Basic AMC V8 Rebuild by SC397

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   I thought that I would post up the entire rebuild to make note of all the details to watch out for when dealing with machine shops etc..  This AMC engine rebuild number 104 for me and will be a no frills basic rebuild.The first cool thing that I found that IS cool is the numbers stamped on the block which look to me like 
E 055462 68
IMG_4634 by Rick Jones, on Flickr
So the engine is Kenosha built and was or is in a car that was sold in TN or GA.
IMG_1458 by Rick Jones, on Flickr

Edited by SC397 - Apr/05/2022 at 7:19pm

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(3) Quote Reply Topic: Basic AMC V8 Rebuild by SC397 Posted: Jun/14/2021 at 5:45pm
	I thought that I would post up the entire rebuild to make note of all the details to watch out for when dealing with machine shops etc.. This AMC engine rebuild number 104 for me and will be a no frills basic rebuild. The first cool thing that I found that IS cool is the numbers stamped on the block which look to me like E 055462 68 IMG_4634 by Rick Jones, on Flickr So the engine is Kenosha built and was or is in a car that was sold in TN or GA. IMG_1458 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Edited by SC397 - Apr/05/2022 at 7:19pm

SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/14/2021 at 5:57pm
	Block Prep Before Machining: This is about the only prep work that I do to stock ones BEFORE I take them in to the machine shop. Remove all oil galley and all core plugs. I actually dig all of the rust, sand cast and stop leak out of the water jackets before and after it goes to the machine shop. IMG_4805 by Rick Jones, on Flickr I finish drilling the 5/16" main bearing feed holes from the lifter galley to the mains. Most of the blocks are only drilled through half to thre quarters of the way through. I bought a 8" long drill bit from McMaster Carr to do the job. MainFeed by Rick Jones, on Flickr It may be overkill but I also move the oil slot to the front cam bearing towards the front a little bit with a die grinder. All the after market front bearings have a smaller hole in them compared to the factory original ones and they don't line up with the slot in the block. Rather than drill the cam bearing holes bigger, I just move the slot over. CamFeedSlot by Rick Jones, on Flickr After I detail the main bearing feed holes, I use a small flapper wheel on a drill and de-burr the block at the cam bearing slots in the block. Cylinder Head Prep Before Machining: Regardless if the heads have been on a running engine or not they should all be checked for cracks. I clean both ends of the cylinder heads at the area where they are prone to cracking as good as I can with a wire brush. I have my own Magnaflux checker but it will only reveal the obvious bad cracks. Even if I can not see any cracks using my checker I have the Machinist check them as well BEFORE he does any machining to them. The cracks seem to start right behind the head bolt and then propagate away from center in both directions. I have had cylinder heads that I could not see a crack until the Machinist checked and then we can see a 1" long crack right behind the head bolt but not any further in either direction. IMG_4973 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Pretty easy to see where this one is cracked. IMG_4975 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Not all is lost if they are cracked and you really want to use them. Here is one source that can weld them if needed. They are located in the thumb area of Michigan. Sperry Welding 112 N Main St Capac, MI 48014 (810) 395-4381 IMG_2597 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Edited by SC397 - Jul/26/2021 at 8:06pm

SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/15/2021 at 9:10am
	Back From The Machine Shop: The engine had previously been rebuilt with +.040" over size pistons and -0.010"/0.010"over size bearings. The first issue we found was that they had not bored and honed deep enough into the cylinders so the pistons were actually getting pinched around the skirt at the bottom dead center position. The picture was taken after my Machinist corrected the problem. IMG_4799 by Rick Jones, on Flickr I realize that this might be the exception but it should be the rule. The better machinists will create a document like this that tells you all of the critical measurements and the clearances. Once he measured everything he found that a couple of the main bearings had near zero clearance and a couple had only .001" clearance. So a new set of bearings because they vary from brand to brand, and a align hone and he got them to exactly .0015" clearance. Similar situation with the big end of the rods so they were all rconditioned and will have new bearings. IMG_4803 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Edited by SC397 - Jun/30/2021 at 8:51am

SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(2) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/15/2021 at 12:01pm
	The first things I do to the block when I get it back from the machine shop is clean the outside of the block with a wire wheel and give it a coat of Zinc primer. IMG_4804 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Then I dig the water passages out again and clean all the oil passages with the wire brushes. I clean out the intake manifold gasket dowel pin holes with a drill as well. They are usually packed full of RTV. While I am there I use a punch and make knurls where the rubber gasket seats on the block at the front and rear. And last, I clean out every taped hole with a tap including all of the pipe threads. IMG_4806 by Rick Jones, on Flickr

Hogman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: Jan/02/2018 Location: Sarnia Ontario Status: Offline Points: 371	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hogman Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/15/2021 at 1:08pm
	EXCELLENT POSTS SC397, FANTASTIK!!!!!!!! WISH YOU WERE NOT ACROSS THE BORDER!!!!!!!!!! LOL ME
	Hogman

232jav3sp Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/09/2013 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 2431	Post Options Post Reply Quote 232jav3sp Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/15/2021 at 8:52pm
	Great info! Glad to be reading through it.

SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/16/2021 at 8:16am
	Thanks guys. If a guy was creative enough he could print all of this stuff off and make a manual out of it. Here is a similar post where I detailed how to rebuild a 360 with 343 pistons: http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=186633

SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/17/2021 at 8:27pm
	Cam Bearings Install: After a good cleaning inside and out with compressed air I put the cam bearings in. I check each one with a light to make sure I can see the oil feed hole in the cam bearing through the main bearing feed holes. IMG_4815 by Rick Jones, on Flickr About the next thing I do is measure the base circle of the new cam vs a old stock cam and I write the dimensions on the box. And this is where I roughly figure the difference in push rod length that I might need. In this case the new cam base circle is about 0.030" smaller than the stock one so if nothing else changes I should try to install -0.015" longer push rods to make up the difference. Also pictured is my cam bearing shaver in case I have a problem with the cam not fitting in the cam bearings. This is a common problem with Comp cams but this one is a Melling cam so we will see. IMG_4817 by Rick Jones, on Flickr I noticed that the oil hole to feed the distributor didn't have a chamfer at the inlet. IMG_4818 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Probably overkill but I added the chamber and polished around it so that there is no burr. IMG_4819 by Rick Jones, on Flickr I coat the bearing journals with Lubriplate 105 and carefully see if it goes in easily by hand. IMG_4823 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Believe it or not it works! Click on it to see how easy it spins. IMG_4824 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Next step is to pull the cam back out and then install all of the core plugs with exception to the cam shaft core plug at the rear of the block. Edited by SC397 - Jul/17/2021 at 7:15pm

Hogman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Nut Joined: Jan/02/2018 Location: Sarnia Ontario Status: Offline Points: 371	Post Options Post Reply Quote Hogman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/17/2021 at 9:50pm
	NICE SC, REEEEAL NICE! I LIKE YOUR BEARING CLEARANCE "TOOL" TOO!!!! ALL UP AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED!!! ME
	Hogman

SC397 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Apr/30/2009 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 4986	Post Options Post Reply Quote SC397 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Jun/22/2021 at 11:25am
	Core Plug Install: This is the set of oil passage pipe plugs from the engine that I will reuse. The 2 shorter ones will go behind the timing set in the front of the block. I like to use the deep 1 1/2" core plugs for the coolant passages and I coat them all with a little RTV. I leave the core plug at the rear of the cam out until I install the timing set. I use a normal shallow 2 9/64" diameter one for that and install it with a little RTV as well. IMG_4822 by Rick Jones, on Flickr Edited by SC397 - Jun/30/2021 at 8:55am