1.7 Rebuild First Start Up Advice, 1.7 Start Up on stand Options

[Robroe]

Have 73 1.7 bought in pieces. Engine has been rebuilt and ‘souped up’ however I don’t know what internals were installed. New crank, cam, pistons, rods and heads. but I don’t know which ones. Weber 44 idf carbs. Never had oil in it and been stored unstarted for 10 yrs in climate control. I’ve added oil by slow dripping 2 quarts through the oil pressure sensor hole. Oil dripped out of the rockers so I’m pretty sure it got some oil as pre lube. It’s on a home built test stand with the transmission mounted with the starter.

I’m trying to turn the engine over by hand with the plugs out. Have squirted oil in each plug hole. I’m able to turn the engine by hand about 45 degrees and it gets harder to spin so can’t go any further. Would it be a good idea to pull the rocker arms to see if the builder installed some wild cam without checking valve/piston clearance? It doesn’t feel like internals are hitting each other but who knows? Would hate to pull the heads if I don’t have to. Any thoughts before I break something?

Rob Roe
Newbie

[technicalninja]

Good looking numbers!

I'd pick a single shim to reduce deck height to .040.

I've always balanced my pistons and rods myself.
The machine shop won't invest the time that I am willing to, and they are never as accurate.

If you have a V configuration engine the machine shop needs the pistons/rods/rings/pins/clips to calculate "bob" weight.

I still don't let them do the balancing of the above.

If you're an inline or a boxer they machine shop does not need the above to balance the crank and I'm a HUGE believer in sending the absolute minimum parts to the machine shop.

It's hard for them to lose stuff that you keep in your shop...

Now, they DO NEED EVERYTHING that attaches to the crank.

If they are doing a proper job, they will balance the crank first by itself and then add an item and rebalance (doing the metal reduction to the new addition only), add another part, and so on. This is time consuming.

The quick and dirty way is to assemble it all and just balance it once...

Both ways will give you the same result but the long way will allow you to replace a single part and effect the total out of balance the least amount.
You also have the option to balance just that item and be near perfect.

SO two ways to balance...

One is the old school proper way
One is the new "Get-er-done" varity that is far more common now

[Robroe]

Good looking numbers!

I'd pick a single shim to reduce deck height to .040.

I've always balanced my pistons and rods myself.
The machine shop won't invest the time that I am willing to, and they are never as accurate.

If you have a V configuration engine the machine shop needs the pistons/rods/rings/pins/clips to calculate "bob" weight.

I still don't let them do the balancing of the above.

If you're an inline or a boxer they machine shop does not need the above to balance the crank and I'm a HUGE believer in sending the absolute minimum parts to the machine shop.

It's hard for them to lose stuff that you keep in your shop...

Now, they DO NEED EVERYTHING that attaches to the crank.

If they are doing a proper job, they will balance the crank first by itself and then add an item and rebalance (doing the metal reduction to the new addition only), add another part, and so on. This is time consuming.

The quick and dirty way is to assemble it all and just balance it once...

Both ways will give you the same result but the long way will allow you to replace a single part and effect the total out of balance the least amount.
You also have the option to balance just that item and be near perfect.

SO two ways to balance...

One is the old school proper way
One is the new "Get-er-done" varity that is far more common now

I need an engine stand yoke for my build. My welding table would be a fine bench mount. What engine stand combination due you use? Hate to spend $400 for a one time use.

[Superhawk996]

I need an engine stand yoke for my build. My welding table would be a fine bench mount. What engine stand combination due you use? Hate to spend $400 for a one time use.

I use a Harbor Freight rolling base and a nice 3 arm yoke that I got off Thesamba.com.

Unfortunately I tried to get a link for you and it looks like the guy that used to build them (very affordable ~$120) has passed away and is no longer found in classifieds over at Samba.

You might post a WTB here and and see if someone has one they might sell but isn’t using. They were well made and capable of holding a six cylinder engine fully dressed.

The two arm yoke would work in a pinch for a /4 but the 3, 4, or 5 arm yokes are way stronger but get more expensive too. The 3 arm was a good compromise that works for me.