Block Work, need advice.

[inferno1414]

My cars been down for a couple weeks because of the work im putting into a new swap. I have an F22a1 bottom end that im rejuvenating. I am installing new Main Bearings, Thrust washers, Rod Bearings, and Piston Rings. All the parts have arrived and now im just doing some intense research of the operations im going to be performing. Ive gotten as far as taking the Oil Pan off, and the Girdle. I dont want to rush things and screw up, so are there any tips for doing all of this work, This is going to be my first time doing internal block work, specifications are almost 0 tolerance when it comes to installing bearings, so any information would be greatly appreciated. Would a Haynes Manual be a good investment for all of this?

I'm used to doing swaps, but swapping and block work are obviously 2 very different things.

All in all, what are some useful tools that i should rent from autozone to make my life that much easier?

Like I said, any information and input from you guys will help me out.

Thanks Again,
Luke

[SteveB]

Well, since you aren't having any machining done (you've ordered parts before opening things up) it's just nuts and bots now.

And yeah, if you've never done it before (and even if you have!) a manual is important. Torque values and sequences.
You order seals too, I hope?

[inferno1414]

Yeah, i have a full gasket set brand new, all new seals, gaskets... everything.

[wed3k]

even if it is a re-ring job, it still needs to be honed.

Tools to possible rent:
-piston ring compressor
-torque wrench
-cylinder honing tool and stones.

its also nice to deburr the block and get a long, flat piece of wood and use that to sand the faces where gasket material is being used/placed.

DO NOT NICK THE CRANKSHAFT!

CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!

use engine oil or engine assembly lube on anything that makes contact.

engine oil on cylinder walls and skirts of pistons before you install them. number everything that comes out of the motor, ie: rods, pistons, main caps.

id bring the block, caps and crank to a machine shop so that they can clean it.

[benji]

One thing I discovered in the same process is that the bearings can be different colors top and bottom, so be sure to check.

One thing you can do is just do everything one at a time, i.e., pull piston 1, do the rings for it and the bearings for it, and put it back in, then repeat with no. 2, etc. That way you don't have parts floating around that might fall, get scraped, or damaged some other way.

I'm in the process of doing the same thing, minus the rings, and I'm not pulling the crank out, just rolling the bearings in. I didn't know that they mis-matched bearings like that, and so I'm waiting on new ones.

If you get the manual (haynes or chiltons), you will know what tolerances you should have for plastiguaging your bearings, as well as having torque specs. Also, you can find manuals online, if you know where to look.

x2 on assembly lube, especially on the bearings. Also, be sure to oil your crank bolts when you plastigauge, as well as when you do your final assembly. If you don't, and do them dry when you plastigauge but oiled on final, you will be torquing them to different levels because of the oil.

And be sure to keep stuff out of your block while you are working on it. If you have to pass things (tools, parts, etc), be sure to go around the block, not over it to make sure nothing accidentally falls in.