Mission Creep on a D-150
So where are we today? We are in stall mode with the Dart as the Great White Ghost gets a new heart. The engine is torn down to nothing at the moment. This is one crusty turd for sure. The clock say about 59K and I think that's the first time around. It's the original engine, still standard bore in good shape showing some crosshatching, and the interior is not beat 160K or 260K worth. I think all the crud is from short trips piddling around town never getting it hot enough to burn off any carbon. What started as a 3-day $100 timing chain swap is turning into a full $1000+ refresh.
Mirror, mirror on the wall. What happens when somebody wants a vacuum fitting you will never use, so you pull it off for them and for the next two years the intake is now exposed the elements? Luckily, this is all surface rust and will clean up easily.
Then since we are swapping from the hydraulic cam to solid, we go to the Volare engine to raid it for adjustable rocker arms and cam (to get reground). Said Volare was "running till it wasn't". Hmmm, upon disassembly, where is the cam bolt washer? Well sir, I'm not sure so LET'S JUST LIFT THE ******* CAM GEAR OFF BY HAND WITH THE BOLT STILL IN PLACE and see what's going on.
Surprise! We can find a piece of the washer, about 20% of it. The rest I expect to find in the oil pan. I'm no rocket scientist, but I suspect the cam gear rattling around loose inside the cover made for some challenging timing issues.
And it's Fun-Fun-Fun till her daddy takes the T-Bird away!
More to come soon on the Great White Ghost. I need to do a bit of grinding on the head, then send that and the block in for a hot tub session - er, make that a hot tank session. I will be busy cleaning up all the seriously nasty parts getting them ready for a reverse trip on the new engine.
So where are we today? We are in stall mode with the Dart as the Great White Ghost gets a new heart. The engine is torn down to nothing at the moment. This is one crusty turd for sure. The clock say about 59K and I think that's the first time around. It's the original engine, still standard bore in good shape showing some crosshatching, and the interior is not beat 160K or 260K worth. I think all the crud is from short trips piddling around town never getting it hot enough to burn off any carbon. What started as a 3-day $100 timing chain swap is turning into a full $1000+ refresh.
Mirror, mirror on the wall. What happens when somebody wants a vacuum fitting you will never use, so you pull it off for them and for the next two years the intake is now exposed the elements? Luckily, this is all surface rust and will clean up easily.
Then since we are swapping from the hydraulic cam to solid, we go to the Volare engine to raid it for adjustable rocker arms and cam (to get reground). Said Volare was "running till it wasn't". Hmmm, upon disassembly, where is the cam bolt washer? Well sir, I'm not sure so LET'S JUST LIFT THE ******* CAM GEAR OFF BY HAND WITH THE BOLT STILL IN PLACE and see what's going on.
Surprise! We can find a piece of the washer, about 20% of it. The rest I expect to find in the oil pan. I'm no rocket scientist, but I suspect the cam gear rattling around loose inside the cover made for some challenging timing issues.
And it's Fun-Fun-Fun till her daddy takes the T-Bird away!
More to come soon on the Great White Ghost. I need to do a bit of grinding on the head, then send that and the block in for a hot tub session - er, make that a hot tank session. I will be busy cleaning up all the seriously nasty parts getting them ready for a reverse trip on the new engine.
