Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

motomick76 said:
HA! This is where the wifey and I get into pretty good debates. Bear in mind I am from North Iowa, when it snows, it snows - blizzared, white out - +6 at a time. I call that snowing. Same for when it rains, when it rains in mid-west, it rains, with lightning and thunder. That is raining to me. She will tell me its raining, and I go to look, and its sprinkling. She will tell me, "It is snowing babe!", look outside, a few flakes are flying around. I miss the real snow!
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Yes having lived in Alaska I have seen some snow before. And I lived in Illinois for about 5 years when I was a kid. I remember some good storms where it was at least as deep as I was tall. I was 3-8 years old. Here it doesn't snow like that but we have had some pretty good storms where I've had 5-10" per day for a week. And then some years it maybe only snows 3" the whole winter. There is about an inch on the ground right now but it is that HEAVY WET crap that I hate.
 
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Wildman said:
Yes having lived in Alaska I have seen some snow before. And I lived in Illinois for about 5 years when I was a kid. I remember some good storms where it was at least as deep as I was tall. I was 3-8 years old. Here it doesn't snow like that but we have had some pretty good storms where I've had 5-10" per day for a week. And then some years it maybe only snows 3" the whole winter. There is about an inch on the ground right now but it is that HEAVY WET crap that I hate.
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UGH, that is the worst, heavy, wet, :poop: . Can not snowblow it, gonna get colder probably, then you got ice.....
 
It was piston installation day for my engine. I'd bought this assembly paste from Total Seal that you rub into the cylinder walls before installing the pistons.

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So I cleaned the cylinder walls per the directions and then rubbed this stuff in each cylinder.

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I've always used a piston ring compressor like this.

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But I'd decided to try out a tapered ring compressor this time.

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When using this style you have to get one sized for the diameter of your cylinder bore.

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Then you lube the piston and rings and skirts then drop the piston into the ring compressor.

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Line the piston skirts up with the cylinder and push/tap the piston into the cylinder.

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Then move onto the next cylinder.

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Time to check the rod bearing clearance.
 
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Doing the rod bearings is just a time consuming process.

Install the rod bearings and some plastigauge then torque the bolts 🔩 down to spec.

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Then loosen the bolts and remove the rod caps and check the plastigauge.

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Acceptable range is. 0005-.002

Then clean the bearings of the plastigauge then lube the rod bearings and install.

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Then you need to apply ARP Fastener lube to the threads and shoulder of the bolts.

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And do this 8 times.
 
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Then go back and torque all 16 rod bolts 🔩 down to 70lb ft.

Bottom end of the engine is now done.

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I took these pictures 📷 to try and show just how close things are in a stroker engine. This is a counter weight and piston.

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Some engines have to have the block clearanced for the connecting rods.

Next is the cam installation. But it's time to stop for tonight. So the engine is wrapped up and ready for me to work on it tomorrow.

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Feels good to get this much done to it today. I've got to dig out all my tools I need to degree the cam with tomorrow and get stuff setup and ready to go. Then watch a couple videos on degreeing a cam to refresh my memory on how to do it properly.
 
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motomick76 said:
I got one of those tapered like your ARP for my LS. They are awesome. Great to see you got a lot done!
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Thanks and ya it was my first time ever using a tapered ring compressor so I got out my phone and fired up YouTube and watched a couple of videos. One of course was against the tapered style because they only fit ONE size and are expensive. While this is true to a point I liked how easy it was to use and IMO does a good job on getting the piston into the cylinder.
 
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A true artist at work! Once I got my head around the pic with the CW and piston clearance, I see what you mean about tight fit. Would not take much end play to close that gap to touching. Did you measure the gap? Looks like under .050".

Looks like you are working in that nice toasty shop longer.
 
WSS said:
A true artist at work! Once I got my head around the pic with the CW and piston clearance, I see what you mean about tight fit. Would not take much end play to close that gap to touching. Did you measure the gap? Looks like under .050".

Looks like you are working in that nice toasty shop longer.
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Tommy,
No I didn't measure the clearance but it isn't a lot. I was just rotating the engine after I'd got all the connecting rods done to make sure it rotated freely when I looked a saw that. It was pretty amazing to me as I don't remember a stock engine looking like that. It's pretty cool when you think abut how it all works together and everything.

Yes a warmer shop makes it easier to stay out there for a longer time.
 
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Sitting here watching videos on How to Degree a Camshaft. WOW a few different ways and different tools used, some of which I don't have. So might have to order some other tools.
 
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