Saturday, May 07, 2005

The Car - So Far...

OK. As some of you know, I bought a dead 1987 Subaru Turbo Wagon last month for $500. I am throwing a new engine and transmission into the car. I was going to work on it last week-end, but life got in the way. So TODAY was the day I was going to get it all together and drive it. Here is my progress.

On the new engine, here is the list of accomplishments:
Removed all that needed to be removed, including intake manifold, water pump, timing belts, gaskets and cam, front and rear-main seals. I installed the seals and valve cover gaskets. The engine is almost ready for its new home.

Now for the setbacks:
The long intake manifold bolt head broke off, so it tool me an hour to weasel the manifold up and off. I thought the reason it wouldn't come off was because there was a lot of corrosion on the bolt. The more likely reason it took me an hour was that I forgot to disconnect the EGR pipe that screws into the intake manifold (duh). The crank-shaft pulley bolt would not budge, instead breaking my home made flywheel stopper I have had for twenty years. Wedging a C clamp onto the flywheel did the trick, but my torque wrench wasn't torquie enough, so eventually I had to go and buy a breaker bar (should have done that long, long ago). Had to make three shopping trips to various parts stores for bits and do-dads I forgot to get last week-end. And last but not least, I trashed the new rear-main seal trying to put it in with a plastic cup. The seal went in crooked, and the edge of the cup bit through the inner part of the seal.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure the tranny I bought from LA is the wrong one, so I guess I'll try and seal the old one as best I can in the meantime.

So tomorrow is another auto shop day. Thank god I have a garage AND bought that engine hoist last week. I would have spent more money on a rental.

1 comment:

sleepybomb said...

dang mike, you are one industrious and innovative feller. you need to post some pics of the operation, or at least the final product. good luck, now get back to work!