Rob Edwards

I think I'd gotten too diffuse with the last stroker thread, so I figured I'd refocus on the engine and give an update.

Greg and I spent New Year's eve day assembling the heads, after a marathon of measuring combustion chambers, spring heights, calculating coil bind and valve shims, and lapping valve seats. I did the head assembly (run, don't walk, to your local Snap-On truck and buy yourself a CF-700 hydraulic valve spring compressor- holy crap what a cool tool....) while Greg did some customizing of the 968 head gaskets, adding some holes here and plugging some holes there.

Some of the plugging requires handmade blockoffs for head passages, Greg made each of these by hand over the course of the afternoon. They are pure art!




We finished up by torquing down the head bolts. Quite the workout but it's surprising how much harder it is to UNdo old head bolts that have been stretched than it is to torque and stretch new ones!

Anyhoo, Greg also folded in his new windage tray design- these don't block the oil return paths in the stock oil pan. They do require the use of the 3/8's oil pan spacer. 20+ welds on each holding the screen in, they're not going anywhere...

Aloysius

Rockin Rob Edwards, that is g-g-g-gorgeous. are the windage trays stainless? they look mighty fine. happy new year!

-Paul
83s

Stromius

Wow...I'm going out for a smoke (and I don't)!

jeff spahn

It looks like it belongs on the Millennium Falcon

Mongo

Very impressive Rob!

I have a stroker crankshaft in my dreams for my car, but have no clue on what's needed to build a stock S4 engine with just a stroker crank to achieve maximum endurance and reliability. That or an RMT

Dwayne

Beeeeeyyeewwtiful, Rob! Looking forward to learning more about the Stroker! THANKS for the pics!

Mrmerlin

very nice craftsmanship there fellas, good luck with the build

blown 87

Greg Brown is not a mechanic, he is a artist.

mark kibort

very nice.

I see the plug holes on the heads. are those 968 heads? then, how do you use 968 gaskets and and plug a gasket????????

namasgt

Great craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Ducman82

i cant wait to see and read more about this!

Rob Edwards

There's lots more about this engine build in the Socal Stroker thread, I'd just crapped it up too much with stuff about the recipient car. Hence the new thread.

We're doing the cam and timing setup/install in 2 weeks and then intake and ancillaries after that. After my March grant deadlines, I'm looking forward to having another engine install get-together some Saturday or Sunday.

Rob Edwards

Mark-

They're 928 heads (4R's IIRC), both the head passages and the 968 headgaskets get modified to fit. I spent some time tonight staring at the coolant flow diagram in the '85 Service Tech Info book on Jim's CD and I have to confess that I still don't understand the mods.

90 S-4

Looks Fantastic Rob ! & yes it's old world true craftsmen/artist' like Greg Brown that keep
our old cars running and actually more competitive than the newer more expensive ones..

jeff spahn

If you haven't made the pilgrimage to his shop, you really should.