Mechanical Moz Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 First job in rebuilding my engine was correcting the liner heights. Thankfully they were all level with each other but were all flush with the block deck. Read a few threads on here and followed the method of flatting with P180 wet and dry and a big square ali block. The threads seemed to suggest 1-2hrs of flatting to remove the necessary 4-5 thou, I did two 15 minute stints and have ended up with the liners 12-15 thou proud. Obviously I should have measured more frequently, just thought with an expected 1-2 hours of work checking after 30 minutes would be fine. I was actually expecting to find I'd removed much less than I'd hoped by that stage. Fortunately (if you could call it that) I have another block but that needs a lot of cleaning up and the external web grinding off, then that needs flatting as the original liners are also flush. Neither engine had suffered head gasket failure and looked like they both still had the originals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Bummer...A good yardstick is to note when all the surface markings from the end compression bars have gone, this is usually around 3-4 thou removal. 10 mins is usually enough, if the block is soft the removal rate is higher, but the point is moot as a soft block is scrap.Oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Can't you take 7 thou off the liners ? the pistons need checking for height and if they also need some machine work and the compression ratio might become a bit high Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative paul richards Posted February 11, 2017 Area Representative Share Posted February 11, 2017 Bad news. Clearly you don't know your own strength. Suggest you deck the spare block first an make sure it has correct liner heights before you clean it and grind off the webbing for the starter. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliverSedlacek Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Sorry to hear of your mistake. It shouldn't cost that much to get the liners turned down if you can find someone you trust to do it right. Your pistons will then be too tall but in my experience a bit more compression isn't a problem as long as the pistons don't touch anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garybee Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 Are you absolutely sure the liner seats are clean and that there is no material there causing the liners to stand more proud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanical Moz Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 After double checking to confirm my balls up I had another go with the spare block. I kept a keen eye on the witness marks at either end of the block as suggested by Oily and he was spot on. Once they disappeared I had 3 to 4 thou protrusion, more on one side than the other but this was easily corrected. So now I have 4.5 to 5 thou all over, happy days.Ground the webs off using my old block as a template, the newer one had a much bigger web between cylinders 3 & 4. Made one hell of a mess of the garage though, I'll be finding aluminium chips for years.On to cleaning, does anyone have a recommendation for cleaning the rust staining out of the inside? I suspect this engine had been sitting a while with water in it as the outside of the liners were rusted. I've had a quote of £100 to vapour blast the block and bearing ladder but is there an effective method I can try at home? I've read various things about vinegar, paint stripper, Coca-Cola etc so does anyone have any tales of success or failure. This is one of the most frustrating things about messing up the old block, it was clean as a whistle after a quick degrease with the paraffin gun and a jet wash rinse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I soaked a set of split rim wheel bolts in a white vinegar with occasional vigorous shaking and it worked a treat to clean the corrosion & grot off. However, they were steel, not alloy so Id be careful about following that without some better advice! Youll be able to buy large bottles or drums of it somewhere Im sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Some members have been known to wash cylinder heads in the dishwasher. You just need to be mindful that salt is used in the process so a squirt of duck oil / GT85 / WD40 might be needed.Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanical Moz Posted April 25, 2017 Author Share Posted April 25, 2017 For reasons of time, convenience and not wanting to potentially wreck another block I went with the vapour blasting. Turned out to be £80 to do the block and bearing ladder but wow did it look good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superwhite R283 Posted April 25, 2017 Share Posted April 25, 2017 Very nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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