Rebuild motor or built short block?

[jrhudson]

So i'm panicking since i didnt think i would break the motor from a dumb forgetful mistake. I forgot a ratchet on the crank pulley bolt and now my engine on start up immediately has metal to metal contact. Like heavy, violent shaking near the center of the engine(probably crankshaft)

Anyways, plan is to put some pistons, rods on the old block if its saveable. but since find a shop to assemble a built fa20 motor is proving to be quite difficult. Next best thing is to get a built short block from IAG or some other performance shop and put the heads on myself. I am quite the novice case in point being i broke my engine with an install. so yea.

how difficult is it? oh yea this isn't for an NA car. Turbo-ed. Trying to reach 400hp or around there. anyone with built motors that were total noobs when they did it?

[thpark93]

This would be a good post for if ever my motor also breaks, sub'ed! Good luck with your project.

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[DarkPira7e]

What is your budget? Built block is nice but a long block replacement is about the same cost and you have extra parts to hoard/sell.

I recommend the used longblock

[Lantanafrs2]

From what I read, a built short block is the last stop before the ls goes in. Or a k motor or whatever. I'm very skeptical of "built" anything.

[TommyW]

Just get the IAG you get a warranty with it also. I got it but stayed NA.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by jrhudson

put the heads on myself.I am quite the novice case in point being i broke my engine with an install.

You do know that putting heads on is not just a simple case of slapping the heads on the block right? It is a pretty involved process.

[jrhudson]

Originally Posted by DarkPira7e

What is your budget? Built block is nice but a long block replacement is about the same cost and you have extra parts to hoard/sell.

I recommend the used longblock

my budget is probably like...3k maybe 5k at the most. I've seen alot of used motors around 3-5k.

[jrhudson]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

You do know that putting heads on is not just a simple case of slapping the heads on the block right? It is a pretty involved process.

yes sir. From what i've been reading and looking at videos alot more parts since the springs and valves. also the timing components. Putting the cylinder heads would together and putting it on the short block would be easier to me since i wouldnt feel comfortable measuring the clearances on the short block.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by jrhudson

yes sir. From what i've been reading and looking at videos alot more parts since the springs and valves. also the timing components. Putting the cylinder heads would together and putting it on the short block would be easier to me since i wouldnt feel comfortable measuring the clearances on the short block.

Just making sure. You shouldn't need to tear the heads down so far as to mess with the springs and valves if your heads are in good shape. Make sure you prep, prep, prep. I recommend printing out the sealant application "maps" from the manual ahead of time. Follow them very carefully.

[jrhudson]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Just making sure. You shouldn't need to tear the heads down so far as to mess with the springs and valves if your heads are in good shape. Make sure you prep, prep, prep. I recommend printing out the sealant application "maps" from the manual ahead of time. Follow them very carefully.

Appreciate it. =D Ive been looking over the service/shop manual on the assembly of short block and heads. Ill be tearing down the heads to check the valves. It sounds like the valves and pistons are hitting each other. Would it be possible the car is somehow out of timing? I suspect that might be the case since the crank pulley and bolt were fully off with the accessory belt just there.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by jrhudson

Appreciate it. =D Ive been looking over the service/shop manual on the assembly of short block and heads. Ill be tearing down the heads to check the valves. It sounds like the valves and pistons are hitting each other. Would it be possible the car is somehow out of timing? I suspect that might be the case since the crank pulley and bolt were fully off with the accessory belt just there.

Shouldn't be out of time. The timing gear is keyed to the crank inside of the timing cover. Working out from the assembled block on the crank snout you have the timing gear(keyed to crank), timing cover(oil pump is housed in the timing cover), crank pulley spacer(indexes on the same key as timing gear and the flats drive the oil pump), and crank pulley. The crank pulley spacer has a pin that indexes to the crank pulley. You would have to pull the key to get it out of time. What where you doing when you had left a wrench on the crank pulley?

[jrhudson]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Shouldn't be out of time. The timing gear is keyed to the crank inside of the timing cover. Working out from the assembled block on the crank snout you have the timing gear(keyed to crank), timing cover(oil pump is housed in the timing cover), crank pulley spacer(indexes on the same key as timing gear and the flats drive the oil pump), and crank pulley. The crank pulley spacer has a pin that indexes to the crank pulley. You would have to pull the key to get it out of time. What where you doing when you had left a wrench on the crank pulley?

I did a clutch install about 2 weeks ago. I had someone hold the crank in place when tighten up the flywheel and clutch/pressure plate. forgot about ratchet and drove with it on the bolt still.

How hard is it to pull off the crank spacer. It doesnt seems to move easily.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by jrhudson

I did a clutch install about 2 weeks ago. I had someone hold the crank in place when tighten up the flywheel and clutch/pressure plate. forgot about ratchet and drove with it on the bolt still.

How hard is it to pull off the crank spacer. It doesnt seems to move easily.

It should just slide straight out if the crank pulley is off. It is common to have this accidentally come out during aftermarket crank pulley install.

[jrhudson]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

It should just slide straight out if the crank pulley is off. It is common to have this accidentally come out during aftermarket crank pulley install.

Just cause im not sure. The spacer is the metal thing that the bolt goes into right? And theres a little positioning dowel/pin on it right? If it that is the crank spacer yea its not budging or moving by hand.