Taking A Peak At What's Inside a B3

[muleskinner]

WILSON!!! Nice! write up! Thanks!!

[dalebwilson]

Hey Dale, I know this is probably asking to much but do you think you could do a write up of how you did what you did in a step by step kinda way? I really need to do this with my festiva but have never done anything like this. You make it sound easy but I know you need some knowledge of things to do this the right way. My festiva is in pretty nice condition for a 93 in Michigan. I want to keep it a while but my low compression and oil blow by will only get worse as I drive her. Just thought I would ask, never hurts to ask, right? Thanks, Jim

Jim, Here is the general proccedure written from memory. You will need new piston rings, head gasket, oil, filter and antifreeze.

1. Disconnect negative battery cable
2. Drain oil and antifreeze
3. Remove intake tube, VAF and all remaining vaccum hoses. 10mm socket
4. Remove valve cover. 10mm socket
5. Remove camshaft sprocket. First put a tie wrap around the timing belt to hold the belt tight to the sprocket. 14mm socket
6. Remove the 3 exhaust down pipe bolts. 14mm
7. Disconnect all sensors connected to the head. TPS, CPS, O2, main injector harness plug, temp sensor, fan switch, plug wires and grounds
8. Disconnect all radiator and heater hoses connected to the head
9. Remove the 10 cylinder head bolts. Start in the middle and work in a circular motion out to the ends. 12mm 13 point socket.
10. Lift the cylinder head off the engine block. The intake and exhaust manifold will still be attached to the head. (A little heavy)
11. Take a break and relax
12. Raise the car and place on jack stands
13. Remove the exhaust down pipe to the CAT. 17mm socket
14. Remove the oil pan. 10mm socket (a bunch of them)
15. If pickup tube is dirty, remove it and clean. 12mm socket
16. Remove connecting rod caps. Keep these and the rod bearings marked and separated for the corresponding cyclinder each are removed from. 12mm socket
17. Take a 1/2" x 18" long wooden dowel and ball peen hammer and tap the pistons and connecting rods upward out of the cylinders. Again, keep the pistons, rods, bearings and end caps marked and separated for the corresponding cylinders
18. Hone the cylinders per the video i sent you. Use plenty of oil on the honing stones and move rapidly up and down. Do not hone in one area but keep the hone in motion
19. *Important* Clean engine block, crank and oil pan thoroughly with purple power cleaner and hi pressure washer. Let dry and coat with WD-40 to prevent rust.
20. Remove piston rings from pistons and clean per the procedure in this article.
21. Install new pistons rings on pistons per the OEM instructions.
22. Coat pistons and rings with clean engine oil, use ring compressor and reinstall in each cylinder. ("F" toward front)
23. Coat rod bearings and crankshaft liberally with assembly lube and install rod caps. 12mm (follow haynes for torque spec)
24. Install pickup tube if removed and oil pan.
25. Thoroughly clean the cylinder head and engine block with brake cleaner and a razor blade. The mating surfaces have to be perfectly clean and dry prior to installing new head gasket.
26. Spray head gasket with copper spray and let tack up for 2 minutes.
27. Install head gasket and pay special attention to ensure it is aligned correctly.
28. Set cleaned cylinder head on engine block and drop in the 10 head bolts.
29. Run all head bolts down by hand and then torque to 40 FT LBS. Again, start in the center and work in a circular motion. Start in the center again and torque to 60 FT LBS in the same cirular motion. 12mm x 13 point socket
30. Take another break and relax for an hour
31. Check head bolt torque again and ensure it remains at 60 FT LBS
32. Install camshaft sprocket. It is keyed so you cannot install it wrong. Cut tie wrap after cam sprocket is secured. 14mm (follow haynes for torque spec)
33. Reinstall valve cover, intake tube, VAF, radiator and heater hoses and all remaing vacuum hoses and exhaust connections
34. Reconnect all sensors, plug wires and wiring harnesses
35. Fill with new oil, filter and antifreeze
36. Pull the EGI fusuble link, connect the negative battery cable and crank the engine over for 30 seconds. This primes the engine with oil but will not crank.
37. Reinstall the EGI fuse and crank the engine. Let idle until warm.
38. For the first 500 mile break in period, accelerate to 50 miles MPH and deccelerate to 30 MPH often. Do Not use cruise control and be sure to vary your speeds up and down.

[jimdigs]

Hey Dale, I know this is probably asking to much but do you think you could do a write up of how you did what you did in a step by step kinda way? I really need to do this with my festiva but have never done anything like this. You make it sound easy but I know you need some knowledge of things to do this the right way. My festiva is in pretty nice condition for a 93 in Michigan. I want to keep it a while but my low compression and oil blow by will only get worse as I drive her. Just thought I would ask, never hurts to ask, right? Thanks, Jim

[dalebwilson]

I don't know. The intent of the procedure was to reduce oil burning and improve compression.

[jason_]

None of that....just replaced rings, honed cylinders and put it back together with assembly lube.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sooo, how did you know for sure? Just a gut feeling? Or assumed it was good because of good "looking' bearings?

Just curious how your decis was made.

Sent from my rooted HTC Supersonic using Tapatalk 2 Pro

[dalebwilson]

None of that....just replaced rings, honed cylinders and put it back together with assembly lube.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jason_]

No I did not, I checked for rod play and looseness before I disassembled and there was none. I think rod bearings are only $30 dollars a set so not a bad idea to plasti gauge and change them. I have driven the car right at 1000 miles and it runs great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Did you measure journal squareness? Clock micrometer around and check if it's out of round...

Sent from my rooted HTC Supersonic using Tapatalk 2 Pro

[dalebwilson]

No I did not, I checked for rod play and looseness before I disassembled and there was none. I think rod bearings are only $30 dollars a set so not a bad idea to plasti gauge and change them. I have driven the car right at 1000 miles and it runs great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sc72]

Yes...they had no visible wear and cleaned up nicely. Used plenty of assembly lube and torqued them to spec.

Good morning, I have been following your thread and will follow your lead with this cheap in the chassis overhaul, in post #17 you mention reusing the rod bearings and since you say they looked good, great that's one less expense but I was wondering did you plastic gauge the bearings just for curiosity to see what the clearance was.

[dalebwilson]

How about the head? You just clean it up and reuse it as it was?
Im considering pulling mine now and re-ringing it. Motor is mixing oil/water but is quiet as a mouse running.

Yes....but here is something you can do in the interim if you are low on cash. Put the head on the bench with the valve seats facing up. Make sure the intake and exhaust valves are fully closed on 1 & 4. Poor water on those valves and come back in 30 minutes and see if the water is still there. Rotate the cam and repeat on 2&3. If water leaks through any of the valves, the head will have to be re-worked including valve lapping.

[jayber]

Im getting ready to do the same cheapo fix and hope for a similar outcome. Im just afraid of just cleaning up the head and throwing it back on with the old valves and such. Guess Ill gamble and see how it turns out.

[jayber]

How about the head? You just clean it up and reuse it as it was?
Im considering pulling mine now and re-ringing it. Motor is mixing oil/water but is quiet as a mouse running.

[jimdigs]

Thanks Dale, cool little video as well.

[dalebwilson]

Hey Dale, what did you do about the pick up tube, clean that as well or get a new one? Also, how do you "deglaze" the cylinders? Thanks, Jim

I soaked the pickup tube in Berryman's as well and blew it out with compressed air. Good as new.

Honing/deglazing tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtJAuDZXmiU

[jimdigs]

Hey Dale, what did you do about the pick up tube, clean that as well or get a new one? Also, how do you "deglaze" the cylinders? Thanks, Jim