Block cleanup and work
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Block cleanup and work
I've been prepping a block for building an engine. I've been reading
several books on engine rebuild, notably Vizards books (rebuilding SBC,
max performance on a budget)
He mentions smoothening the oil return paths at the front and rear of the block
to aid oil drainage.
Has anyone done this? Pictures? I did the rear easily, the front is a little harder.
Especially the area for the timing chain - what would you do here? The whole
surface is not clean...
Also, he mentions rounding internal corners and sharp edges on the underside of
the block. This part I haven't figured out. Anyone able to comment on what he
means? Pictures?
Thanks.
several books on engine rebuild, notably Vizards books (rebuilding SBC,
max performance on a budget)
He mentions smoothening the oil return paths at the front and rear of the block
to aid oil drainage.
Has anyone done this? Pictures? I did the rear easily, the front is a little harder.
Especially the area for the timing chain - what would you do here? The whole
surface is not clean...
Also, he mentions rounding internal corners and sharp edges on the underside of
the block. This part I haven't figured out. Anyone able to comment on what he
means? Pictures?
Thanks.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 560
Likes: 1
From: Mooresville NC
If you look at your block, the lifter galley for example, where the oil returns to the pan, there is leftover casting material in the hole. The idea is to grind this away so oil will flow freely. The probably also mention grinding away the excess casting on the outside of the block. It cleans up the look of the block and reduces the chance of it stress cracking near the excess casting.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Excellent pictures...
I've already done those spots, continuing down to the hole to clean it
out and the area around it.
Also, I've cleaned the flashing off the outside of the block and heads...
It sounded like there were other places inside the block that needed
some good amounts of grinding. I've seen one block where they cleaned
up the entire valley. I'm not going to do that much, plus the machinist
didn't think that was a great idea.
The only other thing I'm wondering about is if its worth the effort to
clean up/polish the connecting rods for a street driven motor?
THanks.
I've already done those spots, continuing down to the hole to clean it
out and the area around it.
Also, I've cleaned the flashing off the outside of the block and heads...
It sounded like there were other places inside the block that needed
some good amounts of grinding. I've seen one block where they cleaned
up the entire valley. I'm not going to do that much, plus the machinist
didn't think that was a great idea.
The only other thing I'm wondering about is if its worth the effort to
clean up/polish the connecting rods for a street driven motor?
THanks.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 16,945
Likes: 9
Way too much work to grind the entire valley, this is the easy way out, paint the inside with glyptal:
Cleaning/polishing the rods is a good diea IF you shot peen them afterwards, removing stress risers is always a good thing but it's best to have a scale so you can measure them all and get them as close as possible in weight.
The rear main cap is a nice piece to rework, something like this:
You can do the same on the pump but only if it has a trough, some pumps hava a completely flat machined surface where the pump meets the rear main cap (like the melling pumps), there you could radius the hole a tad but it won't do an awful lot.
Cleaning/polishing the rods is a good diea IF you shot peen them afterwards, removing stress risers is always a good thing but it's best to have a scale so you can measure them all and get them as close as possible in weight.
The rear main cap is a nice piece to rework, something like this:
You can do the same on the pump but only if it has a trough, some pumps hava a completely flat machined surface where the pump meets the rear main cap (like the melling pumps), there you could radius the hole a tad but it won't do an awful lot.
Last edited by Twin_Turbo; Oct 28, 2004 at 05:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,266
Likes: 0
From: Allen, TX, USA
Already did the rear main cap too - that groove is a little small, but does
clean up nicely.
Also have a gram scale to weight match rods (big and small end). I will have
to check into shot peening the rods...
Will probably do glyptal assuming I can find it.
Thanks.
clean up nicely.
Also have a gram scale to weight match rods (big and small end). I will have
to check into shot peening the rods...
Will probably do glyptal assuming I can find it.
Thanks.
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