Our engine and cylinder head machining and build process
*this page will be updated soon, still taking photos and videos of the assembly process
Machining the block:
The block is first fully stripped down (oil galley plugs, freeze plugs, studs and dowels included). Block is jet-tank cleaned and blown dry with compressed air (including all oil gallies, coolant passages and thread holes). We measure the bores to insure it can be machined for .020” (.5mm) or .040” (1mm) oversize pistons. Any block that will not machine to .020” or .040” over, it is set to the side for a racing application or if a customer requests an extreme oversize piston.
Rebuilding the connecting rods:
Rods are jet tanked cleaned, glass bead blasted and throughly inspected. We remove the studs and both the big-end rod and cap mating surfaces are squared and piston pin bushing is removed.
The after ‘squaring’ the rod caps to the rods,they are re-installed and torqued to spec. Each connecting rod big and small end are then honed back to perfectly round within .0001”. New piston pin bushings are installed and honed to within .0001” of the measurement of the new piston pin.
The rods are then jet-tanked again to remove honing oil and any contaminants.
Click here for a video of the rod rebuilding process and see how we get the big and small ends to within .0001” round!!
Crankshaft regrinding and prep:
The crankshaft is fully cleaned and inspected (including front pulley bolt and flywheel bolt threads.. All journals (main and rod) are machined undersize to the clearances required by our specific bearing manufacturer, King Engine Bearings. The oil galley plugs in the crankshaft are removed and the crank is jet-tanked for 20-30 minutes. This step is to insure the oil gallies are fully clean and free any contaminants. The crank is dried and compressed air is blown through all oil passages. New galley plugs are installed and the journals are micro-polished on our crankshaft polisher.
Camshaft regrinding:
Since we will not use any of the ‘new’ Chinese manufactured camshafts (way too soft material), we start with on OEM cam and have it reground. All lobes are reground to factory lift and duration (or reground to our Performance specs) and all bearing surfaces are measured and micro polished.
We then install the new timing cover and surface the block and timing cover as an assembly to insure proper deck height. A minimal amount of material is removed (just enough to insure a flat surface).
The block is then taken to our Rottler bore machine and all four cylinders are bored to rough size. Final sizing takes place on the hone, with a torque plate and main caps installed.
We then install a torque plate to the deck of the block and install the main bearing caps. The torque plate simulates having the head installed and torqued (the block actually distorts when the head is installed) to insure a straight and true hone finish to each of the bores. The specific (for that exact engine) pistons are measured and our bore gauge is set to that measurement. We then use a four step process, using different sets of honing stones to get the bores to the proper clearance measurements of the pistons. During these steps, we use the dial bore gauge to take measurements at each various points in the bores to check for proper clearances through the whole stroke. The final bore step is to plateau finish the bores to aid in the ring seating process.
The block is then jet-tank cleaned again and blown dry with compressed air to remove the honing oil and any other contaminants. The timing cover surface of the block, pan rails and rear seal housing surface are all block sanded by hand for a clean and flat sealing surface.
The block is then painted with high temp engine enamel and is ready for assembly.
crank galley plugs removed and passages clean
Our process for the PCHI-1 / PCHC-1
We always start with a new cylinder head casting. Since the ‘newest’ used head is at the very least 14 years old (and up to 24 years old!!), we prefer to start with a new casting. Most of the used core cylinder heads we see have been machined at LEAST once in their lifetime. Cam journal wear, cam bearing line bore, cracks, warpage and coolant passage electrolysis are ALWAYS an issue. Rather than “band-aid” a head back together and sacrifice quality and durability, we start fresh.
Having inspected all of the new cylinder head castings available on the market, we have found most to be of inferior quality (poor castings, porous material, improperly machined cam journals etc.). We have chosen a manufacturer that uses an improved material that is less prone to cracking and electrolysis (corrosion of the cooling system passages).
this is what is left of the stock exhaust valve seat when using our Serdi to remove the non-powdered metal seats
Right our of the box, we remove all of the exhaust valve seats and install harder powdered metal seats.
We have cutting bits custom made to our profiles by Newen for our Serdi 3.0 machine. The intakes are cut to a 4 angle (and a back cut to the valves) and exhaust seats are fully radiused. Other shops call this a “full race valve job”, it’s standard on EVERY cylinder head we sell.
(picture shown is before port work)
The head is then taken to our downdraft booth for port work. Both intake and exhaust pockets at the valve area are hand machined, radiused and polished for improved flow.
We back cut the intake and exhaust Ferrea 1mm oversize stainless valves and set the installed height. We install Viton valve stem seals and our 70lb. performance valve springs.
We use Joe Gibbs Racing high zinc assembly lube when we install our custom ground OEM camshaft.
Our Ferrea valve stock valve
Valve cover... huh?
We include a valve cover installed on every engine we sell. Why? Take a look at the picture on the right.... that is what the inside of your valve cover PCV baffle looks like inside (if not worse, this was one was actually ‘cleaner’ than most that we see). The only way to properly clean a valve cover is to disassemble it.
We remove the rivets, thoroughly jet tank clean both the valve cover and baffle sheet metal. We install a new baffle gasket and new screws. The valve cover exterior is then painted a hammer-tone gray.
Other “rebuilders” usually skip these steps, it’s time consuming, but you don’t want to use your old one.
Toyota thought that a simple two hole (with a small groove) oiling system to properly lubricate the rocker arms would suffice. Not true. As you can tell from the picture on the left, it was never really enough lubrication. You can see, the aluminum rocker arm will ACTUALLY wear through the hardened and chromed shaft. When worn like this, it causes multiple problems including: low oil pressure, excess valve train noise and inability to proper adjust the valves.
Here is a side-by-side comparison.
Old shaft on top, our new 4 hole under it
We build the new assembly is built using the new enhanced oiling capacity rocker shafts, OEM refaced and inspected rockers (see why we reface our own rockers here), new OEM rocker adjuster tips and assembled with cleaned, glass beaded rocker towers. We even install new locking screws on the tower-to-shafts.
