Hey everyone

I thought it was time to do a bit of work on my old engine...it has been sitting in the garage for 3 or 4 years and has seen better days. I have a feeling I have inadvertedly killed my current engine due to lack of service, abuse and neglect, so when it dies, I will just drop the rebuilt one in.

Anyways I am going to attempt to rebuild the old motor from top to bottom however I am not 100% sure on how to do everything. I have read a lot about how to do it...but reading is much easier than doing most of the time.

My first thing is to collect everything I need to start, however with different brands/types/interchangeability of parts...I thought I'd post the question to the more mechanical experts/professionals to help me out, if they can, for pros and cons on particular parts and brands

The list of main parts so far that I think I will need:

ACL rebuild kit - Race or standard? I don't do much crazy driving or drags, but my logic is...build it fast and proper, if used sedately it will last longer?...or am I naive.
AU MLS gasket - Thanks George
AU head bolts - Thanks again George
Gasket kits - I've used the VRS one before, but are there any differences between other brands?
Oil Pump - have got 2 quotes from different companies selling different brands (Nason $150, Precision $170...from Repco/Bursons respectively)
Timing chain kit - haven't looked at them, so any brand recommendations would be good.
Heater bypass - don't think you can get them new, might get one made up if need be.
Welsh plugs - copper or steel?
Water pump - Got a genuine for the current motor and seems to be of no concern...so might get another one from Ford (if price is right). If they are too dear, any alternatives?
Harmonic Balancer - Wouldn't have a clue, so any recommendations please.
Distributor - I might re-use the one that's currently in it. I have pulled it out and seems okay, but if a new one is needed...any alternatives? I hear Bosch don't make them no more and I don't want auxillary shaft problems with cheapies.
Sensors - probably just the hard to reach sensors.

There are plenty more parts, but for now those are probably all I am looking for. I will be buying the items slowly overtime, so I am hoping my current motor will last me at least another year and a bit. Regarding items for the head (standard EL head), probably just upgrade the valve springs (XR/Crow/AU maybe), get it checked, new seals if need be etc. If I can be bothered, might try a bit of home porting.

With the block, I will strip the easy stuff off, balancer, distributor, sensors, timing case/chain/gears, oil pan, water pump and oil pump (anything else?). Not sure if I should remove the crankshaft/rods/pistons (making sure I mark as I go) and get the block cleaned/decked/checked professionally and then put it back together myself or get the pros to. Don't mind trying myself, might just need help with Gudgeon pins (?)...supposedly hard to put in properly so they are centred.

I am hoping to build it to at least a reliable stock engine with some upgraded items, just in case I feel like putting some performance parts later on.

Once I get all the parts together and start on it, I'll put a document together like the Head Gasket Guide for anyone who wants to attempt this themselves.

If you can help out with rough prices that would be good too...but not necessary. Just need to know what brands people trust from experience and I'll chase the prices down myself.

Thank you all in advance.

Cheers
Phong

Last edited by phongus on Tue Sep 27, 2011 5:40 pm, edited 2 times in total.

ill be watching this with great interest...

For ball park figures, I can PM you itemised receipts from Hoppers Cylinder Heads for doing the block & head if that's any help. You're in the western suburbs?

That would be great thanks. Yeah I'm from the west so they are pretty close. Thanks

I prefer the ACL race bearings and pistons.

Get a full gasket set, use a permaseal one with a MLS head gasket. Depending on what head you have, you may need valve stem seals on top

probably JP ones for them both

Use a genuine Rolon one. The cheap ones can break up and drop crap thru the motor.

not sure what you mean?

brass is better, as the will wear out instead of eating the block out

Use a GMB one, make sure its genuine GMB

powerbond

i put a bosch dizzy gear on what seemed to be a chinese dizzy and it all fitted the same as the other one, the reason i swapped them was because i had bought a car with a buggered aux shaft and decided to pop the gear off the dizzy and swap it with the gear from a ef crank angle sensor and the dizzy didnt seem to have much play so my guess is the gear was the cause of the buggered shaft so now i have a genuine bosch on a chinese dizzy(doesnt seem to have anything stamped on it and i thought bosch would stamp there name on a genuine one) not sure if anything ive said is any good info to you
thanks

if you plan on doing headwork and getting a decent cam put in, use Flowcraft. they are well worth the $$$$ compared to Hoppers heads, get a JP high volume oil pump VPW website has price, Nason timing chain set, maybe a vernier, i chose Rollmaster. Hypertech pistons. i am getting a engine built so if you wanna know what else im using or prices feel free to ask me.

Cheers,
Brandon

Thanks for that macxr8. Just what I needed .

I'll get a list of prices for parts and post them up. Just to make sure I'm not being ripped off or anything.

In regards to the headgasket, what do you mean by permaseal? I just bought a normal AU MLS headgasket...or is this something different? Also I was planning on getting a whole VRS/ACL gasket kit which usually comes with all gaskets needed. With the head, stem seals will probably need to be replaced...might as well while it's out.

Heater bypass is the piping that wraps around the back of the engine and connects to the back of the water pump (pretty sure it's called a heater bypass pipe) running under the BBM.

So far:

ACL Race series rebuild kit
Rolon/Nason Timing chain kit
Brass welsh plugs
GMB water pump
Powerbond harmonic balancer
JP oil pump

Last edited by phongus on Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.

permaseal is another brand the do MLS. can cost upto $300 for their race MLS. Genuine AU MLS will do fine

Cheers,
Brandon

Thanks for that, I will probably keep my original Distributor for now, it was running before so hopefully it still runs when I am done with the motor. If all fails, I'll have to do the Chinese top/Aussie bottom for the distributor assembly.



Thanks heaps Brandon. I will give VPW a call in regards to the JP oil pump and other stuff, totally forgot about them...I did my buy Rollmaster cam gear from them for my current motor and haven't had issues. Going to keep the cam stock for now, since the current motor already has Wade 1673 cam with Rollmaster cam gear, so probably just swap them over later on. If you can pm me the prices that would be great

Rollmaster also make timing chain kits don't they? Probably be dear but I'll compare the prices.

Cheers

EDIT: you replied while I was typing haha



Thanks again Brandon...since I have the AU one at the moment, I'll probably just stick with that.

After a quick browse through VPW Performance online I got the following prices.

Powerbond Harmonic Balancer - $145.55
Rollmaster timing gear kit - $127.76
JP high volume oil pump - $96.17

Probably get it cheaper if I buy a whole lot off them, but just gauging prices first.

EDIT: Some Ebay browsing

GMB water pump (PowerMax...same thing?) - $60 posted Ebay link
Nason Timing kit - $84.00 posted Ebay Link

Last edited by phongus on Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I got the Rollmaster Vernier from Engine.Master from ebay and it cost me $160 delivered. but the nason timing chain will do for what your plans are.

Cheers,
Brandon

vrs is head only,you still need sump,timing case,f\r main seals and any more come in full set.balance the motor as well

Ahh right didn't think that one through. Timing case might come with timing gear kit or maybe ACL race series engine rebuild kit?

Got to get a quote for the engine rebuild kit, which according to their site comes with all gaskets.

great pickup, i had it done and it wont cost that much either.