Poking the B3?

[sketchman]

I did search, and yes I know, "Don't bother. Swap in a Bx." For all intents and purposes, let's say that isn't an option. Really, let's say that. Seriously, it really really isn't. Just want to be quite clear.

My B3 is dead. Finally popped this morning coming home from work after running for who knows how long with near no compression. Pretty soon, the body of the car will be 100% rust with custom bubble paint over it. This will be a spare engine VERY soon, so I'd like to do something "interesting" with it.

Sooooo. Has anyone bothered boring the B3, and if so/not, has anyone measured the amount of metal one has to work with if one wanted to do it? I'll be tearing into it this week, so I'll know for sure then, but I am curious if anyone else already knows.

[TominMO]

Read this:

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25938&highlight=engine+bore+stroke

[sketchman]

^I did find threads like that and read that exact one actually, but the only definite answer in there is that the blocks are cast to be the displacement they are running with from the factory(which no proof was offered of). No one actually took the time to see if it could be done(as far as I could see), and the fact that blocks are cast to be a certain bore size doesn't really mean they can't be bored bigger. Happens all the time.

I'm looking for something like, "I pulled the head and measured things and blah blah blah." That's what I'm going to do. I don't much go for opinions when perfectly legitimate specs can be gotten.

[iceracerdude]

Well, it's pretty simple Mr. "A bx is simply out of the question!" Just go to a place where you will buy the pistons and rings and find out "how much over sized" the pistons and rings option out for your "little" project!
That's what you were thinking of doing right, Something like 60 over right?
I've just got to ask...do you have a hone, a ridge reamer, a ring compressor, 2 torque wrenches, a gasket scraper, bore gauges, and a valve spring compressor?
Ask me how I know about those tools...

[sketchman]

That's what you were thinking of doing right, Something like 60 over right?

Not quite.

I've just got to ask...do you have a hone, a ridge reamer, a ring compressor, 2 torque wrenches, a gasket scraper, bore gauges, and a valve spring compressor?

Yes, I do, OR have access to the ones I don't have.

[Pu241]

Iceracerdude, LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Priceless!!!!!

One vote for best post of the day!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FestYboy]

the B3 doesn't have the cyl wall thickness cast into it to allow for anything over +.030" without severly weakening the walls and thus making it a ticking time bomb. If i were you, i would look into a +.020" piston and then offset grind the crank with oversize rod bearings to add stroke. doing so may require custom pistons to give proper clearance and quench.

[sasquatch]

b6?

[DrMaxwellEdison]

I was just ordering new rings and stuff, have never seen oversized rings or w/e listed for the engine....

[FestYboy]

you would order uncut rings and cut to fit.

[FestYboy]

b6?

if you read the first post, that isn't an option.

[sketchman]

b6?

If you mean B6 pistons, bingo. Look at the difference between a B3 head gasket and a B6 one. Then read Wikipedia's description of the B6 and you'll see why I'm so curious about this. I'm not saying Wikipedia is THE authority on the Bs, but the way the gasket looks and what the Wiki says seems to agree.

[FestYboy]

sketch, B6 pistons are NOT an option in a B3. if you were to bore a B3 block to accept a B6 piston, you would cut into the water jackets and ruin the block.

[blitzbuggy]

watch out for piston slap if you go to big on over-sized rings!

[FestYboy]

^what!?!? ummm NO.