Thread: SR20VE Refresher / Rebuild - Need some direction

Hey Boys,

I'm looking to pull my VE apart and do a bit of a "rebuild" if you will. Want to keep it all OEM. Want to compile a list of parts to order. Here is a start:

-Piston Rings
-Main bearings
-Misc. seals / gaskets
-Valve guides
-Oil pickup

My main concern is I am not sure as to the depth of a "rebuild" I am wanting to go. I am not looking to spend a ton of money as it will likely stay pretty much stock. I keep thinking I'm going to need to get the block prepped (line hone, deck etc) but not sure if it'll be necessary. I've had people tell me to just throw some rings in and call it a day, but I'd like to go a bit further than that. I know this is a pretty damn vague thread, but once I start it, I'll be documenting to give people an idea as to what is involved. Your advice is needed! I'll be doing everything myself if that changes anything.

As for the reason to do this, the motor burns quite a bit of oil and smokes under hard load at high rpms.

Here's a pic of the 'ol girl:

if i was going your route, i'd find it hard not to get the head serviced, and throw in some n1 pistons and cams (gspec). all depends on the $$$ you want to spend, and what result your after.

I will likely put some work into the head, but pistons, probably not. I don't want too high of compression as it gets pretty hot here. Don't want to have to worry about detonation.

If you are burning oil, more than likely the cylinder walls are worn a little and even if you replace rings there will still be blow by due to the walls not being 100% true. Pull off exhaust and shine a light down the ports, if there is dark wet oily valve stem seals, I'd recommend doing those first without removing the head, and also replace the PCV, then check it again to see if it smokes at high RPM.

Agreed. Will do.

Here's the plan, otherwise:

Block hone / deck, tank'd. New bearings, rings, seals, waterpump, oil pump / pickup. For the head, deck and minor rebuild. Stem seals, guides, possible a minor grind. Check valves / replace if necessary. Probably get a new chain / tensioner, too.

You're trying to do too much all at once to repair a problem that won't gain any power increase at all. Don't touch the crank at all, if crank is a little scarred just send it to get polished or leave it alone and measure the journals and order OEM sized bearings accordingly. On the head, if its burning oil, the valves will be caked with carbon, if so then it'll be better to get oversized valves when you send the head off to get machine work done. No sense in replacing the chain if the links are in ok shape and can't see wear patterns, maybe just the tensioner chain guide I'd replace, but not the whole setup. Water pump is kinda pointless unless it leaks, same for oil pickup, but the pump you can actually remove the cover and check the clearances of the pump rotor to gear and wall. Usually if there are no scratches then nothing is worn and it'll be in spec. If you can feel a dip in the cylinder wall towards the top of the deck, over oversized pistons and put those in there with new the new rings. There are some SR16VE pistons that are 86.5mm, but best to get the machine shop to inform you on how much larger pistons you'll need to get. No sense in doing a stock rebuild on a VE IMO, either make it really high compression and spend the money on an ECU for tuning, or sell the parts and start over with an already running VE. The costs to just rebuild a VE is not worth the down time and headache if you just want an engine that does not smoke.

As cheap as clean VEs are these days unless someone is building a hi-comp motor with a reworked head it would seem cheaper to buy the low mileage VE motor if one is keeping it stock. I'll usually change the water pump & front and rear main seals and call it a day on a low mileage motor. Loctite the throttle body screws too. Then again maybe this rebuild is something the OP wants to attempt as a goal. Can't knock that either....

It's a lot of that, Al. My goal is not only to gave a healthy motor, but to learn from it as well.

I hear ya man.... I have an extra VE in the garage that I'm gonna refresh the bottom end with durable OEM parts & ACL race bearings with 20V pistons this summer, will be in learning mode as well. Good luck, know you'll get your build done right.