skpyle

OK, after being in denial for almost 18 months, I am giving in to the inevitable. I am pulling the engine in the Red Witch.
The last set of replies to my thread of replacing the cam chains and tensioner pads pushed me over the tipping point.

You guys are right, I am already at that point. Go ahead and pull the engine and do the head gaskets.

As such, I am documenting all further engine and accessory work in this thread. I am redirecting all these threads to here:

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ts-for-s3.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...s-as-well.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...breathing.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...t-45-btdc.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ing-strap.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...tube-ends.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...a-blink-r.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...t-housing.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...questions.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...questions.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ter-necks.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...turn-line.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...r-replace.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ming-belt.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...32v-s-3-a.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...n-testing.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...er-refurb.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-balancer.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-and-ends.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...cam-gears.html




Stay tuned...

Socal_Tom

Good luck and keep us posted

skpyle

Thanks, Socal_Tom!

Oh, I will...

hwyengr

You've made your decision, and that's good, but let me give you a warning. Facebook reminded me the other day that I pulled my engine 2 years ago, and it's still in pieces in my basement.

Head gaskets, gorgeous. Heads, gorgeous. Cylinder bores, perfect. I kept digging deeper and deeper to find something wrong to justify the project, and literally the entire engine got disassembled. I did find some wear on the #1 main bearing, suspected from the damper issues, but I'm well over the purchase price of my car into parts on a project that started with an intake refresh that should have stayed an intake refresh.

Hello, my name is Jeremy and I'm a WYAIT-aholic.

skpyle

Hi, Jeremy. My name is Seth. I too am a WYAIT-aholic. The Red Witch has been off the road for 15 months, and likely will not be back on for many more.

I have double the purchase price of the Red Witch in her for parts and repairs. This is before doing the heads...

You bring up a very good point. I am hoping this is as far as I need to go with the engine. I don't see the need to split the girdle and replace the main bearings. Going by a post from Greg Brown some time ago, and I am paraphrasing here, rod bearings can be an issue, but main bearings go for a long time... I am hoping to leave mine alone.

I have done:
-rod bearings and nuts
-new ATI Superdamper
-new Laso water pump
-fully rebuilt tensioner and all rollers, bushings, etc...that go with that
-new Gates timing belt
-new oil pump
-new front crank seal
-cam, crank, and oil pump belt sprockets look good

Am doing:
-replacing cam chains
-replacing tensioner pads
-replacing ALL seals associated with the above
-full intake refresh with all hoses, ISV, TPS, etc...
-GB fuel lines
-new fuel dampers, new higher pressure 88+ fuel pressure regulator
-Porken S300s chips for LH and EZF
-4-hole Design III fuel injectors
-replaced bearings and seals in the throttle body
-rebuilt MAF
-new CPS
-replacing all the connectors on the fuel injector harness
-new 12-pin harness from Sean Ratts
-full ignition refresh, including amplifier modules
-rebuilt alternator
-refurbished starter
-silicone oil pan gasket
-Volvo motor mounts


I am hoping that covers it for the engine. I have done/am doing a bunch more work on the front suspension, steering, drive line, all brakes, and fuel system on the Red Witch.

Sooner or later, I will be done.

skpyle

Alright, if I am doing this, I am doing this right.

I have understood from Rennlist that the head gaskets are a weak point in all 928 engines, 16 and 32V. Rare is the 928 that had proper, regular coolant changes.

So, there are two camps: those who HAVE replaced the head gaskets, and those who ARE going to replace the head gaskets. I had hoped to be in the latter category for awhile. I was going to try to wait until a supposed better time. Hence, now I am in the former category.

Here is my plan:

-pull the engine
-pull the heads
-remove all core and threaded plugs from the heads
-deliver the heads to my machinist for disassembly and close inspection
I will expect/want the following to happen
clean and weld pitting in head decks
weld and resurface head decks
replace valve guides
proper valve job
reassembly of heads with new valve stem seals
Note: the head work will happen in stages as I have money available. It is what it is.
-thoroughly inspect all 20 head studs for corrosion or damage. If one is bad, they are all bad and must be replaced.
-remove piston/rod assemblies
-remove pistons from rods, clean pistons CAREFULLY
-use boxes of single edged razor blades to clean crankcase deck and cylinder bore surfaces
-thoroughly clean inside and outside of engine
-deburr oil return galleries down the crankcase and girdle
-reassemble pistons to rods with new pin clips
-reinstall piston/rods to block with new rings
-reinstall completed heads
-pick up where I left off with cams, chains, tensioners, timing belt, etc...

I am thinking I will NOT install the accessories or intake parts until after the engine is mounted back into the engine bay. I think it will be easier that way. I think.


Since I am going all in, I am going to rebuild the torque tube and replace the torque converter bearings and input seal.

Please follow this thread for that info:

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ion-wyait.html

If you remember, I have a front torque tube bearing that has migrated. Perfect time to deal with that with the engine out...


Plenty more to follow! I EXPECT your opinions, advice, ideas, insults, etc...as I do this project. I have researched it, but am making this up as I go.

skpyle

I have started this off by reading Hans' thread on engine stand adapters for the 928:

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-adapters.html

I went with his suggestion of the Jeg's rebranded Sunnex engine stand. I ordered it, a drip pan, and a thick poly engine bag.

I spent today cleaning up my workshop. I moved alot of large items and projects to my storage bay in town. The 72 Honda CT70 with the Lifan 124 will have to wait a little longer...

I want to have plenty of room to work on the engine around the stand. As well, I want plenty of shelf space to store parts as they come off.

My next step is to release the front pinch clamp assembly from the drive shaft and flexplate, then start loosening the bellhousing bolts one by one. I want to break them loose, then snug them back up. Less stress when I go to actually pull the engine.

I hope to see the engine stand sometime this week. Unfortunately, I have some work and other commitments this week. So, no real work until next week.

We shall go from there...

Randy V

Damn, son - you are becoming the Doug Bray of the 928 community.

Time to start your own discussion forum!

On second thought, even Bray wasn't this huge of a post *****.



Jackhole.

skpyle

Ouch. Dammit boy. I am assuming I am to take that as an insult?


If you are referring to the sh*tload of linked threads, I was asked to consolidate alot of them. Make it easier to follow. I thought it was a good idea.

Speedtoys

Keen on keepin on. He can ignore the thread if he likes.

Randy V

Oblivious to the fact that the entire forum page is all his AW threads...

skpyle

Hey...where'd the post go about my 928 Jackhole award being in the mail?
I was looking forward to it.

Speedtoys

So what.

He's doing something.



We could wait for the next newbie "whats the best oil to use" thread.

DeWolf

Hi, Jeremy, Seth. My name is Scott. I too am a WYAIT-aholic.

What started out as an intake refresh now has the sump, air con and the entire front suspension removed for painting, powder coating and 'zincing'.

hwyengr

Agreed. I chuckled, too, when I saw the Sethapalooza on page 1 last night, but those will all filter down to the dregs of page 321 soon enough never to be heard again.

For someone who's as concerned with descriptive post titles, Randy, it's surprising you're upset as you are about someone linking to where updates to open-ended threads are going to be updated. It makes the data integrity so much stronger for future searchers.

I guess you might be upset that you won't be able to chastise someone for necroposting in 3 or 4 years when they bring up those threads and ask if there were any updates...