My engine build is finished.

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

I got the final details done on my engine today. She just wouldn't let me have a no-spend day, so I had to run down to Zim's and get two new crank sensors. My originals, which I thought about replacing, looked good still. It wasn't until putting the plugs into the bracket that they both disintegrated. Instead of the $150 911 version, I got the $100 BMW versions, which are identical. I even got her down from the stand, and onto the ATV jack. I'm probably going to stick it back in on Friday, and go for Saturday for start-up.

I got the plugs in, and the wires routed. I got a bit creative, and made some retainers out of Aluminum flat bar to hold the wires in place as they run along the fan strap.

I also poked a couple of holes in my side sheetmetal pieces and put some grommets in for the lower set of sparkplug wires which will come along sometime next year. It wasn't fun holesawing my nice powdercoated pieces, but they came out pretty good.

The heart patient awaiting her new heart and lease on life.

Mr.Puff · 12-05-2007, 05:18 PM

It's very clean =P.

tnchris · 12-05-2007, 06:09 PM

That has to be a great feeling.

olstyn · 12-06-2007, 01:19 AM

Looks very pretty all shiny and clean - may it start on the first try and last many happy years.

Put it back in on Friday and wait until Saturday to start it up? I doubt I'd be able to resist putting it back in now and starting it up right away if it were me.

Why wait between install and startup?

Who's taking bets on whether or not this waiting a day business actually happens, how do I get into the pool on the side of "he can't resist turning the key right away," and what's the maximum amount of money I can put down on said bet?

gigem75 · 12-06-2007, 04:53 AM

HA, was thinking the same thing, since he has no half shafts, etc to hook up my money is on a Friday start up.

88911coupe · 12-06-2007, 09:18 AM

Ed, can you give me some details on the BMW replacement parts for the sensors. My appear to have been working fine prior to removing the engine but the insulation is pretty much toast on them now so it seems smart to replace them. What is the part #? I'm going to try and save every $ I can when it makes sense.

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

Buck, they are Bosch # 0 261 210 002. Zim's told me they stock this as a 944 replacment, but it is really a BMW sensor, and now I'm subbing it for a Porsche part #. I suggested it to Kirk and when he went back to check stock, he confirmed they looked identical. I took my old ones down to double check. Same exact overall height and same plug.

88911coupe · 12-06-2007, 09:47 AM

thanks Ed...this board is great. Now if I can just find a cheap engine stand.

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88911coupe

thanks Ed...this board is great. Now if I can just find a cheap engine stand.

I have one you could borrow...and a yoke.

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

A small hurdle today....I got my thottle linkage and breather hoses on, and then painted the PORSCHE lettering on my intake manifold. Then, I thought I'd get started installing it all. I dropped the engine sans tranny for the first time. It came out fairly easy, but I'll be damned if I could get enough front-back room to get it back up. I tried different angles with the trans, but still couldn't make it happen.

Tomorrow, I may pull the fan pulley and see what that gets me, or I may just cut my losses and drop the trans, and aseemble it outside the car, then put the whole thing in. I thought that since I was working with everything level, I could do it, as it seems hooking the fork up to the throwout bearing would be the big issue, but it is a lack of room.To have the engine clear the spindle and the studs just takes too much room, unless I'm missing something.

klaucke · 12-06-2007, 05:45 PM

Ed, I'm sure it's "doable" to put the engine back in w/ the transmission already installed, but I can't imagine it's easy. Like you, the last engine drop I did was engine only, but I decided to remove the transmission afterwards, which I mated together with the engine and installed them as a set. There's just not a lot of room to work in there when trying to have enough clearance for the studs, engine carrier, and fan.

With the engine and transmission together, they install in the car very easily, once you get the shift rod into the tunnel. I see that your lift may get in the way, though. If you can do it w/o removing the transmission, it'll almost assuredly be faster, just go slow when mating them together so you don't scratch all those nicely finished parts!

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

I think I'm going to give it a go again tomorrow. Instead of the trans being level, I'm going to let it droop a bit, and match the angle of the engine to it, and see if that helps. I think my issue MAY have been that I had the bell housing of the trans too high, meaning the engine had to be appropriately high.

88911coupe · 12-06-2007, 06:33 PM

Ed, that's an awesome offer! I think I'll take you up on that. I'll send you a PM.
Thanks

Jeff Alton · 12-07-2007, 01:02 PM

Ed, you get that motor in yet?

Cheers

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

I did get it in.....I was ALMOST ready to drop the trans, but decided to let it droop and angle the motor up to mate. It worked. It just requires a pretty precise angle to slide the engine onto the bell housing. All in all, it was easier not removing the trans.

So, it took maybe two hours to get it in and hooked up. I then put 10 qts of Brad Penn 30W break-in oil. I cranked it with the coil wire off, and the fuel pump fuse out. I got oil pressure pretty quickly. I cranked it twice for about 30 seconds a pop, and looked for leaks, had none.

Then I cranked it again, and had a small oil leak at the RH chain cover. I traced it up to the oil pressure sender. I hadn't fully tightened it as I could move the whole block pretty easily, so I tightened the hollow bolt, and no more leaks. I cranked it two more times for 30 seconds, and no other oil leaks.

I had a buddy come over to watch the engine while I put fuel to it. I cranked it once for about 15 seconds with nothing. I started to crank it one more time, and Roger yelled to stop, we had 3 fuel leaks in the fuel line under the manifold between the rails. I didn't replace it as it looked fine, and didn't leak before, but I guess from the time sitting idle, or in handling it, it got dry enough to develop some leakes right at the swaged fittings. Zim's had some re-manf'd ($260!!!) ones in stock, so I got one this afternoon and will wrestle with it tomorrow. Won't be as easy with the engine in the car, but it looks doable.

I didn't get a sputter, but then again, I didn't seem to have fuel until the very end when I cut the starter. Maybe there was no fuel to light, or maybe I had no spark? I bought a new DME relay just to be safe, and I'll pop that in tomorrow.

It was encouraging that after a few combined minutes of cranking, I didn't have any oil raining down, and no bad noises. So, I've got my fingers crossed that when I get the new fuel line and the new relay, I'll indeed have spark. I didn't have the O2 sensor in, but I don't think that will cause a break in the DME system?

It was also good to see the car on the ground again.....

Mr.Puff · 12-07-2007, 04:43 PM

I'm intersted in how your going to get that fuel line in there. I need to do this on my car

. Be sure to inform us of any difficulties.

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

I'm thinking I can take the Airflow box and throttle body off if needed, and I can unbolt the crossmember and drop the engine at the back a bit to get a little more wiggle room. I'm sure I'll be cursing a bit, but I THINK it can be done.

Jeff Alton · 12-07-2007, 04:55 PM

Ed,

Glad you got it in!! Way to go!

The fuel line is doable, I would lower the rear of the motor a wee bit.

You can check for spark easy enough, pull your fuel pump relay though with the leak.

The O2 sensor has no bearing on whether or not the motor will fire, lots of 3.2s running around with it disconected.

Have a beer and a cigar, you deserve it.

I am sure it will be running in the morning and you will be putting some load on it before lunch!

Cheers

efhughes3 · efhughes3's Garage

Thanks Jeff. If I do get her cranked up, she's running straight headers. I'm now going to start a pool on whether I stop the motor after she fires and explore for leaks while running and install the muffler, or say screw it and give the neighborhood a treat with no muffler.

AngM018 · 12-07-2007, 08:06 PM

Looking good Ed!! I had the same oil leak on mine when I got her started, it was an easy fix. After you replace the fuel lines, and you still have the issue of it trying to start for awhile, and sputtering at the end, double check TDC and the dizzy rotor (by pulling spark plug on #1). I spent days trying to figure out why my engine was doing this, and I finally double checked the rotor after pulling valve covers to make sure my cams weren't 180 out(they weren't). I had pulled the dizzy so many times (replaced green wire from hell) I had the rotor 180 out. She then fired right up!

P.S. it is so much easier to pull the tranny w/ the engine next time you take the engine out. Especially when you have that scissor jack set up (I am envious)