New Engine Advice

[p m]

Bulletin boards, YouTube and Harbor Freight sometimes give wannabes near instant grandiose DIY skills.
......

methinks rovercanus lived with his Rovers quite a bit longer than you might think.
Granted, there are several sticky points with a full engine rebuild than a head gasket replacement, but even if one follows the workshop manual, things aren't that much more complex.

 

[rovercanus]

methinks rovercanus lived with his Rovers quite a bit longer than you might think.
Granted, there are several sticky points with a full engine rebuild than a head gasket replacement, but even if one follows the workshop manual, things aren't that much more complex.

Exactly.
Rebuilding an engine for these things ain't voodoo like some of our :technicians" on this board would like you to believe. If you can follow a manual and handle a wrench, you can rebuild an engine. Be patient and take your time. Hell, if you can get the damn thing out you've done the hard part.
Number 9, what a stupid thing to say.

 

[ERover82]

As someone who rebuilt a RV8 years ago while very green, here are some sticking points I ran into:
Inconsistent advice regarding which parts to replace
Headaches caused by low quality replacement parts
Knowing which OEM vs OE vs aftermarket parts were shit or fine
Lack of quality tools (ex. breaking sockets)
Lack of necessary tools (ex. small to large torque wrenches, dial indicator, tools to get in tight spots)
Lack of space in shop
Broken exhaust head bolts
Improper use of RTV
Stripped threads and resulting disassembly and repair
Disagreement over proper cleaning of mating surfaces
Dealing with frozen hardware (not everyone has OA torch)
Everything covered it years of thick mixed dirt and oil
Paranoia of dropping hardware into crankcase on reassembly
Following directions that aren't always clear but often critical
Attention to details like correct orientation of oil pump gear or timing alignment
Lack of diagnostic system to reset adaptive values
Mistakenly using synthetic as break in oil
Dealing with large fluid messes
Not knowing to tighten intake manifold slightly to align heads before tightening them
Dealing with ancient wiring and connectors that fall apart as you move them and then having to repair the damage
New parts that just don't seem to fit correctly
Discovering more damaged or worn parts as you go
Wondering why I didn't just spend the money on a newer vehicle

 

[discostew]

Exactly.
Rebuilding an engine for these things ain't voodoo like some of our :technicians" on this board would like you to believe. If you can follow a manual and handle a wrench, you can rebuild an engine. Be patient and take your time. Hell, if you can get the damn thing out you've done the hard part.
Number 9, what a stupid thing to say.

so you have rebuilt an engine and had it live? I don't think it's rocket science or anything but there are a few things one needs to know. I think anyone who can do head gaskets should be able to install a short block. But understanding clearances and figuring out the failure when your inside an engine so it gets put back together right and lives might take some skill.

 

[p m]

so you have rebuilt an engine and had it live? I don't think it's rocket science or anything but there are a few things one needs to know. I think anyone who can do head gaskets should be able to install a short block. But understanding clearances and figuring out the failure when your inside an engine so it gets put back together right and lives might take some skill.

There are really fine details about installing and breaking in of the camshaft, or oil pump gears, or setting the preload on the tappets (does one really have to do it???). But it is more about being meticulous and going back and redoing everything that you have even a vague notion of being incorrect.
There's definitely a big stretch from just head gasket job to a full rebuild - but... how often is the full rebuild necessary or justified?

 

[discostew]

Some people think you could teach a monkey to do it.

 

[rovercanus]

so you have rebuilt an engine and had it live

Yes.

 

[discostew]

Yes.

So what. I could teach a monkey to do it.

 

[Nomar]

monkey see...monkey do



.

 

[Devildog01]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bUoeYAEDUo

 

[James W]

I really don't get the price the aftermarket charges for rebuild rv8s but this thread confirms that the owners are happy to pay it. My rebuild was fairly straight forward and really not overly challenging even with a bit of a odd ball 95 motor and I think I may have spent around 2500-3000 on my rebuild doing everything besides pistons.

A lot of the issue highlighted in this thread can be solved by using good vendors. The reality is your motor wasn't exactly crafted by the gods when it rolled off the assembly line, I don't see why a home mechanic with half a brain cannot take their time and do a very nice job.

 

[discostew]

Or my monkey for that matter.

 

[ubuntu]

I rebuilt my engine - and I'm an accountant/programmer. Can't get more geek than that, if I can do it then your granny can do it. Just work through it logically/methodically and it helps to have the right tools and the correct information - might I add that the correct information is most commonly not found on web forums. This is not rocket surgery.

 

[discostew]

What was involved in these rebuilds? Like a crank , rod and a set of bearings I think would be called a rebuild. Piston rings and honing the cylinders would also be included I think. I know its not that hard but Rebuild is a term that gets thrown around alot for minor repairs or resealing.

 

[ezzzzzzz]

I've got a rebuilt 4.0 long block I assembled in my garage. Recently rebuilt heads (came on the engine), stock pistons and 2 used rods, new rod bolts/head bolts, turned crankshaft, new rings/bearings, new cam/lifters and timing set and new gaskets. The cylinders were fine needing only crosshatching and the pistons showed minimal wear. I think I've got about $900 into it. If you added fully rebuilt heads the cost might rise to $1500.

 

[pdogg]

I'm about to pull my 4.0 engine and tear it down to the bare block and send it to Mark at D&D... He gave me the confidence knowing he'll be at my side throughout the process.. They will repair my cracked block and re-sleeve it with Tophats and then ship it back to me.. They will also do short/long block builds, priced accordingly, but the bare block method is the most economical.

Once I get it back, I figure I'll take the summer to re-assemble it and take my time here in the phoenix heat. Re-install in the fall and get it going again.

Been sitting a year now.