+1, I had no issues removing my VR .026 HGs.

Buy an extra if you need to use one to mock up PTV or measure PR length though, or if you have the clearance run no HG and add the compressed thickness to your measurement.

I mocked my VR's up, and even with only 3 head bolts that were never torqued down, installed in a triangle around the cylinder being measured, they stuck and peeled apart and were not able to be used.

Very fragile gaskets.

 

Well, so much for a budget build. The engine inhaled a foreign object and beat around on top of the piston, causing me to misdiagnose the noise as a rod bearing, hence the reason the engine came out of the car in the first place. But the piston was damaged worse than originally thought, so the engine came apart completely. Good thing because the rest of the short block didn't look too great either. Cam bearings and rod bearings were beyond worn out.

Anyway, this what I have going on now. It's definitely still budget minded, just not exactly what I originally had in mind:

Block cleaned, core plugs and cam bearings replaced, all the standard overhaul stuff done. Decks were straight so I decided not to deck it. I know, it's cheap power to have it zero decked. But I'm way over budget so it's only getting the necessities.
Procomp H-beam rods, arp hardware, bushed small ends
Speedpro Hyper Pistons, Stock bore and compression height. Moly rings. Cylinders were lightly honed, they all measure between 4.0014 and 4.0024. Should end up with .0024 .0033 piston-wall clearance.
Crank turned .010/.010, Clevite bearings
Balance the rotating assembly.

My machinist said he's seen similar assemblies as much as 150 grams out from one end to the other! I really, really, really didn't want to spend the $250, but that scared me. I don't plan on spinning this thing past 6 anyway, but I'd rather not have the thing rattle the teeth out of my mouth, then itself all over the road.

Opinions are still welcome, and will probably still be ignored. Yeeehaw.

 

Haha classic.

 

Did you verify the compression height on those Speedpro pistons?
I would have leaned toward just finding a used stock piston. They're all over the place for free!

 

THIS^^ It would have really been the budget way to go and you wouldn't have needed to rebalance either.

 

Compression height on the speedpros is 1.560....and looking back in it that's what I should have done. But I figured since it was apart I might as well replace them all. I overlooked the fact that I would have to spend another $250 to get it balanced...stupid and I knew better.

 

Had I known, I have stock rods and pistons sitting in my garage collecting dust. I would have given them away. Lol

 

you bought aftermarket rods and than still used ARP bolts??

most would of used ARP's for stk rods, and use whatever comes with the aftermarket rod

 

I would use i beam also. They will b lighter than h beams.