Modifications and part substitutions sometimes have consequences. Proper fit is typically the issue, as our experience with the water pump housing, the aluminum flywheel, the starter motor mount, and — more recently — the clutch cover conflict all bears witness. Sometimes issues arise only when other parts with hidden dependencies......
Now that the engine and gearbox/overdrive assembly is mounted securely on the chassis, a number subcomponents and connections can be permanently installed. Engine heater hoses Two hoses at the rear of the engine connect with the heater pipes. Starter main feed The main wire from the starter motor terminates at......
After filling up with oil (both engine and gearbox/overdrive) and confirming the free movement of the crankshaft, it was time for another critical test — the starter motor — before returning the engine to its chassis home. The new Denso starter uses a pigtail to connect the motor solenoid to......
After the engine was installed, a routine check highlighted a bad problem … the crankshaft did not fully rotate. Worse, there was an unsettling “clunk” of metal-on-metal when the crankshaft was turned in either direction after a few degrees of rotation. (Of course, this problem should have been caught before......
Without the front suspension, installing the engine from under the chassis is a safe and relatively anxiety-free method with a four-post lift. First, the alternator and oil filter are removed; the intake and exhaust manifolds were not yet attached. Next, the engine/gearbox is moved with an engine hoist to marks......
STARTER MOTOR Given the new aluminum flywheel, larger 3.8 clutch, and longer slave clutch cylinder, the domino effect continues with the addition of a new Denso starter motor. Each time a new component is added, the issue of precise fit arises, and the starter motor wasn’t without its share of......
The 2.4 engine doesn’t have a convenient hook for lifting, so a sling harness was used to remove the engine, and then separate it from the gearbox. As they say, assembly is the reverse of disassembly. The engine sling is first lifted a few inches so the engine stand back......
Lin Rose detailed his oil sump dipstick with nail polish … a great and inexpensive idea. Our dipstick was badly pitted on the stem, so it was first sanded and then sprayed with the cylinder block color to match the engine. The nail polish was applied to the recessed tip,......
See also engine front mount post. Aftermarket parts sometimes depart from the original manufacturer’s specification, as we’ve noted several times. Based on comparisons by Lin Rose, a second look at the front engine mount pads was warranted; two quality levels are offered by SNG Barrett, but we had already installed......
About a year ago, the air cleaner was removed, and today a repainted cleaner had its test fitting on the restored engine block. The colors have been slightly modified. The oil container rim, originally black, was treated with high temperature aluminum POR paint. The three side clips, also originally black,......
