First Engine Rebuild Attempt Fails - Now What? 

Hi Mike, being a former mechanic, I immediately knew what you meant by the “foreshadowing” reference to using plasti-gauge and I am sorry that you made this discovery the hard way. Fortunately, you didn’t make things worse - and you already have the right idea in reinstalling the old bearings. I just hope that you numbered them and kept them in the correct order because that’s what they teach you in school and yes, I have been an instructor of such classes. I too have rebuilt engines lying on the ground - but not on frozen ground - that’s where I draw the line these days; at 67 it’s just not worth it anymore - plus I got money to pay people to do that for me now. I hope it works out because after so much work you most certainly deserve a win. Someday soon we will all see the refreshed motor running and you bursting old hoses left and right - and pressure-washing away the rust, mold and dirt.

I have to admit I was on the edge of my seat knowing something bad was coming. Glad it wasn't catastrophic and I'm sure you'll get it sorted out. Thanks as always for sharing your journey, your attitude is an inspiration.

Boy can I relate to your situation. Been there, done that. I like how you keep such a positive attitude. I usually end up using more than one word that doesn't appear in the dictionary. I keep doing it though and really appreciate you showing me how I should handle it. I've gotta believe that the backhoe will serve you for many years to come.

Back in the day starter torque spec was good and tight..yep that will do'er.🤣🤣🤣

9:38 ish - when hammering there is a loud bang before the hit then a faint bang when you hit - not a problem as it was quite melodical 😊

love the effort you put into the channel but recently the audio is off set from the video a bit distracting

Cap’n, my guess is, it’s the rod bearings that are binding… “Why?”, you ask… Well, that’s what I screwed up in my first overhaul!! Unlike you, I didn’t stop when the starter wouldn’t turn the engine over. No siree! At 18yrs of age, I wasn’t patient or experienced enough to have such horse sense. Instead, I grabbed a tire tool and began prying on the fly wheel. After it turned a little bit, I hit the starter again. Nope! It needed more tire tool. An hour later, I finally got the starter to feebly turn the engine over a couple of revs. I was certainly making progress. That got my hopes up. So, I went to dinner with anticipation of a fresh start the next morning. I called my mechanic buddy and bragged about my progress… until, he said, “I hope you didn’t ruin the crank shaft.” The next afternoon he came out to the farm and we tore the bottom of the engine apart again… the lack of torque wrench use and putting the bearings in without lube caught up with me. My enthusiasm and pride fell into an abyss… the scored crank shaft and chewed up fly wheel sent my empty wallet down there too! So, I’ll be waiting in anticipation for the next installment to see just what you find… regardless of the unknown date of its posting!

I am not considering it a fail. You are making progress, Have a good mentor to lean on, and lots of support. Despite the trouble you are having, You really do make it look easy.

As they say on another channel I watch. "we do it right because we do it twice". Bummer about the extra work but I suspect you will never make that mistake again. Thanks for posting. Really enjoy watching.

Always rotate the engine after tossing pistons and rods in......sheesh! LOL This is how you learn. Its all good!

Mike don’t beat yourself up, you did it and will learn tremendously from this. Keep up the great videos!!!! Thanks and just keep doing.

Wild West it is ! and i love it ! good job, as some say, the first time you do something you are going to school, second time you are in known territory and is easier .

Captain it sounds like the sound is not in sync. :) Thank you and have a great week. PS I live above the 49 parallel in the Pacific and we do not have snow, weirdness again. :)

The comedy on this channel is just top notch, thanks captain!

EXACTLY how I learned...IN an engine rebuild course at a Florida college!!! First day: Professor says go pull the engine out of that Grand Marquis parked outside and put it on this table. Zero actual engine removal instruction. His style of teaching...I learned more in that series of courses than any other teaching style throughout a lifetime--this far. Dive in with a strong will to survive: you will become a swimmer!

Glad to see others have the same issue with the sound shift, I thought maybe it was because we watch on our tv.

Capt, for not being a mechanic and working on a tight budget, even with this slight setback, you're doing a heck of a job😺 Thanks for sharing👍👍👍👍👍😺🤗🐺

Editing and proofing department needs a reprimand, no day off this week, lol. Another great vid, thanx for sharing.

A hard lesson. Good video keep trying you will get it.

I sure love how you deal with the possibility of a negative comment before one can be made!!👌👌

Sorry about the set back man. It happens. I'd blame it on the wild temperature swings in the shop. Lol. Keep pushing brother.

I would always dip my pistons into a small bowl of oil to load up the rings with oil before sliding them in. Engine pre-lube on the bearings or at least a little grease on them will make a work of difference. Tighten down your bearings and rotate the bottom assembly before you install the head will tell you if there is a problem. First engine I ever rebuilt on my own the first time I completely forgot to install a set of rings on a piston. What a pain in the ass mistake that was to pull the head and pull a piston all the way back out again! We are all human and learn from the journeys we take. Thanks for bringing us along on yours!

We learn - we grow. And we get to grow along with you - thanks Mike!

Years ago, I watched as my neighbor's kid did a similar in chassis rebuild of an old AUDI. Occasionally, he would hail me for advice and/or assistance. Having zero confidence that it would ever run again, I was astonished when it fired up on the very first crank. Perhaps all you really need is a good neighbor and some better luck. You'll get it. I've seen worse.

loving the backhoe series you are doing a fantastic job! every step is a learning experience for me watching you do it! keeping it affordable and bring what you rung approach is awsome!

The magic hammer with sound effects/pre hit noise is really interesting. Seems like something for the merch store as nobody else seems to have them.

If you could reach it, you can get much quicker verification that things will move if you would have turned the crank externally with a socket while the head was still off and make sure everything turned. Try it on Round 2.

Mike don't be so hard on yourself we've all been in your shoes little patience a little more studying and you'll have that thing up running and humming God bless

That’s what you call a learning experience. You’ll figure it out

Sir , it needed a battery originally , that was all. Also , I have had milky trans / hydro fluid freeze ,that will create a no crank situation , I had to push a clutch in on my ford 4500 tractor , to get it too crank / start. These experiences are hard taught , you don't forget them , after years of making mistakes like that ,(or watching someone else make them) you become a run of the mill mechanic. No crow to eat here , you knowledge level is through the roof , compared to when you started . In hindsight , it's best to work in a shop environment for years , to pick up some basic knowledge . Google and RU-vid make bad mechanics, overloads people with confidence. Thanks for being honest , your a stand up guy. I am subscribed . Thanks for good , honest content.

We are all there with you Mike, just waiting to hear that 3 cylinder come to life. Ok, we might not be "there" with you, but sitting in our Lazy Boys, we are all rooting for you!!!!!! Keep up the great work, you got this!!

I laughed when you said, "you're the one who hit the play button."

The Canadian tork specks are tight as it will go and one full turn

Hahahaha kinda like watching an old Godzilla movie......mouth is moving to different words....but we still love ya Cap

Captain you were also supposed to check the ring gap. God bless

Good job up loading when it is convenient for you. Keep up the good work

Your doing fine. Every mistake you make is a learning opportunity and will be burnt into your brain helping you on future repairs. Here's a old school gasket holding tip : Tie the gasket through the bolt holes to the oil pan with some sewing thread from the Mrs. Bolt the pan to the block loosely, snip the threads, pull them out and tighten your bolts. No fancy spray-tack required. Best of luck.............

One of the best lines I've heard in awhile "well you pressed the play button "

It is fun to watch you. Looks like your have fun. I hope your having fun.

lol - I was muttering at the screen - "don't you need to clock those rings?". Then you stopped and explained the gaps need to be rotated.

When I finally stopped laughing I actually felt bad for you, but then I just started laughing again, thanks Mike. Cheers from down under.

Ring gap wouldn't stop the engine turning over, it would damage the bores after a while. Did you set the valve clearance?, did the engine turn over by hand?. The big end bearings are coming off anyway, so check the ring gap while everything is easy to get at. Tighten the ring compressor as much as possible before knocking the pistons in, and hold the compressor down on the block while tapping in the pistons. Good luck 👍 with your project. Great vids.👌👌

I use an oil stone/wet stone instead of sanding paper. Solid off its own. Its better to put the rings in the liner and check the gap. Nowadays they are fitting well. On older parts you needed to make the gap clearance. These cranckshaft bearings have a thin layer of material. Thats why plastigauge is used instead of the old leadwire. But better: put the rod/cap toghetter, torque them and then check if you can move them fore/afterward by hand or screwdriver. If they slide easily 1/25 or so of an inch youre good. Oil or grease will hold a gasket as well. Sorry for you but youre on the right track. Rethinking wat you did and where it took a sidestep. Hats off for you from a marine engineer!

your right lots of armchair mechanics on here one thing as a millwright for 28 years we use to use STP oil treatment to put gearboxes and motors together great video look forward to the next

Last time I trusted the internet because my cars manual wasn't clear, I ended up putting the very wrong trans fluid in. I didn't have time and the internet agreed with the stores website so I bought it. It's going in the shop to have the valve body replaced soon. Not amused.

I enjoy your humour and ability to laugh at things even when they don't go right. Persistence is key. Have fun. See you next video.

You my friend are a hoot.!!! At least you can say you made this grammas day better.

You got this buddy !! I am very impressed with your fortitude and strength to concur your projects !! Tomorrow is always a new day !

Hi I know nothing about engine work, and so am hot going to say you should have done this or should have done that. But I will say don’t let the knockers & knocks stop you, it is easy when you are watching a screen in the warm. And the man who never did anything wrong has never done anything. All the best keep going. 👍🐝😊

Bud, don't get down! I hope it is something simple! I can see the stress and wanting everything to be perfect! Just step back and take a deep breath and become the captain Kleeman that we all know and everything will fall into place for you! I love the happy go lucky BUD

Stay tuned for 'Backhoes of the Wild West' with Captain Kleeman!

I feel your pain! Years ago when I was 16 I was working on my first car, a 1963 Ford Falcon that needed new rings and one new piston. When getting the parts at the Ford dealer, I decided to replace the rod bearings. The parts guy asked me if I wanted standard or 10/1000 oversized. Thinking quickly I said oversized since the engine was obviously very worn. Well, you know what happened when I tried to start it….NOTHING! 😂 Painful, but a lesson I’ll never forget.

This journey is definitely getting interesting thanks for taking us along so we can learn together. Stay safe

As someone who has worked on everything from tricycles to bulldozers and mini bikes to large prime movers if there is one tip I can give a person doing engine work is if the engine is locked up when disassembling it put a bar on it and every time you loosen/remove something (engine component) see if it will move (try to bar over the engine) additionally when assembling an engine every time you install a part bar over the engine to make sure that still bars over and while when you install a pistons you will get some more drag the engine should/will still rotate smoothly. This one tip can help diagnose what the trouble is and will certainly stop you from having continuing when a problem develops.

Captain you will sort it out. Nothing runs the way you want it. That's what I like about you. Sit back have a cuppa of tea, and you will work it out. Keep the vid's coming Captain.

it’s good that you are replacing the Piston heads now you will have longer withe the engine

Wow, thats quite a witch hunt. Been there before, I always check ebay for NOS or open box parts.

"Here we see the native 555, desolate and alone.....waiting for that one cowboy that can tame 'er and make the west less wild" lol love the commentary!!

I'D LOVE ONE OF THEM SWEATERS!

You are still my Hero Captain Mike! Press on Sir, we have your back.

Some days I hate the internet but what a wealth of information that 20 years ago would be near impossible to obtain! Hoping for a great ending for this project! Didn't expect the ending we got but you will persevere!

Watching you do these things have Inspired me to work on my stuff starting with new brake pads on my car . Never done anything like that before but how Hurd can it be 😮

Hi Mike I’m the guy that put the cart before the horse last time I do feel for you working in the cold I use to do that it’s not fun but the reason I’m sending this one when you put that pan gasket on and you don’t have any stick’em or just sticky stuff raid your wife’s sewing box get some cotton thread tie the gasket to the pan through four or more to hold that gasket place get some of the bolts started then remove the thread

You will get it Captain... We have faith in your abilities!,👌👌

Great explanation!

Even though I'm an old lady who always watches your videos, I usually never understand what you're doing. LOL However, your videos are always entertaining, and informative, and please know that I am always here cheering you on!! You will get the results you need. It may take a try or two, but I have complete faith in you, and your determination. Best of luck to you, Captain!!

Nice rebuilt video have a great job of the big runs right when you get done putting all this work in it all right have a good one buddy 💯💯💯💯💯

Captain, if this is your first major engine rebuild. You did a goid job. Murphy has a tendence to show up with his Gremlin gang at the worse moments. I'm sure you'll find what the issue is. Next time feel free to get liberal with pre-oiling all parts. There is a special oil for re-assembly of engines. Did you adjust the valves after to torquef down the head or did I miss that part ? Install the rod caps bearings in the correct orientaion ? Ooh well, I'm sure you'll figure it out and us subs can breath a sigh of relief.

Mike you know what they say if at first you don't succeed try try again, and after watching you for a few years i have no doubt we will be seeing the 555 on the yacht build 👍👍👌

Gotta love the heated shop! Your attitude is why I keep coming back for more videos.

Is it just me or is the sound and video not synced right? The last couple videos I have watched here have been the same way for me. Mike I love watching your videos. I hope you continue to enjoy making them and posting them so I can continue watching. I love this series so far. Thanks for your hard work!

Really liked watching you doing the engine rebuild. Thanks for the videos.

Don't feel bad, I just re-installed the professionally rebuilt "equipment control valve" on the old ranch dozer. Third "re-install" for the valve, first "professionally rebuilt." Didn't look that difficult to rebuild the first two times when I did it. Pro tip: The professional rebuild at the machine shop cost about $175 the parts kits I bought were about $60 each. Math. It is not my strong point. Thanks for the video!

Just want to say “stick with it” don’t get disheartened😊. Sorry but I have no expertise with this kind thing so can’t help out. Just remember how good it’s going to be when done, all those projects you can get stuck into. All the best from🇬🇧👋

Wats up Capt K!!!!! I wouldn't worry about the criticism. You are the Capt and you do what you want!!! Great video as always!!! 😎💪👍

Wow..! very fortunate for you., in finding those piston sets on eBay., I probably would have sent the guy and extra $100 for them… OMG Captain..! re-use of those head bolts.? those things will just disintegrate upon the first crank of that engine…, hahaha., just kidding. I rebuilt a 1966 Ford 289 V-8 way back when, and re-used the head bolts., ran like a sewing machine. Great video, Thank you sir.

It's a good thing you check it before you put the head back on.

I have a lot of respect for you, Mike! You make mistakes, like everyone else does, but you persevere through it. Keep on going!

good to see you making progress.

And it was going so well. I still think you’re the smartest guy going.

If it was easy everybody would be doing it doing a great job you're learning stick with it good luck thanks for sharing

I waited until I could watch this on the gogglebox (TV to you) to see the impending catastrophe you had forewarned us of.... And que the rebuild in the snow.... you should have switched the air con off to prevent the snow from lying in your shop 🤔😂🤦‍♂️ In all fairness, it was not a complete fail, only a minor(ish) setback, but you seem to know where you may have gone wrong. No doubt by now you will have consulted Clint and DP to get to the root of the problem and you will overcome with your vast amount of tenacity you have 👍💪💪💪

So glad You ran the ball hone some more. I was worried it wasn't enough when looking at the pics. Fingers crossed hoping for the best, can't wait to hear it run.

Always a learning curve. Great attitude and video. Thanks

Oh, and pretty sure we saw you turn that crank with pistons installed...first stop would be those bearings. But hey, that's from the back seat.

You will get it going , I have faith in you, just keep plugging away and keep getting advice from Clint. 😁👍

Mike keep smiling, we all live and learn from our mistakes, also I don't know if anyone else has said but your voice is out of sync with the video, it's quite funny watching the hammer hit and then the noise . But seriously keep smiling 👍👍🇬🇧

As allways you make it a real joy to watch..even when it doesn't going along as planned.

2 things that might make it easier next time you need to put new pistons in is get a container you can heat water in that the piston will fit in. Warn it up not quit to boil. You can also cool the ristpins in a freezer. Doing truck engines I have found heating the piston works well. I must say you have done alot of reaserch to make it work. Good job.

Good job!

Crow! Mmmm nice. 😁Great vid. It will work.👍

Warm pistons up in hot water will make fitting gudgeon pins easy, ring gaps average is .004" for every inch of bore, stagger ring gaps. Built lots of those three cylinder Fords Good video

I dig your patient and happy-going demeanour.

As long as your taking things apart Check your rod clearance and ring gap then you only have to reassemble things ONCE more

Nice work Mike

And this too will pass. Keep the faith brother. Stay safe, give the family my best.

You have the luxury of time Mike ,so if I were you I'd chalk it up to experience and keep on pushing straight ahead !

Late to the show here - Regarding the ball Hone - That hone can be run inside the cylinder for a good long time before it removes any measurable. Uniformity is important, keep it moving up and down. Which is what you did... Peace!

Mike, time to invest in a Rode! Even Clutch Cargo had moving lips and the audio matched!😁😁 Other than that, its looking good! Waiting to see it run!

Glad you do what you feel is the correct way!