by "My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
Published 11/21/2017 at 17:41
by "My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
Published 11/21/2017 at 17:41
Tags: Trans Am
; Wrenching
STARS: 0
Everything is fine.
Getting the engine ready for winter. A lack of time/money/desire has led to work being at a virtual standstill. I would kill myself if I let this engine fall apart over winter (I didn’t want this) so I am in the process of finally pulling the heads so I can hose the whole thing down with wd-40 so it doesnt rust, and bagging it up.
Piston wall report! Smooth as glass. That black band up top is my whole ring ridge, which shows just how bad the stock compression is.
Ignore leftover gasket crud and liquid. I might have sprayed too much WD. Also teeny amount of coolant.
Block has this really weird orange look on both surfaces. not rust, looks like paint? sealant? Idk.
A closer look at my manifold bolt problem. the plus side is that two of these go through the casting.
Taking a break right now, PS head is stuck on. Waiting for my dad to get home for an extra hand, my strength won’t move it.
So, to buy, I need three new pushrods and a flexplate. I don’t know if I want to send the block to be rebuilt next year, since I want to dump money into this toilet and I won’t be able to justify it my first year of work. A new car would be much better. I feel.... defeated. I made a bad purchase guys.
I won’t give up, but this is a bit out of my depth. Basically, work will continue (next spring). Don’t expect it done any time soon.
Too many options for rebuild. Slap it back together? New guts? New engine? For now, as a point of pride, I am going to attempt to put this thing back together with nothing but new gaskets/accessories. If it doesn’t run.... we will go from there.
"crowmolly" (crowmolly)
11/21/2017 at 17:53, STARS: 0
Why are you waiting until the spring to work on it? Even without tearing anything down you can collect some data about the engine to figure out a plan.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
11/21/2017 at 18:10, STARS: 0
It’s too damn cold in my garage.
I may try to extract those bolt stubs but nothing much is going to change except for me reading up on engine assembly some more.
"crowmolly" (crowmolly)
11/21/2017 at 18:23, STARS: 1
Just sayin. Even slow progress is progress. You might be close to doing a budget re-gasket job just to get rolling.
If so, there’s “glory work” like installing a cam, intake, but there’s also a lot of cleaning and such that has to happen. Gasket surfaces, timing cover, oil pan, and so on.
For what it’s worth, I’ve worked on hopeless pieces of shit and your car does not strike me as one of those. Other Oppos (R&D, DT, Ramblin?) feel free to chime in.
"sony1492" (sony1492)
11/21/2017 at 18:24, STARS: 0
I imagine the copper color is this stuff:
I’d say put the motor back together with new gaskets and such, if it runs you can sell it and move on. If it dosent you can sell it for a loss and move on
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
11/21/2017 at 18:32, STARS: 0
You are right, for sure. I am irrationally attached to this car, I will admit. I’m also a sore loser, and I want to see it back on the road. My plan is to get this thing to a functional level, and keep it around. Get something else that scratches the itch, and come back to it later.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
11/21/2017 at 18:35, STARS: 1
I get it, don’t make me take pictures of my garage. I don’t have anywhere to work because my dad never cleans it. I have been working outside for most of it.
I’m not in a hurry anymore. Think I am just going to get a cheap motorcycle instead and take my time with this.
"Recovering Gaijin" (toxrensem)
11/21/2017 at 21:29, STARS: 1
I don’t know the backstory or anything, so just throwing this out there: any chance of a cheap junkyard engine just so you can actually drive it?
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
11/21/2017 at 22:43, STARS: 1
I could, but I am still living with my parents. I have nowhere to put it. This can take a chevy 350 with just a set of motor mounts, but there are issues with the shaker (I would have a big ass hole in my hood) . The stock engine is “fine” and
was
running when I took it out. It would be more cost effective at this point to have a shop take care of it vs the work involved in a junky 350. I think I would rather just spend the ~$900 on a cheap ninja 250.
"Recovering Gaijin" (toxrensem)
11/21/2017 at 22:56, STARS: 0
Ah, gotcha. Apologies for firing that off without reading backstory.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
11/21/2017 at 23:11, STARS: 0
No problem. Any other time you would be right, I have the dual problems of being a student and being an idiot.
"sony1492" (sony1492)
11/22/2017 at 00:58, STARS: 0
Coming back to things later tends to be how cars rot in people’s yards. I’ve seen many ‘a rx7 meet that fate. But I guess it depends on who you are, if it’s something you really can get back to, and you still love it than there’s no need to let it go.
"My bird IS the word" (mybirdistheword)
11/22/2017 at 12:46, STARS: 0
I take a break every winter because working in a cold garage is some brutal shit. This would be my third such winter “off” so I am not really that concerned. If I had room in my parent’s house for a propane heater, I would get one, but I don’t even really have room to work.