the REbuild thread
 

This is the documentation of my rebuild after I lost oil pressure, opened up the engine to replace the oil pump and instead discovered that one of my oil squirters had destroyed a piston, scratching a cylinder wall in the process. See carnage thread here.

As of right now, the head, rods, pistons, crank, oil pump, etc are off the block and I'm getting ready to take it to a machine shop Monday to find out what size pistons I end up needing.

Going to add double heavy valve springs, BE oil pump and one of those 949 harmonic dampers as I reassemble.

Things I'm wondering about:
1) Should I redo rod/main bearings because I have everything apart even if everything looks fine? This does seem like a good time to verify clearances are cool. I will feel kind of retarded if a spin a bearing 3 months from now and have to do this shit over again. Of course I will also feel retarded if I use the wrong size bearings or something and make things worse.
2) edit: nevermind, I see them
3) opinions on using "assembly lube" vs motor oil

Also, I learned a very valuable lesson about engine disassembly. GET AN IMPACT WRENCH. It turns hours of HNNNNGG into minutes of BRRRT.

edit: image upload is working again

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1448216490

Everything taken out and set aside for later reassembly.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1448216490

Still have to remove the bearings in the block, the head studs and the remaining oil squirters.

Welp, it's at the machinist now. Updates next week.

YAY

Assembly lube = YES.

I did all my engine stuff with hand tools. I didn't want to much up threads or do something stupid hamfisting it with impact shenanigans. That's an excuse for me not having any powered tools other than an angle grinder.

My impact wrench never leaves the lefty loosey setting. Thats just asking for me to break something.

I had no success removing pistons with an angle grinder. I just didn't want to say anything because I didn't want Fae to laugh at me.

edit: valuable lesson learned, always go talk to the machinist in person. Explaining over the phone was a train wreck. In person, everything made sense and he could just show me what he was talking about.

New plan:
1) Rough bore to see how deep the scratch is, then he'll tell me the new size so I know what size pistons to get.
2) Looks like there are little ridges around the edges of the main bearing surfaces, which he wants to bore hone away so that the little ridges don't collapse after I put the bearings in and change my clearances or let the bearings settle at an angle. He said that if I wanted to switch to arp main studs, he'll do it after I get them in.

So that's pretty much it for the next week or so.

Just heard back and 84.5mm pistons and ARP main studs shall be ordered. I'm going to bring by my crankshaft to have it miced and then order bearings as well.

I have double heavy valve springs and a set of valve seals on the way already. I'm going to drop the 99 head off for a rebuilding as soon as it all arrives.

So it's looking like I should have everything (give or take pistons... edit: ooh nevermind, looks like wisecos sometime next week) ready to reassemble by the end of the month.

are you keeping oil squirters or ditching them? curious

Ditching them as soon as I find a fastener of the appropriate length to plug the hole.

They're a bandaid for running cast pistons with a turbo on a low boost setup. I just don't see the benefit to keeping them. I'm open to counter-arguments but the topic has pretty much been done to death with nearly everyone reporting improvements in oil temps, oil consumption and oil pressure. Add in the ability to torque them down a bit harder without breaking anything, and it seems like a non-brainer given the cause of this rebuild.

i'm stuck with mine in, i hadnt thought of it during my build :\

i thought a benefit was a cooler piston which might help further prevent detonation. As far as oil temps, I think an oil cooler is in my future, but oil pressure wouldn't really be that big a concern if upgrading a pump w/ shim

Eh, I wouldn't stress over it, since my car was fine for over 10 years with them and I never noticed the problems others have complained about. Unless yours fall out, it will probably never be an issue. I still have no idea why one of mine came out after so long. With me upgrading the oil pump anyway, it's probably massive overkill to seal the sprayers.

:party: Copper crush washers.

I already have copper crush washers. I am probably going to get some 10x1.25x20mm fasteners and grind them down to 10mm.

84.5mm wisecos on the way.
ARP mains on the way.

edit: ooh, wife called- double heavy valve springs just arrived.

Head got finished in like 2 days. Wooo!
Pistons got drop shipped to the wrong address. Fuuuuu.

TTIWWOP of parts, cats, wife

You aren't getting wife or cat pics. Have a picture of a dog sitting next to a cylinder head instead. BTW, the quick reply function is broken. https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1450803576

That's a weird looking cat