ASSEMBLY
MAKE YOUR MARK

MAKE YOUR MARK

This is a customer’s balancer, though the procedure will work on a new one with the rubber bonded outer ring. I make a groove that runs down to the center hub. I use a chisel or a cut-off wheel, then I take a pick with yellow paint and mark the line. Should this...

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REAR TDC MARK

REAR TDC MARK

After I have established true TDC and I’m getting ready to degree my camshaft, I will take a sharp chisel and put a small mark on the back of the block and the crank. It helps to find TDC in the future should someone slip a balancer or change something up, causing us...

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PAINT MASKING HACKS

PAINT MASKING HACKS

Here’s a tip on painting around installed plugs on a fresh bare block. I use old paper tubes. I split them longways, cut to the desired length, and made a slit to overlap with the required I.D. of what I want to mask. In the cam tunnel, I use a paint can lid. Big Don...

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DOWEL PIN HOLDER

DOWEL PIN HOLDER

Dowel pins can cause problems both removing and installing. Once they’ve been removed and the block decked, it’s time to reinstall them. Giant fingers get in the way and trying to finagle the dowel pin and drive with it with a hammer can be cumbersome. I use a boxed...

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PISTON TO VALVE

PISTON TO VALVE

PISTON TO VALVE Everyone knows the clay method for piston to valve checks. Some people like to use a dial indicator with light “checker” valve springs installed, but that method doesn’t tell you about the actual numbers with the real valve spring installed. So, first...

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CORRECT BOLT LENGTH

CORRECT BOLT LENGTH

CORRECT BOLT LENGTH Many older, inline engines have water pump bolt holes that go all the way through the front of the block and can easily contact the front cylinder, if the incorrect bolts are used. I have seen a few engines ruined from having the incorrect length...

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