My engine rebuild

[float_6969]

Well, as you may, or may not know, I had an oil filter fail. You can read about it in this thread. After pulling the head, I decided to pull the bottom end out of the car and check the bottom end. It's a good thing I did. Here is what I found.
This is the "bottom" of the rod journal that has the worst amount of damage. That isn't actual scoring of the journal, but where the top layer of the bearing transfered onto the crank. The shop says it should polish off.
This is a missing oil galley plug. There are 4 on the crankshaft. All 4 are missing. They weren't in the oil pan and I think they've been gone since the engine was rebuilt. This would explain all of my low oil pressure problems I've had since the engine was rebuilt. Needless to say I DID NOT take the engine back to that shop again.
Another shot showing the "swiping" on the rod journal
This is another one. As you can see it barely has any marks on it.
This is the rod bearing that had the most damage to it, although they all looked about the same. It's hard to see, but you can see all of the filter material embedded into the surface of the bearing. This is what the bearing is supposed to do so that the crank isn't damaged. Poor little bearing gave his life to save the crankshaft!
Same bearing just in different lighting.
This is the #2 main bearing. This bearing had the most damage of any other bearing in the engine. As you can see, it rubbed through past the top layer (I think it's tin) and down into the copper layer. Amazingly, the corresponding journal didn't look bad at all.
Here is the best looking main bearing. Still has some significant damage to it.
Here is a shot of the oil pick up screen plugged full of oil filter debris. It actually tore that metal screen. If anybody has a spare, I'm in the market for one!
Gratuitous engine teardown/bench/engine stand shot
Engine block on the stand. Just because.
All my internals laid out in order.
Hey, KA/SR/RB/V8 guys, can you pick up your block with one arm and carry it around without breaking a sweat? For kicks I had my wife pick it up (she's 5'4", 115lbs) and she had NO problems with it either. I love this little engine!

The block and crank are down at the machine shop now. The oil bypass valve ( the one behind the oil filter mount) was damaged as well (I didn't get a pic) and I have a new one coming from Nissan. I still haven't touched the head yet. I have that 4 port head sitting on a shelf, and I think I'm gonna pull it out and take a look at it and see what kinda shape the valve seats are in. If they're not pitted, I'll swap all of the valves from the 8 port head over (the 4 port head has bent valves), lap the valves, and throw my HKS 264's in there and put it together with that instead of the 8 port head. If it's in bad shape, I'll just put the 8 port back on as it's fine.

I'll keep this updated as I get more info.

[Spawn_CA18]

i wish you best for you float. i hope it goes well .

what parts u are going to use for your re-build. like forged pistons or rod etc.?


by the way , i'm "cursing" that Fram company.

[float_6969]

The engine already had some custom high compression, forged, CP pistons in it from the last build I did. They are still in pretty good shape (very minor wear on the piston skirts), so I'll re-use them. The rods are factory, but the bolts have been replaced with ARP rod bolts. The stock rods are very strong and I have no intention of replacing them.

[Spawn_CA18]

yeah they are solid ones.

BUT. i'm using K1 rods(Wiseco family) and i buy them from USA like 350 dolars ( similar price as eagle ) they are 1.5 times wider then stock rods. i can add a picture if you want. maybe you can consider them , because you have already opened your block.

1 time i had a serious boost controller problem when 4000rpm WOT i see 1.7 bar or so(normally i use 0.8 bar ) and timing problem happened(i eat real hammer from front of the car - fuel cut ) and i think K1 rods are saved my engine. my machinist(200sx specialist) he is also a mapper, told me "if you were running with stock rods, i'm sure they are dead now " .

think about it.

and if you want i can post picture to compare K1 and stock rods.

[boost_boy]

The engine already had some custom high compression, forged, CP pistons in it from the last build I did. They are still in pretty good shape (very minor wear on the piston skirts), so I'll re-use them. The rods are factory, but the bolts have been replaced with ARP rod bolts. The stock rods are very strong and I have no intention of replacing them.

It's time to bring the compression back down and get a little stupid with timing and boost. I'm but a phone call away and don't have problems sharing map secrets with you. Do it----do it----do it.....It's time to really enjoy the damn motor.

[s13drifter88]

^^^THIS^^^

[dhen]

That sucks about your engine, but at least now it will run stronger than ever.

If I recall correctly, you were running e85. Did you notice anything different about your internals because of this? I've always been curious about this stuff.

[float_6969]

I've thought about aftermarket rods, but I just don't think I need them, and my tuning is good enough that that my standalone would easily deal with any overboost situation.

Dee, the compression stays the way it is. This motor is a blast with the high compression + boost. If E85 wasn't so readily available, I might feel differently about it, but this motor just loves the stuff.

My internals looked pretty good actually. I think most of the carbon buildup I had was from when I ran it on gasoline actually, and it cleans of REALLY easily, not like gasoline does. I cleaned up one of the pistons with a plastic brush and some solvent and it looked almost new.

[dhen]

My internals looked pretty good actually. I think most of the carbon buildup I had was from when I ran it on gasoline actually, and it cleans of REALLY easily, not like gasoline does. I cleaned up one of the pistons with a plastic brush and some solvent and it looked almost new.

I'd give it a try except that not many places here sell the stuff. It'd be a pain to find it.

[float_6969]

For low power setups, you don't gain much from it. But if you're in a situation where you are giving up power because you have to add extra fuel or retard the timing to prevent detonation, then the E85 becomes a really great way to make good power and not have to pay for high octane gasoline.

[themadscientist]

Good lord, who can do that and call themselves a mechanic. I know why they drilled them, but they forgot the next part where you plug it back up when the galleries are clean. Philistines!


You still need that whatchamacallit? I can probably get over to Nissan next week.

[float_6969]

Which one? Lol. I need an oil pickup tube as the screen is torn on this one. If you're talking about the thing I emailed you about, I had one made.

[themadscientist]

You want a new pickup?

[float_6969]

Or a used one if you'ved got one in the graveyard. The screen tore on this one. I'm assuming from it being plugged up with crap..

[Seishuku]

Hey, KA/SR/RB/V8 guys, can you pick up your block with one arm and carry it around without breaking a sweat? For kicks I had my wife pick it up (she's 5'4", 115lbs) and she had NO problems with it either. I love this little engine!

As a matter of fact, I can pick up my SR with one arm! That's how I took my block to work for honing, made a handle from an s-wrench and head bolts.

That's messed up that they didn't put in the galley plugs on the crank though, why the hell would they do that?!

[DALAZ_68]

Which one? Lol. I need an oil pickup tube as the screen is torn on this one. If you're talking about the thing I emailed you about, I had one made.

i can talk to my buddy down at Wesco nissan and pick up and mail out if they have one in stock...LMK and ill call tomorrow... part# 15050 right ?

[cbh148]

Best of luck man. Can't wait to hear that it's together and running again.

[float_6969]

This project is still alive, just waiting on the machine shop. I do have some good news, the crank polished up just fine! The rod journals are on the small side of standard, and the mains are on the tight side of standard. From what I have read, this is actually a good combo for the revs/power I'll be making, so I'm pretty excited.

Also, after much research, I've decided to go with King bearings. Anybody have any input before I order them?

OH! I also got the new oil filter bypass valve in from Nissan (the last engine builder broke it and neglected to do anything about it, so the engine was constantly pumping a small amount of un-filtered oil back into the engine all the time), and the new dowls for the head (builder didn't put them in either). Dropped the valve off at the builder today.

[mr_ca18det]

I ran kings in a stock rebuilt ka for like 2 years I beat on it pretty bad in my 18 year old days lol. then my friend bought it beat on it just as bad if not worse and when we pulled it to put the Sr in it was still fine so by my experience there pretty strong bearings some bought it off him and its prob still running .

[float_6969]

Well, I pulled the cam caps off the 8 port head yesterday. Not good. Both cams are ruined as well as the cam journals on the head. There are no cam bearings on this motor, so unless I want to spend a crap ton of money and have the cam journals line bored and have bearings installed, this head is done. It sucks because I just did a really nice port match and polish on it, the sub manifold, and the upper manifold not long ago.

Luckily I have a 4 port head sitting on the shelft and it's not in horrible shape. It does have 1 bent valve on one cylinder and the quench pads look a little beat up. I have a feeling this motor didn't break a timing belt, but either sucked something into the motor, or have a piston fail. Regardless, it's in better shape than my 8 port head. I'll have to start from scratch with the port match and polish. It took me about 4 hrs last time, so I'm not looking forward to that. I'll have to pull all the valves and check the clearances, but from the look of the rest of the head, everything should be fine. But since my stock cams are toast, I'll HAVE to put my HKS 264's in now as well. I was hoping to do a comparison, but that's not a possibility anymore.

Anyway, I'm sure you're done reading my ramblings. On to the pics!

OK, if you look close, the 2 cam journals on the right look gray and dull compared to the cam journal on the left. This the oil starvation causing the metals to touch and form a nice graphite-like paste made of oil and metal shavings. Fun.

Intake side, #1 cam cap. Same story here.

Close up of the damage to the #1 intake cam journal. Also, if you look closely, it got hot enough over there that it melted the cam seal.

Another shot of the burned up intake cam and gasket.

Close up of the #2 intake cam journal.

Close up of the #3 intake cam journal.

This is the Part Number for the lower (submani-head) intake manifold gasket for the 4 port head.

This is the Part Number for the upper (upper mani-submani) intake manifold gasket. This is the same for the 4 port and the 8 port.

These are various pics of the 4 port head. If you have another angle of the head you'd like to see, LMK.

[boost_boy]

Good 'ol old oil starvation claims more parts. Well, at least it forces you to use that 4 port head sooner than later as well as your performance cams. You can only build a better engine from here.

[float_6969]

The machine shop called today! It'll probably be Friday before I can pick it up though. Assembly pics soon.

[Spawn_CA18]

i also have 44F 1R head. if you want detail pictures , i have taken tons of it when i was polishing. i can post them if you want

[float_6969]

No such thing as too many pics! Will you post them in another thread though so they are easier to find and keep this thread un-cluttered? It've been trying to find some 4 port polish pics and haven't found much.

[bimeur]

I got some pics when I made one for a customer, if interested.

[float_6969]

Post your 4 port head pics HERE.

[float_6969]

The engine block is done! Re-assembly will commence this weekend. (Pics to come)

[float_6969]

5/30/11: UPDATE!
Engine has been back from the machine shop for a couple of weeks, but I work in the pool and spa business and this is one of our busiest times of the year, so I haven't had time to work on anything. Well today I got the block painted! I think I stood in the paint isle for like an hour before I decided on a color. I'm pretty happy with my decision. I had the engine painted black last time and I didn't like it. Plus with a black engine bay, I wanted something that would stand out. The exterior of the car will be very low key, so I thought the mightly little CA18 should be painted with a color as furious as the power I'll be making!







What do you think?

[boost_boy]

My favorite color . I think i'm getting tired of the black paint as well. May follow your lead and try something new on another engine.

[cbh148]

Looks really good!

I had my CA18 cleaned when it was in the shop for head/block resurfacing and getting bored over, but as we all know, even the cleanest cast iron still looks like doodoo. Might have to throw some gunmetal on it.