The “MotorRotor” engine stand was a blessing and really made the assembly process easy. Part of the process of reassembly was started by Jim Blair in Tucson. In addition to re-babbitting #3 connecting rod, he re-seated the crank in the case. In the process he removed and re-arranged some of the thin shims on the main bearings. This tightened up the engine, but the bearings still needed to be lapped (or scraped) into a better fit. The crank turned, but not as easily as I would like.

In my work on our Model T Ford engine, I had used a really nice product to lap in main bearings & connecting rod bearings. The product is called TIMESAVER Lapping Compound. It is a non-imbedding grit that apparently cuts the babbitt for a while and then breaks down. Supposedly the stuff is made from feldspar, but I cannot confirm that.

TIMESAVER lapping compound

IN any case, I used TIMESAVER on our BUDA motor. Specifically, I used the #100N Very Fine grit Yellow Label material. The engine was rotated to upright position and I dripped a mixture of 10W-40 oil and TIMESAVER into all the main bearing oil holes while turning the crank with a pneumatic drill.  And oh what a difference.

Applying oil suspension of TIMESAVER lapping compound to oil holes on main bearings

After getting a nice fit with the TIMESAVER, I opened up the bearings and washed out any remaining grit, then re-assembled the main bearings.  The next step was to attach the fly wheel and check for runout.  The flywheel had a thin paper shim when I disassembled the engine and sure enough…. it needed it back in when it was reinstalled.

Checking shim location on flywheel

Checking the flywheel for runout

During the later part of November of 2017, my Dad came down to visit from Fresno and we made major progress on putting the engine back together. We created new gaskets for both the head and the oil pan and then proceeded to put everything back together.

Dad with piston, con-rod & wrist pin

Dad checks piston fit

The jug style head went back on first, and then the engine was flipped over so we could install the piston & connecting rods from the bottom of the engine (while upside down).

Dad swings head into position to mount on crankcase.

I pause midway through the install to look up.

Dad aligning head to crank case

Once the head was securely bolted on, we flipped the engine over (Oh — I do love that Motor Rotor) and installed the cam shaft & timing gear where we thought it should go. (More on this later) Please note that there were no witness marks on the gear, contrary to verbiage in some of the later (after 1912) Buda Motors service manuals that I have. So, the install was a “guess”. When I originally removed the cam gear & shaft from the engine, I was relying on the existence of witness marks for aligning the crank and cam gears.  Because the gear housing was loaded with gunk, I could not see that — ahem — there were no alignment marks.  DAMN!  And believe me, the air turned blue when I discovered this a year before. So, you’ve got to start somewhere, even if it is wrong (and it was). In the cam went — right, wrong or whatever.

Witness marks on cam gear added by me…. in the wrong spot.

We were rolling now, so next the piston rings were compressed and pushed into the upside down cylinders.

Dad with rings compressed

Tightening #2 con rod bearing cap bolts.

Once the pistons and connecting rods were all in, I placed in the oil level float and prepared to put on both the front gear cover and the oil pan. All while the engine is upside down in my favorite Motor Rotor engine stand.

Ready to close up the bottom of the engine.

Ball bearing at center of cam gear & criss-cross end play adjuster on gear cover.

With lots of supervision and help from my Dad over the Thanksgiving holiday,  the engine was mostly back together. It was time to reinstall it on the frame.

Our BUDA Engine is complete & ready to go back on the frame.