1600 Stroker motor build....

Since I also had mine out for the motor work, I also replaced these bushings. I bought them from Obert. I have to say that removing the old is easiest if you burn out the rubber first. I used a press to install the new, and it was not easy. I don't see you having much success with vices/bolts & washers , etc. based on how much effort was required to press them in. I guess it can depend on the specification of the replacements. I'd prefer them being a pita going in, since it is unlikely therefore they will shift of their own accord DTR.
 
Stroker

Stock pistons will work, the cheap route is to shave about .070 to .080 thousandths of the tops, if you are using a big valve head, make sure you enlarge the eyebrows on the pistons. Yes, there is plenty of meat on the tops of the pistons. I did this for years, then I went with JE custom made to any specs you want pistons, with stock Pinto ibeam rods. Talk to John Edwards about those, pretty cheap and way strong, also, you wont have to grind the inside of the block to clear for the bigger stroke with these rods, with the stock 1500 rods, you have to carefully grind as you will see, the rods (bolt) will hit the oil galley area. Hope this helps, I built 4 or 5 of these.
 
Those urethane bushings look great. I'll definitely spend the extra and go that route for sure.

Thanks for posting the link :D

'PeteX1/9
 
Here's some progress pics...
Tomorrow I'll install the carbs, a coolant hose and do a once over everything. My plan is to put in the antifreeze and bleed the rad as well as charge the battery and verify that all the electrical is still in working order over the weekend.










'PeteX1/9
 
Thank-you!

It's been an amazing learning experience and something I've always wanted to do in the 21years I've owned her.

The motor is finally completely installed :D













Now how much antifreeze should the system take when bleeding the rad assuming the motor was removed and all lines were drained. I've already put in two jugs which is 2 gallons or almost 8 litres and with the back end raised no fluid has came out of the bleeder yet???

'PeteX1/9

P.S. How do you change the resize so that it's not a jumbotron image.
 
11 litres?

Comes to mind.

Beautiful job Pete. I may have to forget to post photos of mine when it's done. :wink2:
 
So I'm still one gallon short, it's all good :)
Now I just need to work up the nerve to turn the key or wait for warmer weather, whichever comes first.

'PeteX1/9
 
Pre-engine start up prep.

Steps I'll be taking:
1)Remove spark plugs
2)Remove HT coil lead
3)Install remote engine start
4)Keep electric fuel pump turned off
5)Crank motor over to build up oil pressure

Obviously every one of the next options in my questions has worked for someone else on different forums but I would like to know what has worked for X owners.

Questions:
1)Squirt motor oil or lubricant into each spark plug hole:
A)Sae 30W oil which is the same oil as in the oil pan.
B)10w30 lighter oil
C)WD-40
D)Don't squirt any oil in at all
Only concern I've read on any forum is that one individual had one pistons rings not seat due to the squirted in oil and had to pull the head and piston and re-do part of the build.

2)When to change oil first time:
A)After 20min. start up
B)After first 50 mile break-in drive

3)Do I replace first oil change with:
A)Sae 30W oil & Lucas oil additive
B)15w40 & additive
C)15w40 alone
D)Sae 30W oil alone

The wealth of knowledge on our forum is very vast and many members have done complete rebuilds. Some of our members earn a living doing rebuilds such as mine, so their experiences and suggestions are very encouraged.

'PeteX1/9
 
If it were me,
1) D.
2) A.
3) C.

Hope that helps. The last time I installed and started a rebuilt engine this is what I did. Except I used 20w/50. It was a SOHC VW. The oil change interval was from my mahcinist and was something like 20 mins, 500 miles, normal after that. First change was beautifully iridescent, and you could dip a magnet in and make cool effects. It looked a bit like a blonde beer.
 
IMO you should not be squirting any lubricants into the cylinders before start up. The engine should have been well lubed upon assembly, and cranking the engine with plugs out/coil disconnected and fuel pump off should ensure everything is well lubed before anything is subjected to any real loading anyway.

After you have established oil up and pressure on the gauge, just go thru a regular start. Make sure it's full of oil, full of coolant, carbs are primed with fuel and ignition timing was set pretty close for initial start up...

Don't flood it with excessive fuel by pumping the gas pedal.

Get it running at around 1500 rpm idle and vary the engine speed slightly (the car is still not moving, this is all in the garage) up to around 2500 and monitor the coolant level. Let the radiator fans cycle thru a couple or three times on/off... and then shut it down.

Let it cool down completely, stone cold, overnight even better and then your ready for the first retorque... do the head bolts in torque sequence, but first (one at a time) loosen a bolt by half a turn, tighten it back to it's original position (you can use a paint pen to mark the bolt head and a reference point on the cambox or head to make it easy) then swap to a torque wrench and do that bolt to final torque... you'll probably find it tightens by approx 1/8 to 1/4 turn more than it was initially...then move onto the next head bolt in sequence and do the same thing, continue until you have done all ten, one at a time...check tension on the inlet and extractor bolts too...check fluid levels, then your ready for the second start.

This time you can set the idle and check the static timing with your timing light, check your carbs for balance, adjust your idle mixtures...now your ready for a drive.

Keep revs below 4000rpm, vary the engine speed and try drive up some large hills to load the engine, but don't let it struggle at low revs. Personally I like to do 500km (all in one trip if possible) on a new engine...stopping half way to check fluid levels and any leaks. when you get home shut it off and let it cool down stone cold again, overnight. now you ready for the second retorque, an oil and filter change, and check the tappet clearances...if you want real peace of mind send out an oil sample for analysis...make sure your carbs are set up well, too much fuel will wear rings quickly and dilute the oil reducinging it's ability to lubricate properly, to lean will cause detonation and high cylinder temps...

after that just drive it normally...keep it under 5k until you reach 1000km or so, then under 6k for the next 1000km or so, then under 7k for the next 1000km or so...

after 3000/4000km I do another oil change and tappet clearance check...and if you feel like it another retorque (I have never had a head gasket fail after a rebuild) and then go as hard as you like, after always warming the engine up to temp. Had lots of customers follow this advice, pulled engines down a few times after 100,000km (for more mods) and the bores were still pristine with cross hatches still showing, cylinder leakage under 3% and pristine bearing conditions... so I think it works.

Oil is a personal choice, but modern synthetics are very good at handling high temps and high loads...after the engine has done 500km on the original run in oil, you can run a quality synthetic.

SteveC
 
Great advice!
The only question I have is regarding the re-torquing of the headbolts. Do I still do the repeated re-torque procedure if I used a Fel-pro no-retorque (perma-torque) head gasket?

'PeteX1/9
 
I do, as the head bolts still come down 1/8 of a turn each time even with a felpro or a OE Fiat astadur non retorque head gasket too...easily done if you have the correct retorque tools for the sohc, bit of a pita if you don't, I'm sure someone here will lend you the tools to do the job though... mirafiori's tool crib has a set if all else fails, just the cost of postage to be absolutely sure.

SteveC
 
Thanks for the help in sourcing Fiat tools but I do have all the specialty fiat tools for re-torqueing the head and adjusting valve clearances.
The only reason I asked was because Fel-pro claims that it is not necessary but I did find on a Fel-pro website where Fel-pro engineers where asked about re-torqueing there perma-torque headgaskets and they stated "It can't hurt...."

Today is the big "First start up" day.

'PeteX1/9
 
Motor fired right up and it sounds amazing!:D
I ran it for 20min. today letting it get up to temp. and cycle the fans. I can tell by the color of the spark plugs that I'm running a little rich, but unfortunately my AFR gauge isn't very accurate as my exhaust currently ends at the collector where the O2 bung is. The gauge reads that I'm lean but I know it's getting the outside air.
I decided to do my first oil change today and unfortunately my oil wasn't the color of "blonde beer" as "budgetzagato" stated from his experience. Mine was quite dark, the color of the moly lube I used on my camshaft. I did pass a magnet through it and it was perfectly clean. Maybe the fact that I used 30wt diesel oil and Lucas break in additive along with moly lube and all the assembly lube had something to do with the color of the oil???
I'm waiting on some mandrel bends to arrive so I can complete my exhaust and some snow to melt because then it's first drive break-in time.

'PeteX1/9
 
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