engine and drivetrain Engine rebuilding question. What to do?

[Craig74tii]

I'm restoring my '72tii. Car's in the bodyshop, engine is on a stand in the garage. I don't think the engine has been run in many, many years.

I'm going to have the injection pump and injectors tested and brought up to spec. I also should take the head and have new valve seals installed, but I don't know what else to have done. Rings? Do I need new rocker arms, valves? Then engine didn't run when I got it so I don't know the condition. It has just over 100K on it. Planning on going all stock.

I've got that disassembly video, so tearing it down looks really simple. What is balancing and blueprinting?

Thanks,

Craig74tii

[Guest Anonymous]

On the head I would get a full valve job (regrind valves and seats, replace if neccesary) instead of just new seals. Its too risky to put unknown condition parts in your car and then maybe have to redo all the work later. If you want to tear the engine down yourself you can but it won't make alot of difference since thats only about 2% of the whole job. In most cases you can probably re-use the pistons and just hone the bores, the shop can measure and tell you for sure. You'll need new rings, new rod and main bearings, new timing components and oil pump. Balancing is a good idea, it is what it sounds like, just balancing the rotating parts to eliminate as many vibrations as possible. Blueprinting is a made up word with no significant meaning, certainly don't pay extra for it.

[meyekel]

layne mentioned the mandatory parts but you really won't know what it's going to take until you get it apart and to a machine shop. they will measure everything and let you know if it is within spec or not. i didn't order anything until my machinist told me the condition of the engine and existing parts.

mike r

[evanc]

Hey Craig,

What ever happened to the tii you picked up from the Swap n Show couple of years back? You flip it or using it as a parts car? SToked to hear you are doing a resto. Look forward to seeing it.

[Craig74tii]

this tii is the one I bought from Jack Fahuna. It's at Coupeking having all the bodywork and paint. I still have another '74tii that's in line for a resto next, then the one from the Palo Alto meet.

The reason I wanted to tear it apart is so I can see what's going on in there. I've never torn into one before, so I'd like to see it up close.

Can any machine shop do the work? Anybody know a good shop in Los Angeles?

Thanks.

[Mars]

well, assuming you want to do it right and you plan on keeping the car for a while or want the rebuild to last I would do:

new piston rings (verify pistons are good)

check valves themselves

new seals all throughout (head gasket, etc.)

check timing chain for slack

check cam

check/resurface head

you'll need to take it to someone to measure out whether all of these are within compliance.

check the oil pump.

install new valve seals on the K-pump.

the tii injectors are pretty much bullet proof. those you can just clean up pretty good since the pressure on them is so great when they are in use they keep themselves clean.

after that, just get new fuel and coolant hoses and check your ancilliary devices (alternator, etc.)

you should be good to go.

[monkeystripe]

I have to take exception to the statement blueprinting is a made up word. When an engine is designed, the blueprints lay out the exact measurements for a specific engine to run at its maximum potential. (in stock form) However, when an engine leaves the factory there is a range of exceptable tolerances that pass QC. The process of blueprinting is going back to the factory blueprints for an engine, and matching them to the exact ten thousandth of an inch for all parts. It reduces wear and increases horesepower, as this is how the engine was exactly designed to run. Your decreases in wear and increases in horsepower will only be marginal, but thats what blueprinting is. The real reason anyone ever blueprinted an engine is in the old days of NASCAR when you actually had to produce 500 of a car to run it. So any advantage you could gain in those areas was seen as a great asset.

[Craig74tii]

(nt)

[monkeystripe]

Exactly to stock specs. Generally to really blueprint, you take a bunch of unused motors rip them down until you have enough parts that are exactly to spec or a little under and machine the under parts to spec and put 1 motor back together, that is exactly as it should have left the factory.

[MarkB]

Money, it gets summed up to that. Personally if I was restoring a car I wouldn’t skimp on the engine. I like to spend money on the heart of the car. Not to mention you have one of the most desirable 2002’s ever, 72 tii. Depends on what you are willing to spend. Everyone has a different budget right?

Rebuild Head with new exhaust valves, new rocker shaft, new valve springs, seals etc. head surfaced, check condition of rockers and cam.

Timing: New chain, upper sprocket, lower sprocket, chain guide, tensioner

New oil pump, sprocket, chain

Block: “boil” block to clean. Polish/resurface crank journals, I’ve always bought new pistons one oversize and bore block. Here’s where a machine shop can help you decide if you want to save some money- reuse pistons with new rings.

Resurface Flywheel, New clutch, pressure plate

Balance and Blueprint - Definitely pay for balancing. You want to run this up to redline as often as possible right? It’s a good feeling knowing the rotational parts are balanced when your at 6500 rpm. Blueprinting can mean different things to different people. Get informed and then get your machine shops opinion on what it is. At the least it is running a thread-cleaning tap in all the block/head screw holes, kinda nice when your putting it all back together.

You can clean all the ancillary parts, timing cover etc, but I just pay the machine shop to throw it all in their bath, the parts come out really clean, and it aint that much.

I have the machine shop put the short block together, crank, bearings, rods, pistons. And of course assembling the head. I feel confident I could do the short block, but I’d rather pay someone who does this for a living put together the “heart” of the engine. Just me. Then I do the other stuff, timing chain, oil pump, head install etc.

Ask around and shop around for a machine shop. Go with your gut.

Good luck!

[Craig74tii]

Since the body and paint is REALLY expensive, the cost to rebuild the engine is minimal. I think Jack can do it for about $3000.

Craig