Engine Builder ? or Not ?

[bjuice]

The age old Phrase " I build my own engines "

Really ? IMO to be a builder you must make it ( lathe )..machine it in numerous ways...if your not doing this you ASSEMBLE your own engines...

I am curious as to how many true engine builders we have on the forum..I know of one so far and that is Zipper...for some reason I am thinking Curtis is also a builder.

Who else..?

[Harbone]

Not me!
I have assembled a few in the past.
I have had a trusted "engine builder" for 25+ years, every motor he has ever built for me still runs to this day. Has all his lathe's and equiptment in his shop and does not have to "farm" anything out.

[Swiley383]

I just assemble though I would like to watch a builder go thru the entire process and see all the machine work performed.

[zipper06]

Close BJ, but i still have to farm out the crank balancing and if the block needs line boring/honing i farm that out also. On the balancing, i do the rods and pistons and tell the crank guy the bob weight.
I've been fortunate to work in machine shops all my life and at present time i have available everything from 5 axes CNC mills to OD/ID grinders and CNC lathes to work with.
Plus i have thousands of dollars in inspection equipment so i know where every diminsion is before the block is assembled.
I know of a 1/2 doz. machine shops around here but the big racers all go to a machine shop in Hattisburg to get their engine machine work done.

Zip.

[TheYellaBrick]

I just glue together. :shock: :oops: :roll:

My brother 'builds' them. :D :D :D :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :arrow: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:

[BEAST477]

Just an assembler here. I use a guy with over 50yrs experience. His shop is so clean you could eat off the floor and never had a problem yet.

[TheRabbit]

To be perfectly honest I can't afford to build my engines. My motor cost way to much for me to make a simple mistake
and ruin a pile of $. I have taken mine apart several times when I hurt it (from being too rich on the nitrous), but Steve puts it back together. He was the one that talked me into building this heavy nitrous motor in the first place. I payed him our normal agreement to make it into an all out nitrous motor and he does the rebuilds / freshen ups for free labor or very little labor. Matter of fact he's been on me for several years to come to his shop and freshen it there with his help so I can do it when I need it overnight.

My motor guy is still a racing guy. He'll go with to the track with his engines and he will freshen them overnight while the owner / driver sleeps. You can go to bed with a hurt motor or burnt pistons and wake up in the morning with a fresh motor! He loves that kind of stuff!!

This reminds me of something he and I were just laughing about last week. A few years ago I switched from C16 to Q16. The motor would literally chock you and make your eyes water. I made him drive the truck so he'd fix it. Needless to say as soon as he could get back to the trailer he started snatching out the air bleeds in the carb and fixed it! lol He lived in WV and I was racing in south Ga, but he made the trip to watch me race and to help me out!! I couldn't get that kind of service from anybody else!!

[fla1976]

I assemble and if there is machine work needed, I use the same guy I've used sine 1997.

[Tod74]

I assemble all my own stuff ....I have no way to machine it but I do all the clearance checks myself. Not with plastigauge either.

[wazup]

Now that's a loaded ?

I build engines and there is a lot to an engine even after its been machined that has to be done.

I do a lot of work to my engine before it hits the machine shop. I don't consider a machinist that works with machines (lathe as you put it) or any other machines a engine builder, just because he or she can run a lathe don't make them an engine builder. I know I few good builders that have there machine work done at a different shop.

So like Zip what dose that make me. Bj you and so do a lot of other people anyone can put one together but staying together is another thing.

[markdunlap]

I assemble about 6-10 engines a year. Been doing it for 30 years. I love making every clearance right and logging every spec, with pics and a black book on every engine.

My biggest hang up is most of the older good machinist have hung it up.
Not enough rebuilding going on around here to keep a shop open.

[bjuice]

Now that's a loaded ?

I build engines and there is a lot to an engine even after its been machined that has to be done.

I do a lot of work to my engine before it hits the machine shop. I don't consider a machinist that works with machines (lathe as you put it) or any other machines a engine builder, just because he or she can run a lathe don't make them an engine builder. I know I few good builders that have there machine work done at a different shop.

So like Zip what dose that make me. Bj you and so do a lot of other people anyone can put one together but staying together is another thing.


Lol corrrect on staying together...

It is a good Question isn't it.
:roll:

[wazup]

I love it. I agree with Mark, the guys today just don't care.

[outlaw256]

I do what I do best and my machinist does what he does best. he aint putting my engines together and I aint machining my parts.

[curtisreed]

Some of it I do myself, some of it I have done. Valve work I don't have specific machinery for although we could set up and do it. Cutting the head deck surface, no problem. Decking blocks, boring, honing easy enough. Line bore or hone, don't have the tooling. Piston work, yep. Balancing I could, have access to balancer, but don't. I do all the small special machining on my parts that need to be done to make things just the way I want them.

Most of it comes down to cost verses time to set up and do it myself. Running the machine shop I'm in, having such a large family, and trying to race some makes me choose not to do it myself most of the time.

I just wish I had Zip's knowledge base to go along with my access to the machinery. :D :D

Curtis

[oldandtired]

I'm with Zip and Mark.
I am an assembler and blueprint specialist. I have a small fortune in measuring and speciality tools! :shock:

I do all the porting, polishing, cc'ing, knife edging of crank, deburring the block, piston finishing, install cam bearings, and provide the bob weight of my rotating assembly.
I farm out the decking, cylinder bore/hone, the crank turn/polish and the five angle valve job.

From there, every engine gets the white glove assembly treatment including pictures and log book. Every measurement, part number and cost is recorded. I put a code on the oil pan rail so I know if I've worked on the motor before.

[bjuice]

I'm with Zip and Mark.
I am an assembler and blueprint specialist. I have a small fortune in measuring and speciality tools! :shock:

I do all the porting, polishing, cc'ing, knife edging of crank, deburring the block, piston finishing, install cam bearings, and provide the bob weight of my rotating assembly.
I farm out the decking, cylinder bore/hone, the crank turn/polish and the five angle valve job.

From there, every engine gets the white glove assembly treatment including pictures and log book. Every measurement, part number and cost is recorded. I put a code on the oil pan rail so I know if I've worked on the motor before.


Builder !

[Tod74]

I know a couple guys that don't check ANYTHING just bolt the shit together and hope for the best. They really trust the machine shop. NOT ME. I check everything that I am capable of checking on my own. I ball mic the bearings and mic the crank to get my oil clearance. I do have a dial bore but not a real good one, so I have the machinist measure the rods and main bores to give me the number to do the math....I used to try and torque the bearings in the rods and mic the crank and zero the dial bore to the mic but didnt like scratching the bearings and don't trust my technique with dial bore too good...so I went to the ball mic way.

I once had my crank in and spun it and heard a clicking noise....took it out and found out there was a weight in the crank under a plug they welded in that was loose. I took it back and told him there was an issue with the crank. He acted annoyed and asked " what's wrong with it?" I picked it up out of the box and shook it.....he said "ok leave there will be no charge!!" lol

Trust nobody even the best machinist have a boo boo now and then.

[bjuice]

Tod you may remember this. Back a few years ago there was a post going around about a company out west that sold a bottom end that had a rod bolt failure. I know the company's name but really don't want to drag them back in 4 or so years later..

My point is that the two areas that are easy overlooked that cause major damage is Rod Bolt failure and broken valve springs...

I swear I saw a assembler one time put a bottom end together and either the block or something wasn't notched or something. Each rotation was metal on metal ( knicking ) ..he said " Ahhh hell it will fix itself"....and the bad thing IT DID and run like a scalded dog in a round track car..LMAO..

[TheRabbit]

BJ speaking of roundy round cars. Buddy of mine has been a mechanic all his life. He's probably 65 or 66 now. He's as much of a genius as he is a dip chit. He built his dirt track motor (ford 351) and took the car out in the yard to play. After about 20 doughnuts and a few wide open passes between the telephone polls he came back to the shop. When he got back it was making a ton of noise. As soon as he got out he said I forgot to tighten the rod bolts. lol Me and my other friend laughed so hard I almost had to sit down. They were all only hand tight and all he did was tighten them right on up. That old motor lasted him an entire season of hard racing and never had a bearing fail.
That's back when it was fun!! I miss those days a lot!!!!

[bjuice]

BJ speaking of roundy round cars. Buddy of mine has been a mechanic all his life. He's probably 65 or 66 now. He's as much of a genius as he is a dip chit. He built his dirt track motor (ford 351) and took the car out in the yard to play. After about 20 doughnuts and a few wide open passes between the telephone polls he came back to the shop. When he got back it was making a ton of noise. As soon as he got out he said I forgot to tighten the rod bolts. lol Me and my other friend laughed so hard I almost had to sit down. They were all only hand tight and all he did was tighten them right on up. That old motor lasted him an entire season of hard racing and never had a bearing fail.
That's back when it was fun!! I miss those days a lot!!!!

Ohh man did I just get a visual...LMAO... When I was 16 I would find a set of 300hp double hump heads..have local NAPA store cut em down enough to clean them up. Bolt them on never checked head gasket thickness. ..what was piston to valve clearence ? I never made it to that chapter in Chiltons manual...I now know why sparks would come out of my left tail pipe. lol

[Tod74]

I remember when I knew everything.....think I was around 17.

Low compression SBC + double hump heads+ whatever aluminum intake I could find in my dads shed+ way too big double pumper Holley= 500 HP lol

Oh yeah.....black jack headers from nationwise


I think I remember this topic came up several years ago...when you ( Brian) had the PAR( I think) 565 in the Camaro ....someone got bent out of shape.....oh crap just now as I type this I remember who it was.....don't think he ever came back either....lol

Won't mention name but his vehicle was ORANGE TRUCK

[bjuice]

I remember when I knew everything.....think I was around 17.

Low compression SBC + double hump heads+ whatever aluminum intake I could find in my dads shed+ way too big double pumper Holley= 500 HP lol

Oh yeah.....black jack headers from nationwise


I think I remember this topic came up several years ago...when you ( Brian) had the PAR( I think) 565 in the Camaro ....someone got bent out of shape.....oh crap just now as I type this I remember who it was.....don't think he ever came back either....lol

Won't mention name but his vehicle was ORANGE TRUCK

Ahh yes I remember that guy.. Also I had a little birdie inform me this dude didn't even drive his truck but he was giving us all lectures on working on and wheeling our rides. LMAO

[BEAST477]

I remember when I knew everything.....think I was around 17.

Low compression SBC + double hump heads+ whatever aluminum intake I could find in my dads shed+ way too big double pumper Holley= 500 HP lol

Oh yeah.....black jack headers from nationwise


I think I remember this topic came up several years ago...when you ( Brian) had the PAR( I think) 565 in the Camaro ....someone got bent out of shape.....oh crap just now as I type this I remember who it was.....don't think he ever came back either....lol

Won't mention name but his vehicle was ORANGE TRUCK




Ahh yes I remember that guy.. Also I had a little birdie inform me this dude didn't even drive his truck but he was giving us all lectures on working on and wheeling our rides. LMAO


Oh man those were the good ole days.