Is it really that Hard?

ChevyMan4x4

You guys make this piston ring thing out to be impossible I was alway taught you learn by example..... I have a book to walk me through it? I just needed some advice and the engine in question is in a 84 Old's Delta 88

Jstas

GAH! A boat anchor for a Land Yacht for sure!

Yes, for a novice it is a difficult task. It took me 3.5 months to figure out how to put the first engine I took apart back together. I was sure glad I had another car because it laid the car I took the engine out of up for the same amount of time.

Nobody is saying that you shouldn't try it. All anybody is saying is if this is your daily driver and you rely on it to get places, don't do it yourself unless you feel like bumming rides and pissing off friends, family and neighbors for months. I promise you though that even with a book, it's going to take a long time. Especially if you have never seen the inside of an engine.

Other things to consider. You will most likely need machine work. That means that the heads and engine are going to a machine shop where they can be for weeks before they can even get a chance to get to them. Also, during reassembly, there are many extremely important measurments that need to be taken. You will also need to lube every single metal to metal surface in teh engine during re-assmebly. There is you timing kit that you will ned to get right otherwise the engine won't run. You will need to set teh carb up for the new engine too unless you change nothing on it. Either way, it's still going to need a tune up. You will need to replace all the gaskets and gap and probably file your new rings. The bores will have to be honed for the new rings. You can do that yourself but you need a special apparatus.

Oh yeah, extra tools I forgot to mention, you will need an engine crane and an engine stand. At least 400-450 bucks right there and you can't get by without them.

Really dude, unless you are planning to get heavy into cars, this is not a job for your average backyard mechanic. If you rely on the car, take it to a shop that can do the work for you. If you don't and you want to try to tackle it, go ahead but it's going to take a while.

PoweredByDodge

... u want a boat anchor? 1976 Cadillac Sedan Deville with the 500 cid BOAT ANCHOR FROM HELL.

only does 175 horse or some **** **** weak amount like that stock.

but... i've several people tell me, even show me, that with the proper retuning, and basically gutting and rebuilding the engine from scratch with better seals, boring it out and doing new larger pistons... with two of the stock rochester carbs it'll do over 400 horse. for that reason... i leave it in the garage until we get time to deal with it.