone it. The shop you use MUST have a Sunnen machine, or they can destroy the linner.
Going to a good machine shop is not like going to the dealer. Check around, if you can't find a good local shop, I'm sure some Rennlisters could recommend a shop near you.
-Mark
11-03-2004, 02:23 PM
#21
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: In self-imposed exile.
Posts: 14,072
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
7 Posts
If it's that bad, I'd consider just dropping the engine out (you're halfway there), yanking the pistons out and getting everything tanked. That looks pretty nasty.
You can clean the black scale off with a wire brush; just keep suction in the area kind of like what your dentist does when he drills - just suck out the fragments as they come loose so they don't drop in the cylinders. The best way is to pull the pistons out though.
You can clean the black scale off with a wire brush; just keep suction in the area kind of like what your dentist does when he drills - just suck out the fragments as they come loose so they don't drop in the cylinders. The best way is to pull the pistons out though.
11-03-2004, 09:08 PM
#22
Race Director
Yeah, you're only about 1-hour away from pulling the engine anyway. Remove the radiator, and crank-pulley and you can pull the engine out the top easily. Just drop the crossmember with A-arms, steering rack, hoses all attached.
11-03-2004, 10:03 PM
#23
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
lol, you guys missed the part in my post where i am pulling the engine! all the accessories are off, radiator is out already. the only thing left in the engine bay is the block and the power steering rack. should make it much easier to get out
if doing engine work without mentioning it's a porsche won't work then i won't do it. i don't want to have bad work done to my engine of course. it's just that, if the job could be done just as well without mentioning what kind of engine it is, i wouldn't bother saying. i'm sure the price doubles because machine shops know porsche owners usually have money to burn
if doing engine work without mentioning it's a porsche won't work then i won't do it. i don't want to have bad work done to my engine of course. it's just that, if the job could be done just as well without mentioning what kind of engine it is, i wouldn't bother saying. i'm sure the price doubles because machine shops know porsche owners usually have money to burn
11-03-2004, 10:10 PM
#24
Race Director
The Alusil on the cylinders are pretty durable, so just measure everything. If the clearance is within spec. all you have to do is put in new rings and that's it.
11-04-2004, 01:27 PM
#25
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Renton, WA
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Duffin Engine Service in San Antonio does a great job, and their rates don't go up you tell them what brand the head is. Someone here recommended them when I asked. Do a google search and call them up - it might be worthwhile to ship the parts down here.
