1966 Toronado 425 V8 engine overhaul need help

[harascho]

Time for an update..
When cleaning the block I found a lot of tar like gunk in the oil passages. I had to apply brake cleaner and use the pressure washer until everything was free and clean again. In the water jackets was still a lot of sand and I found 3 old expansion plugs. Then the block and crank went to the machine shop. Block was honed 0.04" over and crank was cut undersize, hardened, machined and polished again. I had lots of work with the valve train. After grinding the valve seats the installed valve heights were not even. I had to remove them again and grind them , each valve in its position, to get an equal installed height. That said, some of them had to be cut back 1,6mm which removed the hardened surface. After speaking with some engine builders over here, I was told the way to harden the valve tip again. They do it all the time with custom valves. I had to built a copper fixture and then the tip was WIG welded with a very hard welding rod. After that everything was grind again and I was ready to go....
see some pics along the way

Harald

[harascho]

hardening the valve tips

[harascho]

assembly preparation..

[harascho]

cam degreeing

[harascho]

final assembly

[harascho]

and the last one

[harascho]

Now last sunday my wife and me istalled the engine. I had to think about a manual choke 'cause I blocked the heat crossover passage and removed the flap in the left manifold ( I removed the hole assembly and closed the hole of the rod)
As everything was connected, oil and water in the engine, ignition set I finally started the beast again.
Now the cam is broken in. Some small hassles when I first started .. the rockers just strived the inner oil baffle in the valve covers a tiny little bit.. just so that I heard it when the lifters were pumped up and it left some small scratches on the baffle.

I removed the covers and massaged the inner baffle, I could gain more that 5mm which was enough. Then the 30min break in time was without problems. I got a very healthy oil pressure and the new cam makes a rumble at idle I fell in love with…. That Toronado had a transition from family coupe to muscle car. Also the exhaust note is different, deeper, more aggressive. And that sound at idle, this slightly irregular note… wonderful…


Best regards from Germany


Harald

[Otto Skorzeny]

That's awesome. Good looking engine, too. Post a photo of the whole car.

[harascho]

Back into service.....

[harascho]

somemore shots from today....