Budget Shortblock Overhaul
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,700
Likes: 3,469
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Budget Shortblock Overhaul
My current shortblock has around 110K miles on it and Im getting a lot of blow by on the track. I dont have a whole lot of money, and 110K miles isnt really a whole lot, so can I get by with just re-ringing the engine and installing all new bearings? Or do I have to go .030 overbore with new pistons and have the rotating assembly re balanced?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,700
Likes: 3,469
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,226
Likes: 9
From: Irvine Ca
MBDiagMan tells of doing budget refreshers without removing the block at all...
This stirred up a hornets nest.....but I'm here to tell you, it can be done. If you have a collapsed ring or something along those lines....I'd even suggest it.
Me and buddy re-ringed his Block on a Saturday......we were just teens at the time. Once the pan and heads are off.....all is revealed and you can better determine what you would like to do from that point forward.
On a good day, you find the bad rings....push out the pistons a re-ring.....as soon as you remove them drop your heads off at the machine shop......Then you just reassemble once your heads are done.
*See's the hornets stirring and runs*
This stirred up a hornets nest.....but I'm here to tell you, it can be done. If you have a collapsed ring or something along those lines....I'd even suggest it.
Me and buddy re-ringed his Block on a Saturday......we were just teens at the time. Once the pan and heads are off.....all is revealed and you can better determine what you would like to do from that point forward.
On a good day, you find the bad rings....push out the pistons a re-ring.....as soon as you remove them drop your heads off at the machine shop......Then you just reassemble once your heads are done.
*See's the hornets stirring and runs*
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Escondido CA
However my best suggestion can only be that if you dont have alot of money to rebuild your engine, and your car is a driver then keep it off the damn track and you wont have the serious blowby issues!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,700
Likes: 3,469
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
The reason I have little money is I am graduating college and getting married next fall. Needless to say most of my money is tied up in other things
, and yes I am taking the next year off of racing to help save money. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 9
From: Troy Ohio
My current shortblock has around 110K miles on it and Im getting a lot of blow by on the track. I dont have a whole lot of money, and 110K miles isnt really a whole lot, so can I get by with just re-ringing the engine and installing all new bearings? Or do I have to go .030 overbore with new pistons and have the rotating assembly re balanced?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 413
From: WV
Kubs, If I was going to all the trouble of tearing down the engine I would do a complete rebuild, even if I had to wait awhile till I got the money. You can have a shop do a stock rebuild for about $1,600 to $2,000 if you pull the engine. Thats a lot of work to have to do it over again in the near future..WW
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Elkton MD
Inexpensive 'Rebuild'
55 years ago I was in your shoes with a car that 'burned' 5 quarts of oil going 200 miles to the beach and back. 6 months in a new job with a wife and baby to feed so $$$ were tight.
After work on a Friday I invaded my dad's garage to drop the pan, pull off the heads, reamed the ridges at the top of the cylinders, rod caps off, pistons out, checked taper and round of the cylinder walls, plasti-gauged the mains and rods.
Saturday morning picked up rings, 0.002 under bearings and a gasket set. Relapped the valve seats and checked spring height/force.
Washed the cylinder walls with lots of soapy water to get the deglaze grit out of the cylinder walls. Don't omit this step or the job won't last 10,000 miles.
Assembled with lube on all slipping surfaces (bearings, valve stems, etc.). Sunday at noon we put in the oil (prefilling the filter), spun up the oil pump with an electric drill, added the water/antifreeze, fired it up, then set the dwell and timing.
Drove it to work Monday morning and to the beach the following weekend. Didn't burn oil 3 years and 50,000 miles later when I sold it to a very happy teenager.
Go for it.
After work on a Friday I invaded my dad's garage to drop the pan, pull off the heads, reamed the ridges at the top of the cylinders, rod caps off, pistons out, checked taper and round of the cylinder walls, plasti-gauged the mains and rods.
Saturday morning picked up rings, 0.002 under bearings and a gasket set. Relapped the valve seats and checked spring height/force.
Washed the cylinder walls with lots of soapy water to get the deglaze grit out of the cylinder walls. Don't omit this step or the job won't last 10,000 miles.
Assembled with lube on all slipping surfaces (bearings, valve stems, etc.). Sunday at noon we put in the oil (prefilling the filter), spun up the oil pump with an electric drill, added the water/antifreeze, fired it up, then set the dwell and timing.
Drove it to work Monday morning and to the beach the following weekend. Didn't burn oil 3 years and 50,000 miles later when I sold it to a very happy teenager.
Go for it.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,700
Likes: 3,469
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
55 years ago I was in your shoes with a car that 'burned' 5 quarts of oil going 200 miles to the beach and back. 6 months in a new job with a wife and baby to feed so $$$ were tight.
After work on a Friday I invaded my dad's garage to drop the pan, pull off the heads, reamed the ridges at the top of the cylinders, rod caps off, pistons out, checked taper and round of the cylinder walls, plasti-gauged the mains and rods.
Saturday morning picked up rings, 0.002 under bearings and a gasket set. Relapped the valve seats and checked spring height/force.
Washed the cylinder walls with lots of soapy water to get the deglaze grit out of the cylinder walls. Don't omit this step or the job won't last 10,000 miles.
Assembled with lube on all slipping surfaces (bearings, valve stems, etc.). Sunday at noon we put in the oil (prefilling the filter), spun up the oil pump with an electric drill, added the water/antifreeze, fired it up, then set the dwell and timing.
Drove it to work Monday morning and to the beach the following weekend. Didn't burn oil 3 years and 50,000 miles later when I sold it to a very happy teenager.
Go for it.
After work on a Friday I invaded my dad's garage to drop the pan, pull off the heads, reamed the ridges at the top of the cylinders, rod caps off, pistons out, checked taper and round of the cylinder walls, plasti-gauged the mains and rods.
Saturday morning picked up rings, 0.002 under bearings and a gasket set. Relapped the valve seats and checked spring height/force.
Washed the cylinder walls with lots of soapy water to get the deglaze grit out of the cylinder walls. Don't omit this step or the job won't last 10,000 miles.
Assembled with lube on all slipping surfaces (bearings, valve stems, etc.). Sunday at noon we put in the oil (prefilling the filter), spun up the oil pump with an electric drill, added the water/antifreeze, fired it up, then set the dwell and timing.
Drove it to work Monday morning and to the beach the following weekend. Didn't burn oil 3 years and 50,000 miles later when I sold it to a very happy teenager.
Go for it.
To make a long story longer..
A few years ago I started building a small block 400. As it sits now its just a .040 over block with a fully forged internally balanced rotating assembly (it took me a few years to get all that together). This was going to be a monster engine, my goal is 500RWHP. However, I came across a different class where I am forced to use the factory 350 but I can out any heads cam and intake on it I want as long as I meet a certain power to weight ratio. I decided it would be cheaper in the long run to just throw on some decent heads and intake and stay in the slower class. Now come to find out I have to rebuild the stock block too!
I would rather not have two engine projects so if Im going to be dumping money into an engine I think Im going to hold off until I can build the 408 the way I want to. I may still try IRAraid's idea this winter while Im not driving the car just to keep me from spilling oil out the valve covers, but I dont think it will be my race engine after that.
Thanks all for the advise!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,700
Likes: 3,469
From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner - Modified
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
Thats not bad. I still may go that route if I can find all the parts cheap. There is a short block in OH for $175 im looking at. Even if the block is just as worn as mine I can build it on the side while I continue to drive mine.