**UPDATED** 1991 Rev 1 (Beastly V6 1MZ-FE VVTI) **UPDATED**

[KarlBristol]

There has been progress on the engine these past few days


Peter has been rebuilding the heads. They are now both completed and the processes have been pictured on one of them below:











Its looking good

[KarlBristol]

Had my new sound deadening delivered today so that I can do the doors when I get the car back. It is self adhesive black butyl/mastic based rubber solid with 3mm aluminium constraint layer. I've read some really good write ups about this particular one so fingers crossed it does the trick.

Unfortunately the eBay company I used sent me just over half of what I actually paid for. Needless to say I am discussing the situation with them and there should be more on-route to me shortly

Anyway here it is:

[KarlBristol]

Here is the latest heads update:

[KarlBristol]

Yesterday Peter cracked on with the engine build and managed to finish prepping and cleaning the pistons and block surfaces.

Here are the new headgaskets:



All fitted and the heads on



The build is continuing today and Peter is fitting the cams and continuing with the re-build

[pistol pete]

Looking good

[KarlBristol]

Thanks - I agree. It's coming along nicely

Here's the latest of the engine overhaul. Here it is ready for the belts:



Re-fitting the cams and ensuring the timing marks are lined up

[Conan]

Tap, tap, tap... C'MON!!!!!!!! Finish already!!!!!!!!

Looks such a beast of an engine that! Can't wait for you to get her back... hopefully before my 5-year old goes to Uni... Lol

[KarlBristol]

It certainly is a beasty engine, I can't wait to hear it starting up and it's certainly going to be an experience driving an SW23 with one of those in there Don't worry it should be done before he is in Uni

Latest progress is that the Cambelt is now fitted, followed by the Cambelt cover





I can't wait to see the engine bay cleaned up and the huge lump lowered in there. Every time I see a picture of this engine it seems bigger

[moscoworbust]

Why is this taking so long to do?

Good project, shame it's taking so long.

Must be frustrating.

[slipping clutch]

Why is this taking so long to do?

Good project, shame it's taking so long.

Must be frustrating.

Quality work sets its own timeframe.

[craig]

Why is this taking so long to do?

Good project, shame it's taking so long.

Must be frustrating.

Quality work sets its own timeframe.

^What he said.

[rev3turbo]

[moscoworbust]

Why is this taking so long to do?

Good project, shame it's taking so long.

Must be frustrating.

Quality work sets its own timeframe.

Well, thanks for being facetious but i was interested as I'm looking to build an engine and wondering what would be the hold up. Sending the heads away to be skimmed? etc.

[craig]

Why is this taking so long to do?

Good project, shame it's taking so long.

Must be frustrating.

Quality work sets its own timeframe.

Well, thanks for being facetious but i was interested as I'm looking to build an engine and wondering what would be the hold up. Sending the heads away to be skimmed? etc.

He wasn't being facetious. Quality work does take time. It was a serious answer.

Engine's coming along nicely Karl.

[Peter Gidden]

Quality work sets its own timeframe.

Well, thanks for being facetious but i was interested as I'm looking to build an engine and wondering what would be the hold up. Sending the heads away to be skimmed? etc.

He wasn't being facetious. Quality work does take time. It was a serious answer.

Not only time in doing the work, but also sourcing the necessary parts.

I could just spend £000s and fully recondition it. Not an intelligent solution from an engineering point of view. So instead each part of the engine e.g. bearings, bores etc. is being inspected and measured, and parts ordered as necessary. Result is engine overhauled properly, and minimum cost to customer.

I'm also very fussy about parts. Branded only, and from aprroved suppliers only. Ebay is full of fake crap, which i will not buy. I then have to wait for delivery of said parts.

So far, i've sourced parts from not only the UK, but Canada, Pensylvania and California.

So to answer your question simply, it takes time to do a professional job keeping the costs to a necessary minimum. But then i think others have said that already.

[KarlBristol]

In relation to the above comments there is no set time to complete an engine build. Obviously the longer that is spent working on an engine the better the finish, durability and general performance will be. It's like anything, more time and love lavished on something the better the quality will be.

One of the reasons I chose Peter was his attention to detail and his levels of finish. If you just want to switch an engine over to another car that could easily be done in less than a week. This is a strip down and rebuild with new parts thrown in the mix so its taking a little longer.

In relation to the heads in particular, they did have to be skimmed and that did take some time. The main delay however was the fact that the non VVTI headgaskets had been delivered which was of no use to this build. We are only using genuine parts and the VVTI gaskets had to be ordered and flown into the country which did take some time.


Since the last update the following has been done:

- Sump, upper and lower, both fitted
- Upper inlet manifold and fuel rails stripped of all parts
- Upper and lower inlet manifolds, and fuel rails gone for vapour blasting
- All parts removed from manifold, e.g. injectors, solenoid valves cleaned and checked
- The alternator and associated parts cleaned and fitted with a custom length belt as I have no air con or PAS to attach to it
- First cam cover fully cleaned and prepped by hand. Etch primed, base coated and lacquered
- Tie bars removed from sub frame and ready for unseizing

Anyway enough talking, here are some photos:







Probably more good photos to come over the next few days

[slipping clutch]

Why is this taking so long to do?

Good project, shame it's taking so long.

Must be frustrating.

Quality work sets its own timeframe.

Well, thanks for being facetious but i was interested as I'm looking to build an engine and wondering what would be the hold up. Sending the heads away to be skimmed? etc.

I wasn't intending to be facetious - sorry you took it that way, however reading your reply to my comment may I suggest a different approach to your questions in the future - hopefully my comments may not be regarded as "facetious" in the future - ask most people on here and they will tell you that if I can help I will.

[KarlBristol]

Well there's been a lot of good progress recently - it's coming on in leaps and bounds!!

Peter finished off the two cam covers yesterday and fitted them:



He also did some work to march in as well:



New iridium spark plugs got fitted:



Today it has moved on even further as the engine got lifted off of the stand, and the new flywheel, clutch, gearbox and associated parts all got fitted. The clutch slave cylinder and starter motor also got attached:

New clutch parts



Clutch fitted



All fitted with the new gearbox as well



It's looking like a proper little beast now. God knows how it can be tyre levered in the engine bay lol. Well chuffed

[Magic Beans]

It's all the little touches which make the end results worth waiting for

You've yet to see the *biased opinion coming* piece de resistance yet too

[ashley]

Excellent progress....I hope you're keeping the pressure on to finish, there's a queue you know



Can't wait to see this one done- s'gonna be a beauty