Machine shops Pacific North West PNW

[dll67]

Looking for a machine shop in the PNW capable of machining lifter bores in a Dart Big M. BHJ fixture or CNC.
Thanks

[nhrastocker]

Call Action Machine in Shoreline, Washington and ask for Rob.
(206) 546-2082
http://www.actionmachine.com/

[rfoll]

I'm pretty sure Portland Engine Rebuilders can do this if you are closer to PDX http://www.portlandenginerebuilders.com/index2.html

[dll67]

Well made some phone calls today ..
I am looking to stay in the Tacoma area, found 2 places, DG Machine and G&M Honest Performance that are equipped to machine lifter bores in a BBC. DG Machine said they can only do bushings to .904. Cant or wont do just a .904 bore in cast iron, and wants $450 plus bushings.
G&M Honest Performance didnt hard sell the bushings and wants $438 to bore out my lifter bores.
Both included bore and hone to my lifter specs. Both using BHJ lifter Tru System.
Both said a 1-2 week turn around time .. 1-2 weeks Well see ..
Looks like its going to be G&M Honest Performance after getting there seal of approval from my trusted shop (Cope Bros)

The lifters (72445-16) and cam (270/278 @ .050 & .670 lift with 4-7 swap) that i just ruined were Lunati, who I spoke with today, and was told I was basically SOL. The tech I spoke to said if I cut into the lobe more than about .020 the cam couldnt be fixed and the lifter that ground the roller flat and cut into the body had to be replaced as a pair. He did offer to sell me a pair at a discount, $75. Then to rebuild the rest of the set was another $300. I only paid $540 for the lifters 2 years and 500 miles ago. Then add the $370 for the custom grind 4-7 swap, I'm out nearly $1000.
Expensive lesson ... If your going to run your lifters tight dont cool your motor with your water pump and fan before you re-fire it. The block cools and shrinks faster than the lifters. At least thats where I am at after re checking that the lifter oil bands are not obscured at lift and that they had so few miles on them.

First I need lifters ..
I think I would like to stay with the same maker of the lifters, which I am almost positive is Morel simply re branded Lunati, but cut out the middle man (Lunati) and go to Morel for Morel lifters with the exception of switching to a bushing roller instead of needle roller.

Thoughts or suggestions?

[wyrmrider]

Try Mike Jones for the Morels and to solve those pesky other problems

[dll67]

Mike Jones of Jones Cam Design? If so Dick pioneered some interesting ideas on cam profile design that make sense but hard to attain without a lot of trial and error.

[wyrmrider]

Lots and lots of r&d and spintron work
he posted his price on some Morels a little while ago

[dll67]

Morel 6143 $1025

[dll67]

UPDATE ...
Picked up block the other day from machine shop after having the lifter bores bushed for .904 lifters and cylinders torque plate honed just enough to seat a new set of rings.
Hows $900 sound ..
Measured lifter and bore clearance after leaving them the new lifters and a piston. I'm ok with piston/bore clearance but not sure what to think about the lifter clearance as I have no previous experience with bushings. Heres the process I used.
Zeroed my inside micrometer on a .9035 lifter and measured an additional .0018 at the top of the bushing bore and .003 in the middle (near the oil hole) and .0015 at the bottom, all on the thrust side, perpendicular to the oil hole. Approximately the same on the following 2 bores I measured.

My question is ... Is it acceptable that the bronze bushed lifter bores be hour glass shaped by over a thousandth in the middle of about 2 inches ?
I was there when they finish honed them and it looked like a regular Sunnen hone setup and I thought I saw and heard him moving the hone back and forth but I wasnt standing over his shoulder while he did it.

I was told the bushings were BHJ bushings that they installed.
I'm unable to contact the machine shop because of the weekend.

[ProPower engines]

UPDATE ...
Picked up block the other day from machine shop after having the lifter bores bushed for .904 lifters and cylinders torque plate honed just enough to seat a new set of rings.
Hows $900 sound ..
Measured lifter and bore clearance after leaving them the new lifters and a piston. I'm ok with piston/bore clearance but not sure what to think about the lifter clearance as I have no previous experience with bushings. Heres the process I used.
Zeroed my inside micrometer on a .9035 lifter and measured an additional .0018 at the top of the bushing bore and .003 in the middle (near the oil hole) and .0015 at the bottom, all on the thrust side, perpendicular to the oil hole. Approximately the same on the following 2 bores I measured.

My question is ... Is it acceptable that the bronze bushed lifter bores be hour glass shaped by over a thousandth in the middle of about 2 inches ?
I was there when they finish honed them and it looked like a regular Sunnen hone setup and I thought I saw and heard him moving the hone back and forth but I wasnt standing over his shoulder while he did it.

I was told the bushings were BHJ bushings that they installed.
I'm unable to contact the machine shop because of the weekend.

I would compare them all to be sure before complaining to the shop for a do over.
A couple 10th's sure but over .001 taper or hour glass shaped is cause for a repeat of the job on the finished bores affected.
The issue is most shops don't count on anyone really checking their final measurements to see it the job was really done right.
They will wear quickly if uncorrected. I would check with the shop to find out what gauge they used to check the final size as temp can affect sizing as well but also using an inside mic can be tricky compared to a bore gauge which is more accurate.

[dll67]

I had originally planned on taking my measuring tools with me when I picked up the parts. But not knowing what to expect, opted not to.
Now I know and will check the rest with a dial bore gauge then proceed accordingly.

[ProPower engines]

Think of it as the same way you do a valve guide. While the size differs the same rules apply.

They need to be straight..............

[dll67]

Checked all the lifter bores with cylinder bore gage .. The best .0015/.002/.0015 the worst .0012/.0035/.0025, top/middle/bottom, the rest average .001 across the length of the bushing.
How does this happen?
Something to do with the oil passage running through and deforming the bushing?
Bad shoes on the hone?

[old_chopper]

Spending too much time in the middle of the part being honed, irregular wore stones. There's a bit of an art to hone a straight hole. The worst is pretty terrible in my opinion. How long are these bushings?

[dll67]

The bushing bore is 1.750 tall. The worst picks up that .002 in less than half that distance.
Called the machine shop today that did this work and the owner gave a couple excuses then promptly offered to replace the bushings.