Hello, I present the reconstruction of my 350ci engine. I bought the car (Century Luxus '74) with the broken engine. Finaly when i seen the car for the first time for to buy it, the engine started but it did a bad noise, it clapped. So I understood few rods were run. I decided to reground engine, no choice, must open... so let's go. After the bought, the car was bring back at home: The trip was so longer with my unfortunate diesel Cherokee..... It suffered to tow this big car (yes, in France, american cars are very big cars. In 70's, our cars were very more small), in brief, after approximately 1000 km (about 620 miles). The car before operation, in the barn: Be continue...
The disassembly start: Undress the front wasn't realy easy, there are a lot of bolts ! Mainly the front with the grille and frontlights's hoods... but it's realy mor easy for to work on the engine !! :TU:
Keep up the great work! Here are some pictures to help inspire your project! http://www.youtube.com/user/seanbuick76#p/a/u/2/nbiqdPVLpnE
Yes ! Bearings, seals, rings etc... Thank Sean, no problem, I continue ! And i know you have knowledge about this model and I'll probably ask you lots of questions :laugh: . About my diesel Cherokee, is a Ckerokee XJ '90 with diesel engine. When Cherokee were imported to France, it was powered by Renault with a four cylinders turbo diesel (same engine than "Renault 25 turbo D") This engine is very old today and in a Jeep, it's very small and no powerful enough. It's a 2.1 liters, 88HP.... To tow the Buick with this 4X4 for more 1000 km, I assure you that it takes a long time ! :grin: :grin: :grin:
That's a nice project car you have there. Tearing the front end apart to rebuild the engine is sort of the hard way to do it. You could have pulled the engine in no time. Fix it and then put it back. I suspect that the block is going to go in for some machine work so it's coming out either way...... Might as well do a complete cleaning, detailing with fresh paint under the hood since you have it torn all the way down. Should be a nice car when you are done though. You will probably have the biggest and most powerful car of all your friends when you are done.
Yes i could have pulled the engine without tearing the front but I knew that all the front could be tearing on these cars and it's good for to judge the general condition of this part (chassis, wheels wells) and check the rust. I'll paint wheels wells and "front deck" (not sure of this word). But i think it's silly to paint just the chassis front. When the car will roll, maybe, i'll decide to do resto all the car (separate chassis-body). If I have the time for to do that...... (house project in few time normally) Yes, certainly !!! :3gears: Bye.:beers2:
Hi! Following pulled the engine, it was very heavy. My workshop crane hadn't drop engine as big ! Ok, it's down now The car without its heart:
Ok, go for opening the engine to analyze the problem... Hmmm..... Not worth to look for more long, here are rods bearings: 4 rods are run and the crank is very marked... (It's after I had a problem with the machine shop, they lost my crank and they always don't find) To finish this post, the photo of the block:
Cuby, any plans for some performance improvements while the engine is apart? Like higher compression pistons or a cam?
:laugh: yes, without difficulty ! No, it is not expected. In first time I want tout do 100% stock engine for the car to be driven. Performance parts are quite expensive too. Thank.
Hi ! The reconstruction can begin. Fist cleaning the block: The oil was turned into mud... gasoline and solvent for to clean the block perfectly. After "scouring at white" (don't know if it's that we say). The iron was scratched everywhere, it was painted in red. Of course all cylinders were honed.
then I must put the camshaft bearings. For that, i turned a "cale" and with threaded rod, the bearings are guided. It's easy ! But i should say i had killed one bearing set before to do this method. I wanted used hammer. it isnt ideal ! ou: When we think a little, we do a better job ! :beers2: So, I place new crank bearings (first repair size) with a reground crank. The crank: My original crankshaft was brought at the machine shop, and since, no new... uzzled:uzzled:uzzled: Today, they say me they lost my crank... ou: whatever, the machining cost more in france than reground crankshaft bought from US. :TU: The crank in the block after verified all clearances with repair manual. An other pic with camshaft behind : to be continued, pistons and rods and assembly. Thank.
