v-12 project begins

[ilvracn]

FINALLY GETTING STARTED ON V-12 PROJECT.
FIRST I NEEDED A STAND FOR THIS MONSTER, SO I BUILT ONE:thumbsup:4397

[ilvracn]

Mounting engine4398

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[ilvracn]

The stand is made of 1/4" thick tubing. It is plenty strong, better to be overbuilt than too light. The upright is set back 10 degrees, that is too much. When the block goes to the machine shop, i will cut a notch in the upright and make it about 4 degrees. The cam and crank are perfect, standard no wear. 11 out 12 cylinders no wear will go back standard. #9 piston burned pretty badly, .020 deep spot about 1 inch long at top of cylinder. I think i'll put a sleeve in that hole and keep everything standard. Has anybody put a sleeve in one of these?

My pistons have small dish. I've seen pistons with a small dome, does anyone know what compression the small dome makes? I'm looking for about 9.5 to 10 to one.

Mom was not happy about orange shirt. It was new, oops4402

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[bobdylan]

Looks like fun. I got one of mine running yesterday. I lucked out, I bought a couple of V12's about a month ago, when I got home I used a bore scope, and found they had been rebuilt years ago and had never been run, had 20 over pistons fresh valves. I rebuilt some old v12 truck carbs, bendix stromberg ww2. still have some fine tuning to do. Let me know if I can help, I learned a lot thru the process. I also have a lot of parts. Bob

[bobdylan]

Awsome place to work. I stopped at some machine shops that did a lot of v12's, and they sleeved a lot of these engines, should not be a problem. Did you have any trouble finding a shop in you area to do that big of block? A lot of the high compression pistons had a raised oval shape, I have several blocks that have them. they are. .030 and .040 over. have not tried getting any out, they are stuck.

[ilvracn]

i need to ask a favor, can you take a caliper and measure the dome height of those pistons. length and width would be good to know also. can you send pic showing shape of dome? this will help me figure out compression ratio.

any idea where to get rod and main bearings? thunder v-12 has cam bearings listed.

does anybody make a neoprene rear main seal, i found a rope seal kit

thanks, rick :helpsign:

[bigblockv6]

I've seen rod and main bearings listed on ebay but of course you'll need 2 V6 sets for the V12. FelPro makes a neoprene main seal.

[bobdylan]

On ebay there is a v12 listed from Canada, If you scroll down he has a picture of a high compression piston setting next to a standard dish piston. Also some specs. My pistons look just like those. Bob

[ilvracn]

the only rear main seal i can find is fel pro part # BS 40048, it is a rope seal.

[bigblockv6]

Where have you been looking for a main seal? When I built my 478M the FelPro gasket set came with a neoprene main seal. I think Oreilly Auto parts did have them as well.

[bobdylan]

If you go to Orielly's you need to find someone that knows how to use a book. The one I go to has a book on industrial engines. The 702 is listed in there. Bob

[ilvracn]

orielys is where i got the rope seal. it is the only seal they list. i believe the seals are all the same for v-6 and v-12 engines. i will try looking for a complete set for a 305 and see what it contains

[bobdylan]

FEL-Pro BS40048 is probably the only thing you can get for seal. Let us know if you find something else.

[bigblockv6]

I think it's time we get Lewis Matkin to respond, he worked a NAPA parts store so he would know the correct part number. Don't give up yet:pullinghairout: someone out there must have the Main Seal in Neoprene, after all GMC themselves used Neoprene main seals the last 2-3 years of V6 production.

[Rap'em Pappy]

The number felpro BS-40048 works for Autozone, Rockauto, Summit
and Amazon as a rubber gasket Thats what it describes anyway. That was
the number on one of my old kits. My two cents.....

[ilvracn]

i have got 2 of the felpro bs40048 the only part that is rubber is the round plugs for the bolts. the seals are rope. set dose not even come with the straight seals that go between the block and main cap, comes with 2 short pipe cleaners and a small tube of silicone sealer. i ordered a second one because i thought it was missing parts.

[ilvracn]

i ordered a complete gasket set for a 305. the picture shows a lip seal, but so did the the 40048 set. hopefully be here tomorrow.

[ilvracn]

good news, complete gasket set came with neoprene rear main seal :upyes::ahhhh: package has a number on it, p40048-1. i tried that number with napa, orielys, and fel pro website, no matches. my orielys rep is going to call there supplier, and try to find out what is up.

[ilvracn]

bad news fel pro says they do not make this seal anymore, rope seal only available:banghead:

[bigblockv6]

:pullinghairout: I had a feeling I should have stocked up on those neoprene seals when they were still available.:lolsmack2::banghead:

[bobdylan]

was the 305 set felpro?