Happy New Year, Mr. And Mrs. J.C.! I used to rebuild engines, and I approve of this video. I started out sweeping the floors and cleaning parts. I moved up to reworking cylinder heads, replacing guides and seats when needed. Resurfacing the heads meant the intake side of the heads needed measured and surfaced, too. Rods were reconditioned and checked for straightness. Cylinders were bored and honed, sleeved if needed. Blocks were checked, and alignment bored on the mains if needed. The whole rotating assembly was balanced, including the clutch and pressure plate. Then came my specialty, grinding the cranks. I swept a lot around the machine of the old gray-haired. guy. Eyes and ears open and mouth shut. Only ask questions. The old man didn’t have to show me crap. He saw something in me though. I loved "blueprinting" a crank. It was more just going to size but making sure the rod journals were where they should be. You would not believe the new cranks that were out of tolerance or, in this case, not 90 degrees apart. We sent them back. Stroke and destroke, moving the centers of the rod journals. We also reground camshafts and made our own. I didn’t like that machine. It scared the F out of me. That lobe comes around, and you think it's going to cram into the grinding wheel. Nope, I never got used to it. Watch a video or go to a shop where you will see what I mean. Grey hair and I were the rock stars for a while. Then we got bought out by another shop. The new people got my job and machine. I was put back to cleaning parts. The local Cat dealer had an opening in their shop, and I moved over with 3 dollars more an hour. There is no money in automotive machine work unless you are self-employed. The work is very time-consuming. I loved it. I stuck with reconditioning engines for six years until I went in the Air Force. I wanted to do something different. They made me a machinist, only on aircraft. Sorry for the history, but wrenching, turning, and burning have followed me for my whole life. I'm 66 now and retired. Automotive machine shops are few and far between, and getting a crankshaft ground is next to impossible. Sad. You're doing a fine job rebuilding and explaining. As you were. Carry on. Cheers Terry
thanks terry. its been a long time since i touched one of these. thanks for the sharing your experience with us. sounds like you have had a a lifetime of fixing as well.
Thanks for the small block Chevy nostalgia trip. :) Good little engines. Back in the 1980s I saw a fair number of 305s from the late 70s with wiped cam lobes. I seem to remember hearing that some of the cams from that era weren't hardened correctly.
Happy New Year to you and your family! I think this is a great step by step and am happy you are doing it that way. Anybody deciding to try their first engine rebuild will be able to go back to this for years and see the correct way it should be done. I will be watching even thought I will never rebuild another engine, probably. 👍👍
Very well produced J.C. Everything you talked about came across very clear on camera. Especially for a rookie like myself I was able to understand everything you went over.
that is great to hear. sometimes we forget the little things that others may not know yet. i was hoping it would help folks get over the fear of the unknown.
Happy New Year Mr and Mrs Smith. FYI, just a little note, the tangs on bearing half shells are for locating only. Its the crush that holds them in place and keeps it from spinning when the bearing is fully assembled with both half's and with main cap torqued to spec. Looking forward to part 2.
Happy new year to you and the mrs. This is very informative you helping me get out and do things i was working on a trailer i pick up and wirh your help over the years i got all the light going next repack the bearings then raddle can it thanks Jc you helping me get out there and do things.
you should read the packet on the cam / lifter lube i used. it is designed for "flat tappet camshaft lobes, camshaft lobes and any other moving part. reduces surface damage and fretting wear upon start up. completely dissolves in oil". your welcome.
Personally I’d rather have the ability to run a mechanical pump and not use it than to need it and not have it. But I deal mostly with 60’s to mid 80’s cars.
This is a nice refresher on a first generation small block Chevy rebuild. Looking forward to seeing the next one.
Happy New Year, Mr. And Mrs. J.C.!
I used to rebuild engines, and I approve of this video.
I started out sweeping the floors and cleaning parts.
I moved up to reworking cylinder heads, replacing guides and seats when needed. Resurfacing the heads meant the intake side of the heads needed measured and surfaced, too. Rods were reconditioned and checked for straightness. Cylinders were bored and honed, sleeved if needed. Blocks were checked, and alignment bored on the mains if needed. The whole rotating assembly was balanced, including the clutch and pressure plate.
Then came my specialty, grinding the cranks. I swept a lot around the machine of the old gray-haired. guy. Eyes and ears open and mouth shut. Only ask questions. The old man didn’t have to show me crap. He saw something in me though.
I loved "blueprinting" a crank. It was more just going to size but making sure the rod journals were where they should be. You would not believe the new cranks that were out of tolerance or, in this case, not 90 degrees apart. We sent them back. Stroke and destroke, moving the centers of the rod journals.
We also reground camshafts and made our own. I didn’t like that machine. It scared the F out of me. That lobe comes around, and you think it's going to cram into the grinding wheel. Nope, I never got used to it. Watch a video or go to a shop where you will see what I mean.
Grey hair and I were the rock stars for a while. Then we got bought out by another shop. The new people got my job and machine. I was put back to cleaning parts.
The local Cat dealer had an opening in their shop, and I moved over with 3 dollars more an hour.
There is no money in automotive machine work unless you are self-employed.
The work is very time-consuming.
I loved it. I stuck with reconditioning engines for six years until I went in the Air Force. I wanted to do something different.
They made me a machinist, only on aircraft.
Sorry for the history, but wrenching, turning, and burning have followed me for my whole life.
I'm 66 now and retired. Automotive machine shops are few and far between, and getting a crankshaft ground is next to impossible.
Sad.
You're doing a fine job rebuilding and explaining.
As you were.
Carry on.
Cheers
Terry
thanks terry. its been a long time since i touched one of these. thanks for the sharing your experience with us. sounds like you have had a a lifetime of fixing as well.
I got more! 🤣 Good one, J.C! Enjoyed the assembly, my friend. Happy wrenching 🔧
she took it in stride. it went well. thanks for watching.
Thanks for the small block Chevy nostalgia trip. :) Good little engines. Back in the 1980s I saw a fair number of 305s from the late 70s with wiped cam lobes. I seem to remember hearing that some of the cams from that era weren't hardened correctly.
really enjoyed this tutorial JC. thx to you and Mrs JC too!
Very good. As clean & thorough as expected.
Happy New Year to you and your family! I think this is a great step by step and am happy you are doing it that way. Anybody deciding to try their first engine rebuild will be able to go back to this for years and see the correct way it should be done. I will be watching even thought I will never rebuild another engine, probably. 👍👍
Very well produced J.C. Everything you talked about came across very clear on camera. Especially for a rookie like myself I was able to understand everything you went over.
that is great to hear. sometimes we forget the little things that others may not know yet. i was hoping it would help folks get over the fear of the unknown.
Happy New Year Mr and Mrs Smith. FYI, just a little note, the tangs on bearing half shells are for locating only. Its the crush that holds them in place and keeps it from spinning when the bearing is fully assembled with both half's and with main cap torqued to spec. Looking forward to part 2.
thats what they say but i can show you many engines i have torn down with spun bearings and no tabs. coincidence? or result of no tabs? dont know.
I definitely needed this back in 2009. But this is a great idea for a series. Thank you for this.
Happy New Year Mr & Mrs J.C.Smith thanks for sharing 👍
Sounds like a good engine for a shop truck 😊
Happy New Year, Mr. And Mrs. J.C. all the best for 2025. looking forward to this
Love the final analogy 👌 pay for classes or pay for a couple mistakes and become a winner/master 💯🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 great vid bro👊
I prefer the straight forward approach your videos. Happy new year!
Happy new year to you. Mrs jeff family , peter and all your suppliers and friends.
Happy new year to you and the mrs. This is very informative you helping me get out and do things i was working on a trailer i pick up and wirh your help over the years i got all the light going next repack the bearings then raddle can it thanks Jc you helping me get out there and do things.
Happy New Year..... enjoying watching you building this engine. I learned more about how to do .. Thank you.
Hi J.C & Mrs Smith and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks J. C & Mrs Smith & Friends Randy & Hello J.C & Mrs Smith & Happy New Year's & 2025
Happy New Year to you and the Mrs.
Happy New Year's, JC and Mrs Smith.
Happy New Year's to the smith family
As my friend from the old neighborhood that worked on engines would say you want to be surgery room clean.
Joegg7755 is correct, the crush holds the bearings in place, NOT THE TANGS!
seen an awful lot of engines with spun bearings and no tabs. coincidence or cause? cant say.
NEVER use the cam and lifter break in lube on the cam journals.
Use engine assembly lube or engine oil.
Your welcome, Happy New Year
you should read the packet on the cam / lifter lube i used. it is designed for "flat tappet camshaft lobes, camshaft lobes and any other moving part. reduces surface damage and fretting wear upon start up. completely dissolves in oil". your welcome.
please tell me this goes in the Kei Truck????
well....
Personally I’d rather have the ability to run a mechanical pump and not use it than to need it and not have it. But I deal mostly with 60’s to mid 80’s cars.
i guess we will never know what fuel pump went on this engine....
At least find a cheap roller cam so that it can run the low zinc oil found at walmart. ;-D
you can always just add the extra zinc. some use rotella oil since it has higher zinc levels.