Dropped the engine yesterday and starting to pull things apart - but having internet problems uploading pics.

Putting in AA's new Cylinder Heads & 96mm P's & C's. Can't wait.

More pics when I can get uploading to work - downloading is fine....

GN

Congratulations! Nothing is more satisfying than to do these types of jobs and hear it run. Take your time, cleanliness is everything. Take some video as well!

The old coot is at it again!!

Keep us updated and good for you. I am envious as to this old coot is still working 60 hours/wk.

Thanks guys - major problems with upload speeds - can't upload pics.

Seeing if this one works......

What looks like big scar from my chin down neck is non-existent - no idea what caused it in pic......weird for sure.

Yeah, 77 is old coot for sure.

Nope. Pic doesn't work.

I'm sure at least a few of us were thinking the large scar told the story behind GN

Lucky you are still in the game. What is your plan for cyl heads?

My good friend Rick (Rickb45), my walking Porsche encyclopedia, owner of almost Concours '72 914 (AND '79 911SC, mint '85 944, & who just sold a really nice 997.1 and 356 FiberFab replca). We met at local C&C about 3 - 4 years ago and he has been my "all things Porsche" guide since then. He was my 2nd set of eyes as I raised the 914 from the engine.



914 boty now on lift, '80 924 Turbo sitting underneath, engine in center bay waiting to be dis-assembled.

For any interested bikers - rotating from left of engine, clockwise:

2018 Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster w/Corbin seat
1972 Triumph Bonneville T120V, top-end rebuilt by moi, runs like new, starts on 1 kick hot or cold
1971 Triumph Trophy 500 T100C, all original, top-end rebuilt by moi, runs like new, starts on 1 kick hot or cold
1997 HD Wide Glide, Stage II, totally custom built by moi, rebuilt engine, runs like new

Out of sight on right:

1974 Triumph Trident T150V, all original, almost museum condition, top-end rebuilt, runs like new, starts on 1 kick hot or cold

2009 HD CVO Road Glide.

2011 Cayman S

Gattornapper,

May I ask what heads did you decide to use and where did you get them? AA or FAT? Your previous thread got me checking the various sources that people mentioned. Thanks.

Mike -

See first post - AutoAtlanta heads. Ordering Monday.

Some info put clouds over the expensive FAT heads, so not taking that extra risk for the extra $$$. For my everyday driving, I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with the AA heads with a main focus on just keeping them cool.

My engine has stayed nice and cool since I put the new Tangerine T-stat & cleaned everything up 3 years ago.

I think the FAT heads are the same as AA only machined more & machined for the larger valves.

GN

PS: Lived in Orlando & Gainesville many years ago - father from Gainesville, my grandad built 4 houses at 924 SE 4th Ave. in the 1930's. They are still there.

Little bit of progress tonight after good rain cooled things down into the 70's........

Next is good soda-blasting of engine & tranny cases.......Monday or Tuesday maybe.....

Question for the experts: Do those heads look original for a 2.0 with 66k miles on it? They look to me like they might be replacements......

Going to thoroughly check them out before ordering the new ones.....If I don't see any cracks or defects, I may take them to machine shop that knows these heads to see what they think. Or a really good 914 mechanic I know.......

GN

3 years and 5,000 miles ago this engine and tranny had been soda-blasted and were nice and clean.

What you see is the result of my living 1/2 mile from a paved road, my drive running mostly through a neighbors property. It's neither gravel nor paved - semi-paved in used-asphalt millings, which, when put down and driven on for s few months was almost like asphalt. 7 years later, no more. Still, it's much better than gravel.

I can clean my engine and bay to spit-polish clean - and one drive up my drive covers the engine in dust - especially in dry summer.

I have new engine bay seals but they don't seem to help much. Wish I could almost hermetically seal the engine bay so all air comes in top - but guess what? Even then the dusty air coming in the top on a dry summer day comes off the tires into the engine bay.

I'd love it if a genius out there could find a solution for me.

GN

Just for clarity.

AA Performance Products is the supplier of the Chinese 2.0L head castings and assemblies. AA performance products is in CA. No relation to Automobile Atlanta in GA as far as I know.

Automobile Atlanta (and others) are distributing those AA Performance products heads.

Doesn't really amount to much - just wanted to be sure you know where they are sourced from regardless of who is distributing them. As I posted previously I have a set of HAM heads built off that casting and I have no reservations about the quality of the head casting based on what I've seen.

If I'm mistaken, I'm sure someone will correct me.

Thanks for the clarification. My bad. I was using AA for Auto Atlanta, as many here do, I knew nothing of AA Performance Parts.

Glad to hear the heads are sound.

GN

Well, 7 months later, I'm making progress. Too many other projects as always including a like new '81 928 that I was not looking for and literally landed out of nowhere in my lap (yes, was looking for one 2 years ago & gave up), and converting my 20' x 25' tractor shed to a new 2-car detached garage. More on that in another thread.....



Have a critical question. First.......

Heads & cylinders off. Heads look good, but getting new ones - if I can find them. AA seems out.

One bad cylinder. Top end had been off before, re-builder did not get one circlip set in place on #2 and it wore a groove in that cylinder. New cylinders needed too.

Good news is the cams look new and so do the lifters. Original.

I want to get the 96mm high compression pistons. I've been working on the D-Jet now off and on for 4 years and all I need is new injectors, hoses, dizzy with ECU points.

QUESTION: Can I run the high-compression 96mm pistons with the D-Jet? Can the running mixture be tweaked for the difference?

TIA,

GN

Yes on the D-Jet. Nice 928.

Thank you and thank you! That's great news.

LOVE the 928! V-8 pull in a Porsche? Incredible! Runs/drives/handles like new - needs nothing. Friend wanted it and had me check it out for him. Then he decided he didn't want it due to its complexity & age. I couldn't pass it up due to condition and price. I've put over 1k miles on it and needs nothing.....has original 92k miles on it, always been kept like new.



What is so amazing to me is how completely different my 914, 944 S, and 928 drive and handle. Each incredible in every way, yet so unique and different.

The 914 should be out of the restoration body shop in original Malaga Red this month, and I can't wait!

Pics will be up as soon as I get it, although they will be sans engine & transaxle.

GN

hey there GN! i have the AA heads built for 96's and running the D-jet tuned , running great as you know. if you can find the raw heads have someone build them , dont use the parts that come from AA on them i have heard they are not such great quality.
the new castings are available from a lot of venders, otherwise check with Rich i sent you his contact info.
- good to see you getting so close to getting that on the road again, you should set a goal to bring it to Okteenerfest in Sept.

Phil

Should I post a thread on the story behind the 928? It is really interesting and unusual......I had given up on finding one 2 years ago.......only ones I found were automatics, too much $$$, or needed work........this one came out of the blue and nailed all 3..........

GN

post!

yup installing the rebuilt engine in our front engined 914(the hammer is for a bit of persuation!! (LOL) Click to view attachment

Ordered new heads & 96mm Biral P's & C's from AA Performance Products today for my 2.0.

Can't wait!

Discovered that the jugs had been removed before on my 2.0 w/60k miles on it (why?), and wrist-pin circlip on #2 was not seated properly. Result was clip riding against wall of cylinder and ruining it. One other cylinder scored, so new will be good.

Heads look good, but need to blast them to look for cracks. Will put them up for sale if they look good.

GN

Phil -

Sorry I missed this - heads already ordered. Decided to take the risk - figured if George sells them they can't be bad. Read critiques about their weaknesses, hope I have no problems. Liked that SS valves & springs are already in place.

Tried to order them through Auto Atlanta but AA PP would not respond to their requests, so I ordered directly and had no problem doing so. Not Albert's fault. He tried hard for several days.

Missed Rich's contact info.....did you PM it?

GN


hey there GN! i have the AA heads built for 96's and running the D-jet tuned , running great as you know. if you can find the raw heads have someone build them , dont use the parts that come from AA on them i have heard they are not such great quality.
the new castings are available from a lot of venders, otherwise check with Rich i sent you his contact info.
- good to see you getting so close to getting that on the road again, you should set a goal to bring it to Okteenerfest in Sept.

Phil
[/quote]

George -

If mine ever needs the engine pulled, I'll be selling it! Easy on a 914, but above my pay grade on a 928! And more work than my almost 78 yr. old body can handle.......

Yes! Squeeze is so tight it's hard to believe it fits!

GN

Funny how things just happen to work out!! Great project can't wait to see hot rod 914

TECHNICAL QUESTION:

I understand that Type IV's do not use cylinder head gaskets - how they get by with none is still a mystery to me.

I'm getting the Biral 96mm P's & C's and understand that the outer diameter of the cylinders is the same on the 94's and 96's. The 96mm cylinder walls are just thinner by 1mm radius.

This means that there is 1mm less steel surface to seal between the heads and the cylinders.

As the 914 world has been using 96mm P's & C's in 2.0's for decades, are there any expert tips for me to make sure I get the best seal possible between the heads and cylinders?

TIA,

GN

3.2’s don’t use head gaskets and they seal fine. Even when you use a 96mm cylinder to bump it up to 3.4. Some later engines did, some didn’t. Not an issue if your machine shop does their job.

Lost me....."3.2"? "3.4"? This is 2.0.

Just found this by Jake Raby:

"Jake Raby

Nov 20 2014, 12:23 AM

I haven't built a single engine with head gaskets since 1997. I've never had an engine come back to me with a head leak, either.

The key to keeping the heads sealed off is controlling expansion, and the key to controlling expansion, is directly related to thermal control.

To me, the part thats not there, can't fail... I'd pull them out even if I never saw the VW bulletin."

Good 'nuf for me......

GN

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiversion/i...hp?t245617.html

For first time today really looked closely at the cylinder heads. Soda-blasted them and they look great - want to sell them.

PO who did a prior top-end rebuild messed up. They had used cylinder head gaskets/rings. All 4 cylinders were leaking at the heads to varying degrees.

So glad I'm doing this rebuild with new heads and new 96mm P's & C's. They arrived today.

But the tranny rebuild comes first - and the rental tools for that also arrived today - so it has priority - starting tomorrow.

GN

YESTERDAY:

Received tools from Mark Lindner for rebuilding tranny. Thank you Mark!

Received new Heads, 96mm Biral P's & C's from AA. Boy are they all beautiful! Cannot wait to get them on the engine.

TODAY:

Focused on tranny dis-assembly. Completed dis-assembly with no problems. Improved on a few of Dr. Evil's tricks as I have some tools most shops don't have. Tons of thanks to my good friend (and local Porsche encyclopedia) Rick Berkowitz (RickB45) for doing at least 50% of the work with me - if not more. Dr. Evil's video invaluable. Funniest part is where he shuffles all the parts and says there is no sense in organizing them as they will only go back together one way!

Really good news: All gears & bearings look like new. Dog-teeth? Not so much. Good news is no major gear replacement needed. On to diagnosing what I need in next 2 days. Some pics below.

Also pulled clutch - looks brand new! BUT, still think I'll replace it with a heavy-duty one. Flywheel & pressure-plate can use some cleaning up.

Found rear main seal to also be new. Oh well - had bought new one so replaced it anyway. Now I'll have a spare. ;-)

Making progress.......











GN

QUESTION:

Starting on installing new 96mm Biral P's & C's next week and new heads in my original '76 2.0, and this question came to mind......

SHOULD I INSTALL HYDRAULIC LIFTERS to replace my original solid ones?

I know the purists will howl about keeping original, but my good friend Rick B (RickB45) has one of the sweetest almost Concours 914's I know of, and his rebuild 2.0 engine has hydraulics in it.

What are the real, logical reasons to stick with my solid lifters, and same for going with hydraulic?

Even though I have a full shop and lift, I would love to not have to adjust the valves as often as the Type IV needs it.....AND I do have my other old P-cars to maintain too: '81 5-spd. 928 and '87 944 S........

TIA to all who care to advise.....

GN

FINISHED REBUILDING TRANNY!

With the great help of Rick B all the way, today we finished rebuilding the tranny. Many thanks to Mike Lesniak's great videos, answers to personal emails, Mark Lindner's tools that he rents for a small fee.

NEW AND REPLACED: 1st & Reverse Sliding gear, 1st Gear loose, 1 synchro ring for 1st and 1 set of dog-teeth for 2nd gear. About $900. All other parts of the tranny looked brand new. I can't wait to drive the car as much for the tranny as the engine.

I had no synchro in 1st gear, and an occasional unavoidable "crunch" going into 2nd, so having those issues gone will be wonderful.

Also along the way: new throw-out bearing, renewed faces of flywheel & pressure plate - both looked good. Clutch plate was new from PO thicker than original. Also new front and rear main seals installed.

Hoped I could get case cleaner than I did, but it's the best I could do. Some pics along the way after ones above......









Cleaned all this area up after pic, so grease & all is gone now....





Next week - on to putting on new top-end on engine!

GN

Great job and nice progress. You should be behind the wheel pretty soon.

Looks like a lot of fun GN. Did you put a dime under the cup on the tranny fork. I had to so engagement was proper. Best, Mark

Eastwood makes some really nice polishing kits

Good job - almost every tranny I’ve taken apart has worn 1st and second gear dogs. Should be much nicer for you now!

Mark -

I did not! No idea what you are talking about and have a feeling I'm pulling the gear cage out of the case tomorrow!

Which fork? There are 3. Cup? What cup? Was this in Dr. Evil's videos? If so, I missed it! Got any pics?

GN

I first pressure-washed exterior of case, then soda-blasted it, keeping soda out of inside.

GN

Is there a way I can test the shifting of the tranny before I mount it on engine?

Can I safely do it w/o oil in tranny case?

GN