Yet another 3B engine rebuild

[audiman]

Looks like all these 3B's are ending there lives due to the tuning bug that has got a grip on this forum!! Mine has decided to use oil and leak loads of combustion pressure past the piston rings. Upto a massive 40% on no. 1 cylinder!

So just to make a small list of the parts that I will be replacing, that i can think of for now. Im sure more will be added later in the project.

Block gasket set
Head gasket set
Piston rings
Oil pump
2nd head gasket (will explain in a bit)
Head bolts
Aux. belts
Water pump
Timing belt
Timing chain
Eurospec conrods
7A camshafts
Big end bearings
Main bearings
Balancing

This little lot is gonna cost me about 1200 quids without VAT
But it has to be done. I could get anyway without doing the conrod upgrade, but whilst its apart I want to do a good job and not have to do it all over again.

Now you may be asking about my 2nd headgasket? Well, its because I want to reduce the compression ratio a touch. I will do this be making one gasket out of two, by taking the centre thicker shim and inserting it into another gasket, making it thicker. This will allow me to run more ignition advance at higher boost levels and therefore more power.

[APNess]

Ummm won't that sort of make your engine blow up even faster? Even more power? *scratch of head*

PJ

[Doug_RS2]

Tom - I was persuaded not to do that head gasket mod - Lee and Mark might be getting a custom one made - Check with them before you do this.

How were you going to do it? There are 4 layers? Just add the steel thick part and a compression layers on top of one?

When do you plan ordering those rods?

What balancing do you do?

(I wonder why I'm asking these questions - It's not quite gone pop but fecking close)

[audiman]

The money i was gonna use to buy all this is still tied up in some **** policy, so its yet another loan!! Soon as that comes in I will order the rods! So next week!

As for the H/gasket, i spoke to mihnea about it and he said just add the middle of one into another. No need to rivet it back together as the head will hold it down!

Balancing will need to be done as im having the flywheel lightened and fitting the new rods. It all has to be balanced with the crank, so you get no premature bearing failures.

[Doug_RS2]

Do you have to balance the crank if you don't bother lighteneing the flywheel and just change rods?

You will need another compression layer in there Tom or so Mihnea told me.

[audiman]

Yeah thats right about the head gasket, i forgot, its late and I'm feeling under the weather(bad cold).

You shouldn't really need to balance the crank just by fitting conrods, but im doing the flywheel on mine too, so then you have to. Should make it spool a bit quicker.

[audiman]

This project is now underway. The engine is out of the car and in a million bits I love my job. Took me 5.5hours to remove the engine and pull the head off it! That included tidying up afterwards and placing the engine on an engine stand. Not bad me thinks

[Doug_RS2]

That is one thing I noticed when doing my car - all the faffing and trying to find the correct tools for the job is what takes the time! keep us upto date.

Have you found anything out about hte Sport Quattro Head gasket. I noticed nmore US guys saying they have changed to that - maybe they just mean th emetal laminated RS2 one but worth a check? Especially if you aren't changing pistons.

You could always skim your pistons? I have one that is chopped in half if you want to give it to a machine shop to see if they could machine a deeper dish. I think Habib has his skimmed flat - Dialynx do this.

[S2central.net]

5.5hrs is none to shabby young Thomas

I'm dubious about the head gasket sandwich - never done it myself, but if Mihnea has seen it work, then fair enough and no argument.

Here's a mad suggestion for you come running in time - assuming you don't have the crank reground for new bearing shells - use the OLD shells for the 1st running-in phase so that you can give the engine some stick in order to get good piston ring seals - perhaps running with reduced boost to protect the turbo if not running best oil. Only when you have the new rings nicely sealed should you fillup with your favourite Synthetic juice to give long term protection for the bearings and turbo.

Paul

[SteveH]

The Sport quattro head gasket is crazy money. IIRC they are about £120 They're also not the easiest items to get hold of.

[Doug_RS2]

That sounds like too much hard work Paul! I had new shells (standard but RS2 rod shells) and I gave it some stick with low boost to run it in for 25 miles to get the rings to bed in properly. I guess I will only find out how good this is or other methods after a few years (I hope) when the engines are back in bits.

[WabTheKing]

i notice on your shopping list you have 7A cam's why is this?

[Greg_S]

Good luck with this one, dont wanna hear of any of this team bodge stuff this time

[audiman]

This project is a nightmare, i have been cleaning non stop today. Block is ready to be painted and honed. I have 4 sets of rings. Im gonna go with one headgasket, maybe SQ?

I have got all new bearings. Inc. mains. I will be running it in for about 100 miles on low boost. Then after that drop the oil and then run it a bit harder for another 400 miles.

Then just thrash it.

[audiman]

BTW, no. 4 rings were shot and no.3 had a bent rod!