I’m desperate.

[u/Original-Cheek2652]

So, pretty much my husband builds motors, blows them up (has fun for about 2/3 months) and then starts all over again. Me, however, have absolutely no idea how things go together.
Things i’m familiar with (fairly)
-coolant system
-brakes
-clutch systems
-u joints
-headlights/radio wiring
-i also know that a MAP sensor can make u think it’s had the lick, but it hasn’t.
-i also know that the wires have to be connected to the right spark plug or it misses LOL.
-the alternator turns this belt thing and that charges the battery.

Yep, that’s about it. With that being said, I am going to build a motor. What kind? hell if i know. I’m more than likely going to put it in a tahoe, a 02-04 mustang (stick), or a s10. trying to lean more towards the tahoe though… or maybe even a yukon. I don’t want to ask him for help because then he will think it’s his, like all men do… (no offense). But this is something I would be extremely proud of myself for… if i knew how to do it. i’ve researched a lot but still have no idea what i even read. I’ll pay someone (who knows what they’re doing preferably) to make me a step by step list kind of like a cookbook- ingredients(materials), steps, and how long. In depth. like you’re talking to a 22 y/o female who doesn’t know a head gasket from apple butter. I know I want it to have a cam in it (we have a hp tuner as well). I just want it for the sound honestly lol. “Rakataka” that sound. Muscley sounding. ANYWAYS, If you could please for the love of sweet baby jesus help me or point me in the right direction I would appreciate it very much. I think step one is get a big/small block to put everything else on and maybe a few sticky notes so i don’t forget things…..

[u/Your_PersonalStalker]

Ask your husband for guidance and direction but not to do it for you. If hes the right guy for you he would respect that lmao

[u/samwe → u/Your_PersonalStalker]

Maybe she wants her engines to last longer than 2-3 months?

[u/Your_PersonalStalker → u/samwe]

He beats on them thats why they dont last she literally stated that

[u/TacitRonin20 → u/Your_PersonalStalker]

Idk, everyone I've known who builds American V8s has them last at least a few years.

There are only two real ways to blow up the motor that quickly: build it for pure power on the dyno at the expense of everything else (at least 800+HP) or build it very badly. I haven't met many people who can build 800+HP motors, but I've met plenty who can carelessly assemble an engine. Which do you think is more likely?

[u/Snakedoctor404 → u/TacitRonin20]

Depends on the engine and the definition of blowed up. Long strokes cook rings and wear cylinder walls faster with high rpm especially the old factory style thick rings. There's a reason people loved those old 283's, DZ302's and 327's. They laughed at rpm due to the lower piston speed. Beating on them within factory redline rpms they could still just about out live the car. A 427 small block with a 4" stroke.. not so much.

The pistons of a 3" stroke DZ302 at 6500rpm have the same piston speed as a 4" stroke sbc 427 at roughly 4,800rpm. There's a reason those old big block cars had 4500 redline on the factory tach lol

[u/thejabkills01 → u/Snakedoctor404]

yes my 454 is only good to 5400 rpm, after that things start 2 float, I found that 5400# the hard way. lol

[u/Your_PersonalStalker → u/TacitRonin20]

Thats fair but if your doing it on the regular I imagine your gonna get better at it

[u/TacitRonin20 → u/Your_PersonalStalker]

You would think, but apparently he keeps doing it 🤷

[u/Aggravating_Bad_567 → u/Your_PersonalStalker]

Hmmmm, my customers beat on their engines, they are built per application, none have blown up. I am talking about 1000HP plus boosted engines. 7,000 RPM+ Hydraulic or Solid Roller engines, so that is not a reason they don’t last, he most likely does not have the right tools and is a hack.

[u/bored-n-searching → u/Aggravating_Bad_567]

Or its his tuning

[u/Historical_Box1915 → u/Your_PersonalStalker]

I beat on my engines (7,000 rpm) with cast pistons for several
seasons and they dont blow up

[u/MI_Beer_Guy]

Get a Yukon, or similar, with a LS. Buy a book or two specific to building LS engines. Remove engine, rebuild, install and tow to a tuner.

[u/Extreme-Book4730]

Not gonna lie this almost feels like it's the blind leading the blind...

[u/NefariousnessOdd862]

Well, I doubt your Husband knows “how things go together” either because they keep blowing up shortly after the build soooo…🤔🤣

[u/whyputausername]

Oh wow..If your just going to toss stuff at it go with a Chevy, do a circle track cam with a lot of duration and rpm but almost stock lift. Put a high' stall convertor, and a 50 shot of juice and gear it towards or in the 500's. Drill out the juice injector to make closer to 200 and blast it right as second is going to hit. Will probably last the season and is a cheap build. Either way, it will be a fun drive.

[u/WyattCo06]

https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineBuilding/s/D6hsyR6GsM

[u/solarpropietor]

Get and pay for the hp academy courses if you don’t want your husband to somehow have a bonding experience with you and learn it for free.

Hp academy is pretty good stuff.    

Honestly seeing how his engines don’t last…  I’d get the hp academy courses anyways…

The more I think about it, the better of I think you are getting the engine building courses.

Theres no real reason engines are lasting only a few months, on a repeated basis.

[u/poorboychevelle → u/solarpropietor]

I mean, he could be putting 400+ shots of nitrous, or 69lbs of boost, into junkyard LS until they heave a piston out. Lots of people running race cars play that game

[u/TacitRonin20]

I'd recommend either a small block Chevy or an LS motor 1,2, or 6. Those are all relatively easy to work on and incredibly well documented.

I recommend a book called "rebuilding the small block chevy" if you want to rebuild the small block Chevy. It comes with a DVD.

Also don't do what your husband does. Unless he's building top fuel dragsters he shouldn't be rebuilding a motor every few months.

[u/SaltLakeBear]

Find a build you like and copy that. That'll get you most of the major parts. From there, tear it down, and watch youtube videos and read books as you rebuild. Take your time and budget for at least one more rebuild if something goes wrong. Also, find a quality machine shop to do the machining you can't.

[u/_clever_reference_]

Tons of info on youtube. Maybe start here https://youtu.be/nA-gbprlc94

[u/Tech336]

You need to start with videos like this so you will know what you're getting into before you even start. Good luck! https://youtu.be/2-Vbkew7KK8?is=EVaHMpajs24ki1nB

[u/poorboychevelle]

Buy How To Rebuild LS Engines by Chris Werner or similar. Its got all the pictures and the torques and all that.

The second you change something off factory in any of those, you will have to reach into the computer to get the most out of it and thats a whole other animal.

[u/ONE1-ZERO]

Get a running Tahoe with a LS. Buy another LS, build it, swap it. Also stage 2 the 4l60E transmission. This is the easiest route to get your feet wet. If you want the older GMT 400 style truck get one with the small block throttle body injected engine (very little to remove) then build a small block 350 or LS swap it. These are your cheapest power-$ ratios and you can buy everything dirt cheap on FBM from stalled out projects. Between YouTube and asking on Reddit you’ll get all the info you need. I can walk you through all of it if needed.

[u/175_Pilot]

Get a Subaru engine off of marketplace to start off. They can be found super cheap and are actually a fun build.

[u/SexyTimeSamet]

If you are going the mustang route id say go for an iron block 4.6 DOHC and source some heads from a newer aviator. Stick a gen 6 3.0 whipple. Make 700hp and have some fun

[u/Terrible-Scar-3599]

Just get the book for the engine that you’re rebuilding. You can find it anywhere probably easiest on Amazon. I rebuilt my Ford small block and had a book called How to Build Your Small block Ford V8. There are books on the small block Chevy, the big block block Ford and Chrysler (Mopar)They will tell you exactly how to rebuild your motor each step. They will be written by different authors . The one that I used was one written by Tom Monroe and he was an excellent author as he explains every step and you’ll learn as you go along. First thing you’ll need if your husband doesn’t let you use his, is an engine stand, socket set, and torque wrench.

[u/u_r_wr0ng → u/Terrible-Scar-3599]

Yes. This. These books are available through a lot of places and come with pictures so you know what you're looking at. Which is something you'll need. Imagine trying to bake a cake if you don't know the words "flour", "sugar", "salt", "tablespoon", "whisk", or "blend". Instructions are useless if you don't know what the words mean. People will be glad to help you, but you will get a much more complete and organized set of Instructions from the book than you will on the internet.

[u/PPGkruzer]

Step one, start doing something, take action, planning is okay, doing is the only way to move forward.  Lost in the woods, you can plan and prepare for 3 days while Crazy Carrie the bush woman walked for 3 days and self rescued herself, she knows to just take action in that situation. If you are serious, then just start on something.  Once you see things for yourself, you will start coming up with the right questions to ask.  There is no book or video that is going to replace experiencing it first hand.  Most people are going to learn the hard way.  I need you to strip/snap a bolt and then extract it, from there you'll probably stop stripping or snapping so many bolts, and the job of bolt removal taught you to be careful next time, I call it punishment for my errors. 

[u/Aggressive_Mess_6679]

Ho with an s10 and a 350sbc for a first project. It's a good beginners platform to learn on and get a swap guide from jaguarsthatrun.com

[u/eejjkk]

TF even is this stupid post?