Learning to rebuild engines - where to start?

[Stanky]

I'd like to learn how to rebuild an engine, and hopefully document it along the way. What is a good engine to learn on? I have a garage that it can live in, a reasonable selection of tools and previous convictions for replacing head gaskets in Volvo 340s and other things including lawnmower engines

 

My tiny brain says that an a-series is supposed to be mechanically simple to work on, would these be a good place to start?

 

What I want is something which is relatively cheap to buy in a poor state, easy to get parts for, simple to take apart, fix and rebuild and light enough that it could be moved by two people, or one person fueled by drink.

 

Can anyone suggest something that might be suitable?

[SiC]

Possibly a daft suggestion and a bit pointless, but what about a lawn mower engine? Cheap parts that are easy to get hold of, easy to haul about and similar technology to something like an a-series engine.

[sierraman]

Don't do like my mate did, stripped a motoribike engine down, chucked all the bits in a series of tins. Put it back together, a few bits left over... shit where did these go?

 

I'd just get something like a K series, an A series is so obselete, you'd not really learn anything you could transfer on to something new. Get a bollocksed car for £100 or so and have the engine out of it, scrap rest then practice.

 

Is there any particular reason you want to rebuild an engine, they rarely need to come apart these days to the extent the engine needs a complete strip down. Bear in mind a Zetec as well can't have the crank removed, Ford don't even provide the settings to torque the end caps down.

[spike60]

It's a bit of a dying skill, modern engines generally are pretty robust except frail timing chain/belt etc. I have 3 cars with over 550k between them, none have been in bits or use any fluids. At work I mostly look after about 50 6.9L Merc diesels, it's only ever the ancilliaries that give chew.

In answer to your question, anything fairly common and cheap, pushrod probably better. Price the gaskets and bits as well as the engine, they can vary quite a bit.

[oldcars]

What about a Reliant, plenty Rialtos/Robins with blown headgaskets. Could be a good option?

[stephen01]

I've wanted to do this for years, I have zero skill, little in the way of tools and now dont have a gargae to work in. Please do it it would make a great thread on here! 

[red5]

Get yourself a decent textbook. Learn how they work*, then find a suitable engine, partially strip it. Refit. Check it turns over and so on. Then go stages further - one job at a time though eg - cambelt remove and refit. Camshaft removal and refit, cyinder head off and so on.

 

 

*properly,as it were. Unless you do.

[plasticvandan]

id look for an old polo engine or something,has a cambelt and all the usual modern nonsense,if you can manage that you can transfer to most things

[Stanky]

I like the idea of the Reliant engine, they are all alloy are they not, so relatively light?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Sounds like you've been part of the way there with a Volvo 340, why not get hold of one of these , or whatever Renaults they share a lump with.

[pilninggas]

Rebuild something that someone else will pay a premium for. That way you'll get a nice return on the bits and maybe even some of your labour time.

[Stanky]

I've stripped down mower engines and have a fairly good idea how it all works - I want to put that into practice and test myself as it were. I'd like something that I can learn things which will be useful for the future - like how to change a cambelt without breaking everything - but not something super-modern which will be so complex I'll just end up crying and rocking in the corner.

 

I can't accommodate an entire car currently, but my wife would probably tolerate an engine being stripped and rebuilt Also it being out of the car gives me much better access I'm thinking? or is it better to have it fitted to the car so that things like the exhaust and coolant gubbinz are intact too?

[barefoot]

Rebuild something that someone else will pay a premium for. That way you'll get a nice return on the bits and maybe even some of your labour time.

 

 

I could do with a nice new shiny air-cooled lump in the back of my T2.

Designed pre-war, how complex can it be?

[steveo3002]

look at the price of spares before you dive in , did my polo engine and it soon mounts up if youre doing a half decent job- way more than a good used engine would cost

 

if you just want to have a poke about then lots of engines are 40-50£ used , get something and take it apart and put it back together for the hell of it 

[Stanky]

Ok thoughts on these hastily ebays examples:

 

1. Hillman imp 875cc engine

 

2. A series 998 with blown HG

 

3. Ford KA 1.3 (kent?)

 

4. Micra 1.0

 

5. 293ci Y-block V8 (!)

 

thoughts?

[mercrocker]

If you do an A series, make it a 1098 - much more saleable.   To me, for instance.....

[JeeExEll]

Ok thoughts on these hastily ebays examples:

 

1. Hillman imp 875cc engine

 

2. A series 998 with blown HG

 

3. Ford KA 1.3 (kent?)

 

4. Micra 1.0

 

5. 293ci Y-block V8 (!)

 

thoughts?

Good choices there for a basic first engine you'd be interested in doing.

Was going to suggest a 1300GT-spec crossflow Ford. The Micra would probably be near the top of my list for a cheap "modern" basic light engine.

 

Ford V8 technically interesting and basic. Heavy. Good excuse to build a 32-Ford for it though.

 

Thousands have learnt over the years from an old A-series and a David Vizard tuning manual.

Again, it would be good to have a Mini to actually try out the engine in.

[Cleon-Fonte]

Rover V8 - lightweight, simple, good parts supply, and always plenty of demand for them in good condition.

[RayMK]

Whichever engine you choose, scrub its exterior as clean a possible before dismantling, make enough clean working space to place components, make notes, label and photograph bits as you remove them and store them tidily in plastic containers.

 

It is a pity that I find this advice so difficult to follow.

[jon928se]

While every body says go for something simple I would say that unless very modern with variable valve timing and variable inlet length (BMW vanos) then pretty much all engines are equal complexity. My first was a 2.25L 4cyl petrol series2a Land Rover , 2nd was a 1.3 Astra and 3rd was a Porsche 928 5.0L Quad cam 32valve V8. Not really any more complicated just more bits to reassemble. The ancillaries on the outside of the engine are more complicated. At the end of the day it's just correct torques/angles on main, big end and head bolts and making sure that bolts/nuts are lubricated or not as the manual specifies so you get the correct final torque=pre-load on the fastener. All engines have their own quirks that you need to know about before reassemble ing Google is your friend here.

 

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[egg]

Umm, Stanky, my Favorit has someone who wants it, but if they don't turn up the Skoda's 1.3 pushrod would be a candidate?

[Squirrel2]

Rover V8 - lightweight, simple, good parts supply, and always plenty of demand for them in good condition.

I'll second this. Good parts availability, light in weight and saleable when you've finished.

 

I've got a spare mil. spec 3.5 you can practice on

 

Squirrel2

[danthecapriman]

There is only one!

 

Ford 'Pinto' engine.

Easy to pick up a suitable project engine, shit loads of parts available, and you can learn on them very quick and easy as the engine is so basic. Seriously, if you wanted to teach someone how an engine works the Pinto is probably the best easiest subject to use for that.

 

There's a range of types of Pinto available, I'd say a 2.0 '205' type block would be the best starting point as it'll be most desirable when you've finished the rebuild for selling it on.

[Stanky]

Thanks guys, I'll keep my eyes peeled - its more of a hobby/opportunity to learn than necessarily a money making scheme, though being able to sell a finished one when I have finished the job would be no bad thing.

 

If anyone spots anything suitable please let me know - ideally near-ish to Portsmouth/Southampton area and <£100 since I'll probably make a complete pigs ear of the first one, but its all opportunity to learn.

[Pillock]

VW flat four, just because they sit nicely and are naturally stable. Also you can run them for ages without needing coolant when you're done

[DSdriver]

As with most learning, you have to start at the bottom ends and work up

[cobblers]

I don't think you should factor in the "sale" value of your first rebuilt engine because there's a pretty good chance that it'll and up a bag of shit.

That's not a slight on you or your skills, but there's so much than can go wrong that if I bought a supposed rebuild engine which turned out to be someones first attempt I'd be pretty flipping pissed off to say the least.

[richardthestag]

start out smoll, choose something where part supply is good and not necessarily for resale value. 

 

4 stoke mower engine, strip the bastard down and work out how it goes. getting it back together and bench run it for extra thrills

 

Rover V8 is a good engine to learn on but twice the costs for bits and engineering. You will soon get bored of coughing up for guides and seats but when there are two heads Mrs might start moaning about summer holidays or spa breaks

[richardthestag]

next time I bench run a rover v8 without exhaust manifolds I shall be sure to video it 

 

need ear defenders

[Stanky]

I might see about that Mini engine, I could try a top-end rebuilt and HG job and then see if it actually runs...

 

Thats a very fair point Cobblers - I'm not at all keen to sell my first effort! Maybe give it away to someone to try and give some honest feedback on it.

 

"yeah yeah mate, its supposed to do that. They all do that for a few hundred miles after a professional* rebuild"