Black-Tooth
Tony Natoli
JOHN.... LISTEN TO THE OLD MAN!
I mean Mike...
MTL is the preferred lube and I guaran-damn-tee you will love it!
I mean Mike...
MTL is the preferred lube and I guaran-damn-tee you will love it!
AZ Drifter's '80 FI Project Log
- Thread starter AZDrifter
- Start date
AZDrifter
True Classic
The tranny removal has begun. So far, everything has come apart without casualties.
Removed the axle nut with an impact gun, then figured out you have to remove the set screw and alignment stud off the rotor to remove it.
The cat came off after applying heat to the nuts. Luckily I haven't had to remove the springs from the exhaust. I tried though :confuse2:
And the strut came off real easy. There doesn't appear to be any camber adjustment to screw up. I will keep the shims in order on the A arm :wink2:
No time to work on it again in the near future. I have to try and buy a truck at an auction, and there's an autocross Sunday. I have to buy a bleedin' master cylinder for the brakes also :sad:
There are a bunch of accordion type rubber bits that I need to source if anyone has a substitute or fix for them. One covers the shifter cables ahead of the rear crossmember, and the others are on the E brake cables near the brake calipers. Any ideas? Oh, and the drain plug for the trans is crossthreaded. It will seal, but it aint purty. No wonder it was so hard to remove.
Removed the axle nut with an impact gun, then figured out you have to remove the set screw and alignment stud off the rotor to remove it.
The cat came off after applying heat to the nuts. Luckily I haven't had to remove the springs from the exhaust. I tried though :confuse2:
And the strut came off real easy. There doesn't appear to be any camber adjustment to screw up. I will keep the shims in order on the A arm :wink2:
No time to work on it again in the near future. I have to try and buy a truck at an auction, and there's an autocross Sunday. I have to buy a bleedin' master cylinder for the brakes also :sad:
There are a bunch of accordion type rubber bits that I need to source if anyone has a substitute or fix for them. One covers the shifter cables ahead of the rear crossmember, and the others are on the E brake cables near the brake calipers. Any ideas? Oh, and the drain plug for the trans is crossthreaded. It will seal, but it aint purty. No wonder it was so hard to remove.
AZDrifter
True Classic
Seriously?
After reading all the horror stories about reinstalling the transmission, I was prepared for the worst. I got my dowel pin for the 2 o'clock position and made sure the clutch was aligned.
I am employing a transmission jack, wood shims, and a floor jack. First try, I couldn't get the trans within an inch of the block. I pulled it out and tried removing the stud in the 4 o'clock position. Back in, and still no dice. I bought a few very long bolts to get things lined up and started. Still no luck. Can't get it in the last inch. I tried holding one axle stub and rotating the other to line up the splines, but it seems like I'm not quite close enough to engage the clutch with the splines.
So that's two days worth of aggravation. I did manage to replace the line to the clutch slave cylinder, as it was nasty. The fluid was awful. I feel defeated. :blackeye:
After reading all the horror stories about reinstalling the transmission, I was prepared for the worst. I got my dowel pin for the 2 o'clock position and made sure the clutch was aligned.
I am employing a transmission jack, wood shims, and a floor jack. First try, I couldn't get the trans within an inch of the block. I pulled it out and tried removing the stud in the 4 o'clock position. Back in, and still no dice. I bought a few very long bolts to get things lined up and started. Still no luck. Can't get it in the last inch. I tried holding one axle stub and rotating the other to line up the splines, but it seems like I'm not quite close enough to engage the clutch with the splines.
So that's two days worth of aggravation. I did manage to replace the line to the clutch slave cylinder, as it was nasty. The fluid was awful. I feel defeated. :blackeye:
CandBMotorworks
C&BMotorworks
I guess I got "lucky"
I did mine with the engine out. No problem! ;-)
Hang in there. You'll figure it out.
I did mine with the engine out. No problem! ;-)
Hang in there. You'll figure it out.
AZDrifter
True Classic
Ok then...
It occurred to me that I should check the rear main seal before putting stuff back together. Then one thing led to another. Might as well clean out the engine bay and tidy things up, replace some coolant hoses, clean electrical connections, and so on. The timing belt is supposedly new, and the spark plugs look new. Anything else I should replace while I'm at it?
It occurred to me that I should check the rear main seal before putting stuff back together. Then one thing led to another. Might as well clean out the engine bay and tidy things up, replace some coolant hoses, clean electrical connections, and so on. The timing belt is supposedly new, and the spark plugs look new. Anything else I should replace while I'm at it?
Me, I'd want to replace fuel lines...
All the fuel lines. If you don't know when they were last replaced, replace them. Be sure to use high-pressure-rated line for anything between the pump and the FPR, including all injector lines. Outside that can be low-pressure.
All the fuel lines. If you don't know when they were last replaced, replace them. Be sure to use high-pressure-rated line for anything between the pump and the FPR, including all injector lines. Outside that can be low-pressure.
AZDrifter
True Classic
I haven't made much progress lately. One of my goals this year was to purchase a truck to tow my racecar. I got a '96 Explorer with the 5.0 motor. It has been getting the royal treatment in terms of cash and rebuilding to be roadworthy. I got back to the X today with the rope and Coke to loosen the head. As of now, there is only one stuck stud and some sticky gasket on the intake/exhaust side holding it down. The Coke can work on the stud for another day. What a mess!
I will look at everything once it's apart and try to decide what to upgrade or replace. Water pump is on the list, but I'm wondering about a lightened flywheel, exhaust upgrade, cam, or maybe a whole performance head. Money is an issue at this point, so I don't know what to do. Maybe just a flywheel and get it running again, maybe sneak in a cam and learn how to shim the valves. This project has become a royan pain, but it seems like a cool car and I have the time in the long run.
I will look at everything once it's apart and try to decide what to upgrade or replace. Water pump is on the list, but I'm wondering about a lightened flywheel, exhaust upgrade, cam, or maybe a whole performance head. Money is an issue at this point, so I don't know what to do. Maybe just a flywheel and get it running again, maybe sneak in a cam and learn how to shim the valves. This project has become a royan pain, but it seems like a cool car and I have the time in the long run.
AZDrifter
True Classic
Well, X heads, thanks for your help. I got the head off today, only one stud buggered up as a casualty. And here are the pics...
Nice cross-hatching on the cylinder walls, no lip from the rings wearing the walls down. Excellent!
Taking a little peak, my wife that is, er, or wait, who's taking a peek at what?
While I have it apart, my wife had me explain how everything works. She knows quite a bit about cars and motors after 20 years with me.
Nice cross-hatching on the cylinder walls, no lip from the rings wearing the walls down. Excellent!
Taking a little peak, my wife that is, er, or wait, who's taking a peek at what?
While I have it apart, my wife had me explain how everything works. She knows quite a bit about cars and motors after 20 years with me.
Ellychiprout
1986 Time Traveler X
Very beautiful. The engine, of course, I think.
AZDrifter
True Classic
Down but not out...
Funds are running low as I decide what to replace/refinish and what to leave as-is. The block is painted on the non-machined surfaces, and all the gaskets/seals are being replaced.
At this point, maybe it would be good to send off the transmission for rebuilding. Overwhelmed would be a good adjective for the situation, but it will go back together sometime late winter with any luck. I was hoping for one of three things to happen involving $1500 being deposited in the bank. None of them have panned out. :hrmph: Hopefully congress will sort out the Alternative Minimum Tax correction soon, or even the tax return will be a bust.
Funds are running low as I decide what to replace/refinish and what to leave as-is. The block is painted on the non-machined surfaces, and all the gaskets/seals are being replaced.
At this point, maybe it would be good to send off the transmission for rebuilding. Overwhelmed would be a good adjective for the situation, but it will go back together sometime late winter with any luck. I was hoping for one of three things to happen involving $1500 being deposited in the bank. None of them have panned out. :hrmph: Hopefully congress will sort out the Alternative Minimum Tax correction soon, or even the tax return will be a bust.
It's a lot of work
Looking very familiar. I have been picking at a 1500-FI swap into my 78 for a couple years. BobbyB can attest to that.
Keep at it AZ, I keep finding other things to occupy my time and I wonder if I will ever finish the project.
You might want compare the price of a rebuilt 5spd to the price of having a 5spd rebuilt. Maybe the difference isn't that great and you can run what you have and swap in a rebuilt unit later? Just a thought.
Looking very familiar. I have been picking at a 1500-FI swap into my 78 for a couple years. BobbyB can attest to that.
Keep at it AZ, I keep finding other things to occupy my time and I wonder if I will ever finish the project.You might want compare the price of a rebuilt 5spd to the price of having a 5spd rebuilt. Maybe the difference isn't that great and you can run what you have and swap in a rebuilt unit later? Just a thought.
Absolutely
A little incentive can go a long way. I almost got the feeling my visits to Jim's place gave him that little push to get him started again.
Looking very familiar. I have been picking at a 1500-FI swap into my 78 for a couple years. BobbyB can attest to that.
A little incentive can go a long way. I almost got the feeling my visits to Jim's place gave him that little push to get him started again.
AZDrifter
True Classic
After contacting a local machine shop, I decided to send the head out for leak-testing, cleaning, decking, and 3 angle valve job. The shop is familiar with this type of head/cam setup, and has agreed to do the tappets and assemble the whole top end for me. I also bought some Isky valve springs and a lightened flywheel from Vicks today. I will be able to take the whole head assembly and the springs, cam, and valve guides to the shop and not have to worry about getting it all back together.
That will just leave the whole fuel system to sort out... hoses, clamps, filters, pump, injectors perhaps. Anyone have experience with the new style injectors that Vick's offers? The old ones have probably seen better days and one of the spark plugs looked kinda white, indicating a possible lean condition on that cylinder.
That will just leave the whole fuel system to sort out... hoses, clamps, filters, pump, injectors perhaps. Anyone have experience with the new style injectors that Vick's offers? The old ones have probably seen better days and one of the spark plugs looked kinda white, indicating a possible lean condition on that cylinder.
SInce you are sending stuff out anyway...
Check out Matt's FI services.
I sent my fugly dirt/grease encrusted FI manifold to him and it came back looking great.
I wish I had taken the plunge for new injectors. Pretty stupid looking back on it, but my project costs were creeping up to the point where my wife was bound to notice.
Check out Matt's FI services.
I sent my fugly dirt/grease encrusted FI manifold to him and it came back looking great.
I wish I had taken the plunge for new injectors. Pretty stupid looking back on it, but my project costs were creeping up to the point where my wife was bound to notice.
AZDrifter
True Classic
That intake is beautiful. Concours quality for sure. While waiting for the cylinder head to come back, I got some painting done. Arizona weather is pretty ideal. 70F in the beginning of December!
Some before and afters:
The head is going to get some extra care. The combustion chambers will be deshrouded and the bowls blended, ports matched. Should make some nice power with the .411 cam and Isky springs.
It seems that the throttle body inlet is tiny. Maybe 49mm. Perhaps in the future I can have it ported out to 52mm- I have a throttle plate from my Neon that would fit nicely. I don't suppose there is a better MAF housing to be had? It's inlet is 40mm by 40mm.
I decided to go with some aftermarket fuel injectors, too. Costs are adding up.
Some before and afters:
The head is going to get some extra care. The combustion chambers will be deshrouded and the bowls blended, ports matched. Should make some nice power with the .411 cam and Isky springs.
It seems that the throttle body inlet is tiny. Maybe 49mm. Perhaps in the future I can have it ported out to 52mm- I have a throttle plate from my Neon that would fit nicely. I don't suppose there is a better MAF housing to be had? It's inlet is 40mm by 40mm.
I decided to go with some aftermarket fuel injectors, too. Costs are adding up.