tweaks:

I am with you: if the gaskets and rubber and soforth were old and/or original with the car.


In this project .... I replaced all (and I do mean every)
CIS vacuum line
Seal (injector and sleeve)
Injector sleeve
Intake runner to CIS airbox "boots"
Intake runner to block gasket

It is for this reason that I will address the leak at #4 and #5 only. All others are tight and good; as confirmed by the mechanic who has had much more time with these cars than I.

IF we are still running poorly; (after this) I will re-assess.

Pulled the #4 intake runner tonight. This is the runner that I had a welder repair. Evidently, the gasket surface is not perfectly flat; as this area has a pretty good leak as seen by the picture.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1407202412.jpg


I am contemplating the various ways to address this issue and one of them involves purchasing a brand new runner and saying "to hell with it" with the runner that I had repaired. Another involves some good quality RTV, as the surface is not *that* bad.

Pressure test.........
 

Brian,

After all the time we spent to locate and fix the air leak/s, you missed this one? Anyway, whether you want to fix or replace this intake runner is up to you. But don't neglect to do the pressure test for the system next time. I am a little bit disappointed for the fact that it is about 18 months ago when you contacted me for assistance. I tested your WUR, FD, and air box for FREE, including replying to close to 30 emails (long) from you regarding the wiring connections, etc.

It should not take more than 90 man-hours to rebuild and start an SC engine. Since you did not rebuild the engine, 40 man hours should be plenty of time to get this thing running. I have no idea how much time you already spent on this project, but who cares. As long as you are enjoying the experience don't give up. You could be like the last runner in a marathon and we are cheering and waiting for you to cross the line so everyone could go home. We are still waiting for you to cross the line........

Tony

get - er - dun... buy a good used intake and do as tony suggests...we all want to go home...figureatively of course = we want to see & hear it run...CHECK YOUR SYSTEM FUEL PRESSURE BEFORE U START THE ENGINE...!!! CARRY ON.. :-)

Project man hours
 

Because I wanted to keep an eye on what amount of time I have put into this project (as I have done more than just put the engine back in the car) -- I have an estimate of about 1000 man-hours into putting this car back on the road. This includes the wheel bearing replacements, CV joint repair/repack, various interior repairs, some suspension repairs and bushing installation, etc etc etc....

While I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I have missed this intake leak - at this point I consider it irrelevant because I have been chasing various intake leaks (air box being the most "obvious") along the way - what is done is DONE.

Tony - you have been more than helpful in getting me back on the road, and for that I am very (extremely) thankful. At this point, I am shopping for a good used #4 runner that is not cracked...

Expounding a little bit on what may have happened to this car a little bit....

Last year before I put the engine in, I found evidence of a repair on the RH side of the rear of the car - meaning it was hit in the rear at some point in it's life.

It appears to me that there was damage to the sub frame and corner panel, and the #4 runner may have been damaged in the process. The car used to have AC on it, and one of the brackets was bent pretty bad that held the compressor in place.

This project has been one hell of a learning process for me, and hopefully I will be able to get it working correctly now that I have/will be addressed(ing) all of the various issues.

As long as you keep plugging away and enjoy the process of the rebuild then you're doing fine. Your own pace at which you're comfortable on these projects is THE correct pace. It's not a race; more than the destination is the journey and the learning.

You could flatboard sand that #4 runner. Most machine shops could put it on a belt sander and have it square in 30 seconds. You could do it yourself by hand with a large enough flat surface and a bit more time.

Keep at it- you're almost there.

Lapkritis:

Thanks for the reinforcement...

In the end of this --- I agree, it is about the journey... and the lessons along the way have been invaluable.

So; I have a used #4 runner in transit. I decided that I wasn't 100% confident that the weld job didn't leave any possible leaks behind from the first go-around, so I grabbed a used one that hasn't been repaired.

While I wait, I got a few other finishing touches that I am doing with the car.

For instance, my wife is pretty talented with the sewing machine (her family owns/runs a custom flag company), so she grabbed a pair of levi's from good will, and made a tool bag for the car when I told her how much a used tool roll and kit was going for. (Sidebar: I understand that cars like these are expensive, but WHY must people sell things like tool kits, spare tires, jacks, key fobs, and the like to raise a couple extra dollars in the sale of a car like this ... jeeez!)

I decided that I would put some of the things that would make sense in a pinch on the side of the road, like a small bottle jack, a bottle of tire slime, a couple wrenches, a spare belt, and the associated equipment needed in 'emergency'.

I know that the Levis and american flag may be considered blaspheme - but whatever...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1407383866.jpg

Brian, Levi's and American flags are always in style. Makes a great tool bag!

"Levi's and American flags are always in style."

Yes they are. No question --- I was just pointing out the paradox of this bag in a German car. I like!!

Brian declares victory
 

Alright!!!!

She is running clean and clear of problems now. WHEW!!

The (new) #4 intake runner is installed and was the cause of my backfire when letting off the gas. Not any other CIS component. SO: my lesson here is that these cars do not leave much room for error. Now that we are running correctly, and all is well there, we are going to deliver to dad this week. I am sure he will be pumped.

Thank you all for the help and encouragement along the way. I will take some pictures of the hand off on "D-day".

Good job and congratulations!!!!!!
 

Brian,

The time you spent getting this car to where it is now is incredible!!!!! You have persevered and did not give up when you were down and struggling to find the answers. If I may suggest, end this thread. You've done a lot and deserves a pat on the back. I will always remember you as Dr. Brian R., CIS. Time to celebrate and hope your father gets his car back.

Tony

Delivery
 

OK -

I spoke with dad about the car being done (a little bit back), and he informed me that he was taking a vacation (some nerve!! :D) and there wasn't a good weekend for me to bring the car down for a little while.

I took the car on some fun trips to make sure that I trusted it to make it to and from Dads place while dad was on vacation and such.

So, a day that I kind of settled on was yesterday. I woke up at a reasonable hour, gave the car a bath:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410223952.jpg

did a few things around the house (another project, involving a massive retainer wall at the house that doesn't really fit in this forum)

packed up my EXTREMELY patient wife through this project:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410224089.jpg

...who followed me down to dad's place in my Grand (where I gave it a little push to hear that engine roar while on I75)...

and ended at Dad's place:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410224234.jpg

where my father was pretty stoked (along with my uncle - his older brother who shares an appreciation for cars...)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410224332.jpg

Dad took it for a spin, and he was able to put it through the paces, and have a little fun.

And, then we put it in the garage for him to drive another day.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410224580.jpg

At this point, I will take a moment to thank those of you who have watched, commented, and or ultimately helped me through this journey. I would most (however) like to thank my father who was the first to teach me how to work on cars (as a young teenager) for trusting me to put this machine back together.

This (long) thread - I hope will be able to help a few who are deciding to take the plunge on an air-cooled beauty and working on it on their own. In the end, if I help someone I feel a little bit like I may have been of service, considering how many VERY knowledgable folks are on this forum.

I will be around still, as there are a couple things to do or will need attention on the car in the future, that I plan to help dad fix (for another time, I will post in the tech forum when we get to work on those winter projects.)

congrats.