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Backyard Engine Rebuild

9

99coupegtp

New member
So my father and I rebuilt my engine even though a few people have said not to. The engine was rebuilt because it spun a rod bearing at 139K miles. Following are the details of the rebuild.

Here is everything we had done to the block:
  • New cam bearings
  • New freeze plugs
  • Block was decked (.007" off the deck)
  • Main bore alignment was checked
  • Cylinders honed

Here are the parts that were used for the rebuild:
  • Stock pistons (139K miles)
  • Hastings piston rings
  • New L32 connecting rods
  • Rollmaster single timing set
  • New timing chain dampener
  • Reman crank (.010" under)
  • Clevite 77 trimetal main bearings
  • Clevite 77 trimetal connecting rod bearings
  • New oil pump
  • New water pump
  • New seals all around
  • Cometic MLS headgaskets (.060" thickness)
  • ARP head studs
  • New main bolts
  • New crank bolt
  • New cam bolt
  • ZZP Reman heads
    • 105# crow cams spings
    • Modified LS retainers
  • Intense-Racing S1X camshaft
  • LS7 lifters
  • Probably more

The engine has 1,500+ miles on it so far and has been pretty awesome. Oil pressure is 20-25psi at idle, cruising on the interstate pressure is 55-65psi, and getting on it I see 70psi or more. While we were rebuilding the engine I had the trans rebuilt too. I sent my trans to TEP and had him do the HPS3 package with it. Dave did an amazing job and I highly recommend him. The goal of rebuilding the engine and the transmission was to make my car basically like new and not have payments.

Let me know what you guys think.
 
Last edited:


congrats!!!! making sure Main bore alignment is in order is key to the whole rebuild. i seem to recall your thread like a year ago maybe right?

what was the final price tag on all parts? i know that had to add up.


im yet to hear a bad thing about tep either. not surprised your super happy with the tranny....:th_thumb-up:
 
ScottyDoggs said:
congrats!!!! making sure Main bore alignment is in order is key to the whole rebuild. i seem to recall your thread like a year ago maybe right?

what was the final price tag on all parts? i know that had to add up.


im yet to hear a bad thing about tep either. not surprised your super happy with the tranny....:th_thumb-up:
Click to expand...

Thanks! Sorry for the delay in reply. It ended up costing between $2800 and $3000 for the engine rebuild for parts and machine work.
 
99coupegtp said:
Thanks! Sorry for the delay in reply. It ended up costing between $2800 and $3000 for the engine rebuild for parts and machine work.
Click to expand...


cereal-guy-spitting.png
 
I'm guessing most of that went to the labor and machine work. which is why most people grab another bottom end for dirt cheap.
Just because you did something something different / doesn't mean it's wrong.
I paid for shipping on my motor what most pay for a used motor. It is what it is

any progress pics and parts piles??
 


ScottyDoggs said:
lmao. yeah thats a lot of coin.

my top swap has a 110,000 mile short block. whole swap cost me like 400 in gaskets and porting tools. been running strong for 3,000 miles now. its getting a ic installed next week.
Click to expand...

Nice, where'd you find such a low mileage engine? What IC are you putting on it?
 


99coupegtp said:
So my father and I rebuilt my engine even though a few people have said not to. The engine was rebuilt because it spun a rod bearing at 139K miles. Following are the details of the rebuild.

Here is everything we had done to the block:
  • New cam bearings
  • New freeze plugs
  • Block was decked (.007" off the deck)
  • Main bore alignment was checked
  • Cylinders honed

Here are the parts that were used for the rebuild:
  • Stock pistons (139K miles)
  • Hastings piston rings
  • New L32 connecting rods
  • Rollmaster single timing set
  • New timing chain dampener
  • Reman crank (.010" under)
  • Clevite 77 trimetal main bearings
  • Clevite 77 trimetal connecting rod bearings
  • New oil pump
  • New water pump
  • New seals all around
  • Cometic MLS headgaskets (.060" thickness)
  • ARP head studs
  • New main bolts
  • New crank bolt
  • New cam bolt
  • ZZP Reman heads
    • 105# crow cams spings
    • Modified LS retainers
  • Intense-Racing S1X camshaft
  • LS7 lifters
  • Probably more

The engine has 1,500+ miles on it so far and has been pretty awesome. Oil pressure is 20-25psi at idle, cruising on the interstate pressure is 55-65psi, and getting on it I see 70psi or more. While we were rebuilding the engine I had the trans rebuilt too. I sent my trans to TEP and had him do the HPS3 package with it. Dave did an amazing job and I highly recommend him. The goal of rebuilding the engine and the transmission was to make my car basically like new and not have payments.

Let me know what you guys think.
Click to expand...

Awesome... And don't let the $500 bottom end guys make you do any rethinking... If done right, the rebuild will far outlast the body on the car, lol.

any pics?
 
Just curious did you have everything balanced? (Crank, rods, pistons, rings, and bearings) maybe that's not of concern with a stock 3.8 but whenever any parts get swapped in my v8 motors it all gets weighed and parts matched down to less then a gram then balanced at the engine builder.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
 
01buickregalsc said:
Just curious did you have everything balanced? (Crank, rods, pistons, rings, and bearings) maybe that's not of concern with a stock 3.8 but whenever any parts get swapped in my v8 motors it all gets weighed and parts matched down to less then a gram then balanced at the engine builder.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I asked them to balance the connecting rods but I don't think they did as it wasn't on the bill. I didn't ask to have anything else balanced though.
 


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