Lighter = Faster (N/A build thread #2)

[infernosg]

Almost three months since the last update. I've got some "life issues" going on, which prompted me to build the engine earlier than I had originally planned. After a brief setback due to receiving a wrong oil control seal spring I got the short block assembled last night:





My goal is to get the oil pan, water pump assembly, and clutch installed tonight. I'll then bolt on the transmission and drop everything in the car tomorrow or Thursday night.

Here's a couple things I've noted along the way:

1. Somehow I managed to mix up the rotor housings. I have the "rear" housing in the front and and "front" housing in the rear. Everything I've read seems to indicate this isn't a problem. I have S5 N/A housings with TII exhaust sleeves, by the way.

2. Eccentric shaft end play is within spec but near the high end of the tolerance at somewhere between .0025 and .0030 in. (my dial indicator is only accurate to .001 in.). I'm using the second smallest spacer, "V." Going to the smallest, "Z", would give me approximately .0008 in. less end play but I figured it wasn't worth the wait.

3. I'm confused about these "water pump housing shims." The S4 has two ~0.5 mm thick metal shims between the water pump housing and the front iron. I have an earlier-style S4 front iron but I'm using a S5 water pump and housing. Everything I've read says to match the washers to the iron, but when I mock up the water pump housing I'm not seeing any gap for these shims. I'm concerned if I use the shims they'll cause the housing the stand off from the iron and fail to seal.