~ > Maybe it's time for air tool #2, a small air ratchet. But while I was
~ > twiddling the lower (fine-threaded) starter bolt, I was glad I decided
~ > not to try to do the pistons in place. I was to be even more glad a
~ > little later.
~
~ There's any easier way to deal with that lower starter bolt; don't. Take
~ out the top bolt only, and leave the starter on the engine. This only
~ works on 4 syncro cars.
Aha! I had wondered about that after pulling the starter; that bolt
only goes through the back plate of the engine (I think it's inside
the circumference of the flywheel, or at least the ring gear, but
I haven't checked). That will save a lot of grunting and groaning
when it goes back in. Thanks!
~ I use lighter oil for break-in; 10-30. 20-50 (or 15-50 Mobil 1) goes
~ in at the 700 mile mark. Other than that, things are pretty much as you
~ described. If it has a new camshaft, I do run it at 2200 rpm for the
~ first 30 minutes or so. This has to do with properly seating the camlobes
~ and lifters; nothing to do with rings.
We did that when I broke in the cam and lifters initially before
driver's school. I'll get a selection of oils for restart.
~ First, put the starter back on the engine with the lower bolt before
~ installing. Stab the clutch ( :> ).
Oh, right, getting all the little splines to line up. One good point
is that the clutch has had a few hundred miles to get the splines sliding
nicely on the input shaft. Hey, I know, I'll slather on some grease on
the input shaft! Yeah, that'll make it *real* easy to install! :-)
(Sequence saved to be printed out for Saturday)
~ The top right and lower left bell bolts are a "press" fit in their holes.
~ These two bolts double as dowels to pilot the bellhousing to the block.
Another AHA. Chris, this is why we had so much trouble getting that
top-right bell bolt to fit. I ended up filing the end threads just
slightly, just enough to get it to a slight taper to come through
the backplate but not so much that the nut wouldn't bite on it as
soon as it was a little bit through the plate.
This time I'll do those two bolts first.
~ They must be tightened first or else things won't be lined up correctly and
~ some of the bolts won't fit through.
Exactly what we discovered... well, Chris, we weren't incompetent,
just ignorant, and ignorance can be fixed! :-)
The workaround we came up with involved C-clamps and levers and all
sorts of grumbling. It worked, but this is so much more elegant.
~ The lower right bolt is used to pull
~ things close enough that you can get the two dowel bolts started.
Of course, just like tightening the lug nuts on a wheel; you want to
do the two diagonally opposed to get things to start lining up.
Thank you SO much. That'll make Saturday (more likely Sunday; we'll
want Saturday for final reassembly and touch-up, depending on when
the pistons arrive) go a LOT faster.
--Scott
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