Engine rebuild while body off ?
Discussion
Have started a body off refurb of Lord Grovers old Griff 
I drove it just under a 1000miles before i started the refurb last week and the engine ran very well but used approx 3/4 litre of oil in that time. Did a compression check and the pressures ranged between 150 and 170 psi. The engine is on 115,000 ish miles and the only obvious fault i found is a small oil leak from the rear of the passenger side head gasket and a partially stripped exhaust manifold thread in the same head. The heads are still on and the gaskets appears to be a 1.2mm thick solid shees of copper so assume this is some kind of custom fit or is this standard on the 4.3? Now do i use the opportunity to rebuild it now or just sort out the small issues and run it till it needs rebuilding which could be years away? Thoughts and opinions please.
I drove it just under a 1000miles before i started the refurb last week and the engine ran very well but used approx 3/4 litre of oil in that time. Did a compression check and the pressures ranged between 150 and 170 psi. The engine is on 115,000 ish miles and the only obvious fault i found is a small oil leak from the rear of the passenger side head gasket and a partially stripped exhaust manifold thread in the same head. The heads are still on and the gaskets appears to be a 1.2mm thick solid shees of copper so assume this is some kind of custom fit or is this standard on the 4.3? Now do i use the opportunity to rebuild it now or just sort out the small issues and run it till it needs rebuilding which could be years away? Thoughts and opinions please.
I would go for a check over and refresh.
Check crank clearences, check bores/pistons, new rings, rebuild heads, check replace cam(probably replace).
Perhaps think about amount of flow heads are giving, (dependent on budget) maybe have them fitted with larger valves.
Check port aligment for the inlet to heads and exhaust manifolds to heads.
Re: your copper head gaskets, this maybe something to do with the compression rings in the heads?
Speak to V8 developments.........
Check crank clearences, check bores/pistons, new rings, rebuild heads, check replace cam(probably replace).
Perhaps think about amount of flow heads are giving, (dependent on budget) maybe have them fitted with larger valves.
Check port aligment for the inlet to heads and exhaust manifolds to heads.
Re: your copper head gaskets, this maybe something to do with the compression rings in the heads?
Speak to V8 developments.........
My 4.3 had the copper head gaskets and the ringed heads. Think this is standard on 4.3`s. You can replace the copper gaskets with composite which are the same thickness and work fine with the ringed heads. Got my composite head gaskets from V8D.
My engine had done 65k and appeared good despite a stripped exhaust thread like yourself. I toyed with leaving it during my body off, but eventually decided to completely rebuild. i am glad i did as the power increase is noticeable. at 110k i would recommend a rebuild, especially as its all out.
My engine had done 65k and appeared good despite a stripped exhaust thread like yourself. I toyed with leaving it during my body off, but eventually decided to completely rebuild. i am glad i did as the power increase is noticeable. at 110k i would recommend a rebuild, especially as its all out.
bubblehead said:
Will i ever get a better opportunity ? Your right of course i won't, now is the obvious time to do it......Carsy did you do your own rebuild ?
I also rebuilt my own engine last year when a liner came loose. All I paid to have done was the top hat liners fitted.
When I originally got the engine, I also ported and matched the inlet manifold to the heads.
Alot of satisfaction firing up an engine that you have spannered yourself.
do you mind emailing me the costs of having the top hats fitted?Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff