My wife is very ill so I'm taking time off work and sometimes have hours in the day with nothing going on while my better half sleeps. Given the mild weather, I've decided to pull the engine to get the bottom end rebuilt. I had the head rebuilt a couple of years ago with new (stock size) valves, brass valve guides, multi-angle grind valve seats, and Isky springs. I kept the cams stock.
My oil gets black fast, and it has done as long as I have owned the car (almost 7 years), which must be due to blow-by due to tired rings. I bought it with 86,000 miles, and it's now at over 120,000 miles, so it can only be more severe and with less cross-hatching on the walls. I know the contaminated oil must be awful for bearings so I want to address the issue before something fails, and I think I can even hear a bottom end knock at times that is getting worse. Lift off (negative pressure) blue smoke from the exhaust was improved a bit by new valve seals when I redid the head, but remains an issue. Compression from #1 to #4 was as follows in 2017: 112; 120; 115; 110. It might be a bit lower now, though the car still pulled great this summer.
Happily I managed to avoid a dreaded coolant leak this summer that has somewhat plagued the car the past few years, and not just from a blown head gasket (maybe an issue in the intake) though I've tried two different ones. I might get the coolant passage at the intake plugged in the block since the car now has an electric choke and this should hopefully reduce the possibility of coolant getting sucked into the neighbouring #4 intake.
I was hoping to get the engine rebuilt by Jon Logan at Midwest-124 but it turns out the shipping from Canada will be prohibitively expensive at $1500+ (almost as much as half of the cost of his rebuild!), especially since with COVID restrictions I cannot cross the border to ship it from upstate NY. It turns out I can get the work done locally by the only machinist trusted by Canadadan, our Fiat expert in town -- it's the same shop that did the head. Alternatively, I could get things done for less by just sticking with rings, but I had might as well go for it...
As per others' advice, I'm going with new 8.8:1 pistons. Given that I have Vick's 4-2-1 stainless exhaust (no cat or mid-resonator) and their adjustable cam pulleys, a 32/36 DFEV carb, and a Computronix igntion, I'm hoping for a bit more power, even if just from the rebuild, and properly dialed in cams (I've always just eyeballed them with the alignment marks). I'll also have them lighten the stock flywheel. I might go for a mild intake cam, too, for a bit more room at the top end, as long as it makes sense with the 8.8:1 static compression. I don't want anything lumpy at idle or to lose low end to mid torque, since I often pull the car around town in third and love to hear it breathe as it opens up throatily between 2,500 to 4,000 rather than always having it screaming over 5,500 rpm. Still, I had might as well make use of the Isky springs by having more top end.
Here are a few pics before/after draining fluid, disconnecting lines, and pulling the rad. I'm leaving the intake on so the machininst can port match it. I dented the grill letting the hood go too far forward, but it bent right back after I removed it.
The exhaust will be tricky to remove since it's welded where there used to be a clamp (it leaked) and I may have to end up cutting it. I'll leave the transmission in place rather than pulling it with the block.
I've never had to disconnect the oil sender(s) before. Is it fairly straightforward?
Should I get the clutch replaced at the same time? I don't know when, if ever, it has already been done.
Thanks and cheers,
phaetn
I think even after the rebuild I'll keep the sender for the extra oil gauge as the stock one has never been too accurate. I suppose I should install a new oil pump if I go with A/R's rebuild kit.
