Last looks at all the good stuff

DET17 — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:34:00 MDT

Last looks at all the good stuff - IMG_0212a.jpg

Last looks at all the good stuff

DET17 — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:34:00 MDT

Last looks at all the good stuff - IMG_0214a.jpg

Last looks at all the good stuff

DET17 — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:34:00 MDT

Last looks at all the good stuff - IMG_0208a.jpg

Last looks at all the good stuff

DET17 — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:34:00 MDT

Last looks at all the good stuff - IMG_0211a.jpg

Last looks at all the good stuff

DET17 — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:34:00 MDT

Last looks at all the good stuff - IMG_0210a.jpg

Last looks at all the good stuff

DET17 — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:34:00 MDT

Last looks at all the good stuff - IMG_0215a.jpg

inner fender install next

3800 series 1 piston set

stevexperformance — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:35:00 MDT

3800 series 1 piston set - s110.jpg

All internal parts are Buick stock parts The piston feature a harden dome and its thermal coated DO NOT USE WIRE BRUSH Use 3M green pan with part cleaner The pistons are fitted with TOTAL SEAL GAPLESS rings clivit 77 or seal power bearing are great TA performance makes a better camshaft bearing for the Buick GN 38 better oiling The balance shaft is remove from the lifter valley One less moving parts less head ache The series II and III feature a oil hole galley at the rear of the shaft this oil galley must be plug if the balance shaft is remove I have seen some balance shaft breakbut dont cause and damage at hi rpm Still have it remove its possible for it to damage the valve push rodsThere is one thing that no one mentions here and that very few in the engine business understand but is extreemly critical That is Honing Very few(including Engine Builders) own a Profilometer or even know what a profilometer is Most hone blocks the same way Most who have done it for 30 years also say they still do it the same today Rings have changed Materials and process has changed Tolerances of rings and pistons have also come a very long way even in the last 10 years What is interesting to see is the surface finishes the so called trick hone produces Funny thing is that I can re finish a Comp Eliminator motor with less than 30 passes on it because it is guzzling oil but after I finish it it makes 35 more HP on average and it runs for 150 passes In terms of Ra's and Rz's it is way off from what Total Seal and the other Ring people suggest Usually I see Ra numbers of 6 instead of 18 and I see Rz numbers like 80-100 instead of 170 or better It is way too shallow and way too slick THey wonder why it smokes like a Grill when they go to the Dyno with it Slick hones don't make power and they don't last Sure they spin easier on the bench with a torque wrench They also coke the cylinder with oil because they have a hard time controlling oil (they smoke) 400 Grit stones are great for a final finish using very light pressure and only a couple of strokes because it will help the surface finish without killing the Rz's (the depth) To have any luck with a Total Seal ring whatsoever you have to have clean honing oil and you need to hone with a soft bonded 220 grit stone Like an EHU 518 at high pressure (60AMPS for you CK10 users) Then you finish with a soft bonded 280 grit stone like a JUH623 at still high pressure If you must use a 400 grit afterwards (818 or 820) just kiss it with very light pressure for 3 strokes THen clean with ATF then Lacquer thinner Oil it with a reall light oil or Quick Seat If you don't hone it like this I assure you there will be problems just like others have reported even in this thread A hone has to be deep to hold oil A hone is a bearing area If you hone light and with smooth stones you won't have any bearing area and won't have oil retention and the ring will wear FAST though it will be slow to seat ALso the harder the block material is the softer the stone has to be for it to cut This is why a stone used for honing a production block won't even scratch a Hard Sleeve or an aftermarket race block You will find when you hone the way I have suggested your motor will seal up instantly you will have great oil control even with light oil (I hate 20W50 and so does GM) and low tension rings without vacuume pumps you will make more power and you will have a much longer running set of rings Just look at Detroit NONE of their cylinder finishes are smooth They are very aggressive Your 10000 mile motor that was re honed and now having 10000 miles on it having almost no visible cross hatch is almost surely a result of a very light cutting pressure with a fine stoneThe other thing you can't do if you want success is install the ring by hand IE twisting it onto the piston You have to expand it or you will turn it into a lock washer it will spin in the bore and it will also not be sealed in all areas because it is twisted JUst disassemble the rings and inspect the wear pattern You will seeHave you checked the radial clearance between the ring and the ring land with a feeler guage It should be no more than 002Molly RingsThe Honing stuff I mention is also for other rings too Not just Total Seal What I stated previously is especially critical for hi cylinder pressureheat engines As pressures and temps increase (including the increases in cylinder pressures obtained from fastermore efficeint burning chamber designs and optimized spark plug placement in the chamber) the bearing areahone of the cylinder becomes more and more important Just look at today's typical finishes in Pro-Stock and Blown AlkyFuel EnginesThey are very aggressive compared to ten years ago Take my word for it that looking at a finishhoned cylinder is very deceiving to the naked eye Looks good doesn't mean it is I have learned this the hard wayAs for Chrome rings they are very durable especially in dusty areas but they don't have any oil retaining capabilities like Molly rings do so they are even less forgiving to smooth finishes You will see the industry changing over to steel rings very soon so heads up on the new issues sure to arise in the Honing arenaI have conversations with plenty of racers who have oil control issues in Circle Track and Endurance Marine Engines Almost every one of them seem to have the same recipe for honing Once they try it the way I have suggested they ALL report back to me with the same results: They picked up a ton of power eliminated oil consumption and their leak down percentages are much better for much longer They also report that the oil takes much longer to turn color after it is changed I feel that some are dyed in the whool and may never change However after continually detonating several high Dollar engines in succession while beating their heads against the wall in search of the problemnot being able to pinpoint the cause (oil migrating into the chamber) all the way conversing with many who should be in the know and of course building each one in succession without changing anythingprocess (AKA Insanity) they may at long last be Financially Humbled to the point that they are ready to listenMost ring sealing problem have nothing to do with the rings Cylinder honing is critical and 99 of the time the problem You would be amazed at how many engines I've re-honed correctly and fixed the ring problem Many of these using the other guys conventional rings This is especially an issue with import blocks they are much harder than there domestic counter parts yet are being honed the same Bottom line is that regardless of the ring maker or engine there are a series of measured numbers ie Ra Rz Rpk Rvk Rk that need to achieved these don't change much it's a matter of getting them on what your working on

New last looks at all the good stuff images on Photobucket

Last looks at all the good stuff

Last looks at all the good stuff

Last looks at all the good stuff

Last looks at all the good stuff

Last looks at all the good stuff

Last looks at all the good stuff

3800 series 1 piston set