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 V4 engine rebuild - 1730 + trick-bits
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 19 Oct 2012 :  12:18:33 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Hi all,

After collecting bits and bobs, some hot, time has come to start the rebuild.
I have stripped the donor closed deck block. It was a bit of a gamble as it had been sat in a damp shed for 20 years!
The oil (and water) was drained - a slow job as it was thick and lumpy!

Amazingly the crank turned and every bolt was loosened without any shearing - a dream engineering job.











The donor is a closed deck block that I am planning to fit open deck heads to as they are gas flowed. Apart from a couple of small differences in water way location (most blocked off anyway) I don't see any reason why this wont work. I'm using the closed deck block as a donor as it is stronger. (I was originally going for 93mm pistons but now going for the 90.8mm pinto pistons)

Does anyone know why I cant use open deck heads on a closed deck engine?

I will keep you updated.


Edited by - TTruckie on 19 Oct 2012 12:21:20

ianh
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
250 Posts

Posted - 19 Oct 2012 :  18:08:17 Show Profile Reply with Quote
What a nice size garage you have, and a carpet! I have the same tools as you, 2 hammers and a mallet, seems to cover most jobs.All the best with your rebuild, I have to paint a few rooms before I can start mine, so it will be nice to see your project progress.
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jdt
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
340 Posts

Posted - 19 Oct 2012 :  18:42:23 Show Profile Reply with Quote
I tried open deck heads on a closed deck block, seemed fine on the road but on a rally the head gasket failed so I abandoned them (see for sale) and went back to closed deck ones with no issues since
Does anyone know for sure?
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melle
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
3830 Posts

Posted - 19 Oct 2012 :  21:40:04 Show Profile Reply with Quote
I've only tried open deck gaskets on a closed deck block, no luck:

I imagine open deck heads will fit with closed deck gaskets.

1970 96V4 "The Devil's Own V4"
1977 95V4 van conversion project
1988 900i 8V
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 20 Oct 2012 :  22:18:55 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Whilst I am getting the block rebored I will see if they can weld up that part of the block It shouldn't affect floe too much. I am having pinto pistons fitted so they will need milling level with block - not sure if done in place but if so weld can be skimmed too?

It is eithe that or have them weld a bit on to the head to fill the gap as per the closed deck head. Ill try and take a picture for comparison.

TT
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 20 Oct 2012 :  22:38:43 Show Profile Reply with Quote
I suppose I have a choice.....

Either rebuild the closed deck engine and modify to take open deck heads - benefits is a stronger block.

or rebuild the original open block engine to match the heads - reboring to take 90.8 mm pinto pistons and 1700 crank. Will it be strong enough?

Views? experiences?
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 15 Dec 2012 :  21:24:27 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Block is getting acid dipped and rebored.

Check out burn pattern on piston - is this normal?


Modified heads which have been gas flowed.
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john-saab
Administrator

United Kingdom
2679 Posts

Posted - 15 Dec 2012 :  21:29:04 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Not normal and there seems to be a chunk of the piston top missing.

'72 95 (The Flying Banana),'72 96(Bridget),'73 96 (Vernon),'74 95 (Veronica)
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jdt
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
340 Posts

Posted - 17 Dec 2012 :  07:23:50 Show Profile Reply with Quote
No need to mill the top off the pinto pistons
they stick out 0.004" which is accommodated by the head gasket
It you want to remove the extra it should be done in a lathe before fitting, and mark which way round they are fitted before skimming.

Pistons are normally covered in carbon, clean bits suggest that the head gasket was leaking, water in the cylinder gives that "steam cleaned" look

I would stick with a open or closed deck engine and not mix the 2, I don't have any experience of the open deck engines to offer any advice.

Edited by - jdt on 17 Dec 2012 07:27:34
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 03 Jan 2013 :  17:46:47 Show Profile Reply with Quote
A box of goodies off to the machine shop to get bearings fitted etc. Pistons fitted to con rods, cam and balance shaft bearings fitted. flywheel spigot bush to be fitted, flywheel and crank and pistons to be balanced etc



forgot the balance shaft so had to do a double trip!!! lucky they are local.
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 16 Mar 2013 :  22:25:18 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Well finally got the bits back from the engineers. Prepping the block for painting with POR15. In the meantime built up one of the heads.

The wife was out so I used the kitchen table.... but it is alright as all bit were free from oil as i had them in the dishwasher last time see was out!!!!

Some pics of big valves in flowed head. V6 Cologne stiff springs, washers. You can see the difference between the single collet inlet valves and the triple collet exhaust valves.










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melle
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
3830 Posts

Posted - 16 Mar 2013 :  22:31:27 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Nice job there. What is the use of the washers under the springs?

1970 96V4 "The Devil's Own V4"
1977 95V4 van conversion project
1988 900i 8V
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 16 Mar 2013 :  22:40:59 Show Profile Reply with Quote
to be honest I'm not sure. I have seen them before in a couple of articles and they can a on the heads that looked like all things were new... so I have refitted them. I assume id just increases the spring pressures.
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96er
V4 Fan

118 Posts

Posted - 18 Mar 2013 :  03:00:40 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Where can I source some pistons like you are using?
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 18 Mar 2013 :  11:50:31 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Here is engine block ready for final degrease and paint Sitting the nice warm utility..... not sure how long I will get away with that!

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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic

United Kingdom
320 Posts

Posted - 18 Mar 2013 :  11:57:11 Show Profile Reply with Quote
96er,

Ref the pistons... they are from a Pinto engine 2.0 look for the HC High Compression ones that have a flat top. Loads on fleabay like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-CAPRI-SIERRA-CORTINA-GRANADA-PINTO-PISTONS-x-4-/170805594628?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27c4ce8a04

usual caveats - This is what i have found and I don't have them fitted yet etc
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