Gordo's 3.2L Engine Rebuild - It's Alive

[Gordo2]

Could spend the rest of the evening thanking the folks who have contributed my efforts - both through direct responses to my questions and through the great information posted throughout the Engine Rebuild Forum. To put it shortly, thanks everyone.

Meanwhile I think it's worth a moment to express my sincere appreciation to Wayne and Pelican Parts: for the book, the parts and the board;

Couldn't have done it without the incredible resource that is Pelican Parts!

Link to a quick video I shot of the 2nd start / just prior to my first drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npg5dPurap8&feature=youtu.be

Cams are broken in and have a check in the box for the first run-in / drive.

Excited to get the carbs tuned, break in done and stretch the legs.

Gordo

[cabmandone]

That sounds SWEET! Btw, I don't know who built that bracket for the oil breather tank but that thing is NICE.

[JJ 911SC]

Great, time to enjoy a few cold ones. Help yourself:

[JJ 911SC]

Just watch the video, if your gaz pressure gauge is a dry type (not filled with glycerine) which I think it is as is jumping back and forth, it will self destroy very quickly. Don't bother to ask how I know that

[Gordo2]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Just watch the video, if your gaz pressure gauge is a dry type (not filled with glycerine) which I think it is as is jumping back and forth, it will self destroy very quickly.

Yep - a few cold one's were tossed back following the run-in.

It started and ran - but not without it's quirks (to include my pressure reg needle bouncing from 3.5 to 4.5psi). Other quirks included:

- My crappy aluminum weld job on my external oil thermostat has a significant leak (guess it will be coming back off with the run-in oil change...).

- My tachometer isn't working (haven't dug into it yet but it doesn't seem to be getting a signal from the XDi).

- I have a trace amount fuel seeping from one of the connectors on the Racor filter. I could smell it but it wasn't dripping or obvious - found it when I returned from my run-in drive by wiping a kimwipe around all of the engine compartment fuel line fittings. Just need to tighten the fitting a bit.

- Haven't touched/tuned the carbs yet, but was happy to see my Innovate LM-2 showing AFR sitting around 11 with engine at ~2k RPM. Running from 1k to 5k RPM it seemed to hover in the 13-14 range with a couple very brief spikes hitting 16.

And on a happy note - the transmission that came with the 3.2L engine shifts pretty damn nice; a good quirk that I wasn't expecting.

The exhaust sounds bad-AZZ, but definitely lives up to the B&B reputation of being really loud. I think it will be fine most of the time - obnoxious on long trips...

Got a bit of work ahead of me - but happy to have the car running.

Thanks JJ

[toddu]

Gordo,
I think the gauge is normal behavior. Mine does the same thing, was told to be expected.

Todd

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by toddu

... Mine does the same thing, was told to be expected.

Every time the injectors open there is a cycle of pressure drop and then then re-pressurization when they closes. A dry gauge will fluctuate with those cycles and eventually break.

My glycerin fill one (which dampened fluctuation) is steady at 42 psi.

[doswald]

Great work, Gordo! That's got to be an incredible feeling. Thanks again for documenting the rebuild. Your posts and the responses to them will be an excellent resource.

dho