The Ruby Blu Engine Build (Advice) Thread

[Mr1ncognit0]

Hi Guys,

Some of you may have seen my build thread http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=57233 but as I am about to start building / sourcing parts for my engine I thought it prudent to start an Engine Build Thread. I will be asking technical questions and posting my discoveries on here.

What started as a strip down and clean, has ended up looking more like a full rebuild and replace of parts. As a result of one of my big ends going and wobbling the hell out my crank shaft and cams I am now in a position where I am looking to replace them. The engine is a 1.6 at present and I wondering whether now is the time to start hunting down a better crank and pistons and cylinder heads and building a bigger engine so I am not chugging around the country side and sweating at the sight of small inclines.

Things I have that I won't be replacing, unless there is a very good argument to do so... you know.... the kind that I can convince the wife of...:
- Engine Block
- Pistons
- Cylinder Pots
- Valves
- Cylinder Heads
- Weber twin Choke Carb 34/36 I think...? The top mounted one.

The rest is a wish list and I am open to suggestions, assuming a budget of circa £750.... what would you guys buy to fill in the blanks?? (not including exhaust). I am not looking for a street racer but something which is not going to be a labour, but also retains the reliability <---- Obviously depends on how well i put them all together!

Any advice gratefully received, mulled over, researched and then acted upon.... followed by wrench time, tears, blood and smiles!

Cheers

Steve

 

[Todster]

Hi Steve,
Looks like you are in a similar position to me a week or two ago, I had to have a new case, due to pulling a couple of head bolts out of my old case. Once i got the halves split, I found that the main bearings were shot, along with the crank, cam was not great, lifters were shot, the list went on and on.
One of the reasons for my strip down, was that I had bought 1641 barrels and pistons, before I found the studs.... If I had known, I'd have probably gone for bigger barrels and pistons, but, then would have needed a machined case and needed my heads machining. I did think about getting a stroker crank, but then you've got to start thinking about con rods, pistons hitting valves, deck height and the like, so, I went for the following:

Aluminium Case
Standard bearings
Scat 69mm balanced crank
Dual thrust Cam Bearings
Scat C25 Cam
Lightweight Lifters

One thing to remember is the cost of all the ancillary stuff that you end up getting, it soon adds up...

Its my first case split job, done top end stuff lots, but always been frightened off splitting the case for some reason. Don't really know why now.

Really impressed with your strip down thread fella.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Mr1ncognit0]

Cheers for the nod to the strip down. I tried to look at your strip down thread but Tapatalk isn't playing ball!

I didn't even think of getting lightweight lifters... I am now!!

One of the bolts had gone on my case that I had to drill it out, hopefully it is salvageable. Going to take it to my local VW specialist for a view.

 

[Todster]

Hi Steve,
It depends if you have case savers installed, and if you have, what size studs. I had 10mm studs with 14mm case savers, so was told that was the max size the old case could take.
Looking at how much 'meat' was left between the hole the case saver left and the seal face the barrel sits on, any bigger would interfere with the seal.
I did think about whether helicoils would work, but when I got the case split, the state of the bearings and crank made my decision for me.
Hope you get it sorted, keep us posted!

Cheers
Mark