Bored&Stroked
Well-known member
The good news is that it is an 8BA - which is an easier engine to build (generally speaking) than an earlier engine with either babbit or full-floating bearings (both of which he may never have experienced). Chances are that if the machine work is good, that "hopefully" he knew enough about clearances for the bearings, pistons, rings and other "more normal" stuff to be okay - you will soon find out. Also, all the normal machine shop equipment will work in these areas.
It is the valve-train that inexperienced and "modern" machine shops have troubles with. First - the block doesn't fit into their typical head machines - so they're already aggravated with the process. They don't have the necessary pilots, cutters and tooling to do the work the way they should. Almost none of them know that the valve angles are different side-to-side and that the valve to deck/head clearances are deliberately different. I've seen some try to "fix" the decks - and other goofy things - ruining an otherwise good block. Few are going to know anything about the oiling system - but it is hard to screw up if they just put the right parts back in it that they took out - and make sure the pump is a good pump.
Also, things like piston to head clearances, valve to head clearances and combustion chamber volumes should be known (with the correct clearances in play). Most will have no clue on this stuff - if they can put it together and the parts don't hit . . . they think they're golden.
Mentoring: I've also shown a couple younger guys the ropes on putting these together - they learn some of it, but unless they really dig in and build multiple engines (start to finish) AND have mentors and machine shops that know these engines - they'll only be half-baked. There is nothing more dangerous than somebody who THINKS they know something!
Good luck with your project! Keep talking to the guys on this site and we'll get you sorted out!
B&S
It is the valve-train that inexperienced and "modern" machine shops have troubles with. First - the block doesn't fit into their typical head machines - so they're already aggravated with the process. They don't have the necessary pilots, cutters and tooling to do the work the way they should. Almost none of them know that the valve angles are different side-to-side and that the valve to deck/head clearances are deliberately different. I've seen some try to "fix" the decks - and other goofy things - ruining an otherwise good block. Few are going to know anything about the oiling system - but it is hard to screw up if they just put the right parts back in it that they took out - and make sure the pump is a good pump.
Also, things like piston to head clearances, valve to head clearances and combustion chamber volumes should be known (with the correct clearances in play). Most will have no clue on this stuff - if they can put it together and the parts don't hit . . . they think they're golden.
Mentoring: I've also shown a couple younger guys the ropes on putting these together - they learn some of it, but unless they really dig in and build multiple engines (start to finish) AND have mentors and machine shops that know these engines - they'll only be half-baked. There is nothing more dangerous than somebody who THINKS they know something!
Good luck with your project! Keep talking to the guys on this site and we'll get you sorted out!
B&S
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