Martin and I have been PMing each other in regards to O-ringing blocks and I felt the info was useful to all, so I decided to post it here. It started like this:
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Crazy-Mart wrote on 06-17-2003 12:02 PM: I got my block oringed, in a figure 8 kind of way ... the guy explained to me that the huge copper wires were too big (0.042") to o-ring twice ... so he got around the problem making an 8 around cyl's 1 and 2 and another one around cyl's 3 and 4 ... ill get picture this weekend ... if i can ...
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blownb310 wrote on 06-18-2003 08:08 AM:
*****That's interesting Martin. I used .042" stainless steel wire in mine, and it fit OK. I'll get out my extra o-ringed E16 today and take some pics.
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Crazy-Mart wrote on 06-18-2003 11:04 AM: Id really like to see it... the guy just called me saying that my block was too small for his tool (those guys rebuild engines) but he is sending it out to another one that, however charges 225 instead of 150, to have it done. He said his tool wasn't entering the cylinder (probably the guide of it. Is there a big difference between using copper or SS wire for the o-ring ??
Martin
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*****Martin,
It does not surprise me that your machinist had difficulty trying to O-ring the little E16 block. My Dad did too at first. His O-ring groove cutting tool had worked beautifully on my Pontiac 455. But that same cutter [for a 4"+ bore] cut too wide in the tighter radius circle of an E16's bore. So he made me a special narrower than normal cutting bit as a flycutter in his milling machine. This is it:
First the block's deck surface gets a cleanup cut. This is to true up the surface and remove all of the pit marks from rust and coolant corrosion. Typically, it only takes about .003" to .005" to clean it up. Then it's time to cut the O-ring grooves. It is important to make sure that you cut the grooves to the right size that they line up with the metal sealing rings in the head gasket you are going to use. You want them to "bite" right into the center of the cyl. sealing rings in your gasket. We cut the groove .036" deep, for a .006" protrusion of the wire. The block looks like this after machining.
This block has not yet gotten the actual .042" stainless steel wire tapped in yet. I need to buy some more. I've got a CA20 block to do too.
Fitting the wire into the grooves requires care, as to cut the wire cleanly, leaving no sharp burrs, and to get the length just right, so you get a nice flush fit, without leaving a gap from cutting it too short.
As far as copper vs. stainless steel wire, I can't comment on, as I have only used stainless myself. I like the stainless steel wire because you can remove the head as many times as you want, and the O-rings never need replacing.
Hey, you know, I should be working for Sentra Online Magazine. I could be getting paid to do these articles.
