How to Rebuild a Chevy V8
- 1). Secure the engine block to an engine stand. Remove the crankshaft balancer from the crankshaft. Remove the valve covers, the timing chain cover and air intake. Use a ratchet and socket to loosen and remove the rocker arms. Pull the push rods and the lifters out of the engine and set them aside.
- 2). Rotate the engine so that the bottom is pointed up. Remove the oil pan and fuel pump from the engine. Remove the timing gear from the end of the cam shaft and keep it and the timing chain together. Pull the cam shaft from the engine block.
- 3). Use a ratchet and sockets to loosen and remove the oil pump. Next begin to remove each piston by loosening the piston rod bearing caps holding the piston rods to the crank shaft. Two bolts hold each piston in place. Remove the caps and let the piston slide out of the cylinder. Repeat the process until all eight pistons are free from the crankshaft.
- 4). Loosen and remove the crankshaft bearings. Keep each cap in order so that they are replaced as they were removed. Pull the crankshaft out of the engine block then rotate the engine so that the bottom of the block is pointed down. Remove each of the two heads from the block.
- 5). Organize all the pieces of the engine for cleaning, painting and reinstallation. The engine block and parts should go to an engine builder to get the cylinders honed or ridge-reamed, the block should be decked (each joining edge on the engine machined flat for better assembly) and the valve springs replaced. Metal parts need to be bead blasted (sand blasted) and painted properly before assembly. Once the parts are all back and ready, begin the assembly.
- 6). Insert new crankshaft bearings into the crankshaft bearing caps and the engine block. Align the bearings so that the tab on each bearing points towards the back of the engine block Lubricate each bearing with 90 weight oil before placing the crankshaft into the motor and securing it in place with the other half of the bearing caps.
- 7). Place gaskets at each end of the crankshaft. These gaskets are half-moons that meet up with the edge of the oil pan at the back of the crankshaft and at the timing cover up front. Secure a new or restored oil pump in place then install the oil pan with a fresh gasket. Use Perm-a-tech tacking to hold the gasket in place during the installation. Secure each fastener then flip the engine over.
- 8). Install new compression rings around each piston then oil each one before sliding it back into the cylinder. A piston ring compressor will squeeze each compression ring tightly around the piston so that it can slide into the cylinder during installation. Apply bearing grease on the piston rod bearing caps that hold the rods to the crankshaft before tightening the caps in place.
- 9). Secure the engine heads to the block using the correct tightening procedure for proper seating. Lubricate the cam shaft with bearing grease and slide it into position in the engine block. Secure the timing gear and chain to the end of the cam shaft and align the gear with the cam shaft gear.
- 10
Secure the timing chain cover to the engine using the correct gaskets and tacking material to hold the gaskets in place during installation. Oil each new lifter with 10W30 oil and insert them into the lifter holes. Place a valve rod and rocker arm on the top of the valve spring assembly and lash them (tighten them correctly) so that the nut securing each rocker arm is turned ¾ of a turn after the valve rod has been lashed. This will remove excess free motion by the valve rod due to a lack of tightness by the rocker arm. - 11
Replace the valve covers and air intake. The engine is ready for final installation of accessories and carburetor into a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle and driven for a fresh 100,000 miles.
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