This question is for those who have done their own rebuilds, please don't comment about what you have heard.

How long was your rebuild process and did you check for all tolerances during the rebuild? I just went through the rebuild video and it seems that the longest time was spent verifying all tolerances. You need micrometers, calipers with depth gauge, feeler gauge, surface gauge with mag mount just for verification. This is all done to determine what can and cannot be used.

Did everyone go through all this or just put everything back together?

 

when garfinkle was building rotory engines he checked it all as you say is needed. That is what a customer pays for. The same as when he builds a piston engine. He does not leave any known thing to luck. If you do not check something will come back to get you.

 

I'm in the middle of an engine now, and yes, the majority of the time spent is checking tolerances. I know several people who have rebuilt 13BT engines with nothing more than a set of feeler gauges and a good eye. A few engines lasted, a few didn't. I recommend doing it all like the video says.

 

You can also get most all of the tools you need fairly inexpensively if you shop some pawn shops. You should be able to get an 0-1", 1"-2" micrometer, 6" calipers, feeler gauges, a height gage and indicator and small granite table for about $250 give or take $100 or so....just depends on what is available.

Having rebuilt several piston engines, I can say without a doubt that doing it right the first time, checking everything and replacing as needed is the ONLY way to go. Having helped friends on a "budget" more than once, and seeing how a few weeks/months later we were tearing into the motor again and fixing what SHOULD have been done the first time just convinces me even further. Shortcuts often lead to disaster in rebuilding engines.

 

O.K. So how many of you actually keep a spare engine around to play with?
I figure I'd get a reman and put it in have the car running while spending the time to rebuild and port the current one, it may cost more now but will be cheaper in the long run.