Thanks to Dave, Jim and Birdman

Dave Helms and Jim Lindsey. I started my car today after a month in pieces. I have about 130 hours into the car. Of course belts and bearings, also cam seals and o rings. Replaced all the cooling lines via SRI, oil cooler line, one leaking injector seal, adjusted the valves, only needed 10 new shims. Fuel lines, also SRI. I ran into numerous stumbling blocks and small issues that took hours. Also used Birdmans directions on the timing belts and replacement of the spark plug wires. Clutch slave cylinder rebuild, install, bleed, then replacement and bleed again. The car is still on jack stands, but is otherwise fully assembled. I spoke to both gentlemen and Jims lead F-car tech, all were gracious and helpful in overcoming the odd stuck situations. Without these fellows I would have had a far more difficult go of this process. I'm looking forward to putting the wheels on and taking the car for a drive tomorrow.

I've also developed a great appreciation for the cars. Doing this work has made me a more thorough and thoughtful mechanic. A better mechanic. Amazingly, I'm looking forward to the next time I do it. This time was in a tent installed under a carport. In a few years I'll have a new house and garage and if all goes to plan a lift. The engine is coming out and I'll really be cleaning it up.

Again, thank you fellows, you've allowed me to afford this car and do all the "while you're in theres." I would not have been able to do this without the seasoned expertise of y'all. I owe each of you and will have to find a way to repay you.

 

I have an 87 3.2 Mondial. It is back on the ground and I've put about 35 miles on it before I had to put it away and travel back to work. Funny thing, after all that work I got the vehicle up to temp and then changed the oil out. I pulled the drain plug which was sealed with some sort of white goo. The plug was boogered up, can't figure out how when it goes into alloy. Got a new plug, new washer, seated it and that is the only leak I have so far on my project. At least it's the easiest leak to get to. I'll likely have to pull the plug and helicoil the pan when I get back home.

 

That's the interesting part, it wasn't corroded, the threads were mashed over like it had been cross threaded into a steel hole. I'll probably be looking at a heli coil on the next oil change, unless it's already been done and then it was cross threaded? I didn't look too close as the car was barely off the ground, but I noted that many of the threaded holes associated with the engine on my car had heli coils in them.