420a Rebuild - Ongoing Advice

[JoeShmoe]

Originally Posted by david-b

I recommend going to a hardware store and picking up a piece of piping and a large C-Clamp. The piping needs to be a T pipe and you just do some trimming til it fits.

Actually here's a pic. Piece cost like $.69 or something like that. It's brass so it's solid and has a hole in the middle where you can get to the lock.

Nive Dave, I'm actually ising the compressor I rented from vatozone, lol. Luke I like the thread and pics man, awesome job...but damn thats a lot to read

[Luke Home]

Has anyone replaced the Hydraulic Timing Belt tensioner with this mechanical tensioner?

Link

The link above has more info on this.

[david-b]

Haven't seen one of those. The site wasn't very useful on exactly why we should switch to it and how it works. I would stick with what I know with the hydraulic. Those work perfectly fine anyways.

[Luke Home]

Modified my Valve Spring Compressor and got all the valves out. They are all bent, both intake and exhaust.

This may be another elementary question but I am not finding any (reliable) info on the best way to remove Carbon build-up on the aluminum head. I was going to get the Block Hot Boiled at a local shop ... but he said he cannot do the head. Was thinking about purchasing castrol purple power for the head but wasn't sure if this would have a damaging effect on the aluminum. Especially in the Cam bearing areas.

Any words of wisdom here?

[gthompson97]

I think any cleaning agent will be fine, aluminum is a pretty tough metal so I don't think it'll hurt much. I've used Engine Brite and a pressure washer before on my motors and it usually works pretty good.

[SilvrEclipse]

I believe that a few people have tried the mechanical tensioner with out much luck. I would stick to the hydrolic tensioner

[Luke Home]

Is it necessary to remove (and Replace) all the oil and coolant plugs before getting the Block Hot Bathed?

Is it advised to replace all the oil and coolant plugs in the head on a rebuild?

Also, are the Bedplate (Bottom of the block) bolts Torque-to-Yield as well? And, of course, if they are will need to be replaced!!!??

[gthompson97]

I would remove all of the coolant plugs before the hot tank, but I'm not sure about the oil plugs. I've never done the plugs in the head for a rebuild, and last but not least, no, the bedplate bolts are not TTY, you can reuse them.

[Luke Home]

Last night I was searching the web for more info on this motor (since my manual did not come in yet) and I found this General Information (TSB Rev.) Engine Overhaul <2.0L(420a)> manual ... which I am sure many here have already seen.

Manual Link:

In any case, on page "11D-7" of this manual the torque spec on the Connecting Rod Cap Bolts call out is 20 lbs + 1/4 turn. First off this seems low to me when I compare the torque it took to loosen this bolts (about 65-85 lbs). Does this sound right? Also, since the torque on these bolts has a similar call-out like the Cyl. head bolts (with a +1/4 turn) it makes me think that these Connection Rod Bolts are TTY bolts too. Are they? So far from everything I have read, no one has mentioned anything about replacing these bolts.

Page "11D-7" Page Link:

[Luke Home]

A little off base here ... I have a leaky seal on the passenger side Rack & Pinion. Since the motor is out and it is easy to get too I pulled the rack & pinion out.

Question, how do I get that seal out and where might be the best place to buy just the seal?

My Haynes manual does not cover this at all.

Thanks,

[1996EclipseRS]

Originally Posted by Luke Home

Last night I was searching the web for more info on this motor (since my manual did not come in yet) and I found this General Information (TSB Rev.) Engine Overhaul <2.0L(420a)> manual ... which I am sure many here have already seen.

Manual Link:

In any case, on page "11D-7" of this manual the torque spec on the Connecting Rod Cap Bolts call out is 20 lbs + 1/4 turn. First off this seems low to me when I compare the torque it took to loosen this bolts (about 65-85 lbs). Does this sound right? Also, since the torque on these bolts has a similar call-out like the Cyl. head bolts (with a +1/4 turn) it makes me think that these Connection Rod Bolts are TTY bolts too. Are they? So far from everything I have read, no one has mentioned anything about replacing these bolts.

Page "11D-7" Page Link:

Only the head bolts are TTY.

Also when I rebuilt my 420A I never replaced the rear main seal. Needless to say it leaks. So I would recommend replacing any oil seals especially the ones that are hard to get to such as the rear main.

Other then that id say rebuilding the engine was pretty painless. Good luck with the build!

[MazdaX]

Caustic solutions used in hot tanks at machine shops will clean that shit spotless.

[Luke Home]

Originally Posted by 1996EclipseRS

...So I would recommend replacing any oil seals especially the ones that are hard to get to such as the rear main....

Yes ... we purchased the whole engine gasket kits (upper & lower) and are replacement all seals/gaskets.

We almost have it all back together. We are waiting on the Rack & Pinion Gasket kit so we can rebuild it before putting the engine back in. The rack & pinion is much easier to put in with the motor out.