Engine installed, but no celebration...

[slodave]

Hello?

I'd delete my post, but I can't. All your post belong to me!

[jcunning]

The webserver t timed out on my first attempt at this post.
Now everyone gets the short version.

Today we installed the 3.2 DME engine and tranny into the 1982 SC chassis. I've spent the last couple of months doing all of the conversion projects necessary based off of other people's experiences. I thought I had everything covered.

As we were installing the oil lines, we came across a major issue that I've never heard about before. It turns out the SC and the Carrera have different oil lines going to the external thermostat.

This put a halt on the starting procedure and now the whole project is on hold until this line comes in. I'm not really looking forward to replacing it, but it has to be done.

[jcunning]

Some additional picts.

[mca]

Please tell me you are not relying on that single floor jack when you are under the car! Yowza!

[dshepp806]

Originally Posted by mca

Please tell me you are not relying on that single floor jack when you are under the car! Yowza!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++111111111111111111111111 111111

[Zeke]

Well, the car wouldn't be level with one jack, but I see some things I don't like. Concrete blocks and jackstands don't go together like big blocks of wood do.

Anyway, sorry about the oil line. It could be worse.

[jond911]

Those boys are in the middle of NASCAR Country. They've done this a zillion times! No worries gents.

[jond911]

Originally Posted by jond911

Those boys are in the middle of NASCAR Country. They've done this a zillion times! No worries gents.

Edited to add:

I'm a huge NASCAR fan and in the middle of getting my stuff together to head to the event north of Fort Worth this weekend.

No jokes intended whatsoever.

[jcunning]

Originally Posted by mca

Please tell me you are not relying on that single floor jack when you are under the car! Yowza!

Well, you do have to jack the car up and get under it to place the jack stand...
You couldn't get it from the side since the tire and jack were in the way.

I do agree that the jack stand arrangement could have been more ideal, but it worked just fine. We also had two floor jacks on each side of the car just in case one of the stands slipped or the block cracked. I will get better stands the next time I have to pull the engine out.

I do have to give huge kudo's to the special engine/tranny mount sold by Pelican. It worked very well.

[nyne11]

Back to the hoses...........why can't you get a hydraulic guy to come around and change the ends to match rather than replacing the hose?

[john walker's workshop]

the ends are the same, but slightly different lengths that can usually be adjusted to fit by bending the angled end of the hard line up a bit.

[efhughes3]

Originally Posted by jcunning

Well, you do have to jack the car up and get under it to place the jack stand...
You couldn't get it from the side since the tire and jack were in the way.

Huh? Not to harp, but I've yet to have to crawl under the car to place any jackstands either prior to dropping or prior to installing an engine.

[jond911]

Originally Posted by efhughes3

Huh? Not to harp, but I've yet to have to crawl under the car to place any jackstands either prior to dropping or prior to installing an engine.

Me either Ed!

[tcar]

well at least he left the wheels on...

[jcunning]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

the ends are the same, but slightly different lengths that can usually be adjusted to fit by bending the angled end of the hard line up a bit.

Thanks for the tip, I will give it a try.

[Mr9146]

Originally Posted by slodave

All your post belong to me!

YES! Dave, you KICK ASS!!!

All Your Base...

[jcunning]

For those following for the technical part of this thread...

I removed the oil line to the thermostat tonight. It wasn't that bad considering the bad rap it has gotten on this forum.

I basically used a hand held mapp gas torch and heated both nuts to about 350 degrees and then sprayed it with PB Blaster and WD-40, then let it cool to 55 degrees (room temp) and then did it all again 2 more times.

After 3 heat cycles, both hose nuts came loose using the special oil line wrenches pelican sells and adding about 12" of pipe at the end of those. In all, I've dealt with much harder bolts over the years. The thermostat threads look very good as well.

To measure the heat on the nut, I used a handheld infrared thermo sensor. If you don't have one of these, then I highly suggest you pick one up. It works for many different projects, including tire temps, oil temps and oven temps...

I tried bending the line up to fit the engine line, but now I am about 2" too long.
Tomorrow I'm off to NAPA to see if they can shorten the line 2".

If that doesn't work I'll just wait for the new correct line that will be arriving in about two weeks.

[efhughes3]

Heat usually makes short work of stuck fasteners.