Engine is out and apart, your thoughts? [PICS]

[Stealth93]

Well the motor is out and the head is off. The cylinders look good and still have the cross-hatch in them. Plan is to replace the head gasket, fix the damn oil leaks, timing belt stuff, balance shaft removal, valve seals, and maybe some slightly used upgrades (injectors, cams, fuel pump, 2G exhaust manifold (has a Pace Setter atm)).

Again I have some questions for the community...

Oil in the intake plenums, I did have a bad PCV valve, could that be the cause?

The carbon build-up on the pistons, should I care or do anything about that?

***Updated***
Pics of the short block disassembled
DSM Motor pictures by danny_discus - Photobucket

 

[socalmk1]

Those cams look horrible. Someone wasnt doing regular oil changes. Pistons look ok, might wanna have the head pressure tested while its off.

 

[eDeclpse92]

I agree, those cams don't look too hot. everything else doesn't look that bad.
Pistons are fine as long as they don't have any cracks in them. Id still get them cleaned up though. I would resurface and clean everything still.

 

[brngrhd]

chambers and pistons look fine to me.

 

[Yamaharyder600]

id be pulling the pistons out and scrubbing and replacing rings while you have it out. Time consuming but realativily inexpensive. Surface everything to get all the gasket residue off the faces before reassembly.

 

[pos4g63]

Might as well do rod and main bearings while you have it apart.

 

[99BoostedRS]

Might as well do rod and main bearings while you have it apart.

This.

id be pulling the pistons out and scrubbing and replacing rings while you have it out. Time consuming but realativily inexpensive. Surface everything to get all the gasket residue off the faces before reassembly.

This.

might wanna have the head pressure tested while its off.

This.

You should also just buy a full engine gasket set. I’m sure someone sell’s a set that has a MLS instead of a OEM HG and if you can’t find it just sell the OEM one when you get it.

 

[Spyderman7]

I agree that you should pull the pistons out and put a fresh hone ,rings and bearings.Cost is very little and it is not really all that much time consuming while the motor is out.
That head looks like it has 200,xxx miles on it make sure you get it redone.

 

[Abe'sGST]

Everything looks ok but like they already said, those cams look terrible. Make sure that before you put everything back together everything is nice and clean. What I would do if i was you is go ahead and take out those pistons, if still in specs replace the rings, if not get those cylinders bored out and get some new pistons and rings along with all the gaskets. That would make me feel good about having a good running engine for many more miles to come.

 

[Stealth93]

Thanks everyone. The plan is to get a fel-pro full engine gasket set from Advance Auto.

So with the bearings, do I go ahead and get OEM sizes, install them, and plastigauge for specs? If out of spec time for some machine work and oversized bearings?

 

[BogusSVO]

Post some pics of the cams.

I can not see them well enough to make a call on them.

At the point you are talking about, I doubt you need a MLS HG, there are plenty of others making good power and boosting 25psi+ with a composite.

Rings and bearings are a good idea since you are this far in, and the engine is out.
I would also have the big end of the con rods checked at a machine shop.
Do not get bearings for the crank untill it is checked/polished/ ground

Here is some more reading for you

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/341028-4g63t-head-oil-port-mod.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/341287-how-test-valve-springs.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/341209-4g63t-valve-spring-info.html

I have learned that the valve springs are commonly wore out, so I would recommend a new set of valve springs.
The BC1100 springs are affordable and work well with stock retainers

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...how-aluminum-head-pressure-tested-cracks.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cylinder-head-short-block/413772-how-clean-head-gasket-surface.html
This will work for both the head and block surfaces.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...how-measure-4g63-cylinder-head-thickness.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/new...face-4g63t-cylinder-head-mls-head-gasket.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...0613-why-not-let-your-head-belt-surfaced.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cylinder-head-short-block/362154-how-final-wash-engine-block.html

 

[nfernotalon]

When I do a complete rebuild I head to my local machine shop they can get a complete gasket kit with every single gasket you need to put the motor together with rings, main and rod bearings for 200 bucks and they're clevite bearings. You might want to check a local machine shop.

 

[camsmurdered2g]

All of the above. May as well do a rebuild while you have it apart. No sense in having it down that far and only doing the minimum needed and putting it all back together just to still have a 200xxx mile engine.

 

[Yamaharyder600]

I agree with all of the above. Most importantly of all, everything needs to be extremely clean. Dirt is your worst enemy. Just taking care to clean and keep things covered will pay off in the long run. You need to take your time and don't rush things. If you are assembling and something doesn't feel right, don't force it. Something that does t seem right now, isn't gonna be right at all when you fire it. Just take your time and ask all the questions you have. We are here to help.

 

[1983gsp]

Wash the block with warm soapy water before reassembling. Make sure to get all the oil galleys clean and if it gets bored or honed pay close attention to the cylinder walls. Take a white paper towel and wipe the surface. If it comes out dirty, there is still abrasive residue in the cylinders. Cleanliness is key.

 

[Stealth93]

Thanks guys, I am going to take the pan off tonight and start pulling the bottem end apart. I'll post some more pictures of that later on. Just wasn't expecting to get this far into it from the get go but thats beyond me now.

 

[camsmurdered2g]

Have the machine shop hot tank the block before and after you get the work done. This will make sure any shavings or debris is out of all the oil galleys and all nooks and crannys. Still double check after though.

 

[renogsx]

How many miles are on that motor? Make sure everything is in spec throw rings and bearings in it. If not I have a bunch of stock 6 bolt parts lying around.

 

[bryanwheat]

Did this motor have good compression before you pulled it out? If so, than i would just clean it up a little, replace some gaskets and throw it back in. No need to replace something that isn't broken.

 

[renogsx]

^^^^agreed^^^^

 

[Yamaharyder600]

Make sure that as you are disasembling that everything is kept where it is origionaly from. If you are reusing studs and things along those lines, they need to go back in the same holes. Find an open area where things won't be disturbed and lay put parts with one common orientation. For instance reference all parts to the front of the block. All the pistons and rods need to go Bach to the same cylinder.

 

[Stealth93]

The compression was 150 across all 4 cylinders but its too late to just replace some gaskets at this point. The car already has a rebuilt 16g turbo, DSMLink, 3 in back exhaust, and Excedy clutch. I am basically looking to get somewhere between 300-400hp as a daily driver.

Seems I have maxed my attachment capacity, here is a photobucket album of the bottom end torn apart.
DSM Motor pictures by danny_discus - Photobucket

Do I take the piston oilers out of the motor before I take it in?

 

[renogsx]

The bearings look great in those pictures from what I can see. Throw pistons, rods, bearings, valve springs and valve job in it and call it good.

 

[LOVEBOOOST]

The bearings look great in those pictures from what I can see. Throw pistons, rods, bearings, valve springs and valve job in it and call it good.

just a quick question....Im a little curious as to where u see bearings in the pics he posted up and op everything looks good but get that head pressure checked to be sure

 

[Stealth93]

just a quick question....Im a little curious as to where u see bearings in the pics he posted up and op everything looks good but get that head pressure checked to be sure

Sorry its up a few posts, I'll update the main post as well.

DSM Motor pictures by danny_discus - Photobucket