Poking the B3?

[Safety Guy]

Gotcha. I think I understand now.

Karl

[blkfordsedan]

I've emailed a guy who may be able to help, and I'll look into the sonic testing, though being as it is a spare block, it will probably be cheaper to just tell them what the deal is and try a cylinder to see what happens.

Cheaper, yes, unless you ruin a good block! If you really want to know, sonic testing is the only sure & safe way. You can bore it, but you still won't know the finished wall thickness. Worst case....it works and they don't hit a water jacket...but, the remaining wall is so thin that it expands & contracts and won't hold a good ring seal. Plus, not all cylinders will be the same. I've had blocks that hit water on just one cylinder before at only +.030". I would really urge you to get the sonic test done.

[JPT]

I'm curious.

You seem to want more than a 1mm over bore. What did you have in mind for pistons?

[sketchman]

I've had blocks that hit water on just one cylinder before at only +.030". I would really urge you to get the sonic test done.

B3 blocks? If that's the case, I won't bother with any of it. No one brought up actual experience before this.

What did you have in mind for pistons?

A stock size OEM one, and that's all I'll say.

[sketchman]

Still no progress yet. What happened to running cars that look like junk for sale for cheap? I resorted to driving around with a buddy looking at junky car lots, and even a guy who constantly has neons for sale, and nothing is available for less than $1000. It's crazy. Almost resorted to buying a Talon TSI for $700. NICE car(leather and turbo) but no 2nd gear and the trans had been run dry once to the point that it locked up.

Getting frustrated.

[getnpsi]

http://morgantown.craigslist.org/cto/2239055774.html

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/2177613263.html

pssssst. dont search for festivas search for things that go into them. Unfortunately I've never been to the east coast so i dont know how far that guy is from you. Furthermore cars are not like women no higher power plops them down in arms reach.

[sketchman]

I have been searching within 125 miles for anything(not just Festivas) under $1k that runs. Missed 2 by a 1/2 hour, and one phone number no longer in service. The universe doesn't like me.

[sketchman]

Tiny development. The engine is out. I don't have a hoist and it was far cheaper to just "make one". I do have plenty of trees, and the winch was $30 at Wal-Mart.
Anyway, here's how we do it in the stix.

I know it's probably so light I could just man up and lift it out, but this was SOOO much easier.
And one of the cylinders.

[getnpsi]

Now put a reeses cup under the engine and set a trap

[sketchman]

Seems not one machine shop in the phone book does sonic testing. I expected this, but it's still annoying. Another problem here is that machine shops do mine work and they really don't give a flying kangaroo poo about the little guys. So, not only does the biggest shop in the area not do it, but he also doesn't care to offer any advice, and knows no one who does.

Sooo, I don't expect any good service from anyone around here. I'm probably not going to bother with boring it at all. This place bites.

[sketchman]

I was going to just throw this thing together with stock size parts to have transport, but turns out I was sent over-sized rings way back when I ordered them years ago. So, I tore it down some more and got a more accurate measurement of the #1 cylinder wall thickness. My wire method was off quite a bit. But, unless I have some factory goof block with extra thick cylinder walls, I have good news.

They aren't "at the limit" thin as was thought. In fact, if I could find another junker to drive for now, I would be calling today to have it bored for B6 pistons with no worries.

[getnpsi]

On some side by side reading, they created a new block going from the 1.6L to the b8/BP engines and it's only a 5mm jump in bore size. (78-83mm in this case) Sounds like you're asking for a lot
b3 is a 71.0 and the 1.6 is a 78.0mm size

Is it possible to find another oem piston thats "in between" and maybe lighter or higher/lower compression for a similar price? That would be ideal in case there were several b3 block castings and not everyone can copy. I don't build engines and dont have a book that can tell me all the dimensions of all circa 1990s pistons for import engines. A guy in a machine shop who does sneaky things daily might very well know how to pull this off mixing and matching parts.

[sketchman]

b3 is a 71.0 and the 1.6 is a 78.0mm size

Yep, I know. There is room for 3.5mm bigger on each side and then some. It may be a fluke. It may be that I found one part of the wall in one cylinder that is thicker than everywhere else. It may be a lot of things. I can tell you though, by my measurements, you can take it to a mind-blowingly "huge" bore using a stock piston on the stock rods, and be perfectly safe.

they created a new block going from the 1.6L to the b8/BP engines and it's only a 5mm jump in bore size.

Without knowing specifics, all that means is that they were being typically safe. They have to be safe. They are in big poo if they have to recall a zillion blocks because they didn't allow enough margin for error and some failed.

[FestYboy]

also the cylinder needs to have a minimum thickness to withstand the thrust and thermal loads that the piston puts on it and a .060 wall isn't gonna do it. and if you take a B3 to a B6 bore, you'll be WAY lower than that.... the thiner the wall, the more it'll expand under the heat.

[sketchman]

also the cylinder needs to have a minimum thickness to withstand the thrust and thermal loads that the piston puts on it and a .060 wall isn't gonna do it. and if you take a B3 to a B6 bore, you'll be WAY lower than that.... the thiner the wall, the more it'll expand under the heat.

I do understand that. There is plenty of room for B6 pistons while still being well in the safety zone. And as I know I just keep saying, if I can find another junker, I will prove it.