How to rebuild an engine

Dis-assembly of the engine starts with the removal of the valve covers. The rocker arms should then be removed and placed in number sequence so that they can easily be identified from where they came. Pushrods can be pulled and placed in a shallow pan for cleaning and re-use. Head bolts should be removed and inserted in a cardboard template to make note of there location. Prying up with a pry bar in the intake ports to cause separation of the head from the block, watch for coolant spills. Use a wide blade screwdriver to lever the heads up off the block and dowel pins. Remove the heads to a solid work bench for inspection. Remove lifters from their bores by tilting the engine over and letting gravity assist you or use a hook to remove the hard ones. Pull the crank pulley, timing cover and the oil pan. You did DRAIN THE OIL, DIDN'T YOU? Remove the timing gears and chain. Pull the camshaft. Remove the oil pump and drive rod.  Before un-doing the rod shells, take a number set and number the caps and the rods. Pull off the cap on ONE rod and using a hardwood block tap out the piston and then go on to the next. With all the pistons out, match up the caps and loosely nut them. Pull the flywheel or flex plate. Un-do the main bearing bolts, pull the bearing shells, with care lift the crank out of the bearing shells and place on the work bench. Make sure that you block the crank so it won't roll off the bench. Nothing worse the tweaking a crank when it hits the floor. Wash down all the parts and block. Lightly coat the bearing surfaces with clean oil and spray engine bores with WD40 to keep rust and contamination to a minimum.