Here goes...1st Engine Drop

[VFR750]

Glenn,

In the first picture it looks like you have alreay removed the lock ring from the small pin. If so the spring should just slide off.

In the second picture, the lever arm side of the joint, there should be a cover, and then a lock ring/washer holding the pin onto the lever.

Per PET, there are two small needle bearings that let the lever and spring rotate on the pin.

Maybe you just have a little rust holding the pin onto the bearing?

[DaddyGlenn]

Thanks Mike for confirming my thought that it should just slide off. It won't. I've done a little prying with a screwdriver. I'll try some solvents and a little more force. I am trying to get at those bearings for replacement.

[DaddyGlenn]

Clutch release arm/helper spring is still soaking in Liquid Wrench. I'll beat on it some more this evening. I've got another question though...

Is cleaning th 3.0 CIS fuel injectors something I can do myself? If so, how should I go about it? I thought about soaking them in carb cleaner.

I've got nothing to lead me to believe they are malfunctioning but I'm replacing the sleeves and o-rings and some of the injectors are pretty carbonized.

[dweymer]

Get a gallon can of carb cleaner, I forget the name off my head. Let them soak in that for a few hours.

[DaddyGlenn]

Thanks Donnie. How are your CIS issues coming?

[kentSC]

Great work. I did my first drop about 5 days ago. I had the help of a friend with a 76 Carrera who has dropped his 3 times in the last two years. I have made a board with the middle removed so the jack can go in between the two sets of wheels. I'm getting lots of powder coating done before I put mine back in. I also ordered some rennline parts from PP to tart the old girl up too. I have a pic posted on 'Ceramic Coating' thread.

Kent
81 SC

[DaddyGlenn]

I checked out your picture, Kent. Great minds think alike. I like the color of your car, too.

[DaddyGlenn]

Well, I finished cleaning the CIS today. I let the fuel injectors soak in some B-12 Chemtool. that took the carbon right off. I've installed the pilot bearing in the new flywheel and will install the flywheel and clutch tomorrow.

I went backward a bit on my decision not to get carried away with the detailing. Here is the engine shroud after its first coat.



I used Dupli-color rattle can in "ford red" after degreasing and sanding with 400 grit. I also painted the heater fan bracket red. I really don't know why. Just felt like it.

[TERRIBLEHONDO]

Looks great wish I had the patience to clean everything up like you but I wanted to drive mine to much. Maybe in the summer I will do it.

[DaddyGlenn]

Pretty new flywheel installed with new bolts and pilot bearing. I really just wanted to show you my "creative" flywheel locking tool.

[dentist90]

That's your jackpad tool, eh? Quick thinking Macgyver!

[DaddyGlenn]

One of the problems with a project that drags on is you have too much time to think.

I thought too much and decided that my warped and cracked fan shroud (still worked fine with no fan rubbing) should be replaced. I then thought too much more and decided that I might as well powder coat it when it arrives. I mean the fan and shroud shouldn't cost too much to powder coat. I figured gloss black shroud and a Talbot yellow fan would look good.

Well, the replacement shroud arrived today. ..... and it is already gloss black. Thanks Parts Heaven!!

[w21055]

Originally posted by DaddyGlenn
One of the problems with a project that drags on is you have too much time to think.

I thought too much and decided that my warped and cracked fan shroud (still worked fine with no fan rubbing) should be replaced. I then thought too much more and decided that I might as well powder coat it when it arrives. I mean the fan and shroud shouldn't cost too much to powder coat. I figured gloss black shroud and a Talbot yellow fan would look good.

Well, the replacement shroud arrived today. ..... and it is already gloss black. Thanks Parts Heaven!!

Thats priceless, now you have to think of something else to do/spend money on to make up for it!

[DaddyGlenn]

Project Update:

The helper spring would not come off the pin! I got insanely brutal with it, too. So I have ordered a new spring and pin.

Scheduling time to work on the car has been difficult. Mostly, I've been thinking of other things I could do. Thanks to Terrible for putting me back on track.

For now the project plan will flow as follows:
1. mate engine and transmission
2. final coat of paint on engine tin and shroud (I broke down and am having the fan powder coated yellow)
3. install shroud, tin etc.
4. install CIS
5. scrub engine bay
6. paint engine bay
7. rebuild CVs
8. put it all back together and drive!

I've got my eye on Dec 16-17 do get a lot of this done. But probably wont finish until the end of the month.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Glenn,

I almost added a reminder to clean/paint your engine compartment but then saw that you're already there!

Your comment about waitng and having time to think of more is currently smacking me around. My brake job is quickly becoming a wheel well clean/respray, get the Bilsteins rebuilt/painted and God knows what else before I get my blockhead out of that wheel well! Keep the pictures coming. I need more inspiration!

[TERRIBLEHONDO]

Glen wish I was close and could help you. If you could get even one person from your group to help you should be able to get everything done and get it in in a weekend with no problems. Good Luck post pictures when you get it back in.

[DaddyGlenn]

I got home from camping a little earlier than I expected yesterday, which was a good thing. I was able to finish painting everything that is going to get painted. (the heater blower will need a bit of touch up, still) And the last few parts I was waiting for arrived.

That means that I am ready (finally) to start putting things back together.

I hope to use a few hours every night this week to reattach everything to the engine and mate the engine and transmission.

This weekend, I will concentrate on the engine bay. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel again.

[DaddyGlenn]

I made some progress tonight.

After cleaning up the threads on the studs, I bolted the transmission to the engine. It went a lot easier than I thought it would. It took longer to chase the stud threads than to bolt the two together.

I also spent some time working on the clutch release lever. I replaced the helper spring bearings, pin, washers, o-ring and circlips.

Notes for anyone attempting this process:
- an 8mm 1/4" drive socket is perfect for pressing in the bearings.
- when installing the helper spring pin... put the pin though the big washer then through the o-ring, bearings, small washer, install the circlip then tap on the cap. If you do like I did and think you could slide the big washer on the other end after all the other stuff, you'll be just like me.... wrong!

Next is the engine shroud and tin!

[DaddyGlenn]

A good night of work. I'm up too late and will pay for it tomorrow. but it is worth it.

[DaddyGlenn]

I've only got a couple little things to do before the engine is all back together. I'll save that work for my evenings.

This weekend, my target is the engine bay. I hope to have it at least cleaned by Sunday night. If I'm lucky, I'll get some paint on it.

Here are before pictures.....