Matt Kulka wrote:
>...
>Not wanting to just patch it, I'd torn the whole thing down and found
>among other things) that my camshaft and lifters were shot.
A common end to the 'B series from what I've seen.
>Yesterday the machine shop called to say:
>1) The head will have to be surfaced due to some warpage,
Of course. Make sure the bloody thing's not cracked in
twenty different places too.
>2) They'll have to bore the cylinders at least .020" over.
Yep.
>Question 1: If I may impose on the list, are there any other
>modifications I should make to get the best out of the 270 cam and flat
>pistons? I'd like to stick with the twin SU's and the standard exhaust
>manifold if possible. (And, naturally, cost is a consideration since
>I'm already having to replace the cam and pistons.
If you are stateside, look to England for parts. I got a head
and a cam (289 cam, .410 lift, head ported and polished) from
the UK for about $600 3 years ago. Someplace in Birmingham...
Head work is crucial to making HP in this engine. Ported
and polished (by someone who knows what they're doing!)
is important!
And, spend the $100 on the aircraft grade head studs or me
and my Sebring 'B will have to personally hunt you down and
take away your octagon permit. The 'B head (particularly those
with air injection holes) crack. And crack. And crack. And
warp. And blow headgaskets. The stock head studs on your
engine have been through thousands of heat cycles and have
stetched and softened. I had loads of probs with heads
and high performace 'B engines until I went to the good
head studs. Do it.
Stick with the stock headgasket though. I've had great
results with the copper competition gaskets, _for_short_times_
only. They are great for the Production Racer on The Back
Straight type engine, but I've had bad luck with them surviving
for any length of time. They tend to weep a bit. YMMV.
Be sure to follow all the standard rules, *clean* engine
rebuild, run the beast at 2000+ RPM for 15 minutes on
first start up, and use ***lots*** of assembly lube,
or you'll end up with a brand new cam that has the same
smashed lobes as your old one.
Take a look at the Vizard A-series engine book. Lot's of
good info for those with the B-series engines. You can do
fine with stock SUs and manifold.
And when you get it all together, drive it like a sports
car. Go to an autocross or two. Run rings around MGAs etc.
Safety Faster!
-Keith Wheeler
Team Sanctuary
Happy to report the Spec RX-7 is on new tyres and doing fine!!!
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