[Bob Kontak]

Running well. Loved how I could move the crank with new surfaces and matched bearings by hand fully torqued.

Made a few bone head moves from inexperience with this engine that ate way more hours than I care to admit.

1. The power steering pump should not be slung over on the windshield - it should be hanging down when the engine is dropped in - no room to slide it between the firewall and the block.

2. The block mounted "sliding" bushing inserts for the power steering and alternator that squeeze against the parts when installed should be pressed back while on the engine stand - not after the engine is dropped in.

3. The silly springs on the exhaust manifold bolts that keep tension on the donut gasket go on the bottom of the exhaust pipe and push up on the gasket - NOT IN BETWEEN the flanges. This move was worthy of the Darwin award. I took time to check crank end play and plasti-gage the bearings but did not take time to look at the picture in the book of the exhaust hardware.

A bone head move that proved favorable was breaking the Variable Valve Timing Oil Control Valve. It interfered with removing one of the head bolts and it was frozen in the block from all of the heat build up varnish and I did not have a clue what it was until after I broke it in half from reefing on it. Is still took a drift and some major whacking to get it out. Seems it is a pretty important part for this engine and after putting about 30 miles on the car I gave it a little throttle and the engine sounded different than ever before - like a mini version of kicking in the secondary throttles on a four barrel carb. So I am thinking this part may not have been functioning properly.

Enough rambling. Thanks for all the insight on the original timing chain question and a big thanks to Eric for the engine refresh and piston fix info.