This will probably go down in history as the slowest engine rebuild in history, but I'm making progress. I've been collecting parts and pieces this month, and I had some time this afternoon, so I began the reassembly today. The key to doing this is to be methodical, clinically clean, and double check your process and tolerances all the way through.
I followed behind the machine shop to retap all of the threads, blew out all of the oil galleys, and then used a rifle cleaning brush to make sure there was no metal left from the shop. I used ATF on a lint free rag to super clean the cylinder bores. I installed all the freeze plugs. The machine shop had installed the cam bearings already so I didn't have to do that.
This is what the block looked like at this point.
Before I started with the crankshaft, I carefully dropped the cam with a bit of oil on the bearing surfaces to make sure the cam spins freely, and then pulled it back out for later.
One last check of the bare block before I start reassembly. Looking good!
