FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I am planning to rebuild the original (92,000 mile) engine in my '58 FC. Being a "newbie" I need a bit of info.
1. Where (in Melbourne) is a good source of parts such as pistons, rings, bearings, valves, oil pump etc?
2. Is it usual to replace the cam bearings on these engines?
Advice greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Frazer.

Fraze,

Two car enthusiasts, three opinions . . . but my two cents' worth -

You normally don't need to replace the cam bearings when you do an engine rebuild.

I'm a firm advocate of a "minimum rebuild" - ring-ridge removal, hone the bores, rings and bearings, new timing gear set, cylinder head overhaul.  Unless your engine has broken piston rings that is.  When I put my FX back on the road, it smoked and fouled spark plugs, and I wanted to drive it to Perth and back.  So I pulled the motor apart, got the head reconditioned with exhaust valve seat inserts, replaced the rings, and expected it only to last a couple of years, given the amount of wear in the bores.

Ten years and 65000 miles later, my stop-gap piston ring job is still just fine.

Your engine shop will be able to source the parts you need.

Rob

 Totally agree Rob have done plenty of re rings over the years.

Thanks for that advice, more or less what I planned to do. I am equipped to do the engine rebuild myself, contract out the machining. It is probably more than 40 years since I have seen inside a grey motor so I am very rusty there, but I regularly rebuild early Porsche engines so not exactly a stranger. What I would really like to know is the best source for parts in Melbourne. I Know Rare Spares and Auto Surplus - are there any others?

What ever you do make sure you replace the cam gear with a steel or alloy one.  The fiber ones are junk.  The cause of spun cam bearings due to fiber gettign stuck in oil galleries.

If possible do a hone, rings and big ends but pistons can be obtained.  If you want a builder to do it for you there is a bloke in Cheltenham that does cheap work aswell.  Let me know I can get his number.

Thanks for your advice "GreyFC". I really want to do the engine myself. Yes, I have already bought a steel timing gear. My engine has done 92,000 original miles but I don't expect too much from it. Sometime over the next 6 weeks I will strip it and measure and what I find will dictate the extent of the rebuild. The car will probably do less than 3000 miles a year so I am not going to go to the "n" th degree with it. It is going quite well at the moment, a little smoky but the main reason I will do it now is that it is leaking oil from behind the front plate (not timing cover) and it is getting worse.

Where in.Melb are you?

Fraze,

If the motor's leaking oil from behind the front engine mount plate, it's most likely because the attaching screws are a little loose.  You'd have to pull the camshaft out to tighten them, which means extracting the (sludged-up) cam followers.  None of this is terribly straightforward in an FC with the motor in place.

A few minor things to watch for, all of which have bitten me in the rear in previous engine jobs:

- Soak the rear main bearing oil seal in oil for a couple of days before installing it.
- Reface the rocker arms, de-sludge the rocker shafts, and grind off the little "wear nipple" from the adjuster ball studs.
- You may have to put a self-tapping screw in the rocker gear oil fitting's relief hole to get enough flow to lubricate No. 1 exhaust valve.
- After stripping the block and head, remove the welch plugs and go nuts with a Gerni to get rid of the mud and scale in the water jackets.
- File a keyway in the crankshaft oil slinger so that you can remove it next time without first removing the key in the crank.
- It may help to replace the camshaft thrust washer attaching screws with Phillips or socket head cap equivalents for ease of installation.

Rob

Ardiesse, thanks for the advice, I will certainly take that on board.

GreyFC, I am in Wheelers Hill, Melb.

Cheers, Frazer

Just be careful if you have to replace any pistons ,that you match the weight as this can cause engine roll at idle . Haydn

Engine rebuild update.
After making the decision to spruce up my original engine an FB engine sort of fell into my lap so I decided to rebuild it instead. It was in fairly good shape but I decided that the old adage "do it once - do it right" is still true so I went all the way- rebore, shaft grind, hardened seat inserts ,balance etc. etc. The machinist rang me last night to say that it is all done so I won't be sitting around wondering what to do with myself next week.
I must single out Auto Surplus in Melbourne for a special mention - they had every part I needed and their service is fantastic. The guys behind the counter are a pleasure to deal with.
I will post again after I have screwed it all back together and if I can figure out how to post a photo I will put in a few progress photos. Cheers, Frazer

Thast great.  If you need a hand with the pics I can help you can email or SMS them to me and I can put them up.

Keep the updates going. I'm bored at the in laws place atm.

Haha I am on the way right now.  I brought my Eldred Norman supercharged book to entertain me