Time to freshen the R2

[Bills R2]

Finally a modicum of progress
I am told the heads are done and the price is about 1/2 of what I wold expect to pay, guess we will see how involved he got.
Also got word that the short block was finally disassembled and I am waiting on the verdict there. Got my mitts crossed!
The parts collection continues to grow and I am cleaning stuff up in earnest.
The AOAI National meet is just down the street next week Might be an expensive date??

[Hawklover]

Bill I wish you luck, and love the fact you will do the work yourself!.............I still have not gotten over the fact that when I had my R-1 re-built, the re-builder left in the cam bearings!............claiming they had no ware, how he determined that is still a mystery?????;-(

[PackardV8]

Bill I wish you luck, and love the fact you will do the work yourself!.............I still have not gotten over the fact that when I had my R-1 re-built, the re-builder left in the cam bearings!............claiming they had no ware, how he determined that is still a mystery?????;-(

First, it's impossible to thoroughly clean a used engine block with the cam bearings in place, so they should never be reused on a rebuild.

But second, a machine shop should have a dial bore gauge. If there was a situation where an engine was already disassembled for some reason and then going to be reassembled, if you asked us to compare the ID of your cam bearings with the OD of the cam bearing journals and determine if the bearings were within spec, it would take about a half-hour and cost you about $50.

jack vines

[Hawklover]

First, it's impossible to thoroughly clean a used engine block with the cam bearings in place, so they should never be reused on a rebuild.

But second, a machine shop should have a dial bore gauge. If there was a situation where an engine was already disassembled for some reason and then going to be reassembled, if you asked us to compare the ID of your cam bearings with the OD of the cam bearing journals and determine if the bearings were within spec, it would take about a half-hour and cost you about $50.

jack vines

Jack I agree with all you say, the only saving "grace" in this situation is that in the almost 25K miles miles I have driven the car since the "re-build" I have not had any issues, great oil pressure, no oil consumption, no smoke out the tail pipe. Maybe the Gods smile down upon me because those cam bearings are still in the engine from new, and as I said zero issues.

[PackardV8]

Maybe the Gods smile down upon me because those cam bearings are still in the engine from new, and as I said zero issues.

Indeed fortunate and congrats on the good luck.

The three areas most often overlooked in a rebuild are the rocker arms and shafts, the cam bearings and the two screw in plugs at the rear of the block.

Anyone can remove the soft plugs and clean the inside of the rocker shafts, but cleaning the rocker adjusting screws is a real can of worms. There are four different designs and the one usually referred to as "wasp-waisted" will most always break a few when trying to remove them for cleaning. And yes, they need cleaning; the reason they will break is that necked-down area is often full of hard carbon crud.

The cam bearings require a special tool to remove and to install new, so some will try to CASO and leave them in place. Not everyone is as fortunate as Hawklover.

The screw-in plugs at the rear of the block are usually impossible to remove by hand. We always use the hot wrench. With the plugs removed, it is then possible to run long bore brushes through to clean the oil passages. Since one of the plugs is out of sight, forgetting to replace the plugs during assembly has caused more than one low oil pressure mystery search.

jack vines

[Hawklover]

Jack many thanks for the candid comments, I can only "assume" everything else went perfectly because I have no engine issues. Indeed I always have 40-50 lbs of running oil pressure when at speed and (as I remember) 20 plus pounds when at idle with hot oil. One other thing, since I have owned the car I have always changed the oil and filter every 1000 miles when I routinely drove the car, and now just once per year as I rarely drive more than 300 miles in a year.

[Bills R2]

The word from the engine shop is that the crank has a number of journals that are .0002-.0005 below max and I expect that the previous builder polished them as such. Not the end of the world but this would cause excess oil on the cyl walls and the crank should be ground again.
The block is another story.
It is likely not the original block. Already .060 over. With wear.
Options are custom .080 pistons, 8 bore sleeves or start over with a new block. Any way I look at it, I am talking '23 until this thing is back on the road.
Adding up the negative karma with this "gem" over the years, I very well may just pull the plug. It has not gotten any easier to be a Studebaker owner.
But just maybe... if I keep showering that whore with cash, she will love me back???

[Dwight FitzSimons]

Last I saw Studebaker International showed 0.080 oversize pistons in their catalog. I don't know whether they are dished or flat top.

BTW, boring a 289 0.080" oversize will result in 302 C.I.

--Dwight

[Bills R2]

Many thanks, Mr. FitzSimons!
S.I. has 'em on the shelf. The block is being sonic tested just in case, looking for Moly rings now that I am in a little better frame of mind!
Got the heads back but I have not really checked them out yet.
Also finally found the valve covers that I had plated 5 years ago by Forrester.
I cringed at $300 then for the pair but with prices now, it seems like a deal!

[PackardV8]

looking for Moly rings now that I am in a little better frame of mind!

The Grant moly rings are NLA from our wholesale house. The frustrating situation is Hastings makes them, just not packaged in sets of eight for Studebaker V8s. One solution is to buy four sets of Hastings moly rings for a '65 Studebaker 194" 6-cylinder, break them into three sets for V8s and sell two sets to other V8 owners. I'd take a set of .060".

jack vines

[Bills R2]

Great info Jack. Might you have a part number? I may buy 2 sets
And your PM box is apparently full?

[PackardV8]

Great info Jack. Might you have a part number? I may buy 2 sets
And your PM box is apparently full?

https://www.hastingspistonrings.com/...ER-CATALOG.pdf page 201

jack vines

[Bills R2]

Hastings only offers standard & +1.5 rings. I don't even know what a 1.5 oversize ring is. 1.5 inches oversize???

[PackardV8]

Hastings only offers standard & +1.5 rings. I don't even know what a 1.5 oversize ring is. 1.5 inches oversize???

In cast, they have STD, .5mm (.020") and 1.5mm (.060")
Chrome is STD or 1.5mm.

jack vines