Am I getting screwed over??

[tight_tsi]

Ok - the good news: the machine shop called me today and said they are done boring/cleaning/assembling the shortblock and it is ready to be picked up. I asked about the final price and it is $100 higher than they told me. I'm not so worried about the money, but they told me that the rings were oversized and that they had to file them down or something like that. The rings were the rings that came with the Ross racing pistons I bought brand new .020 over. So my first question is why would they have to do anything to the rings if they match the pistons and are .020 over like the block was machined??

2nd concern: He also told me that my standard sized ACL main bearings wouldn't work because they had to do something to the crank that changed the size of the bearings. He told me he installed ACL trimetal's in the right size (I think he said 10 under/over?? can't remember right now) and they had to do additinoal work to polish the crank to get it within spec.

Is this normal???? I feel like the piston rings should've been fine but I do not know much about machine work. I have also read on these forums that you are not supposed to do anything to the crank. Any input or advice before I pick it up? They want me to get it by Friday - I'm assuming so it will go on this month's pay period. I guess I'm just looking for someone else's advice who has knowledge about this kind of stuff that can reassure me this is normal....if it is....

 

[1990talon]

Ok first off I am going to say I have never done or had done a DSM but I have had othwer motors done as well as put them to gather myself. So with that said yeas it is normal for them to file the rings and it is normal to have the crank ground that is what they did was grind the crank and took 10 thousandths off and you have to get thicker bearings for this so they probably are not blowing smoke up your but and did everything correct. Sounds normal to me

Good luck,
Brandon

 

[burtreynolds]

Cut crank is fine as long as its done properly.

 

[keymaster]

Most serious DSM'ers won't run a cut crank. You run a high risk of losing the nitriding which is the hardening on the crank. Personally, I'd never run a cut crank, just one more place to have something go wrong.

 

[burtreynolds]

Most serious DSM'ers won't run a cut crank. You run a high risk of losing the nitriding which is the hardening on the crank. Personally, I'd never run a cut crank, just one more place to have something go wrong.

"most serious DSM'ers" is a pretty subjective statement. Bottom line is the cranks are forged, so coated or not they are some tough sh#t. Taking it down .010" PROPERLY on a sub-600 hp engine would be little cause for concern to me. There will be as many people to agree with that as disagree, but at the end of the day the actual machining would be more concerning to me than weakening of the crank itself. Its one of those things where you're best to do the research and make your own educated decision.

 

[tight_tsi]

Thanks for the quick replies everyone - I feel much better now about paying as much money as I am now. My goal is around 400 hp so hopefully nothing will effect my goals as I attempt to reach them. I think I will go pick it up tomorrow on my lunch break and get more of the details on everything that was performed. I will post the specifics when I know them.

 

[lmarinukjr]

Most piston rings are slightly oversized to leave no gaps in the open area. It needs to have a gapped to allow very little amounts of oil in the ring landings so the ring doesnt cut into the piston. My father is a machinist and gave me a long drawn out answer but to make it short you got the stupid version. Oh and to answer your question about the crank the factory has specs on a forged crank that it can be cut and keep 100 percent of its rigitity and your well within that. So in short its fine pay the man finish your project and have fun.

 

[tight_tsi]

Picked up the block today - it sure does look nice compared to when it went into the machine shop. Looks like money well worth spent. The did have to do a little work on the crank and get .010 sized main bearings instead of standard sized. Ring gap is 19 on top and 20 on the bottom. Block hot tanked and bored .020 over and 8.3:1 Ross pistons/rings installed. Balance shaft eliminator kit installed. Shot peened 1G big rods. ARP main/rod/head hardware. ACL main and rod bearings. Etc. Etc. Just thought I would share a quick picture. Check out the nice mirror finish on the deck surface and cylinder walls. I plan on painting the block with black vht paint over the weekend.

 

[eldiabloz13]

DAMN is that a new block hahaha. Hot tanking it did that nice of a job. That looks brand new. How many miles did it have on it before and was it rusty at all?

 

[tight_tsi]

DAMN is that a new block hahaha. Hot tanking it did that nice of a job. That looks brand new. How many miles did it have on it before and was it rusty at all?

Yes, it was rusty. Car has approx 139k miles on it. You can go to my website and see some pictures of it before it went to the machine shop, just be prepared for the pop-ups (free webhosting). I will be adding new pictures tonight to the website - will add some more of the block before so you can see the before-and-after. I was amazed at how it turned out - they did an awesome job. Don't want to paint it!! But don't want rust to come back either. It will be black by the end of the weekend.

 

[brandonzero0]

LUCKY my engine is still at a machine shop, and those lazy people called me and said " you have to cmoe back here and pick up the block and takethe crankshaft out for us so we can start" and i said why don't you and they said " we don't want to break it"..... ahhh all this time i thought they wee calling me to say come pick it up, and my cylinder head, they said we can't do anything until you bring your cam cap.

 

[brandonzero0]

but also you aren't being ripped off, thats all normal. things you would noramlly do for the pistons and if they turn your crank,

 

[1990talon]

LUCKY my engine is still at a machine shop, and those lazy people called me and said " you have to cmoe back here and pick up the block and takethe crankshaft out for us so we can start" and i said why don't you and they said " we don't want to break it"..... ahhh all this time i thought they wee calling me to say come pick it up, and my cylinder head, they said we can't do anything until you bring your cam cap.

If they can't take the crank out and not be worried about breaking do you really want them to touch your motor?