HOW TO INSTALL PISTONS AND RODS - FOCUS ST ENGINE BUILD

The bottom end is finally assembled! Now all thats left is a new head, clutch, lightweight flywheel, and oil pan baffle kit. It's super exciting seeing all the pieces finally coming together but we still have a long way to go. Thank you for continuing to support this build and we hope you can learn from what we have done so far!
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@valley._.crew

[@revoracer8]

Glad to see you taking your time! I saved all my money in high school to rebuild a Jeep 4.0L motor I blew up and do a mild stroker build and it was all worth the patience getting it put together correctly! Once you hear it start up for the first time you can’t beat the satisfaction of putting it together yourself and taking it down the road. I still have the jeep but also own a 2013 focus st and love watching you do this build. Keep up the great work 👍🏻

[@denzeyjf9714]

Your videos on the build are so helpful, I’ve learnt a lot from what you have done so far and in the coming months I will be building my Focus ST. Keep up the great work guys can’t wait for the next episode

[@spacecalander]

Totally great job. I am glad we haven't forgotten the ST, i love mine.

[@ruanrocha3093]

congrats for the engine build. i'm in the same situation as u in that video, cuz im not a professional, im still gonna start but i want to rebuild my honda civic 2000 by myself, and, knowing that you're a starter, it gave me so much inspiration. thank u bro! we love cars!

[@lancecastillo3283]

Keep up the good work. Love watching the vids

[@MJC-GSXS750]

Well planned out! Some ppl rather use OEM specs for clocking the rings, versus the manufacturers suggested spec for clocking.

[@axelriet]

Awesome. Some slight doubt about atf though. You can safely use a high zinc and phosphorus content break-in oil as general purpose assembly oil, like Amsoil SAE 30 Break-In Oil. Then use this for break-in the engine of course, flush after 2-3 hours of run time on the road and then use exclusively the Ford WSS-M2C931-C spec oil, which mitigates LSPI :) Remark about the 2500 rpm / 20 minute you mentioned elsewhere: this is absolutely correct, but it’s for the cam lobes not the rings. The speed makes the valves, retainers, and tappets a little lighter, which makes it a little easier on the tip of the cam lobes when first starting. Consider the cam-to-tappet contact surface is just a hairline, making it the most loaded part of the engine in pressure per unit-surface terms. You want to avoid any scuffing on the lobes, thus the special cam lube and the 20 minutes of steady high idle on first run. This is especially critical with high-lift cams and strong springs: never cold-idle these for the entire life of the engine in fact. What breaks-in the rings is the load more than the speed: the combustion pressure escapes through the ring gaps and goes behind the rings and pushes them against the bore. This is why you see extra wear on the bores where the compression rings are near TDC, the high pressure pushes the rings hard agains the walls, but the speed is very low. Note that there is no such extra wear at BDC so it’s not the speed nor the change of direction. The ring gaps should normally be set when assembling, to make sure there is enough. Paradoxically, too little gap = less sealing, so there is a sweet spot to hit. So loading the engine in increasing steps of a few minutes each with a mineral break-in oil does the job for the rings. On a bench, you would do 20 min @ 2500 and light load - never free, maybe 50Nm on the brake - for the cams, then 4 steps of 8-10 minutes each at 100, 150, 200 and 300Nm in 500 rpm increments, so 100Nm @ 3k, 150Nm @ 3.5k etc, one WOT pull at the end to record the tq/hp, with a hot stop so you can check the plugs, let it cool down, change the filter and put the normal oil, and the engine is ready to hit the road. In the RS at least, if you fully open the throttle and keep it there, then press the starter, the engine cranks for about 10s and stops. You can do this twice (max 20 seconds) to build a little oil pressure before first start, then make sure it starts on the first try so use the OEM calibration and quadruple-check all wirings and lines beforehand. One anecdote: on proper race engines they will do the break-in with mild cams, then swap for the wild race cams and do the 20 minute thing. They cannot afford the engine not to start on first try with the new cams, as cranking for too long would ruin them. This comes from an F1 engine shop building DFV’s and BMW factory race engines. EDIT: I later saw you gapped the rings. Awesome job!

[@Paper.Power.Politics]

I got a fully built ST block , sleeved custom spec darton, 4340 Callie’s I beam enforcer rods. Strongest rods you can possibly get, amco bushings with coated bearings, traum custom spec pistons, h13 tool steel 250wall wrist pin, stock crankshaft with balance shaft delete. Pistons are for dual injection. It’s a insane block! Gonna be in a mustang ecoboost , also with fully built custom 4 port head. With custom xona turbo kit 105mm, also built GT transmission with raybestos clutches. Gonna be a 1000whp build.

[@ItsRiley3]

Damn bro dat fresh cut is lit

[@stevensmith3069]

Great vid mate I’m rebuilding mine very useful 👍

[@mrmandude1234]

Love watching you do what you do Trey. You guys go more in depth than most other people, even manufacturers. Also wondering were the Abarth is?

[@tbr.performance]

Hunter Shriver The Abarth is still alive and well haha. We have a video in the works for the fiat that you guys will like and we have plenty of content coming up. Let’s just say that we are going deeper than just the multi-air springs😏

[@josemercado6957]

Hey thanks for the content i like the st built i have one so I'm learning from you

[@nospeedlimits7777]

Hi, did u try slotted rotors then? And found out they make nothing? Maybe drilled ones? Way better go to better pads?

[@roymasters8756]

I think that you did a brilliant job I just love it I wish that could speak to you on the phone. Thanks. Roy.

[@Poketroid]

What size/brand ring compressor did you use? Wiseco’s are in between sizes.

[@Maugris333]

IMO pass on the 4 port head idea, $750 for the head, then fab, then possibly needing a different flange/housing setup for your turbo and downpipe. There are plenty of people pushing big numbers on the OEM crapifold. Save it for engine build v2 when you go big D and want that 2.3 with cams.

[@TOXICVISUALSS]

What size e socket is needed for the rod bolts

[@urfav_blossomy]

Hello, do you know where I can get piston rings for a 1,6 eco boost engine? 2014

[@epaez17]

Hey man, absolutely love the videos. Where have you gotten your torque sequence and specs? I’ve been looking and looking and can’t find any real information. Any help would be much appreciated!

[@tbr.performance]

I have access to the repair manual but the arp studs should come with instructions for how much torque is needed. The information I was given before this video was incorrect and I was over torquing the studs. Always refer to the bolt/stud manufacturer instructions.

[@jameskelly4098]

Awesome

[@mrfixitdellacertifiedfield5376]

Very important when assembling Main and Rod bolts you must put assembly lube or oil under the head of the bolt to reduce coefficient of friction which alters torque values , and i noticed your connecting rods manly bad ass rod expensive but the crank looks to be a cast crank ? i know i am build the same engine right now but my is factory with some modifications

[@overknight5278]

How hard do you think the whole process was? Im looking into getting a first gen 2.0 ecoboost/focus st engine (closed deck block) and install it in my 2018 2.0 fusion (open block) with either forged internals & stock crank or the 2.3 stroker kit. The hardest part seems to be the head/ with the valve springs. Im debating on doing it myself or having a shop do it but ofc i wanna learn/ save some money in the process.

[@Darkstar18773]

Why in the world would you do that?

[@piotrdoniec7556]

Hello, can you give me the tightening torques of the bolts on the connecting rods in nm. Thank you in advance. Regards .

[@106JOHAL]

Never built a motor but gonna do my 2.0 this gonna come clutch

[@lethalnate9461]

Did you have the rotating assembly balanced?

[@tbr.performance]

SVT CoYoTe I balanced it myself. Refer to my past videos of balancing the pistons and rods.

[@23killquick]

Hope you see this. I'm lost on the ring gaps. Are you using Metric or inch for your gaps?

[@tbr.performance]

The gap is measured in thousandths of an inch.

[@paulgoddard9865]

Hi could you please tell me what the torque settings are for the Focus ST big end please Ford don’t seem to know and my car has blown a piston. Thank you Paul

[@tbr.performance]

Paul Goddard Hey! So you’re gonna need new rod bolts because the factory bolts are torque to yield bolts meaning they stretch too much to be reused. So once you get new bolts this is the tightening sequence: Tighten the new bolts in 3 stages. Stage 1: Tighten to 10 Nm (89 lb-in). Stage 2: Tighten to 29 Nm (21 lb-ft). Stage 3: Tighten an additional 90 degrees.

[@paulgoddard9865]

Thank you

[@paulgoddard9865]

Sorry I need your help again Ford in the UK can’t supply me the con rod bolts do you know of any companies in the US that can ship them to me. Thank you Paul

[@thecrookedpainter]

Yeah!!! Goin in dry, dip that shit in baby powder and show her what's what. Nice video love the channel

[@xoferb5768]

I have a head, super clean, for cheap

[@HellRaisier666]

What did you use to grease the conrod shells?

[@tbr.performance]

HellRaisier666 The bearings?

[@HellRaisier666]

VALLEY CREW RACING yes mate

[@tbr.performance]

HellRaisier666 Sta-Lube X-TREME Pressure Engine Assembly Lube. I heard it’s the best for any application.

[@tbr.performance]

HellRaisier666 You only wanna lube the top of the bearings tho. Never lube the bottom of the bearings that make contact with the con rod.

[@HellRaisier666]

VALLEY CREW RACING perfect cheers 👌

[@j_dlos]

hey man i need to fix my RS need some advice

[@overknight5278]

Cracked a block?

[@j_dlos]

@@overknight5278 is good to go was something wrong with the extra fuel rail, thanks though

[@overknight5278]

@@j_dlos the RS has a extra fuel rail or were you running one?

[@spacecalander]

Are the stock rods Forged, and are they Manley?

[@tbr.performance]

They aren’t Manley, they are made by ford. They aren’t as tough as the Manley rods by any means. The construction of the Manley rods is way more beefy than the stock con rods.

[@philanthropist5005]

you know piston rings rotate when the engine is running right.

[@tbr.performance]

Phil Anthropist Yeah and I mentioned that. I went into it in the ring gapping video as well.

[@tbr.performance]

@B. Bevins Yes! I bought it online.