M539 Project Chicago has a knock 😭

[michaelluscher]

NO
He put so much work into making it right

I'm devastated on his behalf
I'm eager to see what went wrong
Can anyone of our armchair but also genuinely knowledgeable people here see anything wrong when he put it together?

 

[Imp4]

So 50 minutes of edited video is likely 1/10 that of actual video taken. The likelihood that you'll diagnose where he went wrong is pretty small.

But good luck!!!

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

oh no!!! I have to watch.. He was so careful with the bearings. Used plastigauge and confirmed the tolerances for each bearing, kept everything really clean, used pre-lube on every bearing etc.. The only thing I noticed as a layperson is that in some instances he seem to struggle hitting some of the torque values. The engine stand is a little light and he occasionally had a hard time maintaining is footing. Perhaps he got the orientation of a piston wrong?

Fingers crossed it's something minor.

 

[skyactiv]

Why are we watching other people live instead of living our own life? I'm guilty of it.

 

[bdcardinal]

oh no!!! I have to watch.. He was so careful with the bearings. Used plastigauge and confirmed the tolerances for each bearing, kept everything really clean, used pre-lube on every bearing etc.. The only thing I noticed as a layperson is that in some instances he seem to struggle hitting some of the torque values. The engine stand is a little light and he occasionally had a hard time maintaining is footing. Perhaps he got the orientation of a piston wrong?

Fingers crossed it's something minor.

I know its close, but Plasti-gauge is just so inaccurate compared to a proper gauge.

Also ETCG built the engine in Project Dad's Truck wrong and it took over a year to figure out he had the wrong pistons in the wrong cylinders.

 

[Trav]

oh no!!! I have to watch.. He was so careful with the bearings. Used plastigauge and confirmed the tolerances for each bearing, kept everything really clean, used pre-lube on every bearing etc.. The only thing I noticed as a layperson is that in some instances he seem to struggle hitting some of the torque values. The engine stand is a little light and he occasionally had a hard time maintaining is footing. Perhaps he got the orientation of a piston wrong?

Fingers crossed it's something minor.

Horrible stuff and really not the best way of checking bearing clearances. I wouldn't be surprised if he got the measurements mixed up in inches not mm.
Inside and outside micrometers would have been the correct way.

 

[bdcardinal]

This Sunnen Dial Bore Gauge set to 0 against the measurement of the crank journals is the proper way. Then you can use standard and X bearings to get the clearance as close as you need it.

 

[Trav]

That is one, there are many others that are high quality that will do an accurate job like this one. Mine are older (but still perfect) USA made Starrett.
Nice thing with Starrett is I can go to the factory a couple of towns over and get it repaired, calibrated or rebuilt for a decent price.

3089Z-131-26J Starrett Dial Bore Gage 2*-6* Range

Check out the deal on 3089Z-131-26J Starrett Dial Bore Gage 2*-6* Range at Manson Tool & Supply

www.mansontool.com

 

[Skippy722]

Why are we watching other people live instead of living our own life? I'm guilty of it.

I like to live vicariously through other people sometimes.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Not over yet. Just drop in a Challenger SRT supercharged V-8.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Why are we watching other people live instead of living our own life? I'm guilty of it.

Entertaining, risk-free, unable to live that life? A lot of reasons.

 

[jeepman3071]

Why are we watching other people live instead of living our own life? I'm guilty of it.

So you watch a few youtube videos about someone wrenching on a car you don't own in a country where you don't live on a rainy day and you are watching other people live instead of living your own life? I don't get it. You could say people who post on this forum do the same thing...

I certainly don't want to own a B7, but it's cool to learn about them.

 

[Sreten]

I know its close, but Plasti-gauge is just so inaccurate compared to a proper gauge.

Also ETCG built the engine in Project Dad's Truck wrong and it took over a year to figure out he had the wrong pistons in the wrong cylinders.

I explained pretty well in the video what plastic-gauge is and that it's simply a sanity check.

It actually gives very decent results and can tell you if there is a problem -

Horrible stuff and really not the best way of checking bearing clearances. I wouldn't be surprised if he got the measurements mixed up in inches not mm.
Inside and outside micrometers would have been the correct way.

You gotta give me more credit than that...

Micrometers and precise measurements were unnecessary as I was reusing the same block, same crankshaft, same rods and same bearings that the factory put in. I explained this in the video too.

Anyway, it wasn't a rod knock, but a piston slap and you'll find out why in the next episode that's landing today.

Thanks for discussing and watching the videos, fellas!

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I explained pretty well in the video what plastic-gauge is and that it's simply a sanity check.

It actually gives very decent results and can tell you if there is a problem -



You gotta give me more credit than that...

Micrometers and precise measurements were unnecessary as I was reusing the same block, same crankshaft, same rods and same bearings that the factory put in. I explained this in the video too.

Anyway, it wasn't a rod knock, but a piston slap and you'll find out why in the next episode that's landing today.

Thanks for discussing and watching the videos, fellas!

Just finished watching. Bad tolerances on the sleeve job. How unbelievably frustrating. Love your work. A++.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Project Chicago getting another go. I can't believe how common cylinder scoring is on the Alpina variant. Scoring at 60k miles seem to be standard fare. Wow!

Q: What would cause the scoring? Is it the forced induction? Tighter tolerances? Lighter Pistons?

In any case it looks like the N62 block is a direct fit.

 

[Trav]

I explained pretty well in the video what plastic-gauge is and that it's simply a sanity check.

It actually gives very decent results and can tell you if there is a problem -



You gotta give me more credit than that...

Micrometers and precise measurements were unnecessary as I was reusing the same block, same crankshaft, same rods and same bearings that the factory put in. I explained this in the video too.

Anyway, it wasn't a rod knock, but a piston slap and you'll find out why in the next episode that's landing today.

Thanks for discussing and watching the videos, fellas!

Sorry that was not meant as an insult to you, I dont know you, you do nice work but building engines that are using metric with inch measuring even by accident can thwart anyone. I realize they have metric scale but it wouldn't be the first time someone looked at inch.
As far as plasti gauge being accurate it depends on if the crank was ground and or the rods resized. For every article/video claiming the pro's of it there are an equal number against it.

I think the plasti gauge is probably fine if the bearings are being changed just because the engine is open and all stock parts are used but personally most of time if I have to be bearings its because the engine has a knock and parts have been reground.
You have to look at the pictures to get the description of what is happening.

Plastigage Versus Micrometer - Accuracy Test - Car Craft Magazine

Read about the accuracy test between the plastigage vs the micrometer.

www.motortrend.com

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Sorry that was not meant as an insult to you, I dont know you, you do nice work but building engines that are using metric with inch measuring even by accident can thwart anyone. I realize they have metric scale but it wouldn't be the first time someone looked at inch.
As far as plasti gauge being accurate it depends on if the crank was ground and or the rods resized. For every article/video claiming the pro's of it there are an equal number against it.

I think the plasti gauge is probably fine if the bearings are being changed just because the engine is open and all stock parts are used but personally most of time if I have to be bearings its because the engine has a knock and parts have been reground.
You have to look at the pictures to get the description of what is happening.

Plastigage Versus Micrometer - Accuracy Test - Car Craft Magazine

Read about the accuracy test between the plastigage vs the micrometer.

www.motortrend.com

Hey Trav since I know you don't have the time to watch these video. The rebuild failed due to the sleeve job. The cylinders were "egg shaped".

 

[Trav]

I have not watched most of the videos only the first one that was posted here, it sounds like whoever did the machine work did a crap job. That is terrible.

 

[2EHA]

Project Chicago getting another go. I can't believe how common cylinder scoring is on the Alpina variant. Scoring at 60k miles seem to be standard fare. Wow!

Q: What would cause the scoring? Is it the forced induction? Tighter tolerances? Lighter Pistons?

piston selection probably. they were trying to rival Porsche in poor engine building

 

[michaelluscher]

Well it seems the second time around everything worked out

Well done