Dino Reassembly - sequence of events

Just completed reassembly of my Dino. I learned a great deal, and offer the following observations. They are, of course, worth what you pay for them.

1) I rebuilt all suspension members and bushings, painted and powder-coated all the various parts. I reassembled these corners on the bench, including hubs, uprights, bearings, etc. I had intended to mount each completed corner as one unit onto the frame. This is the hard way.

I suggest that you first mount the four suspension-frame forks in each of the four positions on the frame (each corner). These are not easy inserts. In my case they were almost press fits into the frame. I left them in the freezer overnight, and greased them prior to inserting into the frame. It did not help. One must hammer these into the frame. To do this with the suspension all intact is quite difficult. I hammered with a 2-foot 2x4 plank of wood. A heavy hammer on the wood helped persuade them into the frame. I then had to chase the threads once in the frame do make sure they were not destroyed when being hammered through the frame. I DID THIS WITH THE ENGINE IN. DON'T!!! It is a great deal easier to get these forks onto the frame before the engine is in.

Precautionary note. The forks are not identical. The parts diagram makes identification of the front upper easy - they are a different shape. However, the 12 others look identical, but have different length studs. Be careful. The shortest goes on the passenger (left) front suspension closest to the steering universial. In addition, there is a special low profile nut that goes on this stud, less the steering universial will not clear.

Don't forget the shims!!!!

2) I hope you left the gearbox in 2nd gear before removing the engine. In addition, assuming that you did leave the box in 2nd, I hope you didn't mess with it during the months that it was out of the car. ALWAYS leave the box in 2nd gear upon removing from the car. In this way you know how to connect the shift linkage rod to the gear control rod in the box. If you do not know where the gear box rod is, you may have to remove the bottom plate of the gear box and align the shift forks manually. Removing the bottom gear box cover while the engine is in the car is easy. Aligning the shift forks and tightening the linkage easy, although tedious. However, removing the old gasket material from the gear box mating surface is a real pain. Took me hous with a razor blade and paint thinner. I used a lot of nitroglycerin on this old heart.

3) It is quite difficult to mount the forward exhaust manifold while the engine is in the car. Better to mount the forward manifold and alternator before installing the engine. Makes installation a bit more difficult, but not impossible. Just go slow and have 3 people to help. One to control the cherry picker, and 2 to fend off from body work. Tilt the bell housing down A LOT. With the trunk firewall out, and the bulkhead support holding the water expansion/fill tank removed, you will also rotate the engine as necessary to allow the forward manifold to clear the firewall.

BEFORE installing, make sure that you connect the wires to the alternator. This is easy to do with the engine out, but quite difficult to do with it in.

4) Install fuel tanks AND ALL FUEL HOSES before installing engine. It is difficult with the car upside down on a rotisserie to get the filler-neck hose on the tank and the filler neck. Imagine doing it with the engine in. It is difficult to get the cross flow tube in without the engine sitting there. It is difficult to run the cavis clear 23 mm tubing under the lid hinges with the engine out. DO THIS ALL WITH THE ENGINE OUT. A real knuckle breaker to do it with the engine in.

5) Mount all soft brake lines to their frame support tabs before engine installation, and before suspension installation. The soft lines mount on tabs, and are held there with a 19mm nut. It is nearly impossible to tighten this nut with engine or suspension in place. It is VERY important that these soft-line mounting nuts be VERY tight, because when you go to tighten the brake line fitting, the line will rotate unless these nuts are TIGHT.

This post is getting too long. As I think of more tricks I will post them.

Jim S.

 

Suggestion #:

6) It is a great deal easier to tighten half-shaft bolts with muffler on the floor. You will have to raise right rear suspension to install muffler after the half-shaft is installed, but this is easy with a jack or when on a lift.

7) If you treat the half-shaft boots with silicone or rubber treatment (a good idea), it will slip easily over the half-shaft during installation. HOWEVER, during reassembly of all the other parts, the outboard end of the half-shafts will be hanging low with the suspension and shock assembly. This is an "unnatural" angle for the CV-joints, and quite a tug on the boot. My boot slipped from the clamp, requiring that I purchase another inboard clamp and reclamp while on the vehicle. Moral of the story - do not clamp the inboard side of the boot until ready to drive away. Don't forget to do it, but if you clamp it early in reassembly, you run the risk of the boot being tugged from under the clamp while the half-shaft in hanging quite low. I believe that the geometry of the lower A-arm in the rear allows for one to get the clamping tool to the clamp while in the car. If I am mistaken, I will post a revision of this recommendation.

More to come.

Jim S.