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Well I just started my car after a 1.5 month rebuild - good news it fired right up....
bad news the oil pressure is just about as low as it was before the rebuild (the reason I did the rebuild)...
I did all the work my self.
A few things I have learned after this experence:
1. It was a lot more work and time then I ever expected.
2. Take careful notes about what bolt and wire goes where - I spent too much time figuring out - Now what one of these holes gets the stud bolt and which one gets the bolt with the ??? - pictures can help here - but a hand diagram (which I did not do) would be much more useful.
3. Replace the light bulb in your shop light with one of the floresent (sp?) retrofit bulbs from k-mart, home depot wallmart, etc... - this offers two advantages 1) lower temp it does not burn the f**k out of your hand when you accedently touch it and 2) it does not break the filiment when you drop the light... - this is just a great idea....
4. Take careful notes and do all the work your self. For example I had a friend help me take the motor apart, but when I had to put the thing together, I remembered my parts, but not his. - again taking time and making diagrams is useful here.... - I whish I would have - it would have been a great time saver....
5. Before you take anything apart, label on the exasust manifold what cyl is which - this can get somewhat confusing w/ different engines, and when the engine is up side down. For example I took number one cyl to be the left front (as it is on many other engines - but the 3.4 #1 is right front) -- basicly just keep a convention and make sure it is the same throughout the rebuild.
6. When labeling the wires and other such things, label where they go by there logical names (for example if a wire goes to an O2 sensor label it "O2 Sensor Drivers side"). Do not label them as 1, 2, 3, 4.... because when you clean the other side these labels will get lost or unreadable....
7. Clean every part will take a lot of time.... most of the engine rebuilding will be cleaning - if you think it does not need to be cleaned - it does and do it now... - most things, like the engine compartment, it will never be easier then now - so do it now ....
8. Soak the lifters (if new) in oil over night - this was quite a realization when I started my new motor and TONS and TONS of lifter noise, while this was expected, it was not good for the motor...
These were just a few comments for anyone looking to do a rebuild or upgrade themselfs.
This was my first rebuild - just a few things I have found.
Now I am on to my next project - a big buildup 360 on my '66 'Cuda - I can go wild on this - no E-check !!! - this should be much easier, no complex wiring, and it is very, very easy to get to - not tucked away in the engine compartment.
bad news the oil pressure is just about as low as it was before the rebuild (the reason I did the rebuild)...
I did all the work my self.
A few things I have learned after this experence:
1. It was a lot more work and time then I ever expected.
2. Take careful notes about what bolt and wire goes where - I spent too much time figuring out - Now what one of these holes gets the stud bolt and which one gets the bolt with the ??? - pictures can help here - but a hand diagram (which I did not do) would be much more useful.
3. Replace the light bulb in your shop light with one of the floresent (sp?) retrofit bulbs from k-mart, home depot wallmart, etc... - this offers two advantages 1) lower temp it does not burn the f**k out of your hand when you accedently touch it and 2) it does not break the filiment when you drop the light... - this is just a great idea....
4. Take careful notes and do all the work your self. For example I had a friend help me take the motor apart, but when I had to put the thing together, I remembered my parts, but not his. - again taking time and making diagrams is useful here.... - I whish I would have - it would have been a great time saver....
5. Before you take anything apart, label on the exasust manifold what cyl is which - this can get somewhat confusing w/ different engines, and when the engine is up side down. For example I took number one cyl to be the left front (as it is on many other engines - but the 3.4 #1 is right front) -- basicly just keep a convention and make sure it is the same throughout the rebuild.
6. When labeling the wires and other such things, label where they go by there logical names (for example if a wire goes to an O2 sensor label it "O2 Sensor Drivers side"). Do not label them as 1, 2, 3, 4.... because when you clean the other side these labels will get lost or unreadable....
7. Clean every part will take a lot of time.... most of the engine rebuilding will be cleaning - if you think it does not need to be cleaned - it does and do it now... - most things, like the engine compartment, it will never be easier then now - so do it now ....
8. Soak the lifters (if new) in oil over night - this was quite a realization when I started my new motor and TONS and TONS of lifter noise, while this was expected, it was not good for the motor...
These were just a few comments for anyone looking to do a rebuild or upgrade themselfs.
This was my first rebuild - just a few things I have found.
Now I am on to my next project - a big buildup 360 on my '66 'Cuda - I can go wild on this - no E-check !!! - this should be much easier, no complex wiring, and it is very, very easy to get to - not tucked away in the engine compartment.
