283 teardown question

patman · Dec 14, 2012

Pull the pushrods out of there and get them soaking in something to clean the crud out of the inside of them. Don't worry about mixing those, the order does not matter. The lifters DO need to stay in the same holes if you decide to pull those out, so make sure you don't mix those up.

The stock 283 bore is 3.875, so if you got 3.874, I'd bet it's a standard bore and you measured wrong (or your mic/caliper/indicator is not accurate)

bcowanwheels · Dec 14, 2012

Power pack 283's was 4bbl or 2x4bbl and f/i engines only. 2bbl engines are not power pack

59Apachegail · Dec 17, 2012

The latest...
I picked up a practically new and very sturdy engine stand Saturday. I bolted the engine up to that and got to work. I wish I would have found that before I bought the new (****py) engine dolly.

I pulled the 1,3,5,7 head and it came right up. Same condition as the other, no oil and cylinders clean just a bunch of carbon. Piston 1 say 10, 3 says 13, 5 says 9 and 7 says 12. I also removed the power steering, and oil pan (no mice). I had a lot of trouble trying to removethe water pump.

Is the water pump supposed to come off easy? I removed all four bolts and it is stuck on there pretty good. Not even the persuasion of a mallet or a crowbar helped.

Maybe this sounds silly but I miked the bores after I removed the carbon. There is a ridge at the top, I get 3.867(ish) there, below the ridge I get 3.875 as expected. Is this supposed to be the case? Mike is new and works fine when I measure feeler gauges.

Rex_A_Lott · Dec 17, 2012

The ridge at the top is "normal". Comes from carbon bulid up above the point that the top ring normally travels. There is a tool called a ridge reamer to get rid of that.
A lot depends on what you are going to do .

54nomore · Dec 17, 2012

It's probably just carbon build-up at the top of the cylinder making it mic small. The numbers on top of the pistons probably designate specific size pistons to match specific bores. the deck of the block may have corresponding stampings?
Sounds like it's standard bore and the piston variances may be as little as .0001" to .0002" (1-2 ten thousandths of an inch).

Ron.

porknbeaner · Dec 17, 2012

59Apachegail said: ↑

The latest...
I picked up a practically new and very sturdy engine stand Saturday. I bolted the engine up to that and got to work. I wish I would have found that before I bought the new (****py) engine dolly.

I pulled the 1,3,5,7 head and it came right up. Same condition as the other, no oil and cylinders clean just a bunch of carbon. Piston 1 say 10, 3 says 13, 5 says 9 and 7 says 12. I also removed the power steering, and oil pan (no mice). I had a lot of trouble trying to removethe water pump.

Is the water pump supposed to come off easy? I removed all four bolts and it is stuck on there pretty good. Not even the persuasion of a mallet or a crowbar helped.

Maybe this sounds silly but I miked the bores after I removed the carbon. There is a ridge at the top, I get 3.867(ish) there, below the ridge I get 3.875 as expected. Is this supposed to be the case? Mike is new and works fine when I measure feeler gauges.
Click to expand...

You are gettng pretty close to stock measurements. What is key is if the cylinders have a lot of taper and if there is excessive piston to wall clearance.

Does that make any sense?

You will want to mic the piston skirts as well and make sure that you don't have any collapsed skirts if you have it apart.

You are not planning on replacing anything that does not need being replaced, that is a good approach that makes you more of a mechanic that a parts replacer.

Take your time and enjoy the ride.

59Apachegail · Dec 17, 2012

Thanks Guys,

Will I need to ridge ream to get the cylinders out?
I know you are supposed to anyway but I'm really not comfortable doing myself.
I really don't want to take it to a machine shop if I don't have to but I'd rather do that then ruin my block.

porknbeaner · Dec 17, 2012

59Apachegail said: ↑

Thanks Guys,

Will I need to ridge ream to get the cylinders out?
I know you are supposed to anyway but I'm really not comfortable doing myself.
I really don't want to take it to a machine shop if I don't have to but I'd rather do that then ruin my block.
Click to expand...

Just take your time and do it a little bit by little bit, this one is for you to learn on and you don't learn anything instantly. Only take as much rige out as is necessary to get the pistons out without tearing anything up then when you hone the cylinders you can finish it up.

I have confidence that you can do it. Just take your time.

We got a couple of fellas that are pretty sharp in New York maybe one will help you ream it the first time for burgers.

59Apachegail · Dec 17, 2012

Thanks Beano, I'll give it a try.

got the water pump out... 2x4 worked wonders

ConceptVehicleDesign · Dec 17, 2012

You seem to be following a logical path, which is good.

Like '****** said, measure the cylinders for taper.

You can measure from just under the ridge and then rotate the engine and measure about halfway down and then as far down as you can get.

gas pumper · Dec 17, 2012

If your measurement of the bore is right and it's still standard there, the ridge is just carbon and will s****e off. If you are going to replace the rings you can dis***emble with the ridge there and force them thru from the bottom. If you are going to just clean up and re***emble (which I might be temped to do with a good looking std bore) I'd s****e off the carbon before pushing the pistons out.

Did the engine turn over before you started?

Frank

von Dyck · Dec 17, 2012

Several things not mentioned yet.
1. GM allows .005" taper on the 283 before reboring. I refreshed a 283 years ago with .010" taper and it used oil when run at over 55mph on the highway. The rings are unable to follow the bore taper, especially near TDC where your highest cylinder pressures occur.
2. Seems that SBC's have more cam lobe failures than any other make of engine! It only takes one rounded exhaust lobe to make a SBC a guttless wonder. Thats why so many people are sold TargetMasters. If yours has a scrubbed cam, that engine has been pumping iron grit laden oil to all the bearings. Note: the by-p*** valve at the oil filter is open a lot of the time, especially when running a cold engine.
3. If you are considering running the used pistons, check skirt diameter, check for hairline cracks near the skirt edges (tap skirt with a soft-faced hammer and the oil hiding in the crack will ooze out revealing the crack) and especially check the top ring groove for excessive side clearance (up-down slack). NEVER wire brush the ring land area, only the piston top. Be sure to clean the carbon out of the ring grooves before installing the new rings
4. Cylinders must be deglazed with proper crosshatch. Then thoroughly scrub washed to remove all grit.
5. The 12 (10 or 11 or 13 etc) on the piston is a factory ***embly line code for select piston fit to their respective cylinder bores. Look along the oil pan rail on the block and you will find these corresponding numbers.
6. Can't go wrong with any book by David Vizzard - just one of the best.
7. We haven't even begun to talk about head work yet.

59Apachegail · Dec 22, 2012

VonDyck I looked under the oil pan rail and sure enough the numbers are stamped right there. Thanks for the info, still haven't gotten the balancer off. Hopefully I see what the cam looks like tomorrow and it won't be bad. Hopefully I'll have luck with the pistons too but I will probably replace the rings no matter what.
Beno, Thanks for the courage The ridges are done as of a little while ago.
I used some WD40 did about half a turn at a time backed off, cleaned the chips and continued. The whole process was scary at first but pretty easy to do. I miked all the bores afterwards and I'm between 3.875 and 3.880. Once I get a bore gauge I can hopefully rule out a re-bore. Pulled out the road draft parts, screw on filter converter. I got the lifters out and sorted in a clear egg crate. I took a picture of how I'm organizing stuff for other noobs like myself. I'm going to get the block and the heads hot tanked I don't have the room to clean it up myself. I will probably need caps and new bearings afterwards from what I am reading.
Can I leave the heads as removed to be hot tanked or do I need to strip them down and remove everything? Do I need to remove the plugs and the bearings or does the shop do that prior to hot tanking. If I get new bearings and piston rings do they need to be broken in? If I don't need a re-bore should I do a honing anyway?
Thanks all

59Apachegail · Dec 23, 2012

Got the harmonic balancer and the timing cover off. The teeth on the gears look good, but the chain had some slack. Is it time for a new one?

36-3window · Dec 23, 2012

yes, put in a new timing set....double roller is what i prefer

the machine shop will dis***emble the heads and remove the cam bearings before hot tanking. have them hone it and then you probably want to use cast rings

59Apachegail · Dec 23, 2012

36-3window said: ↑

yes, put in a new timing set....double roller is what i prefer

the machine shop will dis***emble the heads and remove the cam bearings before hot tanking. have them hone it and then you probably want to use cast rings
Click to expand...

Thanks 36!

Old wolf · Dec 23, 2012

When you get the block hot tanked remove the freeze plugs first. Also have the machine shop install your new cam bearings. It takes a special tool and they have to be in the correct positions. and yes you need to hone the cyls when you install new rings. Myself I never break an engine in. I just drive it like in going to. I do change the oil & filter after about 30 minutes of running . that first ouick oil change gets rid of a lot of lint from shop towels ect. oldwolf

Old wolf · Dec 23, 2012

59Apachegail said: ↑

VonDyck I looked under the oil pan rail and sure enough the numbers are stamped right there. Thanks for the info, still haven't gotten the balancer off. Hopefully I see what the cam looks like tomorrow and it won't be bad. Hopefully I'll have luck with the pistons too but I will probably replace the rings no matter what.
Beno, Thanks for the courage The ridges are done as of a little while ago.
I used some WD40 did about half a turn at a time backed off, cleaned the chips and continued. The whole process was scary at first but pretty easy to do. I miked all the bores afterwards and I'm between 3.875 and 3.880. Once I get a bore gauge I can hopefully rule out a re-bore. Pulled out the road draft parts, screw on filter converter. I got the lifters out and sorted in a clear egg crate. I took a picture of how I'm organizing stuff for other noobs like myself. I'm going to get the block and the heads hot tanked I don't have the room to clean it up myself. I will probably need caps and new bearings afterwards from what I am reading.
Can I leave the heads as removed to be hot tanked or do I need to strip them down and remove everything? Do I need to remove the plugs and the bearings or does the shop do that prior to hot tanking. If I get new bearings and piston rings do they need to be broken in? If I don't need a re-bore should I do a honing anyway?
Thanks all
Click to expand...

that ridge reamer you have pictured is the best type you can use, It cuts from the bottom up and wont over cut, just dont turn it backwards or it can dull the cutter. Ive got one like it made by snap on and I really like it OldWolf.

59Apachegail · Dec 23, 2012

Wolf thanks for the info
I picked up the reamer at AZ for pretty cheap. Still not sure if I want to rent it or keep it.

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283 teardown question

patman
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bcowanwheels
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283 teardown question

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