Building a Clevo

[PH351 314]

Hmm there's a good point, cooling.

 

Will my stock radiator (A/C style from XF) still be suitable? I have EF thermos on it.

My XE wagon, V8, runs an XF radiator. Was a clutch fan but when it failed i fitted an XB extension piece so now fixed. I have driven it in peak traffic on hot days and it was fine. Pretty standard motor though i would think, small cam at best.

[bear351c 10,270]

Yep, Run an XF in my XB 351 ute. No dramas.

 

Make sure if you dont put thermos on, you run a fan shroud.

[gerg 10,871]

My XE 302 wags runs a V8 radiator with EF fans wired in series (half speed). I had to chop the fan housing to suit the totally different radiator but it works a treat.

 

It's never climbed above half on the gauge, even in Sydney traffic.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Awesome, looks like my cooling setup will suffice - XF rad with EF thermos.

[Trev Vaa 1,185]

hey dude, i have a garden style pretty mild clevo combo ive used again n again

 

rebuild it, RPM airgap, comp DEH275 cam (will make similar torque to a 268h (a tiny bit less, maybe 10ftlb) but with a much wider power band and about 30hp more), 650 holley, depending on compression exhaust etc, will make up to 400hp.

 

just use an ACL rebuild kit, spend the money and get it rebored, no point going to all this effort to skimp on something small like that.

 

the cam is key, this is by no means a wild motor, can drive it every day issue, idle at 800rpm quite comfortably, awesome torque curve, everyone has their own opinions.

[Thom 6,651]

I've built a Couple like that, the main reason I've gone with the 268h IS less valvetrain noise

[Trev Vaa 1,185]

definatly a more mild cam the 268h, it really depends what you want.... a 268h the valvetrain sounds stock the 275 you can just hear it a bit...

[Stevemack 122]

One more thing about keeping a clevo cool, under the thermostat there was a donut looking plate, most people pull this out to create more flow.  DOn't do it it actually does a great deal to keep the clevo cool, if you don't have one, get one, and also a CASE IH thermostat fits in great, has heaps better flow too.

[Thom 6,651]

One more thing about keeping a clevo cool, under the thermostat there was a donut looking plate, most people pull this out to create more flow.  DOn't do it it actually does a great deal to keep the clevo cool, if you don't have one, get one, and also a CASE IH thermostat fits in great, has heaps better flow too.

 

Also make sure it's not rusty or loose

[Trev Vaa 1,185]

i've recently fitted a DT66A thermostat to a clevo, and its helped keep the temps down, now i usually wont use Dayco but this one seems to be working more than well enough, its been in the car for 2 months no issues now, i went off someones recommendation from here.

[bear351c 10,270]

Backyarders sometimes pulled the guts out the thermostat, and put that in.

 

Voila ! Instant orifice plate....

 

Without the plate, coolant runs too quickly through rad, without enough time to "cool".

[TiddleZ 12]

Kind of thread jacking here but hey whats a threadjack between mates.

 

I recently aquired a 302C long motor with a plan to stick 351 crank and rods in it, fairly warm cam and some decent heads and take it for blasts down the freeway on the odd weekend. Iv pulled the motor down and labeled eveything in zip lock bags and so on and so forth, and am now at the stage of prepping the block.

 

Firstly, it has already been bored 0.40thou over. And this worries me because there is some slight scoring on the bores and minor gouges where the rings are at bottom and top dead centre. Im not sure how bad these gouges/scores can be before i wont be able to get them honed out. I would like to be able to get them honed out because, being 0.40 over already, having to go to 0.60 is a bit risky (or so i have read).

 

So....what are peoples thoughts on gettiing a block bored to 0.60 thou over, AND how much help would honing be to cylinders that are a little worse for wear? Ill post pics up if need be and if im allowed too lol.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

If a hone will fix it, hone it. Feel free to chuck up pics man.

 

If you plan to put 351 stuff in it, keep the 302 rods, get the right pistons to suit, and use the 351 crank.

[Thom 6,651]

Most clevos I've seen at 60 thou are over heating bastards of things, stay 40 if you can

[TiddleZ 12]

i was kinda hoping i could save some dough and use the flat top pistons that are in it, just do the rings and get 351 crank and rods. Ill throw some pictures up of the bore so someone might be able to tell me if any of it will hone out.

 

 

Yeah i would love to be able to stay .40 over, again because id like to re use the pistons. 

 

Anyone have any info/expertise on sleeving a clevo? 

 

Id realy like to be able to keep this block though because, as corny as it is, my missus bought the whole engine for me, and to me thats a pretty big deal. I dunno how many blokes missus' would buy them a dirty old v8 for their birthday, but if she did imagine telling her that it was going to the scrap metal yard because it was no good.....no thanks.

[TiddleZ 12]

 

 

 

 

[TiddleZ 12]

 

 

[gerg 10,871]

Rule of thumb with determining wear on anything that's meant to be precision-machined: if your fingernail can grab on a score mark, it's rooted.

 

Just looking at the pics, it doesn't look good. Sleeving may be the only option on this block. 0.040" is too far already in my opinion, and generally 0.030" is the limit most people stick to on Clevos.

 

Not sure about cost these days but 10 years ago it was around $100 a pot to sleeve an engine.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Yeah it doesn't look the best mate... I'm no expert though.

 

I know it wouldn't be quite the same but you could always smuggle in another Clevo block? As long as she didn't notice no-one need be the wiser except you...

 

Can't use 302 pistons on 351 rod and crank either, unless I'm mistaken, but the gudeon pin is higher on one (can't remember if its 351 or 302).

[Thom 6,651]

Yeah it doesn't look the best mate... I'm no expert though.

 

 

I know it wouldn't be quite the same but you could always smuggle in another Clevo block? As long as she didn't notice no-one need be the wiser except you...

 

 

Can't use 302 pistons on 351 rod and crank either, unless I'm mistaken, but the gudeon pin is higher on one (can't remember if its 351 or 302).

Correct on the pistons Chris,

[TiddleZ 12]

Ok thanks for the feedback fellas. This is my first engine build so I wanna do my best to get it right and starting with a good block is my main priority right now, and this one will not do...

 

Sleeping sounds expensive but what are the advantages/disadvantages of it?

 

Looks like all the parts I have sitting there that came out of this motor are no good to me now either...

[Mr Polson 10,214]

I don't know much about sleeving, but my father warned me against it, but he'd be basing that on his experiences with sleeving back in the 80s and 90s, its probably improved since then.

 

 

Advantages, you can use your existing block, without having to bore it to the max.

 

Disadvantages, im not sure of.

[Thom 6,651]

There are plenty of advantages to sleeving, like guaranteeing that you have 8 bores that are straight and thicker than the original bores, less bore flex with the thicker cylinder wall = more power and fuel economy, the disadvantages are cost, and you really have to trust your machinist has done them right, if not they can leak (compression or coolant) or worst of all shift and that's real bad, just think of this though nearly every aluminium engine block uses sleeves in all cylinders to reduce wear so it came be reliable

[bear351c 10,270]

Yeah, sleeving works good. If you have a buggered cylinder, or want absolutely stock bore size. But, as Thom said, it's a cost thing. All alloy blocks are sleeved, most diesels and 2 strokes as well. Last i checked, it was $100 per cylinder. ......times by 8........not worth it.

[TiddleZ 12]

Ok it's getting sleeved. Spoke to John at north Geelong Engine builders and he explained all the advantages, just like you guys say thicker walls much stronger bores etc and it will be grout filled to the Welch plugs. So it will be a damn near indestructible bottom end.

 

The only disadvantage is cost (1000 just to have the sleeves fitted bored and honed). But if you add it up, finding a virgin or very slightly bored clevo,paying good coin for it, then getting it machined etc would run into the thousands anyway, and it wouldn't be close to as solid as the sleeved block would be. Besides if I get t his done, even if it's Judy for a mild build, I'll always be able to use this same block again and again for a bigger and badder set up, right up to about 650 horsepower which is what the last clevo he built made, and it was sleeved.