Editing How to rebuild an engine

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== Summary ==
'''You can edit this page right now'''. Just click the "edit" link to the right of any subsection.

== Requirements ==

=== Tools and work area ===

'''What tools are needed?'''

You will need a basic set of hand tools, such as a good variety of bexed end wrenches,ratchet and socket set, screwdriver set, and a gasket scraper. This basic set of tools will get you through the majority of the disassembly steps.

You will need a few special tools when it comes time to build or reassemble the engine. A torque wrench, Plastigauge [http://www.plastigauge.co.uk/],and a cam bearing installing tool (unless machine shop installs cam bearings). Also you may need a ridge reamer, A ring groove cleaner, a ring expander, a ring trimmer, a ring compressor, and a good cylinder hone.



How to choose the proper tools?

Most Chiltons and Haynes books will tell you what you need on a specific vechicle.

'''Where to buy?''' 

Sears (Craftsman tools), hardware stores or home centers, such as Home Depot, or companies such as Matco Tools, Snap On, and Mac Tools.

How much will they cost?

Work area?

=== Skill level ===
Who can do this?

== Deciding on an engine ==
What are your needs? What's the application? How much can you afford? Thes are the things you need to decide ahead of time, otherwise you might end up with one of those unfinished projects just waisting away in the backyard.

Picking an engine is no small chore. It's a crucial step to building a hot rod, and one that affects the performance of the final product. It is entirely up to you which engine you want to run in your hot rod. Pretty much anything is possible, but not anything will be money and time efficient. Big Block Chevy's have been jammed into little Chevettes, and Chrysler Hemi's have been sandwhiched into VW Bugs. With the right tools, mechanical skill, knowledge, money and time, any combination can be achieved. But most people don't have unlimited amounts of money, and most people don't own a fully equipped shop for massive chassis and body modifications to allow the engine to fit. So it would be recommended to pick an engine that's suitable for your application, and your skill level.

'''Stock'''
A lot of people choose to run the stock motor that came in the car. This would be a good idea if it's your first hot rod, if the engine in your car is still in good condition (if it even came with an engine) or if your motor and mechanical skills aren't developed enough yet to undertake an engine swap. Depending on what kind of car you're working with, the stock engine will often suffice, if the car is meant to be a daily driver or a weekend cruiser. If your planning to build a wild custom car, strip racer, or weekend warrior, the stock engine probably won't be of any interest to you. There are performance parts available nowadays for most old popular engines. Anything from Ford Flatheads, to Chrysler Hemi's, to Mopar Flat 6's, to GM Stovebolts, to Buick Nailheads, to Ford Small Blocks has a big aftermarket available. Taking the stock engine and hopping it up a bit to squeeze a little bit more performance out of it is a very common thing done by a lot of people buildling a first time hot rod. By changing the exhaust, intake and camshaft, a stock boring engine can often become a neat hot rod mill with plenty of power for daily driving and weekend cruising. If your plans for your hot rod include a loud, nasty fire breathing monster motor, your stock motor probably won't do a lot for you.

'''Mild'''
The next step up from a stock motor, would be a mild engine. Often times stock motors cross into the mild engine category. The most popular engines used for a mild HP powerplant are Small Block Chevy's, Small Block Fords, and Small Block Mopar's. Any of these three engines are used widely in the hot rodding industry, and they all have a huge choice of aftermarket parts available. They all present a good platform for a first time rebuild or for somebody who needs more than stock. Again, which engine to pick is entirely up to you. Some people swear on the reliability and avialability of parts of the Small Block Chevy's, while other people preach a Ford should go in a Ford. Many rodders consider it sacrilegious to put anything but a Mopar in a Dodge, Plymouth or Chrysler. But in the end, it all comes down to your choice. If you find a Small Block Mopar fitting better in your rod than a Ford or Chevy would, and if you are able to get one cheap, who's to say you shouldn't use it? There are many books written on rebuilding these 3 engines, and while the choice shouldn't merely be between these 3, they are the most popular. 




'''Wild'''
A lot of rodders prefer their tunes coming from big displacement high horsepower output engines. If this sounds like you, your engine rebuild might cost a considerable amount more money than a stock engine rebuild/hop-up.
The most popular route for Wild engines include the big 3 american car producers. GM, Ford and Mopar. The 454 Chevy Big Block motor has long been considered the ultimate hot rod powerplant. However, over time the Chrysler Hemi's and the 427 Ford Big Block have made a big comeback and are all considered perfect candidates for supercharged wild engines.

== Locating an engine to rebuild ==
This section should cover the basics of where to find a potential candidate for an engine rebuilding project. How to search junkyards, classified ads, the internet, etc.

Locating an engine can be as easy as ordering a shortblock crate engine from Edelbrock on the phone, or removing an old rusty flathead from a totalled car in a junkyard. 

'''Classifieds'''
Probably the best way to go if you don't have an engine hoist, a cherry picker, or some device to lift the engine out of the car. Most newspapers have an Auto Parts section in the classifieds, often the engines get a section for themselves as well. Usually, the engines sold in classifieds are either pulled already or the owner will pull it for you. This saves you quite a bit of work, time and money. Care should be taken however, to buy a fairly complete engine. The alternator, starter,ac, wiring, intake, carb, fan etc. will all add up to a very big sum of money if purchased separately,for that reason it is advisable for you to buy an engine that comes with all the necesary accesories to make it run. The transmission is another important part when buying an engine from the classifieds. Be sure to check if the engine comes with a transmission, unless you already have one or will be adquiring a different one (before doing this, you should check to see if the tranny and engine you're buying can be adapted with the proper bellhousing). 
Another good way of finding an engine in the classifieds is by browsing through the car wrecking section. Often times, people will sell cars for parts, or as beaters, or for wrecking. These cars can be had for as cheap as $100, and if you're lucky, the engine in them might be half decent yet. Often times these cars are no longer roadworthy because the body is literally falling apart due to rust, but they're mechanically sound. An advantage to buying a complete donor car is that you get to hear the engine run, the engine is already mated to a working transmission, you can use all the accesories and wiring of the existing car to make the engine run, and if you're lucky you might even find a good use for the rear-end. Sell the interior and seats on eBay or your local classifieds and get a small portion re-embursed. The drawback to buying a donor car is that the engine has to be removed, and the car takes up space (which a lot of us just don't have). A disadvantage to buying from the classifieds: you often don't get to hear the engine run (as it's pulled already in a mayority of cases).  

'''Junkyards'''
Junkyards can be a great resource for locating missing car parts, or locating an engine for your hot rod. Junkyards are full of cars from the 1970's and 80's waiting to donate their mechanical heart. Junkyard shoppping might be a good idea in order to find the best prices in town. A majority of the cars built during the past 3 decades came equipped with a V8 engine. Now tons of old cars are forgotten and thrown into junkyards.
Most Chevy, Dodge and Ford trucks from the 70's and 80's came equipped with carburated (non EFI) V8's perfectly usable to power a hot rod. However, junkyards can be a very rough place to work. Time is going to be needed to remove the engine, and all tools and equipment has to be brought from home. It might take several hours before the engine comes loose and out of its' nest. Each car has different places where parts bolt onto and where the engine connects to the frame, and each bolt has to be removed. Most of these cars have been sitting there for a while, so be prepared to wrestle with rusted, stripped and broken bolts, layers of caked on grease and dirt on the undercarriage and oil pan, and a lot of rust. Care should be taken when selecting an engine. Engine size, width and length should all be taken into account. Depening on which car the engine is destined for, measurements are crucial to determining the fit. 
Engines with massive amount of surface rust, missing parts and an apparent cracked block, should obviously be avoided when chosing an engine. Make sure to pick an engine in a car with a hood on preferably. Cars that have been sitting out in the yard with no hood and missing carburator will have rust built up inside the cylinders from the rain pouring into the engine. The more accesories and parts that are remaining on the engine, the better for future use. Testing if the engine turns over by taking a wrench and turning over the crankshaft is a good way of measuring if a block is frozen or rusted solid. Again, if an engine doesn't turn over, it would be a good idea to avoid going that route.

== Acquisition ==
This section should cover what to do after you've decided what engine you're going to use. It might need to be removed, hauled in your vehicle, shipped, etc.

=== Removal ===
How to safely and properly pull an engine.
*If you have a Digital Camera, Now would be a good time to take some GOOD photos BEFORE you pull it down, For Installation reference.
*Disconnect and remove The Battery. Disconnect fuel lines,Vacuum lines (Mark termination and make a written list), wiring,(Mark Termination and make a written list) belts and pulleys that maybe in the way.Remove the Radiator,Fan Shroud, Hood, Water Hoses, (Drain and dispose of Coolant properly It's poison to Animals and humans!)
*Be sure to drain any fluids before hand, to keep from making a mess and to be friendly to the environment
*Be sure that whatever you are using to lift the engine is strong enough to lift more than the weight of the engine safely, AND is on a Level surface, If outriggers are provided, Use Them. Be SURE the lift can not roll on it's own or become unbalanced Side to side.
*Use some type of lift ring on the engine, such as a plate that bolts to where the carburetor was is commonly used.
*Place a jack under the transmission to keep it up right in the vehicle, unless you are removing it Also. 
*If you plan on removing the Transmission, Don't forget any linkages, Backup lamp switches, Neutral safety switches (some are Transmission mounted) Modulator Valve Vacuum Lines,TCC Control wiring,Speedometer Cable (or Speed Transducer and wires) and cover the hole with Duct tape. Take a Plastic Baggie, and fit it over the tail-shaft and duct tape it after you remove the Drive-shaft, to keep residual oil IN and Dirt OUT.
*Jack engine up slightly, and remove the bolts to the motor mounts, and the transmission bell-housing (unless you are removing the transmission also)
*Be sure to use padded Fender protectors..A strike from Ring Gear Teeth can do SERIOUS Body and fender damage.

=== Transportation ===
How to ship an engine through a third-party shipping service. And, how to safely load, secure, transport, and unload an engine.

An engine, because of the oil and gasoline residue it holds, is considered hazardous material in the United States and comes under special requirements for shipping documentation.  If you do not already know how to do this, it isn't worth your while for one engine.  Get somebody who does this regularly (maybe a friendly auto dealer or salvage yard) to do it for you.

== Disassembly==
Step-by-step.


== Machining ==

=== Deciding what machine work to do ===
What will the engine be used for? This will be your determing factor on how much your going to spend. In either case wether it's a stock replacement swap or a race engine theres a couple things that should be done. 

1: Have your block acid dipped so when you put it back together you will have a nice clean block to work with.
2: Always have it sonic tested, this way you know if the engine block is even worth using. 
3: Have your cylinder walls checked out for roundness, this will prolong the life of your piston rings and life of your engine.
4: Have them put a frsh hone on your cylinder walls, unless you plan on doing this step yourself.

==== What to expect to pay for machining work ====
List of specific procedures and average prices.

=== How to select a machine shop ===
Cleanliness, experience, referral from trusted sources, etc.

== Assembly ==
Step-by-step engine assembly process.

== Testing and break-in ==
Testing, tweaking, tuning. How to break in an engine.


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