Degreeing/Installing the Camshaft & Timing Chain

If you are going to degree the cam, this is easiest point to do so. Install the #1 piston utilizing the " Installing the Pistons " section directions. Having just the #1 piston installed will allow the motor to be rotated with a minimum of effort. If the cam was not installed previously (as suggested in the last paragraph of the " Initial Block Preparation " section), it will need to be installed now, along with the cam retaining plate and the timing gears/chain.

Take your time with the camshaft installation, and DO NOT force it! The cam's lobes can easily gouge the cam bearings, so be gentle. If the block is still mounted to the motor stand, I suggest you rotate the block upside-down so that you can support & guide the cam by reaching through the lifter valley. It will be easier to maneuver the cam with its timing gear in place. Make sure the cam is clean, and verify that the number stamped/ground into the end of the cam matches what is on the cam specification card. Apply lubricant to the cam lobes and bearing journals. Rotate the cam as you slide it in, to aid in getting the lobes through the bearings. Watch your fingers!

Installing Pistons

Connecting Rod Bolts

If the rods were resized, try to remember to have the machine shop loosen the nuts. It is quite difficult to loosen them without risking damage. If using a vice, the rod can be protected from damage by using blocks of wood between the rod and the jaws of the vice. Another alternative is to place the big-end (the large hole) of the connecting rod on the rubber handle of the turning-bar on your engine stand. The rubber will prevent the rod from being damaged, and the bar will provide ample support for the nuts to be loosened.

If using aftermarket rod bolts, you will most likely have a rather difficult time removing the rod caps due to the knurling on the bolt. A plastic or rubber hammer can be used to tap on the parting line of the rod to ease cap removal - BE CAREFUL to assure you have a good hold on the cap and rod/piston assembly. This is often one of the most difficult tasks in building a motor. Dropping a piston/rod on a concrete floor from a standing height can quite easily fatally damage a piston. Note that the cap is matched specifically to its rod - DO NOT mix-match rods and caps!!! The rod and cap should be stamped to indicate their relationship, and this stamp also should indicate which cylinder they belong to (i.e. 1, 2, 3, . 8).

NOTE!!! If you are using aftermarket rod bolts - FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS for tightening!!!! Aftermarket bolts require dramatically different torque (or stretching) than the factory bolts. Using factory torque values on aftermarket rod bolts WILL CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE!!!!!

Ring Fitting

You are now ready to test fit the rings. First off, check the box to verify that it is marked for the proper oversize (e.g. - 0.030" for a block that has been bored 30-thousandths oversize). Then, take the top and 2 nd ring, and verify that they fit properly in their specific ring grooves - they should slide into the groove easily and move with the slightest hint of drag. If they do not move freely or if they can wobble at all - STOP and contact your machinist to verify the sizes before you continue. Next, determine what size gap your engine requires (hypereutectic pistons, nitrous, and other applications will require a wider than stock gap). Identify which rings are the "second" and which are the "top", and which side of each faces up (often denoted by a dimple). Read the directions provided with the rings!!

Insert all of the top rings in separate cylinder bores. Then "square" each ring in the bore. Special tools can be purchased for squaring, or an old flat-top piston with the top two rings removed (or a new piston with the oil rings installed, if using flat-tops) can be turned upside down and dropped into the bore to adequately square the ring. Measure and record the gap on each ring. If you have a variance between the rings, swap the tightest and loosest rings and re-measure. A little variance is to be expected, and will not adversely effect your motor.

Your major concern at this point is having too tight of a gap. With a tight gap, you run the risk of the ring ends butting, which can destroy both the ring and the piston. Too loose of a gap will allow a bit of a loss of compression and slightly higher oil consumption. Weigh the differences, and most people will feel that they would rather have to buy a couple extra quarts of oil a year and sacrifice a few horsepower over risking having to pull the motor back out and totally rebuild it again!

If the gap is too tight, then the ring will need to be filed. This is a step where you need to be realistic about your abilities and available resources. It is entirely possible for a person to hand file a ring gap. But the ring ends need to remain perpendicular. You also run the risk of breaking a ring while filing them. Your best two choices are to either use a rotary ring grinder, or to pay your machine shop to perform this function. If you do the job yourself, make sure you read and fully understand the directions for the use of the tool. The key point is to stop grinding and remeasure often, as you can always grind a little more off but you CANNOT put metal back on if you ground too much! If you do happen to break or over-grind a ring, go ahead and finish the rest of the rings before you stop to go order a new individual ring set.

Install an oil expander ring on #1 piston - this is the wiggly shiny ring. Most of them will have two colored plastic tabs at its ends, this is to help you visually assure the ring is properly butted together and not overlapped. Now you install the oil scraper rings, which is easier to do by hand than with a ring expander tool. Count over about 8 "wiggles" from where the ends butt together, and put one of the end of oil scraper ring on the bottom shoulder of the expander ring. The rings should have instructions to do this. You'll have to hold a ring end in each of your hands, gently open up the ring (picture yourself expanding a spring), place the lower end into the groove and resting on the little shoulders of the expansion ring, then gently and carefully twist around the other ring end being held by your other hand. Your free hand should be guiding the ring onto the shoulders of the expander ring. Once on, the two rings should slide easily in the groove. Now, count over 8 in the other direction away from the end butt of the expander ring, and install the top oil scraper ring. Once it is assembled, the three rings should be rigid yet move smoothly in the groove. Note that there are no "top" or "bottom" to any of the expander or scraper rings.

It is possible to install the 2 nd and top rings without a ring expansion tool, but it also easier to break a ring if you are not using the proper tool. The tool is also comparable in price to what it will cost to buy a single set of rings! If you are not going to use the proper tool, then go ahead and install the oil rings on all eight pistons to increase your experience. The oil scraper rings are MUCH more flexible, and you'll learn the basic movement while installing them. The job will go more quickly and smoothly with the expander, though.

Install the 2 nd (middle) ring on the piston. Make sure this is the ring that you measured for that specific piston/cylinder. Also verify which is the top side of the ring. Now install the top ring, using the same considerations. Repeat for the other 7 pistons. No concern is needed about the ring gap position at this point, as you will adjust them immediately before the piston installation. Verify that all the rings move properly in their respective grooves. If ANY of them feel different than the rest, investigate why. Repeat this paragraph for the top rings.

After all eight pistons have their rings installed, review all 8 to verify that the top and 2 nd rings were not accidentally swapped, and that they are installed facing the proper direction.

Compressing the rings

Rotate your rings to their installation position. Your rings may have specific directions for this, if so, FOLLOW THEM!! Otherwise, I have had no problems putting the top ring gap over the wrist pin to one side, and the 2 nd ring installed with it's gap 180 ° to the top ring. Rings will rotate, so I do not spend very much time trying to place the gaps at "exactly" any certain position.

Make sure your ring compressor is clean and in good working order. Most will have little dimples at the bottom, to keep the compressor from trying to follow the piston into the cylinder - use these to help you to see which way to install the compressor. I like to spray a mist of WD-40 inside the compressor before placing it over the piston, to aid sliding the piston out of it.

Use caution as you tighten down on the compressor, and stop several times to verify that the rings are not in a bind. Do this by wiggling the compressor from side to side, it should move smoothly. If a ring is in a bind and you continue to tighten, you will break that ring and possibly damage the piston. Once the compressor is fully tightened, you are ready to install the rod bearings.

Rotate the engine on the stand so that the cylinder of the piston you have just prepped is vertical. Rotate the crankshaft so that the corresponding rod journal is straight below the cylinder - I typically set the crank at BDC (bottom dead center) to make sure I can easily get to the rod bearings (if need be) and to make it easy to install the rod cap and nuts. Make sure the rod journal is as clean as reasonably possible. Make sure the rod & cap are clean, the bearing halves are clean, and install the bearings into the rod & cap. Apply assembly lube to the bearings, and place the protective rubber caps/hoses to the rod bolts.

NOTE: Crank journals are EASY to scratch, and WILL be damaged if the protective caps are not used.

Installing the Pistons

Most pistons will have a notch or an engraved arrow on top of the piston. This indicator will point to the front of the engine, aiding you to properly install the piston. To verify that the machine shop properly installed the piston, however, you need to make sure the bearing offset matches up to the crank's fillet radius. Hold the piston, as it should be installed, as indicated by the piston marking. Now, look at the bearing you've installed in the rod - it will be slightly offset to one side. It should be offset AWAY from the radius. The 1, 3, 5, & 7 pistons should have the bearings offset toward the front of the motor, and the 2, 4, 6, & 8 pistons should be towards the back. If there is a problem, STOP and consult your machine shop.

page 4 (Installing Front Cover & Damper)...