Wed Jan 13

The Engine Conditioning Process

Engine conditioning can be considered a bit of technical process, particularly for those who have only been recently informed of it (such as when there is a significant issue with their engine). Engine conditioning is a procedure that involves mechanics disassembling the engine of a car and examining each component to find which ones need to be re-conditioned, replaced or re-machined. Then, the engine is put back together again and should be running as good as new. There’s a bit more to it, though, so in this article we take a look at the specifics of an engine reconditioning to give you a clearer understanding of what a mechanic is required to do to your vehicle.

The first stages in engine reconditioning

An important part of engine conditioning involves cylinder head conditioning. It’s not often as simple as researching cylinder head reconditioning in Sydney, however - before cylinder head reconditioning occurs, mechanics must first take a look to see if it’s even possible to repair the cylinder head. This is to ensure that it works after being repaired, as it not working will cost everyone time and money. This is achieved through a hardness test – a hardness tester is applied to the cylinder head to discover how soft the cylinder head is – too soft and it might require a bit more hardening. Unfortunately, you can only harden a cylinder head so much, and sometimes it simply needs to be replaced. , bit, it may need to be hardened again. Sometimes this is not possible and an entirely new cylinder head is required. This is because using a soft head will cause a blown head gasket, and that is another very expensive problem you might have to deal with. If the cylinder head is found to be sufficiently hard, it is then straightened if it is bent in any way.

The next stages

The next stages of this stress testing procedure involve crack testing. This is a test to determine (as you might have already guessed) if there are any cracks in the cylinder. This is conducted through pressure testing and magnetic crack testing, and is an important stage as similarly to a soft cylinder head, cracks can cause some big headaches later down the track. Once all of this cylinder work has been finished, it’s then time to fit the valve guides and K-Lines. It is also at this point that bearing tunnels are checked and camshaft tunnels are line bored to guarantee that they remain straight. At this stage, the cylinder head is just about finished! All that’s left to do is to ensure it’s flat, which is often also done to the block as well. After this intensive process, some rigorous independent testing takes place to ensure that everything is as it should be.

Does your car’s engine need reconditioning?

Although you might think that engine reconditioning only occurs to cars with failed engines, it can also happen way before this (particularly if a car is experiencing regular issues). An engine reconditioning in this case can help provide much better fuel efficiency, response and reliability, making it an excellent investment for anyone looking to get more out of their aging car. If you’d like to learn more about reconditioning, get in touch with your local mechanic today!