2.5 engine reassembly help

[tony2fingers]

Hi all,
I'm trying to put together my 2.5 block i got used. Long story short, some @**hole sold me a short block saying its was all good, but found out after i installed all the accesries and torqued down the head, that the ims bearing and shaft was bad. I had to crack the block to replace the shaft. Im using the manual i download from cannell websight for step by step instructions. I have a machine shop so some of the special tool needed i made on my owne. I put the cylinder 1-3 in fine, sealed up the block and im trying to install the cylinder 6 piston to the connecting rod, but im having a hard time getting the piston to line up with the rod. i made the alignment rod that you insert through the block, but when i pull it back out to get the piston to drop in, it gets very hard almost impossible to align the piston hole to the rod opening. any advice from someone who has done this before (pulled out pistons and reinstalled sucessfully) would greatly help. BTW i do have the engine in the proper up position for cyl 4-6 installation) If it is possible to do without buying the special alignment tool, please let me know.

I also need to time the cams,(after i figure out how to install the 4-6 cyls of course) and if you know if thats possible to do without a special alocation tool also. there has to be some trick someone has figured out or some kind of simple tool i can make myself.
from what i read, it seems like the tool just advances or retards the cams to align the marks under tentions.

thanks in advance for the help.

FYI if you need complete manuals for everything from teardown to electrical for boxster and other porsches go to this sight for downloads. very helpfull, much better than the bently's and it free.

http://www.cannell.co.uk/Manuals.htm

[70Sixter]

Check YouTube. There are some teardond/reassembly videos, not sure about 2.5.

Someone posted that Jake Raby has some there, but I've not seen them yet.

Good luck!

[Jake Raby]

I haven't released any engine reassembly videos..

Why was the IMS seized?? Did you pull all 3 tensioners before you pulled the heads?

The tool is necessary to reassemble the engine and set cam timing..

[Jake Raby]

BTW, The ONLY way to keep the rod aligned in the center of the bore during 4-6 bank piston installation is to use gravity as your aid...

Meaning roll the engine so a level can be perfectly centered on the 1-3 cylinder bank.. When you get the engine absolutely level with the 4-6 bank of cylinders facing the deck the rods on all 3 cylinders will be centered in the bores.

Once you achieve this you can use the alignment tool to center the rods with the pistons and the passages in the block.. When the tool is removed the rod and piston will stay in place.

Then insert the wrist pin.. Then the fun begins.

See it all illustrated here:
http://www.flat6innovations.com/engine-assembly

This isn't like any other engine on the planet.. It'll kick the ass of even the best.

[tony2fingers]

Jake, thanks for the quick reply. The ims was just trash when i got around to looking at it. dont know the reason, but most likey the same reasons that they all go bad i guess. not enought oil and poor design. Just my bad luck that i found out about it after i got the heads and everything on and couldnt get the rough timing in since the ims was slipping btween the sprockets.
Yes, i pulled all three tentioners before i started work on it. I made this post before i checked out your websight and after reading up and looking at the install steps you have pictured, i think i can wiggle my way in. the note about using gravity is very usefull.
Just a shame that you have to spend over a grand in tools to get it assembled correctly though. i may just take it to a shop like yours and pay to have them assembled. thanks

[tony2fingers]

Jake, one question about the chain tentioner tool. It seems to me that the tool positions the exhaust cam so that the flat keyway on the end of the cam lines up the edges of the cover/head gap when the motor is locked in Cyl #1 TDC and all tentioners set tight to prevent slack.
Am i correct in assuming that the tool just moves it to a certain position when all other variables are in a known locked position?

[Jake Raby]

Originally Posted by tony2fingers

Jake, thanks for the quick reply. The ims was just trash when i got around to looking at it. dont know the reason, but most likey the same reasons that they all go bad i guess. not enought oil and poor design. Just my bad luck that i found out about it after i got the heads and everything on and couldnt get the rough timing in since the ims was slipping btween the sprockets.
Yes, i pulled all three tentioners before i started work on it. I made this post before i checked out your websight and after reading up and looking at the install steps you have pictured, i think i can wiggle my way in. the note about using gravity is very usefull.
Just a shame that you have to spend over a grand in tools to get it assembled correctly though. i may just take it to a shop like yours and pay to have them assembled. thanks

Few Porsche shops have correctly assembled these engines .. You can count on both hands how many people in this country have done complete builds without having issues with them, including dealerships..

We rent the assembly tools and will be providing them with our rebuild/ update kit program soon.

To answer your qquestion, the tool is NECESSARY to set the cam timing as the positions of the cams changes when torquing the units into place.. You cannot just eyeball it and hope for the best, its not that simple.

I have done this without tools, using the split overlap method of degreeing the camshafts, to do this you'll need some experience, a degree wheel and a dial indicator.

DO NOT reinstall that IMS without upgrading it's bearing or the entire shaft.. Doing so when you are so close to the assembly is just not smart and you'll pay the price when you become a statistic...

The IMS issue is not as much of a design issue as a material and application issue. We have the retrofit bearing you need.

[Cloudsurfer]

While it doesn't seem like the tool does much (if you follow camshaft allocation properly, and drop the cams in correctly, you'll look at it and say "man, I'm spot on," but then you grab the factory timing tool, and though you can't see it by just "eying it up," you're not quite on the money), I really don't see how you could do it without. Unless you have the dial indicator and know how to use it, you're not going to get this right without the factory tool.

Jake- I'm going to have to drop you an email in a week or two regarding timing a Variocam Plus engine....

[turbotruck1]

Jake, I am interested in renting the piston wring pin tool and the timing chain tool. How would I go about doing so?

We rent the assembly tools and will be providing them with our rebuild/ update kit program soon.