DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

The pin 'C' clips are such a pain in the ar$e and even more fun when putting the last ones in on the engine. They fly faster than superman when mis-placed. Listen for where they hit the garage door is my motto..

Hate fitting the barrels/pistons etc.

I put the first side of the C rings in the pistons before assy but on the right side for final access, but I think you are now all buttoned - up?
I'll be interested to see how you torque the heads down.

Itching to get going on my 3.2 but still waiting for parts.

Remember I need a good detailed DIY guide to cam timing when you are ready please!

Checked right and left bank deck heights this morning...only 0.7 mm after all the work . I need at least 1 mm to be safe so will have to source some thicker base shims, or stack 3 standard ones prefer to minimise these though.

Good idea to fit one of each of the circlips prior to fitting pistons in bores ...why didn't I do that
Not anticipating any issues with torquing the heads...

I promise a set of snaps of timing but I have to get those ruddy circlips in place succesfully first.

Head nuts:
I think there is a two-stage technique to pulling them down with a delay between torques. I see you have Time-Sert'd the block, so this may change things. It is about getting the right load at the end evenly that will not creep loose a touch.

You can buy the copper cylinder base gaskets in two thicknesses if that helps even things up to keep the carrier free of twist.
The Wayne Dempsey Rebuild Book gives all the height grades for everything, a fab book and one I will be following to the letter. Fed-up doing top end rebuilds!

I think this was the outcome of C ring coming out of it's groove.



Graham.

Sorted some 0.5 mm base joints today so thats the deck height addressed. Those circlips where really bugging me it seemed so inelegant to pry them in with pin nosed pliers not to mention the risk of losing them somewhere awkward. I did some googling and found tools from harley davidson and tomski racing . The tomski ones are available from pelican and seemed effective. However I wanted a cheaper option.

So an old gugeon pin and some off cuts of mild steel were pressed into service to make my interpretation. I made a guide to fit the bore of the old pin tightly and slide into the bore of the new ones smoothly, then I bored a piece of steel to the size of the gudgeon pin hole in the piston and cut away its end to clear the features on the sides of the JE pistons.

Now all I have to do is load the circlip into the steel ring by hand square it up in the bore with the insertion tool made from an old pin and some steel rod.

The clip is now captive and cannot spring out into the garage or engine.

Now simply locate the assembly over the piston hold the steel ring and sharply push the insertion tool through the ring, the circlip is carried forward perfectly into position with no cursing or blood.

Note the trials on an old piston

Chuffed with that result....

snaps of the deck height checks and the new tool.














andy

I love that fix!

Excellent tool.

Cool, thats one to remember.

A little more progress.
Lapping in and blue checking the valve set.



Setting up valve spring installed length ( good tip is to measure to the base cup edge then add the counter bore depth)

Made a tool to fit the stem oil seals without risking damage.




Valve install

Heads going on


Cam tower and spray bar cleaned and refitted




Should have it built up to the top end for the dreaded valve clearance check by next weekend, then maybe all apart again to re-machine the valve pockets. I really hope not though since this build is well understood and I,ve got 1.3 mm deck across both banks with relatively mild basic S cams.

Nice job.
Measure twice, torque-down once, comes to mind.

I'm getting my bits next weekend so will be on the same treadmill...
Must make one of those piston clip insertion tools unless you can be tempted to make me a set?
(please, and for a few others too I think)

usually I would be happy to knock up one of those for you ( and anyone else) but I'm really focused on getting this motor built after waiting so long so sorry but not this time

Happy to draw it up at work and pdf a sketch but bear in mind the slip ring will have to be filed or cut to match whater piston is being fitted .

Bit more progress tonite but I'll save the snaps till later in the week, suffice to say that sealing a motor isn't always about what gunge one uses to put it together. Having said that this one will probably leak like a sieve......

andy

no probs on the clip-into-the-piston tool, can make one at work. I thought you went to sleep with a lathe so could do one in your sleep!
I've just ordered a HUGE box of gaskets, brgs etc for my 3.2, but you will be done before i start.....

Bit more garage time, those chain housings were so far off flat..bit of time with my surface plate and some 400 grit.




And all fitted

Cam towers next, all perfectly clean and flat as where the cylinder heads tops. I use a 0.5 mm bead of 574 here around each hole and leak path so a really small amount , less is more...clean up any extruded sealer with q tips....





Cam gear and timing next.
I was asked about what I torque and when....Heads are left loose while I fit and torque the cam carrier, then I torque the heads to 30% and check the cams still fit and rotate freely. Final head torque to 100% and recheck cams fit..all perfect this time

andy

Looking good!
I was discussing head torque sequence today with a specialist.
He torques 17 lbft from centre out then to 28 from centre out then 28 again.

I've just started on the crank!

Did you use red loctite on your con rod bolt nuts?

Hi, very much the same sequence and load then

Yes loctite 270 .

HI Andy
you may just need to change the bottom LEFT, head barrel nut on each head for a 15mmXm10 so you can fit the lower spark plugs??

regards mike

Thanks Mike, good spot, I've never built a TP motor and didn't know to check, it looks like a plug , socket and extension will pass but I'll make sure. I've got some 10mm by 15 spanner size nuts available...that's why I'm only an apprentice

Just sealed up the cam carriers to chain boxes and trial fitted the sprockets to set up the relative depths..... and a bit of dress up fun........not that sort