Project DC5: Engine Builds for Dummies! Part 3

Welcome one, welcome all, back to another edition of "Engine Building for Dummies!"  If you missed any of my previous articles on Project DC5, go ahead and click the links below:

Engine Builds for Dummies! Part 2

Engine Builds for Dummies! Part 1

You know, it's tough-- being away from home.  It's humbling.

Being alone allows for time to realize one's faults.  Without family or friends as close as the ones back home to confide in it is possible for one to gain some serious insight into one's self.

You begin to see your faults, you begin to see your negative thoughts, you begin to see how all of those things affect you.

In a way, being away from home makes you more self-aware, in my opinion.  That's one of the things I've learned while out here-- that when you're alone, you have more time for introspection.  You have more time to think.  Sometimes it's good, but for the most part it's been pretty bad for me lately.  I miss my family.

Me by Lake Michigan in Chicago

However, I always remind myself of the positive outcomes of this event in my life.  For example, I am much more technically skilled now, especially in my career of chemical engineering.

For the most part, I have become an avid forum reader.  I frequent K20A.org every day to learn more about the K motor and what it is capable of, how to build one, what parts to use, what precautions to take, who to trust, who to talk to.  The journey of this motor build so far has been a journey in itself.

And I have learned so much more than all of these things.  I have learned how to gracefully handle myself around those more intelligent and wise than myself.  I have learned to shut my mouth when I need to and how to speak when I have to.  I have reaffirmed my belief that listening is more important than anything.  Because without listening, you can't learn.

This engine build somewhat embodies all of these learnings.  And so I am glad that I can share it with you, my readers on this blog...

Over the weekend, I had a lot of fun.  On Saturday night I went ice skating for the first time in a while.  I missed ice skating.  It reminded me of the days that I used to play ice hockey; doing cross-overs while turning, skating backwards like I was in the crease again, playing goalie, zooming down the ice like I was rushing to the bench or as if I were on a breakaway.  It made me wonder if I want to get back into hockey some day.  Maybe some day.

I also went snowboarding with my roommate.

We went to Cascade Mountain in Wisconsin, an attraction rated four stars on Google.  Although the slopes were a bit icy, we both shredded mad hard, tearing up the green circles, then the blue squares, and eventually the black diamonds.  This was my first time on the black diamond!  It was also my first time catching air off of a couple of jumps while snowboarding.  I couldn't have had more fun!

However now it's back to the work week and back to more engine building.  And I really can't complain about either.  My job is dope and this engine has been going slowly and smoothly.  I guess I just get down sometimes and I can't really help it.

If you remember in my last edition of "Engine Builds for Dummies" I finished removing the timing chain cover, and the tensioners along with the oil pan.

Well, here's the bottom end uncovered!  On top of the girdle sits some half baffles, or abbreviated windage trays that prevent oil from getting picked up into the rotating assembly, and a bulky K24A1 oil pump with heavy balance shafts included.

In theory, if the engine did experience some damage which made some metal shavings appear, then they would have appeared in the oil pan.  They would have also been apparent in the oil when I drained it.  However since there was little to no oil to drain from this motor, I figured another good place to check for large debris of any sort would be in the mesh inside of the oil pickup on the pump.  

Let's take a look at the clean pickup's mesh:

Next I removed the abbreviated windage tray.

   

 Finally, after removing the top four bolts on the back half of the abbreviated windage tray, you will see your first piece of crankshaft counterweight!  What a beauty!!!  Hahah

After I took off the half baffle, I began my work on the oil pump.  For starters, you're going to want to remove your tensioner.

I plan on switching to a K20A2 oil pump which has no balance shafts.  This will provide less rotating mass which will allow me to rev higher than on a K24A1 oil pump without cavitating the pump.  A couple of things are needed for this upgrade, including:

• A 64-link Acura RSX Type-S oil pump chain (PN: 13441-PCX-004)
• An RSX Type-S oil pump chain guide (PN: 13460-PNC-004)
• A sealing bolt and washer to plug a hole in the girdle which would have supplied the K24A1 oil pump's balance shaft assembly if it were still bolted to the engine (PN: 90004-PE2-005 and 90401-PE2-003)
• Bolts for the oil pump (PN: 95701-06025-08 and 95701-08050-08 and 95701-08075-08)
• And the pump itself, of course (PN: 15100-PRB-A01)

Notice that the K20A2 tensioner is not needed for this mod because the K24 one will suffice.  That is why I will be saving this tensioner.  That's a good 60 dollars in my pocket :)

Here's the removed oil pump chain tensioner with its bolts.  I later put this in a bag with its bolts to make sure I didn't lose it.

Next I took an allen key and a cheater bar (a large copper pipe, lolz) and removed the K24 oil pump chain guide.  Supposedly this guide is too long to work with the K20A2 oil pump chain and oil pump assembly.  To fix this, an RSX Type-S oil pump guide will be needed.  Its part number is listed above.

Here is a pic of the tensioner on the left with its three hex bolts and the guide on the right with its two oddly shaped allen bolts:

I can't remember, but I believe there are four bolts holding the K24A1 oil pump onto the bottom end of this motor.  Proceed to remove the pump after you have removed all of the stuff holding it on...like the tensioner, guide, chain, sprocket, etc.

  

Looking at the pump, you can see the balance shafts.  They're just counter-weighted shafts that spin with the pump to offset vibrations.  Supposedly they're better for daily drivers, but honestly, most people don't think they make a huge difference.  So this is another reason why I care not for the K24 oil pump.

 After you've removed the pump, then you should be seeing something like this:

 ;)

Thanks for reading guys.  Until next time, you will just have to wait and see what the condition of the rest of this motor is in!

Peace.

Project DC5: Engine Builds for Dummies! Part 1

Engine Builds for Dummies!  Part 1

So after coming home from my amazing home I had enough of "dreaming" and I wanted to get down to "doing."

...

If you're anything like me, you know what it's like to be told that you can't do something.  Crap, we all know what that's like...and it feels like crap.

You can't have that nice car-- it's too expensive.  You can't modify said nice car, it's not practical.  If you get a motor how will you pick it up?  How will you take it apart?  Are you just going to sit in a freezing cold garage with a bunch of coats on and a breaker bar loosening 12-point head bolts from a hunk of metal?

Precisely..I will do precisely all of those things.

Well folks, the truth is if you have the determination to do something, whether it be small or large, then you can do it.  And although this article shows the partial disassembly and inspection of a motor-- something that people do every day that really is nothing special in itself, it also shows the beginning of a journey for me.  This is yet another step on the way to show those people who said I couldn't do it that I can.

And even if I don't end up finishing this build, or if I end up scrapping it, it's okay...because I learned.  And with that I'd like to begin listing some goals for this build:

1.) To learn-- this is my first motor "build."
2.) To build a reliable motor capable of around 250 whp or more.
3.) To save money without seriously cutting corners
4.) Again, to learn because this is my first motor "build."

If you, the reader, have anything to contribute so that I may learn more, then I encourage you to come forth...even if you're proving me wrong-- I'd rather be right in the end with the help of you!

Starting with my piece of ish engine stand and my beautifully mummified, incomplete long block I began the assembly of my stand first.

Voila..

With the engine chilling on the stand I held the crank still on the pulley end and I used a 1/2" ratchet with a cheater bar to remove the flex plate bolts on the transmission side.  Note this engine was pulled from an automatic CRV.

Here's the ratchet with the cheater bar on the transmission side that I used to remove the flex plate bolts:

As you can see, the flex plate bolts are to be removed by a 12-point socket.  This one is a 17 mm:

After loosening the bolts in a star pattern, remove them by hand so that you can take the flex plate off.

Here is what the washer for the flex plate looks like with all of the bolts sitting snug:

Here's the rusty flex plate:

A clean rear main:

Next I removed the crank pulley.  I didn't have the special Honda tool needed for this and I don't have a torque wrench here in Wisconsin, so when I got here I actually stopped.  However, because I'm so nice I'll keep going :)

As I mentioned before, this is partially a budget build.  Where I can save I will save.  Since I couldn't save by buying a brand new torque wrench, I began looking for the Honda Crank Pulley Removal Tool.  After searching the internet and scrounging the forums I finally found the golden grail!

Yes, freaking O'Reilly Auto Parts has this crazy Japanese weirdo tool for rental!  Anyway, here's the final lineup of tools I used to remove this stupid circle:

I paid about 30 bucks for all of these tools excluding the rented Honda tool.

And here's the cheater bar and the breaker bar that I used IN CONJUNCTION to break this sucker free.

Size of pipe:

And of course...we can't forget the magic "Liquid Wrench."

Using my new found supplies I took the ratchet and attached it to the Honda Crank Tool, and then I put the cheater bar on the end of my ratchet.  I placed the crank tool in the crank pulley, then I set the socket to the right motion and let the end of the cheater bar sit against the ground to provide resistance.

Then I took the breaker bar, and put a cheater bar on the breaker bar and I DID IT!  :D  One of the best feelings in the world is getting these hat crank pulleys off if you know anything about them.  I HATE THEM >:0

:)

If you're storing your parts in a bin and you're afraid of losing things, then pay attention here.  This block that I have circled inside of the crank pulley is called a woodruff key.  It mates with a notch in the crankshaft so that the pulley may spin with the bottom end.  Check it out.

 Then I removed the timing chain cover.  In the following pics I show some of the holes that once held bolts for the timing chain cover...which was apparently held on by just a gasket and three bolts from the oil pan into the timing chain cover 0___o

Timing chain cover in the RAW.

And here's a sneak peak of what's to come ;)

Thanks for checking out the blog guys and gals!  I'm glad to have a following from yous and I really hope you enjoy this ishhhh

Until next time, PEACE