But by no means a deal killer
New(er) swap block, one with the A.I.R. system, so I’ve gotta swap intake manifolds. Blow off all the debris, scrape some of the stickier bits, pull all 8 bolts and pop it loose.
Now I know why Mama and Elbee showed interest in this block not long back.
Sorry, no pics. The area under the manifold was packed full of mouse nest, nut husks and a deader mouse (quite dry and not stinky) I had pulled the dizzy from it and they slipped in that way.
A whole lot more than the manifold is coming off now.
And I proceeded to get bizzy.
No, those pistons weren’t that clean when I popped the heads off. I’d been doing a lot of stuff like that before I realized I’d documented nothing.
Once I had the oil pan off (no glitter WOOT!), I used compressed air to blow all deadmouse leavings away. High powered flashlight and borescope, to look in all the nooks and hidey holes.
Thats when I found nut n acorn husks inside the cylinders. Heads come off!!! (Having a borescope is a wonderful thing: things might have got ugly had I not seen them.) They may have been in the intake runs and fell in while I was rotating the crank to get at the converter bolts when I pulled this unit.
Cylinder walls look good. Cam faces all nice and shiney, nothing galled or showing such. Opened the oil pump to check wear, still showing mill marks on the faces without sign of the gears seating, shiny gears. No play at conrod ends that I can detect. Nor any in crank bearings. Obviously, without pulling bearing caps or conrod ends, I can’t be 100%, but I’m satisfied the bottom end will live longer. (Side note: Unk had put new timing gears and cover in about 6 months before he stopped driving the donor regularly. Reason for change of status was rotting frame, not drivetrain issues.)
I’ll drop the heads off at the machine shop on my way to Kamp this coming Freeday the 13th. Just a quick going over, new valve stem seals (I have them, will take with.) and true the faces. (may even have them shave a bit for compression: nothin’ outrageous, just a little bump in comp.)
So this little project is gonna take a wee bit longer. Buffalo is worth it.
more tomorrow,
LLLLL!!!
(. ‘)
