Ongoing Progress

 

Two similar photo's. Photo 21a is from 1981 when I was sanding the sealer, photo 15a is from today and guess what I'm doing???. LOL The only difference is the amount time and the amount of new wood being replaced.

 

What a difference better weather makes. Yesterday it was above 50 degrees. I applied the second coat of sealer and WOW!!!!!!!     It had already set up and nearly cured by this morning.

 

Just a light sanding and it will be ready for varnish. Can you imagine what it will look like with actual varnish.

 

Yesterday I installed the camshaft and tried to install the timing chain. It didn't fit correctly. This is my second (and soon to be third) timing chain. It is no wonder GM is in trouble if they can't design something that will work from year to year to year on the same motor.

 

I installed the NEW designed rear main seal and it is help by four screws/bolts. Three of them are different.... What the heck is wrong with four bolts that are the same - that sounds like common sense to me, but who am I....

 

Today started off with continuing the wood sealing process (yesterday I took warm water to assist in washing off the epoxy wax). That process started off with discovering that the electric jitter bug sander and 220 grit sandpaper wasn't going to work. Even though I washed most of the wax off yesterday, some was still there. SO, I reversed my thinking and hand sanded the whole boat with 1500 grit wet sandpaper. That went much better - more labor, but better results. It looked pretty nice, but I still wasn't satisfied.... So I took 0000 steelwool to the whole boat and that result was MUCH better - smooth as glass... MMMMMM

 

Tomorrow I will do the second coat of wood sealer and start the warm water washing, wet sanding and steelwool process all over again after is cures. The varnish is in the mail, when it gets here, the weather should be better and the first of several coats of varnish will be applied (and again, wet sanding and steelwool each coat).

 

In the engine assembly process. Today I removed the flexplate so that I can install the new V6 rear main seal (there was nothing wrong with the old way GM did it as far as I'm concerned, but GM seemed to think this is a better idea????). I removed the chain coupler so that I can install the timing chain and camshaft shortly. I have removed the hard to find case hardened keyway that I made and installed a mild steel keyway (highly recommended by several sources after I said what I was doing). Anyone need $45 worth of case hardened keyway??? LOL

 

After the crankshaft was clearance checked, the results were close to .002 of an inch on all main bearings. The process now turns to clearance checking each connecting rod. The first two were completed today and the other four will be tomorrow before the next coat of sealer is applied. Connecting rods for cylinder #1 and #2 checked out to be .002 of an inch, which is okay. Before I do the final assembly, I will wet sand each bearing, just as I did for the mains to pre-break in the bearings and slightly open them up a little tiny bit more.

 

Shortly I will be checking and gaping the piston rings. After I am satisfied with the results, the rest of the bottom of the engine can be assembled and then turn my attention to clearance checking the top end of the engine.

 

Attached pictures are of the Eagle connecting rods, the Keith Black pistons and if you look at the top of the piston, you will see a #6 stamped on the top of the piston, this indicates it is for cylinder #6. At my age, everything needs to be identified so I don't mix up parts... LOL Actually I've done this for years to assist with re-assembly after an engine is torn down.

 

An earlier note referenced the #'s I stamp into the block to note what the torque specs are for the main and connecting rods. Just another detail to help with dis-assembly and re-assembly down the road.

 

Today's project was to paint outside of the engine. Now don't tell anyone - SHHHH, it is FORD red...

 

After the paint cures I will plastic gage the rods and assemble the lower end.

 

The sealer is still curing, so no washing and sanding today (it was so cold, the epoxy takes longer to set up). No problem, I have nothing but time.....

It has been 12 months and that 12 months is starting to show results (I think anyway).

 

Today I applied the first coat of epoxy sealer. When it dries, it will be sanded and another coat (maybe 2 more) will be applied.

 

What do you think of the color of the wood? All natural Okoume!!!! You can see the new rear bottom, new transom, new sponsons (new battens within the sponson), new airtraps,

 

I think the wood is really, really pretty. Makes all those cold days out in the shop worth while - BTW, another 2 - 4" of snow is due tonight.... When will this winter ever end.....

 

N-22 is starting to look like a boat wanting to hit the water again.... YIPPEE!!!!!!!

After talking to my engine machinist today, we discussed a couple of solutions concerning the crankshaft clearance. I came back home and used some scotch brite to all of the bearings. This should open up the clearance slightly and I also backed off 5 pounds on the torque (65 lbs from 70 lbs). Rechecked the crankshaft with plastic-gauge and it was more consistent and should be okay.

While eye balling the flex plate alignment, I discovered that the clearance between the flex plate and block is not sufficient for the motor mount I made. I used 3/8" 6061 T6 aluminum for that one. So I took an old flex plate and made a shim (that solution scares me because I'm sure it will change the balance). Plus it now pushes the starter bendix drive to the maximum. Here is my NEW improved solution to the problem. I'm going to re-make the front (actually rear) motor mount with 1/4" 6061T6 aluminum and make a cork gasket shim out of some gasket material Bud Burns gave me yrs and yrs ago.

 

This should keep the crankshaft balance in check, allow enough clearance for the flexplate to spin and for the bendix drive on the starter motor to engage enough.

 

Today I made the first engine assembly step. I plastic-gauged the crankshaft journals clearances. The #'s were all over the map (.0015 - .003). The book says it should be .002 - .003. I'm going to do some FYI checking before proceeding with plastic-gauging the rod journals. I would expect them to all be closer to the same #'s.

 

A trip to our engine machinist will be the next step to see what he thinks. I don't think it will be a problem because I will be sanding the bearings with 1500 grit sandpaper and that should open up the tolerances some, plus I might back off from 70 lbs torque back to 65 torque lbs. I actually would like to see .003 to .0035 clearances. Picture 013a is the plastic-gauge material on the journal. You use a gauge to determine how wide the squish is when the main crankshaft caps are torqued down.

 

If you look closely at the pictures you will see #'s (45, 65 and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Those #'s are ones that I stamped on the block to remind me what the torque is for the rod journals, crank journals and which cylinder is which.