Rosie's return to glory

[378S2]

You’re in to some satisfying work now, cool! I’d post you the spark-plug-gas-omatic but if you have a welder now then you’ll be able to build one much quicker than I can get it to you.

Where did you get your Turbo rebuild kit from? My compressor is slightly damaged, so will need a rebuild at some point. I’ve been considering one or more of the following options, but quality is more important than price on parts for a job like that:

[HJ2]

Problem after fitting a new compressor is that the shaft assembly needs to be dynamically balanced. Not a job for in the shed i'm afraid...

[378S2]

Ah yes, that makes sense. So you’d recommend I do the cleanup and then give to a shop to do the reassembly?

[HJ2]

Why not post a picture of the compressor wheel damage first?

What I reccomend depends a little on your rebuild skills.
Anything is possible. You could do the rebuild and bring the shaft assembly to a shop that is able to dynamically balance it
After that you can do the rest. But probably it is economically just as interesting to let them do the lot.

If you don't need a new compressor wheel and you marked the relative position of shaft vs. compressor wheel, then it is very well possible to do everything yourself and save a lot of money.

Choices choices!

[378S2]

Done - I’ll put it on the Steve thread so I don’t crash Matt’s party.

[TorqueHorse]

Party time!

Where did you get your Turbo rebuild kit from?... quality is more important than price on parts for a job like that.

Err, I only got a bearing kit (like your first option) and just went with el cheapo ebay special. Blades on compressor and turbine wheel look good (compared to yours) when I took them off. I'm even thinking of reusing many of the original pieces. and just replacing the bearings, circlips and oilseals from the new kit.

[dapinky]

When I did mine I was fortunate in that I managed with 'just' the bearing/seal kit as per the first picture.....

.... my compressor was good enough to re-use, so I could scribe and rebuild it at home.

I have to say, though, that if I'd seen the new compressor wheel at the time I'd have changed it for the hell of it.

We've spoken previously about the Holden units, and I'm still of the opinion that the centre cartridge *should* be okay to use, with the Lotus end bits.... but I don't know if the compressor ratios are the same. It is certainly an option, but would need someone to try it

[HJ2]

:bananasex: Party time!

Where did you get your Turbo rebuild kit from?... quality is more important than price on parts for a job like that.

Err, I only got a bearing kit (like your first option) and just went with el cheapo ebay special. Blades on compressor and turbine wheel look good (compared to yours) when I took them off. I'm even thinking of reusing many of the original pieces. and just replacing the bearings, circlips and oilseals from the new kit.

As did I!

[378S2]

It is certainly an option, but would need someone to try it

Why do I feel as though you’re all looking at me just because I live in Holden land?

[378S2]

You’ve been upgraded to Major Projects! Seems reasonable given you’re rebuilding around the key ring.

PS I’ve ordered one of the Holden Turbos - I’ll let you know how it works out.

[TorqueHorse]

PS I’ve ordered one of the Holden Turbos - I’ll let you know how it works out.

Wow! Well at those prices you previously posted, why not get a whole turbo if it is only pocket change* above the cost of an unbalanced compressor wheel?!
*Lest I be accused of having extremely deep pockets, I know 50AUD isn't pocket change, just relative hyperbole

Since you are going whole hog, you won't need many of the rebuilding tips, but if you do, the guide is very helpful! The only things I would add to it are the following:
I labeled the photo of bits, to match the key of the diagram in the rebuild guide, so that I could actually understand what was what in the kit I had gotten (I didn't know that oil seals could be split metal rings, so I thought they were missing for the longest time )


When you are marking your compressor and turbine wheels relative locations, I found using the cast marks on the housing as helpful references that I eyeball from either side (since it is very hard to see both wheels at the same time). I think the turbine side is easier to start with since it has an integral end 'nut' that has some directional marks to get you in the ball park, then pick your blade to line up, then (holding everything still) you can mark your spot on the compressor wheel, relative to the housing cast marks on the other side.

Stray spatter dot at 12' from my welding attempts to remove the studs made the perfect temporary indicator


sorry, bad photo of this side


I ended up having to use a rubber mallet to get my piston with oil seals to pop into the sealing plate - hand pressure wasn't cutting it. You know it is seated correctly when it can spin freely inside the plate.

When you are putting the wastegate capsule back on to the compressor housing, I found it helpful to reattach the hose first, then the actuator rod to the wastegate pivot, and then bolt the thing down to the housing. Hoses on after it was bolted down was too hard.

Also, some other tidbits for anyone curious
I used these for porting grinding stones, and I got two of them (which was prudent since the first one broke, right before the end).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074BJ5QBB

I used a graphite spray to spruce up the outside of the cast iron. Saw it on a youtube and I'm trying it out.

I used coppereze on all the threaded mechanical fasteners, because getting them off the first time was hard enough.

I used hylomar blue as the sealant, which was helpful since even though I was following directions, I still managed to put the sealing plate on backwards and had to pull it out and flip it - but the sealant still sealed.

All Done!

[HJ2]

We are awaiting the results from the first test drive
Top job!

[TorqueHorse]

Getting to the bottom of things

Finally got the head off. I'm actually relatively pleased, since now things are becoming a bit clearer. One massive coolant blockage. Not seeing any obvious breaks in the head gasket, the head, the block, and even the piston heads look good. The supposed FOD from before was really just crap that was in there. Lots and lots of cleaning ahead.

So many bits of oil sludge, no wonder the lifters were noisy


The state of the water pump should have clued me in to what lay ahead


Head finally off!


Block looking decent


Not cool brah, not cool



So happy I pulled the head off instead just trying to clean the lifters

[TorqueHorse]

Ha, ok scratch all that. Apparently there is a hole in the block, but not the head for that coolant. Very weird, but I'm sure it has been covered before on the many head gasket threads and I just missed it. Well anyways, still happy its off so I can clean all this crap regardless.

[378S2]

I don’t know if I am experiencing FOMO or schadenfreude but I wish I had a spare 4XE1 so that I could take it apart. Keep the photos coming and good luck with the rebuild.

[Saltire]

TorqueHorse: Looks about the same as mine was last year; quite a bit of cleaning, but no actual damage. Good to have the peace of mind which comes from dismantling. Make sure you check the valve stems really carefully; all my valve heads were in good condition, but some of the exhaust valve stems were rusted and not running smoothly in the guides. Bit of Emery cloth soon sorted that out, though, and the cleaned up lifters means there’s no trace of clatter when it starts up

I don’t know if I am experiencing FOMO or schadenfreude but I wish I had a spare 4XE1 so that I could take it apart. Keep the photos coming and good luck with the rebuild.

Perhaps we should organise an LEC photo library, with sub sections for engine, hood (as in cockpit covering, not bonnet) etc. There used to be a lot on the Wiki, but with the demise of PhotoBucket, many have disappeared

[HJ2]

That pump!

[Simon_P]

I used coppereze on all the threaded mechanical fasteners, because getting them off the first time was hard enough.

they are designed not to be undone. The nut is a special locknut that jams in the thread when you try to undo it.

[TorqueHorse]

Clean, clean, and clean again
as someone told me at the beginning of this. Paint stripper gel is my go-to now for softening/removing gaskets and carbon deposits.

Block and pistons were predictably dirty, but all these coolant deposits were just gross. As mentioned before, I don't know why there is even a hole in the block here. I'm thinking of filling it with JB weld extreme temp epoxy.


Throttle was filthy


But cleaned that up


Intake plenum common chamber was filthy


And 2 cans of carb cleaner and lots of paint stripper gel, cleaned that up too. Exhaust gas return channel had 1/2cm of build up at least. The lower intake manifold was about the same.


Had to improvise to remove the valves


They were filthy too (but all straight, free of cracks, pitting, or noticeable rust!)


Cleaned them up (left) and lapped them (right)


Top of combustion chamber was filthy


And cleaned that up too, while lapping


And cleaned the pistons and the outside of the block while I was at it.


And finally getting to the HVL's too


Cleaned and rebuilt (left), old (right). Using some simple green/water mix in my ultrasonic cleaner with the heat on. 4 hours of soaking and 30 min of sonic seems to work.


Exhaust side valve lapping and HVL's done, hoping to finish intake side stuff this week. Dare I hope to start rebuilding by the end of the month?

[par]

Some great work going on here.

It has been decades since I lapped valves, seriously tedious but rewarding at the same time