Budget Engine Build Advice Needed

[iamdallas]

So, I have a spare block that I pulled from my car. It's just sitting on the stand, and I'm looking into a budget rebuild on it.

I really, just want it back to OEM specs, nothing fancy. My plan would be to buy:

$620 - the FlyinMiata rebuild kit
$150 - New TopLine Ceramic Coated Pistons and associated stock ring sizes.
$100 - Used 323 GTX Rods

And to use a Hone drill bit to put cross-hatching back in the cylinder walls. (I think mine look pretty good). The motor was pulled because the rings failed.




Questions:

1. Should I really need any machine work to put all this (basically) OEM stuff back in my block? I was just planning on using a manual and going slowly.
2. What specific tools/gauges will I need to verify measurements? I've got a good caliper gauge but that's about it. - And feeler gauges. All I have on my list to add are plastigauges for bearing clearances.


Sorry if that has beed revisited a billion times, most of the info I can find is based on using aftermarket pistons, etc... or extreme overhauls like this. Which I have read about a thousand times.

And then send my 99 head off to the machine shop to get re-worked.

[drv2fst]

No experience at this but why did rings fail ? This doesn't look like a high mileage engine if cross hatch is still there.

[iamdallas]

I'm not sure. I only had the car for about 20k miles before I swapped it. It burned considerable amounts of oil. I have suspected a poor past rebuild.

[iamdallas]

I can verify rings are within spec with just a feeler, and verify the bearings are all within spec with plastigauges? So. I think its doable.

[drv2fst]

You say the rings failed, how ? you need to know the failure, then how to fix, else you may end up with same poor rebuild.
If rings are in spec then I'd check the bore to see if it same top, middle, and bottom in all cylinders. The oil must be getting by somewhere.

Get a bore gauge and a good straight edge to check the deck and head.

[iamdallas]

You say the rings failed, how ? you need to know the failure, then how to fix, else you may end up with same poor rebuild.
If rings are in spec then I'd check the bore to see if it same top, middle, and bottom in all cylinders. The oil must be getting by somewhere.

Get a bore gauge and a good straight edge to check the deck and head.

Thank you sir! I'm new to this so I'm having to learn to think critically like this.

[iamdallas]

So, next question.

Would it be logical to do this with the motor that is still in my car? There is nothing wrong with it, but I'd like to rebuild it before I go turbo. Since there aren't any problems it seems to me that I should be able to replace the rings, bearings, and studs (with replacement stock spec stuff) and have a pretty good block.

[corkscrew]

If you need to replace multiple things, it would probably be easier (not necessary) to just pull it and replace everything all at once.

[iamdallas]

If you need to replace multiple things, it would probably be easier (not necessary) to just pull it and replace everything all at once.

That would be the plan. I meant to the 99 block that I know is good that is in my car. Of course I would pull it and do the work on a stand.