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3.0 upgrade started in earnest

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rk2k2

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 4, 2004
Messages
168
Location
Cool, CA (yeah, that's a real town!)
Got tired of waiting for a response from a member here regarding a motor so ...

found my 3.0 off car-parts.com and picked it up a hour later, and an hour later I had it at the machine shop for a good going over. I'll meet with him probably Wednesday to discuss what I want to do based upon his findings.

Anyway, there were a FEW engines within 1500 miles of me that sort of met my desires (low miles) and some of those were cheaper (I could have also selected a way higher engine for half the price) but I chose the 2001 Tribute with less thank 10K on it for $1200- and I had it in my possession within an hour.

I was sort of hesitant as I wondered how a 2001 could have less than 10000 miles on it but it came with the first page (summary) of the carfax report for the vehicle it came out of (assuming THAT was legit). I got home and got the full report and apparently the evehicle was bought in Washington, 3 months later the vehicle moved to California and 3 months after that it was salvaged. I assume it was mostly highway miles considering coming down from Washington/ mileage being high for such a short period (well, it's high for ME)

According to the guy at the salvage yard the vehicle was t-boned and he originally picked it up at auction cause he was going to use it to fix a friends vehicle.
 
BTW, the guy who owns the machine shop has an 'ace tig man' (his words not mine) that works for him and the head prep I have him do will not be using jb weld or any variant. Not that there's anything wrong with that!
 
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rk2k2 said:
NO, I thing I will do it right.
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You're obviously mistaken. Those plates should be considered a right way to do it. Welding would also be a right way to do it. The only thing that should sway you one way or another is the price.
 
BTW, I do appreciate people's desire to offer their opinion on how I should do something but I'm not asking here. I've spent the last 4 years off and on figuring out how I was going to proceed ... and now I am finally proceeding!
 
rk2k2 said:
BTW, I do appreciate people's desire to offer their opinion on how I should do something but I'm not asking here. I've spent the last 4 years off and on figuring out how I was going to proceed ... and now I am finally proceeding!
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That's all awesome and stuff, but I wasn't offering my opinion on how to do it. I was correcting your assumption that using Bugzuki's plates was a wrong way of doing a split port conversion. They are laser cut and appear to be high quality. Please explain why this is not a "right" way of doing it.
 
muntus said:
That's all awesome and stuff, but I wasn't offering my opinion on how to do it. I was correcting your assumption that using Bugzuki's plates was a wrong way of doing a split port conversion. They are laser cut and appear to be high quality. Please explain why this is not a "right" way of doing it.
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b/c its not expensive enough.:shrug:
 
OK, actually when I first posted I was sort of expecting the 'atta boy's' type replie and was thrown off base when the first response that comes suggests doing things differently than planned.

Truth be told I know little of the plates and the reason I'm going tig is my personal comfort level and assurance is (near) 100 % that I never have a problem with it. I would assume TIG repairs have a record of millions if not billions of miles through the years?
 
muntus said:
You're obviously mistaken. Those plates should be considered a right way to do it. Welding would also be a right way to do it. The only thing that should sway you one way or another is the price.
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Its obvious by the fact that he picked up a higher end motor (1200 dollars) that he intends on doing this correctly. While bugzuki plates are an efficient and ingenious way to overcome the split to oval port swaps....

Welding material into the port and shaping it to improve flow will be a more permanent, and in theory should perform better.

I'd say if you have the means you are making the correct choice.
 
muntus said:
You can't argue with that.;)

Hope there's money left over for the differential.
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!!! Quaife ordered and probably arrives by Wednesday. I've also had the SPEC 1 clutch/flywheel still in sealed packaging since '04 ( when I first said I was going to do this).

BTW, you got a link to the intake plate pic. I'll pass it by the machinist to see what he thinks. I know he's on the level since he aggressively talked me out of a lower end tear down and engine balance. Basically said he didn't want my money for something that would provide such a little return for me (assuming his inspect reveals the engine internals are pefectly fine)

Dave
 
plates1.jpg


This picture of Bugzuki's plates is from this post: http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=8530&highlight=bugzuki

If you use it as a template, you could trace the lines and know exactly what to grind out.

Here's from LLADNAR's install: http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=8422

IM000762.jpg









I still recommend using JB Weld Qwik if you have the minerals.:laugh: http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=3248&highlight=weld



And if you're a real daredevil, you'll port it on the block without removing the heads.:laugh:
 
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The pic of the plates displayed fine on my browser but your second pic didn't nor did the pics in the link. In any event, they are as I imagined. Not that I'd be able determine anything from them, but I wondered what the thickness is and what the material is. Just as I, I suspect the machinst will probably say there shouldn't be any problem down the line but notice I say 'shouldn't. I'm pretty confident he wouldn't recommend that as a solution on one of his upper or high end builds though (if he needed such a solution). But no sense in speculating, I'll print out the pics at work (browser displays everything fine there).

Guess a final factor would be pricing/delivery
 
rk2k2 said:
Al the other pics in the post displayed, guess I didn't wait long enough. BTW, I've been meaning to ask, what's that module in the bottom of the valley?
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Are you talking about in between the heads? that black box? Its the PCV
 
rk2k2 said:
!!! Quaife ordered and probably arrives by Wednesday. I've also had the SPEC 1 clutch/flywheel still in sealed packaging since '04 ( when I first said I was going to do this).

BTW, you got a link to the intake plate pic. I'll pass it by the machinist to see what he thinks. I know he's on the level since he aggressively talked me out of a lower end tear down and engine balance. Basically said he didn't want my money for something that would provide such a little return for me (assuming his inspect reveals the engine internals are pefectly fine)

Dave
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While its fine to eliminate a full engine tear down, you would be foolish to not change out your rod bearings to clevites. That is one thing I recommend everyone do regardless of swap type.
 
ive had my motor together for about 5,000 miles and ive not seen any problems , the plates are cheap and ship fast , order an extra one to use for port matching of the head , instead of using rtv between the head and plate i bought a sheet of gasket material and cut-out a gasket , use the stock gasket between the plate and lim , dont forget to port match your exhaust ports , i was suprised how much work could be done on that side
 
OK, the preliminary high from FINALLY getting moving on this has subsided and I was wrong for only wanting the 'congrats responses' without suggestions!

Pudmunkie said:
While its fine to eliminate a full engine tear down, you would be foolish to not change out your rod bearings to clevites. That is one thing I recommend everyone do regardless of swap type.
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I have had earlier recommendations I do just that and the builder agreed that would be good. I think about the time I began mentioning the mains and balancing he pretty much said if everything checks out I should just leave it alone. Thanks on the suggestion, I'll insist upon it!
 
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