Help on 318 purchase - Newbie mechanic questions.

Here is what I would do if I were a novice and had never built one. Keep in mind, this is just a simple suggestion. Your results may vary. lol

I would buy no parts for it yet. Take it home TIME IT UP FIRST and tear it down. Don't lose or misplace any parts. Of course, you will destroy gaskets, that's no big deal. I say time it up so that you can get familiar with that process. Do it several times.

Then, reassemble it. Tear it back down. Reassemble it again. Get familiar with it. Take note of how the connecting rods are installed. Make sure they go back facing the same direction and on the same bank.

The only "specialty" tools I think you will need other than hand tools will be a harmonic balancer puller/installer and a piston ring compressor. Other than those two items, everything else is a regular hand tool. Don't cheap out with the cheapest chinkesium you can find, either. You want to use it more than once.

If you really want to get familiar with it, get a torque wrench and torque it all back to spec when reassembling. This will give you a great feel for torque values. Again, gaskets are not necessary, you are simply familiarizing yourself with disassembly and reassembly.

Get some zip lock bags and bag and tag all bolts. Use a magic marker and write right on the bags. The first time you disassemble, CLEAN all of the bolts and nuts and all the major engine parts as much as possible. This way when you reassemble, it will not be so dirty and you'll have some of the cleaning process already done.

That's my two cents. I am sure opinions will vary. They always do.