how to learn engine building???
 

allright, so i just got my ged....i don't want to hear it about not finishing high school, but anyways i'm looking at maybe taking classes here a dmacc and trying to build my cw'ed engine in my dsm, problem is i don't think they really focus on engine building, especially performance building....i don't know yet, i have to contact them on thursday to talk to a counselor about it, but i'm wondering how some of you guys learned to do your engine swaps, and build the engines, i know alot of you taught your self, and just did it, but i don't really want to cost a $1000 mistake if i do something wrong with the engine. any advice???

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

I call bull shit!


Put some GED skills behind that typing! Or get your money back from the GED.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

well, you know, i don't really care how my punctuantion is when i'm casually typing on here, i know the rules of most forums on it, but i don't think it has to go this far. So asking for help, and seeing as how its going so far from a admin you can go ahead an delete this thread then. since all i'm going to get is shit on. thanks for the help.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Well, you used the shift key once. I guess my dream came true.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Show us some respect by typing a decent question, and we will show you some respect with a decent answer. Deal?

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Thank you, I appreciate that. Well, how about this then. How did majority of you on here that know how to build engines learn? Did you read books on it? Did you take classes for it? Did you just learn it by yourself? How about this Dsmstyle, are you happy now? Is this ok with you now? Thank you for your time in this matter. How about that Dsmstyle?

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

You better not be being a smartass kid or you will find your stay here a short one. Ask a educated question and you will get a educated answer, and this means typing so we can read what the hell you mean without getting a fucking headache.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Most of us learned by doing. Some watched someone else do one, or had someone else to ask questions to. I did mine pretty much on my own, but asked Mike some questions. I doubt Mike is going to give out a bunch of advice to someone that isn't a previous customer or a friend though.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Ok comon guys, lighten up, what crawled up your buts lately, give a guy a break. He is just excited that he rebuilt a bridge in his life that was destroyed a while ago. Help him cross it but don't put spike strips down in front of him ;p .

Like Jet said, most people learn by doing it and watching other people do it. There are some good books out there to learn basics. But as with everything in this world, there are different ways for different manufacturers and for different applications. You will not find all inclusive book for engine building, your best bet is to talk to the gearheads, listen and absorb without asking too many questions. (some people are easily anoyed)

Good luck in your adventure, it will be a costly one!

-E

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Your probably not going to like this answer, but it is the truth, accept it or not. The only real way to learn this stuff is by doing, preferrably with some guidance from someone with experience. You can pick a lot of it up over the net reading and in books etc, but the fact is, most people don't comprehend exactly how it should be done from reading. I started building bike engines 25 years ago with friends in my garage. I got lucky enough somehow and they ran fine, after that, I spent a lot of time watching and reading for the first few v8's. Since then it has been 20 years of digging info out of every one decent with a wrench, reading every possible bit of info on it and sharing info with fellow engine builders. If you seriously want to learn, it would be worth paying someone with experience to go through yours with you. Or at least see if you can watch them build one. The education will be worth every penny. Ask lots of questions and take notes.

Last comment. As mentioned above, give respect to get it. If you want people to care about your requests for info etc, show enough respect to care about their requests to simply follow their rules. You care about what your asking, Allan cares that his site doesn't look like most of the other annoying car sites out there.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

There might be some videos out there now on engine building. Even though they would be for V8s, most of the same methods apply. You would want a factory manual for the motor you are rebuilding also to get all the specs and weird things specific to that motor.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

That is true, I have seen a few videos available online for it. Probably a good idea either way since you could watch it more than once and ask your questions online after without the fear of some annoyed engine builder smacking you with a heavy object.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

This is why I like this site more than anything, for the smart answers and good politeness!

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Namely a 7-bolt crankshaft.

I have yet to build my own engine, but even disassembling an engine you learn how it's assembled and where the pieces go. It's a puzzle, except there are specific measurements that need to be followed for nearly every part.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

If you want it done right, pay someone to do it and it will last longer.

When I end up building my engine I will work it into the deal that when the engine is being put together that i am present and watching, even if it means i have to pay extra for the priviledge/time I would not even think about it and gladly would pay.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Wise words, unless you are planning on building a bunch of motors and don't mind having the car down for a while. I have put a couple together and at the first 1000 pan pull to see how its going I have found barring shavings and had to redo it again. Fourtunately I have never had a massive failure, but I only drive the car a few times a year and enjoy the building as much as the driving.

P.S. The current motor was not built by me because it gets tiresome doing it over, and over, and over.

The answer to your question is I just did it armed with a hanes and a chilton and all the internet reading I could find. Even with all of that the first one I put together and turned over puked coolant all over the place from between the head and the block. 2G headstuds (on a 1G) will torque down to spec on the bottom of the bolt holes while the head still has 2mm of gap. Ahh, the memories.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Yes, and I sent DSMStyle a pm with an apology for this. Everyone else, thank you for your insight, it is much appreciated.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

After just reading through all the replies, I think I agree too. My only problem though is I just don't have the money, I miss my car. My car has been sitting in the driveway since last august. But none the less i'm going to go to DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College) on thursday and see if I will have enough time for classes, considering I have two jobs that i have to keep, and maybe three here soon. I guess my only worry is pulling the engine, and putting it back, then not forgetting to hook something up, and ruin the motor.
Yes this is why I posted here. Because of all the dsm sites I am a member of, this one has had the nicest and most knowledgeable people so far. I posted here because I respect alot of you for being so nice and helpful.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

LMAO!!
Like mentioned, some knowledge is to be had from classroom and other various froms of instructions, but the majority of the population on this board is from hands on experience.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

.....haha that is a very true risk.. mikes a bitch like that ;) Glad to have you back.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

But you gotta trust your engine builder to teach you right things..
Unlike mine had me blow into a hose that was pushed into the sparkplug hole..... to this day i don't know why i did it, i guess i just wanted to help.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

HAHAHA! the only thing I ever missed that I wish I didn't.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

You probably wouldn't want to rebuild your crankwalked 2g block. It would be cheaper to just get a used 6 bolt. I would never rebuild mine a anyways. I have 2 and a half walked motors here right now and I would never do anything with them. One of them is still in the car and will be pulled shortly and the others were pulled and will never see any action again.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

If you really want to learn, I've got a 6 bolt going best offer. So far its at 50 for the short block. 2 of them actually, and a couple of heads.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

what a bastard to do something like that to an apprentice! ha

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

It's not as hard as it may seem. If you know you did everything correctly and within specs, it will work. Take as long as you may need to do it, and just make sure it's right. I triple checked my own work and still kind of doubted it when I redid my engine(it was my first ever) and in the long run, I think it was well worth it. The second one may be coming up soon so we'll see how that goes. Good luck on your rebuild.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

As far as I know, DMACC only offers a diesel mechanic cources, not automotive courses, but I could easily be mistaken. Since you are in the Des Moines area, you should ask Jeremy Brandt about how he has learned all of his knowledge over the years.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

I'm looking at these classes; http://www.dmacc.edu/courses/crsrod....s%20Technology auto464, auto474, and eventually auto482. I have also been doing some thinking about maybe the auto 476 to start with.

The one reason I didn't graduate (among other reasons I won't get into), I don't do good with books. I do great with hands on experience. Show me how to do something, and I would feel fairly confident in doing it again. My first question, I see everybody saying they bought their 20 over or 40 over pistons. Now I assume you would get the block machined and ran through, then buy the parts that fit it right? For instance get block machined 20 over, then I would know what size pistons to get. But for rods its all six bolt rods fit six bolts correct? None the less i might get the engine built by somebody else, but I would like to know whats going on inside it as well. Thanks for all your help everybody.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

You choose your pistons and rods based on the engine you want to build. Take into consideration rod ratio, desired compression ratio, and maybe anything extra to match diff rods up with pistons, ect ect. Once you know what your going to use you have a credible machine shop do the work on the block. There's actually quite a bit that can be listed in the mix. Torque plates, sleeved, bore, hone, ect ect. It can get fairly in depth or it can be done fairly low key.

Re: how to learn engine building???
 

Then your doing the right thing by going to a Community College, or Tech School. Although no matter what school you go to, you will have to pick up a book. And one thing I like about you is that you didnt blame ADD. If you can read and you have an interest in the subject matter, then picking up a book on cars should not give you a hard time.
I do however have a question. What is your goal for going to school? Are you going to just take a couple classes and get what you can out of it? or are you going to finish with a degree of some sort, (AA, Cert or BS). A lot of the guys will prolly disagree with me on this one but if you looking to actually get back into school, go until you get a degree in something. You dropped out of HS and got your GED, if you stick to the program and get your AA, cert or BS you will feel so much better about your schooling, and you will gain so much more from it.
As for whats better, books or hands on? Hands on definatly is ten times better, but the books are just filler. So say if your completely new to the engine, and your putting on a water pump (hypothetically speaking) so you have this water pump in your had and someone comes up to you and says "it goes there," well you just had hands on expirence but you missed something. What it does? Why it goes there? History behind it... etc... Books now days are pretty much only for filler.
Other then that your into the right cars for learning about engines, modding, etc. The community is great and always willing to help even if they come off as dicks sometime. LOL jk.
Welcome to the DSM Scene, be ready to get your hands dirty, unless your like mike (raptor) who doesnt want to break a nail so he wears gloves. Be careful though, I have caught mike looking at my ass many times.... ;)
Tom