Rebuilding my RB myself, any advice?

[DrMango]

Hey guys so I picked up my block yesterday and now I'm just waiting for the head to get finished at another shop. I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for a guy thats doing this for a first time? I have the RB engine manual and I'm going to start browsing it tonight to get a good idea of whats expected. Is there any things that you guys learned from previous experiences that I might not realise on my first time doing a rebuild on a bottom end?

ANY advice is good, even if I probably would know, because I don't lol

Thanks

Kyle

[mcfly]

use extreme caution when installing the oil squirters, assuming they are off doe to machining.

Plastigauge the journals twice, write them down and compare.

Don't bend any seals while installing them, use the right size drift or make a wooden circle the right size and knock them in.


Are you installing forged pistons at all, or aftermarket rods?

[Skym]

Good advice in above post.

I think you can lube oil seals on front, rear of crank. Helps to install without destroying seals. From memory, rear seal requires tapping into place.

[DrMango]

use extreme caution when installing the oil squirters, assuming they are off doe to machining.

Plastigauge the journals twice, write them down and compare.

Don't bend any seals while installing them, use the right size drift or make a wooden circle the right size and knock them in.


Are you installing forged pistons at all, or aftermarket rods?


The oil squirters are off. I will be doubly careful when putting them back in. They did look very fragile when I looked at them in the bag.

I had the machine shop go through the ACL bearings and fit everything on the crank. Everything is marked to which main they go with.

They are OEM pistons and rods which he already has fitted for me with the bearings for each rod determined already.

Should I go crazy with assembly lube on both sides of each bearing? What is the process there? They are tipple layer ACL race bearings or whatever

Do I need to soak anything with oil before I start rebuilding? Just something I heard before..

Are some seals very stubborn when going on? I will be taking my sweet time with this and I'll be very quick to ask questions before I get rammy. I have time to burn

Kyle

[DrMango]

Good advice in above post.

I think you can lube oil seals on front, rear of crank. Helps to install without destroying seals. From memory, rear seal requires tapping into place.

So I will have to give some good force no matter what I'm sure. I had a lot of fun getting the old seals out. I will cover them in oil before putting them on

Thanks Skym

Kyle

[mcfly]

I like to just use a small turkey baster and use regular non synthetic engine oil all over the bottom end. about a teaspoon in the cylinders as well. It's a subject for much debate but your engine is going to be using oil regardless to protect itself why not on assembly.

Before you fire the engine up crank it with cam angle sensor out so oil gets flowing. Also check that the oil pump has lube in it for initial start(most do from factory) and that the screws are loctited in place.

When you are putting the oil pan on do not forget the baffles or the oil pick pick up tube.

I'm sure more will come to mind through out the day.

[rb-racer]

Mcfly had posted this a while back. better then nothing at all

DIY RB26 Rebuild - GTRPWR Forums

[DrMango]

I like to just use a small turkey baster and use regular non synthetic engine oil all over the bottom end. about a teaspoon in the cylinders as well. It's a subject for much debate but your engine is going to be using oil regardless to protect itself why not on assembly.

Before you fire the engine up crank it with cam angle sensor out so oil gets flowing. Also check that the oil pump has lube in it for initial start(most do from factory) and that the screws are loctited in place.

When you are putting the oil pan on do not forget the baffles or the oil pick pick up tube.

I'm sure more will come to mind through out the day.

Any specific oils you guys recommend for the break in/assembly? You wouldnt even use assembly lube then, just the non syn oil?

How do I crank the engine with the cas?

The oil pump should get oil in it from just cranking the engine with the cas a few times shouldn't it? Then whats the best way to see if it recieved oil? I already checked the screws on the oil pump and they have loctite because it was super hard to get one to move(I re loctited it)
Do I loctite the screws that hold the pump on the block? Hell, do I loctite every screw in the engine?

I havent cleaned the oil pan yet but I will make sure its all together

Kyle

[DrMango]

Mcfly had posted this a while back. better then nothing at all

DIY RB26 Rebuild - GTRPWR Forums (http://gtrpwr.com/showthread.php?t=9)

Thats A LOT better than nothing. I was wonder what I would clean my head with. I cleaned the outside with brake clean carefully. I will be doing a bunch of the stuff

Kyle

[mcfly]

Sorry, crank the engine with the cas unhooked. that way the injectors wont fire. You don't have to loctite the pump mount bolts, you could if you wanted I suppose.

[DrMango]

Any specific oil you like? I don't need to pull the pump off to check if oil got in before I fire it up do it? Its brand new and if I prime with the CAS off like you said, that should cover my bases right?

Kyle

[Wedge]

Check this thread out from HybridZ great info and good pictures hope it helps !

Yves

RB Rebuild - HybridZ

[rb-racer]

awesome thread

You should use non senthetic, the first oil change will be dumped so soon it doesn't matter. You need to use crappy oil almost to bed the rings and clean the holes out.

Make sure you do plenty of oil changes, you will notice gassy oil up to 1000km or so. after that it should go away some. I stress the point, a lot of oil changes, filter to within 30 km.

[DrMango]

Ok so Ill do a change with filter within 30kms. then can I do a change at 300 or so?

Kyle

[mcfly]

30 km is a good idea
150 km too, filter not really needed at this one but its 6 dollars.

I would buy a bulk 5 gallon pail of non synthetic 5w30 and use it up in the first 1000km. You will find the oil gets gassy until the rings bed in nicely. I had a hell of a time bedding my darton sleeved block. Took forever but the compression is wonderful now.

[Rapier46]

I just wanna buy a built rb26... I would probably love to build it myself, but for a first timer, I would need guidance. Which I don't have

[DrMango]

30 km is a good idea
150 km too, filter not really needed at this one but its 6 dollars.

I would buy a bulk 5 gallon pail of non synthetic 5w30 and use it up in the first 1000km. You will find the oil gets gassy until the rings bed in nicely. I had a hell of a time bedding my darton sleeved block. Took forever but the compression is wonderful now.

Can I pick up a 5 gallon pail of oil from any random parts place like canadian tire?
So at this point I'm going to do changes at:
30kms filter too
150kms filter too
400kms
650kms
1000kms filter too

Does that seem like a good plan to go with?

Also since I have never installed a set of rings on pistons before, do you think its a bad idea to do so? Can I bend them easily? I might just have my friend do them for me if its that tough not to bend them

Kyle

[DrMango]

I just wanna buy a built rb26... I would probably love to build it myself, but for a first timer, I would need guidance. Which I don't have

If I was rebuilding a RB26 I likely wouldn't be doing this myself. Its just a RB20 and I'm doing a pretty basic rebuild so nothing is really that expensive to replace if I fuck something up..
A RB26 I wouldn't do a OEM rebuild.

Kyle

[j-ran]

30 km is a good idea
150 km too, filter not really needed at this one but its 6 dollars.

I would buy a bulk 5 gallon pail of non synthetic 5w30 and use it up in the first 1000km. You will find the oil gets gassy until the rings bed in nicely. I had a hell of a time bedding my darton sleeved block. Took forever but the compression is wonderful now.

Did you use that break-in method where you beat the shit out of it and it's supposed to seat the rings way better than conventional break in?

I remember you talking about it somewhere, I'd like to hear your personal take on it if you did use it.

[Funnygas]

Did you use that break-in method where you beat the shit out of it and it's supposed to seat the rings way better than conventional break in?

I remember you talking about it somewhere, I'd like to hear your personal take on it if you did use it.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
If this was used I would love to hear about it... I plan on using it myself.

[j-ran]

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
If this was used I would love to hear about it... I plan on using it myself.

yes, this is exactly what I am talking about.

[DrMango]

Anyone used this seemingly crazy method of break in yet? Im willing to try it

Kyle

[DrMango]

Ive been calling around to find a 5 gallon pail of oil and filters for the break in and Ive found 2 options.

5 gallons of Penzoil SAE 10 w 30 $74
5 gallons of Tubo brand SAE 10 w 30 $50

Is there going to be anything wrong with using the $50 turbo brand oil in a break in or do I need to spring the extra cash just to dump it back into a pail after 30 kms?

Kyle

[mcfly]

you are good to just use the cheap stuff. Our engines need some wear on the cylinder walls when you are bedding new rings. Even our Mercedes come with different oil from factory and they recommend we do not let people service their vehicle before the 15/20k km service interval. New synthetics do too good a job right off the bat.

Just some food for thought. Everyone has different opinions on engine break in.

[DrMango]

Thanks McFly. Ill just buy the cheap turbo brand stuff and the filters. I will be switching to my normal Mobile 1 5w50 after the 1000km break in without issues?

Kyle

[mcfly]

I would wait a bit longer, just do a few compression checks, one after 30km as a reference point. then check at oil changes after that.

[DrMango]

Ok. Will the compression tests usually level off at a certain point? Will it ever get to be lower numbers while it settles, or always gain till it levels off?

Kyle