Integra Project
- Thread starter neil-ste
- Start date
I forgot to mention earlier in the thread, when I was doing the rust removal I was using the popular Deox Gel. It worked really well, I put it onto where the bumper bracket mounts and covered it with cling film, came down the next morning and gave it a quick wipe over. I was left with nice bare metal ever so slightly pitted. It's good!
On with some seam sealer. What horrible stuff this is, it gets everwhere.
When I was spraying the primer on it dawned on me just how crap I am at spraying. I'm going to have to enlist some help before I go any further.
First layer of top coat on to keep the weather out unitl I can work out exactly how i'm going to do the rest of it.
While all this was going on the block was away at Heaton Engineering being bored and honed. So now i'm sporting nice fresh 81.25mm bores
I've also spent a whole night in the garage using a wire brush to remove all of the oxidation and grease from the outside of the block. The process was quickened when I remmbered I had bought wire brush drill attachments for this very purpose
On with some seam sealer. What horrible stuff this is, it gets everwhere.
When I was spraying the primer on it dawned on me just how crap I am at spraying. I'm going to have to enlist some help before I go any further.
First layer of top coat on to keep the weather out unitl I can work out exactly how i'm going to do the rest of it.
While all this was going on the block was away at Heaton Engineering being bored and honed. So now i'm sporting nice fresh 81.25mm bores
I've also spent a whole night in the garage using a wire brush to remove all of the oxidation and grease from the outside of the block. The process was quickened when I remmbered I had bought wire brush drill attachments for this very purpose
Once it was clean I put a couple of coats of High temperature pain on,, I used Halfords' own brand in aluminium flavour. Not exactly the coulour I was hoping for but it looks OK still.
Then the gearbox had to be done, which was even more of a pain.
Mostly clean after dar too much time with the drill
All done, thank God! Thats a job I don't want to repeat in the near future.
Yesterday my new clutch and flywheel turned up. I got these from America for quite cheaply. The clutch is a standard item and the flywheel is lightened to 4.4 Kg I belive. Both very nice products which come highly regarded.
Now all i'm waiting for are my ARP fastners which should be hear early next week. So I should be starting to put the block back together then, we shall see.
ARP Fasteners turned up yesterday. I got them from a company called Lightning Motorsport in Baton Rouge (Just outside of New Orleans) Peculiar thing being when I called them I initially got through to the answer phone. This would normally have made me hang up, but the woman on the other end sounded HOT, I must have a thing for Southern American hick drawl, but god damn!
Anyway, I called back later, spoke to a guy called Michael and the deal was done. 2.5 days later and a £40 customs bill they turned up at my house. It IS faster ordering stuff from reputable companies in the US rather than some half bit company over here who carry no stock and have to order it from their supplier first. No more expensive either.
So here we have:
ARP Head studs, rod bolts (9mm ones, most other B series engines use 8mm - more expense!) and flywheel bolts. Didn't really need the flywheel bolts, but they were cheap enough. Meh. Ohh and the rod bolt stretch gauge too, which is used as it's a more accurate method of measuring fastner preload rather than using a torque wrench.
I seriously hope these are the most expensive bolts I will ever buy, anything more expensive would just be taking the ****
Anyway, I called back later, spoke to a guy called Michael and the deal was done. 2.5 days later and a £40 customs bill they turned up at my house. It IS faster ordering stuff from reputable companies in the US rather than some half bit company over here who carry no stock and have to order it from their supplier first. No more expensive either.
So here we have:
ARP Head studs, rod bolts (9mm ones, most other B series engines use 8mm - more expense!) and flywheel bolts. Didn't really need the flywheel bolts, but they were cheap enough. Meh. Ohh and the rod bolt stretch gauge too, which is used as it's a more accurate method of measuring fastner preload rather than using a torque wrench.
I seriously hope these are the most expensive bolts I will ever buy, anything more expensive would just be taking the ****
I've gotten a few more things done the last couple of week, the only thing i'm waiting for now are the engine bearings, which I ordered and haven't received, I was really hoping to get it back together this week too.
Right, bearings. There are 7 different size of main bearings and 7 different sized rod bearings, to determine which mains you need you have to correspond marks on the crankshaft for each journal to marks stamped on the block for each journal. The same is done for the rod bearings, there are marks on the crank and marks on the rods.
So you get a nice little table. If you have ADC on the crank and DFG on the block you just look to see which bearing came from the factory. well you would if your block marking were there, which mine weren't. ********. So out comes the digital vernier, I had to measure the crank journals for horizontal run out and roundness, which was a bit of a pain. Anyway I got my numbers and found out what the old bearings where, Since the crank was still within specs for usage from Honda i've orderd the same size bearings as it had in before and i'll plastiguage it when they get here to make sure it leaves the required clearance between the bearings and crank. The rod bearings were a bit easier, all the markings where there for them still, so i've ordered the standard size and shall plastiguage them too when they get here to be on the safe side.
Ohh the thickness difference between each consecutive step up in bearing size? 3 thousands of a millimeter.
So after much of this:
I got this, and yes, it does make sense to me:
Block markings? Nooo, nothing as useful as that:
I started stripping the head this week too, I bought a valve spring compressor when I had my Rallye on the condition that "I'll only need to buy it once" Sods law dictates that nothing I buy will be useful more than once, and true to form the valve spring compressor wasn't deep enough to clear the head casting. Balls. So after a friend who works in the local Machine Mart sorted me out with a super dooper one for a cool price I was on my way. To be honest I wish i'd bought this one first time round, it works so much better.
I then got busy with the drill and a bit of scrap timber to make a valve holder so everything stays in the right order.
Rocker shaft coming out. On a Vtec engine each pair of valves is operated by 3 rockers and 3 cam lobes. Under 5900 RPM the outer two move independently of the inner one, afterwards oil pressure shoots a pin across, locks all three rockers together and they are opereated by the larger, central cam lobe. Big cam, little cam - dead simple.
Rockers all taped together to save them getting mixed up.
Right, bearings. There are 7 different size of main bearings and 7 different sized rod bearings, to determine which mains you need you have to correspond marks on the crankshaft for each journal to marks stamped on the block for each journal. The same is done for the rod bearings, there are marks on the crank and marks on the rods.
So you get a nice little table. If you have ADC on the crank and DFG on the block you just look to see which bearing came from the factory. well you would if your block marking were there, which mine weren't. ********. So out comes the digital vernier, I had to measure the crank journals for horizontal run out and roundness, which was a bit of a pain. Anyway I got my numbers and found out what the old bearings where, Since the crank was still within specs for usage from Honda i've orderd the same size bearings as it had in before and i'll plastiguage it when they get here to make sure it leaves the required clearance between the bearings and crank. The rod bearings were a bit easier, all the markings where there for them still, so i've ordered the standard size and shall plastiguage them too when they get here to be on the safe side.
Ohh the thickness difference between each consecutive step up in bearing size? 3 thousands of a millimeter.
So after much of this:
I got this, and yes, it does make sense to me:
Block markings? Nooo, nothing as useful as that:
I started stripping the head this week too, I bought a valve spring compressor when I had my Rallye on the condition that "I'll only need to buy it once" Sods law dictates that nothing I buy will be useful more than once, and true to form the valve spring compressor wasn't deep enough to clear the head casting. Balls. So after a friend who works in the local Machine Mart sorted me out with a super dooper one for a cool price I was on my way. To be honest I wish i'd bought this one first time round, it works so much better.
I then got busy with the drill and a bit of scrap timber to make a valve holder so everything stays in the right order.
Rocker shaft coming out. On a Vtec engine each pair of valves is operated by 3 rockers and 3 cam lobes. Under 5900 RPM the outer two move independently of the inner one, afterwards oil pressure shoots a pin across, locks all three rockers together and they are opereated by the larger, central cam lobe. Big cam, little cam - dead simple.
Rockers all taped together to save them getting mixed up.
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All the valves out:
A bag full of LMAs soaking in clean engine oil:
16 bags, 32 valve springs, 16 retainers. Labeled to their home port on the head.
Intake valve seats aren't in too bad nick, they should lap up fairly well.
Exhaust seats.....ermm best get them cleaned up and sorted out
:
So now i'm just waiting for bits, and i'm back at work this week. Bahhh.
A bag full of LMAs soaking in clean engine oil:
16 bags, 32 valve springs, 16 retainers. Labeled to their home port on the head.
Intake valve seats aren't in too bad nick, they should lap up fairly well.
Exhaust seats.....ermm best get them cleaned up and sorted out
:
So now i'm just waiting for bits, and i'm back at work this week. Bahhh.
No ****! When I popped the first one out i was thinking it may just be that valve which is bummed. Nope, they're all the same. I'm going to go and have a look later, if they look beyond repair i'll order some Supertech valves, springs and retainers (I've been looking for a reason anyway
) and have some new seats cut.
I want it finished for my 23rd so I can have it on the road for a birthday pressie, doesn't look like that is going to happen
) and have some new seats cut.I want it finished for my 23rd so I can have it on the road for a birthday pressie, doesn't look like that is going to happen
Update: This isn't going to be finished for my birthday Financial reasons coupled with the fact i'm just going stale over it now.
Finally got the last bits for my bottom end today, though. I ordered these from the local dealer as it would have worked out cheaper than getting them from the US anyway.
4 main cap bolts (2 different types) 2 oild filters and a crankshaft oil seal. I was *very* excited that 2 of the main bolts came in blue honda packaging, i've never had that before
Also got my sump gasket and my bearing last week too.
You can see the colour marking on the side here, like I say there are a few diffent sizes / colours.
Basically, I just feel like i'm not getting far with this now, and it's just financial outlay every month Better crack on getting it back together. Hopefully when my tap for cleaning the main threads and assembly lube are delivered *fingers crossed* i'll be able to get the bottom end together, then the head once i've been paid.
Financial reasons coupled with the fact i'm just going stale over it now.Finally got the last bits for my bottom end today, though. I ordered these from the local dealer as it would have worked out cheaper than getting them from the US anyway.
4 main cap bolts (2 different types) 2 oild filters and a crankshaft oil seal. I was *very* excited that 2 of the main bolts came in blue honda packaging, i've never had that before
Also got my sump gasket and my bearing last week too.
You can see the colour marking on the side here, like I say there are a few diffent sizes / colours.
Basically, I just feel like i'm not getting far with this now, and it's just financial outlay every month
Better crack on getting it back together. Hopefully when my tap for cleaning the main threads and assembly lube are delivered *fingers crossed* i'll be able to get the bottom end together, then the head once i've been paid.Well my tap and assembly lube turned up this morning so I can start putting the bottom end back together today No doubt i'll run into some massive problem, though.
I'll update this when I come in for cuppas, not sure about pictures though, the parents have taken the camera away on holiday with them
No doubt i'll run into some massive problem, though.I'll update this when I come in for cuppas, not sure about pictures though, the parents have taken the camera away on holiday with them
Exactly how i've done it, and I still don't even know the tip of the iceberg.
Update: I decided to go to work to pick up a camera, got there, opened up, forgot I hadn'tpicked my security fob up,had to drive the 11 miles home to get it with the alarm going all the time then drive back. I've got a camera now though so i'm off out into the garage
Just popping my head in while i'm inside for a breather.
Very briefly, clearances have checked out ok on the main bearings, which is a relief as the bearings are non-returnable and cost a fair amount.
I'm now in the middle of checking ring clearance which has came up good on the first cylinder. I stupidly started just supping away at 3 when I went in the garage and i'm a little bit broken now meh.
I'm taking plenty of pictures and will update when I next come in.
Very briefly, clearances have checked out ok on the main bearings, which is a relief as the bearings are non-returnable and cost a fair amount.
I'm now in the middle of checking ring clearance which has came up good on the first cylinder. I stupidly started just supping away at 3 when I went in the garage and i'm a little bit broken now
meh.I'm taking plenty of pictures and will update when I next come in.
Pictures now.
I haven't done anything else since my last post, basically i've drank too much to trust myself doing anything important
Let's start with the important bits:
Now we're god to go
Lots of carb cleaner and blue roll = clean parts
Block before I started doing anything today
This is what i've been waiting for the past couple of days, it's a M11 1.5 plug head tap. I couldn't find one locally so just bought it off Ebay. I got it to make sure the thread on the main bearings were clean so I get a proper torque reading.
New main bearings..
I haven't done anything else since my last post, basically i've drank too much to trust myself doing anything important
Let's start with the important bits:
Now we're god to go
Lots of carb cleaner and blue roll = clean parts
Block before I started doing anything today
This is what i've been waiting for the past couple of days, it's a M11 1.5 plug head tap. I couldn't find one locally so just bought it off Ebay. I got it to make sure the thread on the main bearings were clean so I get a proper torque reading.
New main bearings..
In they go
That stuff is lie **** to a blanket, it gets everywhere
This is plastigauge. It's absically a strip of plastic of very specific size, you but it between the crank and bearings, torque them down to spec, then remove. The plastic deforms to the size of the clearance between the bearing and the crank, you then measure this again the chart plastigauge give you to see what the resulting clearance is. Dead easy.
Before
After
That's basically where i'm at now. I'm not rushing myself and the 'rings can wait 'til tomorrow when i'm not pickled.
Sorry for the amount of pictures folks, I get carried away
More updates, I feel like i'm on a roll!
I've been in the garage this morning feeling a lot more sober than I was yesterday. I've managed to get all of the piston rings sized correctly and put onto the pistons, I've also got one piston in but i've had to stop for some food and can't motivate myself to go and get dirty again.
So, here we have one of the compression rings in the bore
Get the feeler guage in to see what the gap is, on the standard overbore the rings are showing a .584mm gap, which is withing the specifications Honda provide.
New thrustbearings in and the main bearings coated with rasberry sauce.
mmmmmmmmm
Then I put the 1 and 5 bearing caps on to keep the crank in place whilst I install the pistons and rods.
And in they go
I'm sure I have a few more pictures of my pistons wearing their rings and stuff but they seem to have went walkies somewhere between the camera and Fotki.
I'm getting a bit more happy with how this is going now, still seems like I have the reverse of what has taken me 7 months at a leasurely pace though, and I only have 3 weeks or so left. On top of that I need a new runabout as my Mondeo's MOT runs out soon and there's no way it will pass another.
I've been in the garage this morning feeling a lot more sober than I was yesterday. I've managed to get all of the piston rings sized correctly and put onto the pistons, I've also got one piston in but i've had to stop for some food and can't motivate myself to go and get dirty again.
So, here we have one of the compression rings in the bore
Get the feeler guage in to see what the gap is, on the standard overbore the rings are showing a .584mm gap, which is withing the specifications Honda provide.
New thrustbearings in and the main bearings coated with rasberry sauce.
mmmmmmmmm
Then I put the 1 and 5 bearing caps on to keep the crank in place whilst I install the pistons and rods.
And in they go
I'm sure I have a few more pictures of my pistons wearing their rings and stuff but they seem to have went walkies somewhere between the camera and Fotki.
I'm getting a bit more happy with how this is going now, still seems like I have the reverse of what has taken me 7 months at a leasurely pace though, and I only have 3 weeks or so left. On top of that I need a new runabout as my Mondeo's MOT runs out soon and there's no way it will pass another.
Update time again
I haven't done much since last time (Read: nothing) What has happened though, another payday has passed and i'm now the proud owner over full Supertech valvetrain I've got the next week off work and i've finally got all the bits I need to put everything back together (I'm sure i've said that before......)
Anyway, plans for next week are to drop the head off at the local engineering place to have new valve seats cut, the old ones were mashed. Once I get that back I can assemble the head, get that put onto the bottom end and with any luck i'll get it back in the car too. I'm not holding my breath, though.
New valves. I decided to get the flat face ones, they give you a smidge more compression, nothing huge. They're nitride coated or somesuch and they are porny
manganese bronze valve guides, they look much bigger out of the head than I thought they would
Ti retainers, you have to use the standard Honda keepers with these.
Double valve springs, they feel much stiffer than the Honda ones, which I suppose they are meant to.
Ohh and to add some urgency to what i'm doing, I scrapped the Mondeo last weekend. Bizarrely, i'm quite enjoying walking to work and back, I thought it would spur me on to get this finished more quickly. On the plus side, I got £77 more than I paid for it 2 years ago
I haven't done much since last time (Read: nothing) What has happened though, another payday has passed and i'm now the proud owner over full Supertech valvetrain
I've got the next week off work and i've finally got all the bits I need to put everything back together (I'm sure i've said that before......)Anyway, plans for next week are to drop the head off at the local engineering place to have new valve seats cut, the old ones were mashed. Once I get that back I can assemble the head, get that put onto the bottom end and with any luck i'll get it back in the car too. I'm not holding my breath, though.
New valves. I decided to get the flat face ones, they give you a smidge more compression, nothing huge. They're nitride coated or somesuch and they are porny
manganese bronze valve guides, they look much bigger out of the head than I thought they would
Ti retainers, you have to use the standard Honda keepers with these.
Double valve springs, they feel much stiffer than the Honda ones, which I suppose they are meant to.
Ohh and to add some urgency to what i'm doing, I scrapped the Mondeo last weekend. Bizarrely, i'm quite enjoying walking to work and back, I thought it would spur me on to get this finished more quickly. On the plus side, I got £77 more than I paid for it 2 years ago
Brief update. Head is back, it's had new valve guides ffitted and new seats cut.
Shame the valve spring seats dont fit over the valve guides
A quick before and after
Before:
After:
I really wanted this finished this week, having no car to get about and pick stuff up really does slow things down though.
Shame the valve spring seats dont fit over the valve guides
A quick before and after
Before:
After:
I really wanted this finished this week, having no car to get about and pick stuff up really does slow things down though.
Right, suppose it's time I brought this back from the dead.
Not a huge amount has happened with my car since I last updated this. I've been to French Car Show this weekend and seeing the cars on track has given me a kick in the arse. I want this done ASAP now so i'm pulling out all the stops.
The issues I was having with the valve spring seats turned out to be that they weren't pressed into the head quite far enough I took it back to Cleasby's Engineering who did the work on the cylinder head and they sorted that straight away, they're a good bunch who i'd definitley recommend, and am using again ( more on that in a moment)
When I got the head back I had to assemble it all, which turned out to be a monster of a fiddly job! Trying to get somewhere to work when I could get the cylinder head supported with enough room to fit the valve spring compressor over it resulted in the contraption you'll see below. Putting the first few valves / springs together was a nightmare, well getting the collets in was anyway, but I soon got a good technique going and it went straight together then.
Tonight I've done some more work on the head, I fitted the rockers, LMAs and the VTEC solenoid, the head needs to be mated to the block before I can put the cams in. Also tonight I've fitted a new waterpump, and refitted the oil cooler and thermostat housing. I wanted to get the oil pump on too but I can't find the sealant I bought.
Now for a wee bit of bad news: When I was putting my pistons and rods in I'm pretty sure I overstreched the ARP rod bolts. DOH!!
There's no way I'd want to have them in my engine if they have been overtorqued and permanently deformed, so I ordered a new set and a mate is dropping them off at Cleasbys Engineering tomorrow to have the old ones removed and the new ones put in. £81 for 8 bolts and I pretty much wreck them, nice one Neil.
Anyway, photos.
The contraption used when I was building the head.
Head with a few valves fitted.
Them all done.
And now with rockers and LMAs fitted.
New water pump.
With 'stat housing and oil cooler fitted.
I know I keep saying this but it really shouldn't be too long now
Not a huge amount has happened with my car since I last updated this. I've been to French Car Show this weekend and seeing the cars on track has given me a kick in the arse. I want this done ASAP now so i'm pulling out all the stops.
The issues I was having with the valve spring seats turned out to be that they weren't pressed into the head quite far enough
I took it back to Cleasby's Engineering who did the work on the cylinder head and they sorted that straight away, they're a good bunch who i'd definitley recommend, and am using again ( more on that in a moment)When I got the head back I had to assemble it all, which turned out to be a monster of a fiddly job! Trying to get somewhere to work when I could get the cylinder head supported with enough room to fit the valve spring compressor over it resulted in the contraption you'll see below. Putting the first few valves / springs together was a nightmare, well getting the collets in was anyway, but I soon got a good technique going and it went straight together then.
Tonight I've done some more work on the head, I fitted the rockers, LMAs and the VTEC solenoid, the head needs to be mated to the block before I can put the cams in. Also tonight I've fitted a new waterpump, and refitted the oil cooler and thermostat housing. I wanted to get the oil pump on too but I can't find the sealant I bought.
Now for a wee bit of bad news: When I was putting my pistons and rods in I'm pretty sure I overstreched the ARP rod bolts. DOH!!
There's no way I'd want to have them in my engine if they have been overtorqued and permanently deformed, so I ordered a new set and a mate is dropping them off at Cleasbys Engineering tomorrow to have the old ones removed and the new ones put in. £81 for 8 bolts and I pretty much wreck them, nice one Neil.
Anyway, photos.
The contraption used when I was building the head.
Head with a few valves fitted.
Them all done.
And now with rockers and LMAs fitted.
New water pump.
With 'stat housing and oil cooler fitted.
I know I keep saying this but it really shouldn't be too long now