Engine Manufacturing / Machining Processes References 1

[murpia]

Can anyone point me to useful online references for Engine Manufacturing / Machining Processes?

In particular I'm keen to understand the fixtures used and the setting up of machine tools to perform any of the following ops:

Cylinder head skimming
Machining a head for bigger valves
Block overboring / offset boring
Offset crank grinding
Con-rod sleeving
Line boring crank or cam bearings

Or any good books, SAE papers etc.
Thanks, Ian

 

[EngJW]

The people who make the equipment for engine rebuilding might have some information. At least you could infer a lot from their catalogs, which are easily obtained. Van Norman is the only one I can think of but there must be 3 or 4 others. Production equipment is highly specialized and custom built, so not as much information will be available.

 

[patdaly]

Sunnen publishes a book, pretty generic, but worth the purchase. I dont see it listed on their site right now, perhaps you will need to look on Ebay.

 

[tmjn]

If you want to know about automotive machining I can answer your questions.

 

[Tmoose]

Con-rod sleeving ?

 

[EngJW]

Con-rod sleeving? I think he means replacing or adding a bushing to the piston pin end. I think Sunnen is the machine used. There are lots of hot rod publications that go into many of these procedures and local libraries are likely to have them.

 

[turbocohen]

Ian, there is a good school in Michigan that can provide all the info you are looking for in one place. Ferris State university has an automotive Machine and machine tool MFG course and they keep every book you could ask for at their university book store.

Google Ferris State University

 

[Majik]

"
In particular I'm keen to understand the fixtures used and the setting up of machine tools to perform any of the following ops:"

Not a problem ian. This is an easy question to field


Cylinder head skimming

Any surfacer will do from a storm vulcan blockmaster from the 40's to the latest sunnen CNC surfacer. The quality of the job depends on stone/stones or CBN/PCD cutters. Berco, Rottler and Sunnen make some nice units. Stay away from the belt sanders. Most utilize a series of parrallels and have a device that bolts to the exhaust studs and then a support on the intake side thats adjustable. Level out the object to parallel and then surface.

Machining a head for bigger valves

Neway and Sunnen usually are the tools of choice for valve seat work. A carbide steel pilot is inserted into the guide and a cutter (3 angle or 5 or whatever angle/shape) spins around it and cuts the seats to a specified diameter also can hog out bowls and unshroud chambers.

Block overboring / offset boring
Sunnen/Kwikway make the industry standard FN boring bar. The block is held in a table that raises and lowers on an air bag. Sunnen has a CNC version (read $$$) that will "true bore". Or you can buy the truebore torque plates and set the FN bar off of that. Uses 3 centering fingers to center up on the hole. Cutter goes down at a spec feed rate. TiNi coated indexable bits are used. Send it to the hone machine. Offset boring is more like for if the holes aren't true from the factory. True bore plates or the sunnen machine allow to you offset bore the block for a true "bore".

Offset crank grinding
Sub this out. The warranty exposure vs cost of subbing it out vs cost of the machine makes it insane to actually buy one. I can get a crank done offset for $350-$400 or normal ground for $75 locally. New that machine is $35k+ Operator must be good in his job and alot of them just break for unseen stress fractures. It would take many many moons to pay this off.

Con-rod sleeving
Inserting new pin bushings involves pressing old ones out and pressing new ones in. Sometimes new pin bushings will be undersize and require pin boring. So you take a machine that holds the rod by the big end. you input rod length and a diameter and it will bore the pinbushing to the correct size. Manytimes on used rods this will be offset because when you resize the big end and grind the cap. You shorten the overall length of the rod. So by offset boring the pinbushing you will retain stock rod length. To hone the pins you use a different mandrel on the rod hone designed for pin bushings.

Line boring crank or cam bearings

Line boring or line honeing is similar with anything in a line. Cam bearing journals or DOHC cam journals... it's just a different diameter. The more commong line hone has A mandrel with stones on it is lubricated and the caps are ground a tiny bit. It then makes the holes round again and in a line. the block sits in a cradle and the mandrel is passed through it several times. A line bore is more complex and a cutter is used. Much much more drastic of a procedure. Much more PITA as well. Use it when you are fitting brand new caps or main cap girdle one piece units like on alot of nissan engines.

Sunnens book is great and only like $15 on ebay. Some of the processes are old and outdated but many still apply. The pictures of stuff such as a storm vulcan block master are in there and compare that to sunnens current offering and see how far the technology has changed.

Or any good books, SAE papers etc.
Thanks, Ian

 

[turbocohen]

Great post Majic.. heres a purple star to ya bud.