986 3.2 home engine rebuild

[Jgkram]

You’re setting a really high bar with your excellent attention to detail. I’m really curious to know how you got everything so clean on your suspension rebuild. I assume everything wasn’t replaced, was it? It just looks so good.

[bg305]

Originally Posted by Jgkram

You’re setting a really high bar with your excellent attention to detail. I’m really curious to know how you got everything so clean on your suspension rebuild. I assume everything wasn’t replaced, was it? It just looks so good.

agreed, it looks like a new car right off the line. kudos sir!

[bg305]

Here is what my chain guides looked like, maybe a bit less worn then yours but in the ballpark. My deviation on b2 was -9.27, I forget B1 but it was in spec (guides were worn the same as B2 though). Now my deviations are both ~1 degree



The other side w/o the oil holes were fine, both banks were like this.

When you put it back together note that the guides with the holes (and the o-ring) are put on the right sides of the tensioner. For B1 the the guide with the holes is on the "lower" side (away from the solenoid) and on b2 it is the "upper" (same as solenoid) as I recall.

[OldManMo]

Originally Posted by bg305

Here is what my chain guides looked like, maybe a bit less worn then yours but in the ballpark. My deviation on b2 was -9.27, I forget B1 but it was in spec (guides were worn the same as B2 though). Now my deviations are both ~1 degree



The other side w/o the oil holes were fine, both banks were like this.

When you put it back together note that the guides with the holes (and the o-ring) are put on the right sides of the tensioner. For B1 the the guide with the holes is on the "lower" side (away from the solenoid) and on b2 it is the "upper" (same as solenoid) as I recall.

Good shout about the holes, it would have been an easy (and impacting) mistake to make.

thanks for the heads up, very valuable info

[OldManMo]

So next up is splitting the two halves of the bottom end. First remove the sump and all looks ok, yellowing at the cylinders as expected but all looked ok.



Ah, tiny piece of black plastic on the filter



the more we go into the strip down the more I believe there is an oil way blockage or restriction due to debris. Will explain in later posts

[OldManMo]

So one thing to share with anyone who is thinking of doing a rebuild, no matter how much you think you have drained the oil, you havent and loads more than you ever expected will continue to come out.

When I removed the oil level sensor over 500ml, which I was able to catch after it went over me, my son, the floor, the engine stand, basically everywhere of the darkest, smelliest, blackest oil came out

Left is the oil when I drained the engine and right is the oil that came out of the oil level sender hole and it stinks, not just of fuel, but something else I cannot figure out. Dont have smellavision unfortunately

[OldManMo]

After a million screws and gentle prying I got the first half off and could see the bores totally an the pistons and wow...





Totally crud all over them. I suspect valve stems were leaking but also rings where stuck on two of three especially the bottom control ring. other rings looked far too big as the gap was huge

Luckily the pistons cleaned up nice





Bank 2's pistons were in no better shape

[OldManMo]

Originally Posted by Jgkram

You’re setting a really high bar with your excellent attention to detail. I’m really curious to know how you got everything so clean on your suspension rebuild. I assume everything wasn’t replaced, was it? It just looks so good.

Actually, all the suspension/brakes were replaced with new, except for the callipers which I stripped and refurbed with all new parts and the wheel carrier which I bead blasted clean. So that is:

Coils, dampeners, handbrake cables, all handbrake components, discs, pads, shoes, sensors, all suspension arms, bushes, brake shields, speeds sensors, heat shield, cat converters, O2 sensors, gear shift cables, all (I think) mounting brackets (plastic and metal) and every nut, washer and bolt.







The only parts I didn't replace with new are the diagonal braces (they were in good condition and needed a clean), anti roll bar and the diamond brace. .The rear sub frame did need to be replaced as the roll bar bracket bolts snapped and they could not be tapped out (photo) but I was soooo lucky as I found two NOS items that were only £60 each instead of £800 each