Scions-
Here's a summary of the successful engine install yesterday!
07:00 Arrive at rental place to pick up hoist. Friendly
counter person cannot find important parts of hoist.
Day is NOT starting well. Convince guy to steal parts
from a doner and we're on our way.
07:30 Load engine onto engine transport dolly (skateboard)
and steer around garage by tailpiece of gearbox.
07:45 Assemble hoist and scope-out top of engine for suitable
lifting points. Agree on head-stud slightly behind #4 plug
and manifold studs #1 and 2. Bolt on the tow eyes from
the rear bumper brackets after shimming with washers to
hold in tension. Cross chain from front to back and secure
with 5/8 AN bolts and many washers. Fish chain underneath
engine between pan and gearbox and up the other side. Run a
long bolt through the trio of links to limit link slipping.
Lift a bit to check balance. Adjust chain and repeat.
Play with release valve to get a feel for it under load.
08:15 Roll car out of garage and put rear end up on stands (thanks
Denise!) Pump hoist to raise engine. Pump some more, and
some more. Close valve on jack cylinder. Pump, pump, pump...
Pray that $20 worth of new AN hardware supporting dangling
engine really _IS_ AN hardware. Please dont fail, please
dont fail...
08:30 Put jack under car to support gearbox and sloooowly push,
err, drag hoist into place. Positions everyone: my father is
driving the hoist, my best-man is under the car waiting
to push/jack the gearbox into position and I am nose to
nose with the crank nut guiding. Ok, forward, down, forward,
down. WATCH THE PAINT! Forward some more, down; the left
mount seats and the bolts slide right in. Damn, get the
packing plate that is sitting on the tool cab and glue it
on with contact cement. Hmmn, something is wrong here.
Slightly loosen all mounting bolts/nuts, but still not
enough play. Take a break and survey the problem.
08:45 Left mount is aligned fine, holes for the right are 1/4
inch too high. Need a drift pin to get the holes lined up,
but they are all too long. Where's the center-punch?
Still too long. Fire up the compressor and cut it in half
with the whizzer wheel. Wiggle, wiggle. First bolt in.
Persude mount with hammer and drift, second and third in.
Pry mount and tap some more. Finally, last bolt in!
Tighten everything down. Damn. Forgot the ground strap.
Undo and re-tighten.
09:45 Crawl under car and attach one mount to gearbox and the other
mount to the crossmember. Wiggle it into place, put nut onto
mount. Damn, bolt is not through the rubber donuts. Realign
and start over. Damn, jack is blocking access to the holes.
Repositon and start over after taking break to let blood
flow back into arms and hands. Try again and after much
contortioning and sworking, the bolts finally go in. Jack up
gearbox and bolt up crossmember.
11:00 Admire engine sitting proudly on mounts. Thank all involved
and crack open the first brew. I know, it's early, but it's
noon somewhere!
Thanks to all who offered advice- Randy Balogh, Sean Johnson, Chris
Reichle, Richard White, Bill Mills, Denise Thorpe, Dick Burger and
anyone else I inadvertantly missed.
Tonight I get to mount the starter, pedals and clutch hydraulics.
Stay tuned for more details...
--Scott 'why are my arms and shoulders so sore' Hower
Scott Hower --> howersl@ttown.apci.com
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. 'Managing programmers
7201 Hamilton Blvd Trexlertown, PA is like trying to herd cats'
(610) 481-2646 --Anonymous
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