Post by: TopNotch on March 06, 2022, 06:03:18 pm
In case you don't know, the $400 Ebay transmission I put in the car almost died last November when I went to my brother's house in Texas for Thanksgiving. I had put that transmission in the car when the one that came in it died on RFTH. I seem to have bad luck with transmissions in this car.
Anyhow, the weather has been nice for a while, so I have been making preparations to drop the cradle. As before, I will lift the car by the rear bumper, but this time, I'm saving some work by not removing the "egg crate" from the metal bumper.
I cut a hole in the plastic "apron" under the metal bumper, and passed the chain between the egg crate and bumper. I did this because the egg crate is held to the bumper using "blind" nuts, and they tend to turn when you turn the bolts. And putting the egg crate back on is a real bear. So I'm just leaving it on this time.
I just have a few more things to disconnect before I can lift the car, but since it is supposed to rain all next week, it'll be a while before I do that, and update this thread again.
Post by: AJ_87Fiero on March 07, 2022, 02:11:04 pm
Student #1 in Pat's Masterclass.
Post by: NoMad on March 07, 2022, 03:47:23 pm
Post by: Raydar on March 07, 2022, 08:04:58 pm
I love mine, even bolted to the 4.9, but it's a complete PITA to do.
I hope there is still a warranty on the eBay trans. Even with... I'd still be really mad.
Post by: TopNotch on March 07, 2022, 09:16:05 pm
Post by: TopNotch on March 07, 2022, 09:26:48 pm
Out of curiosity, which trans keeps blowing?4T60E. Both transmissions had a lot of miles, and unknown history. I expect a freshly rebuilt one to do better.
Post by: TopNotch on March 22, 2022, 05:21:58 pm
A 4x4 just forward of where the front of the cradle attaches, on jack stands, holds up the car.
The last time I did this I almost ruined my air dam, so this time I put big timber pieces that I happened to have under the car for it to rest on while the rear was picked up. After putting the car on the 4x4 and releasing the shop crane, the front lifts up a bit.
After pulling the engine out (on my homemade dolly), I put a tarp on it, because it's supposed to storm tonight.
Post by: Fierofool on March 22, 2022, 06:15:56 pm
Post by: SpadeCustoms on March 27, 2022, 02:52:04 am
Post by: TopNotch on March 27, 2022, 01:52:08 pm
You haven't bent up your metal bumper bracing doing this?Not even slightly. Those things must be made of some kind of high carbon steel. You could probably make a good knife out of some of that steel.
Post by: Raydar on March 27, 2022, 04:03:05 pm
You haven't bent up your metal bumper bracing doing this?
I've also lifted my car using the bumper bar (without the "eggcrate") with no issues.
But I got tired of removing the bumper cover, and just looped the chain through the channel at the front of the trunk compartment.
Post by: SpadeCustoms on March 28, 2022, 12:47:43 pm
You haven't bent up your metal bumper bracing doing this?
I've also lifted my car using the bumper bar (without the "eggcrate") with no issues.
But I got tired of removing the bumper cover, and just looped the chain through the channel at the front of the trunk compartment.
That's usually how I do mine but I took everything off as you can see from my Facebook. Hooking through the trunk bracing does make it interesting rolling an motor and cradle out the side. I will use the bumper support this time putting it back in since it will give me a lot more maneuverability to swing this 4.9 in.
Post by: TopNotch on April 05, 2022, 09:17:07 am
Rather than doing any cutting or welding on the "new" manifold, I just plugged the O2 sensor hole, and made a plate to cover the outlet. (My O2 sensor is on the other side of the engine.) I cleaned the manifold and sprayed it with high temp silicone exhaust coating.
I also cleaned and coated the front manifold, which, by the way, is cast, and not cracked. And just in case I have to use it, I cleaned and coated the old rear manifold.
The instructions on the can of exhaust coating say to bake the sprayed parts at at least 400 degrees to cure it. So I set my oven to 425 and put the pieces in. And, of course, my smoke alarms went off after a while, so I had to open some windows and clear the air. But at least, the parts are coated and cured now.
You may recall in my earlier report that I had found the rear manifold to have been installed with no gasket. Well, the front one also had no gasket, and i think it was leaking slightly. Thay may explain why the vacuum line to the transmission modulator kept melting. I'll use a gasket when I put it back on.
Post by: Fierofool on April 05, 2022, 04:29:32 pm
What did you use as a seal beneath the block off plate?
Post by: TopNotch on April 05, 2022, 08:34:36 pm
What did you use as a seal beneath the block off plate?It fits tight against the opening, and at first I thought it might be tight enough by itself, but then I remembered I had this stuff called Muffler Weld, so I smeared some of that on the opening. That will make a tight, heat proof seal.
I think the smoke came from some crud inside the Ebay manifold. It must have come from a badly running engine.
Post by: TopNotch on April 12, 2022, 05:10:19 pm
Post by: TopNotch on April 13, 2022, 01:39:47 pm
Post by: Fierofool on April 13, 2022, 07:42:33 pm
Post by: TopNotch on April 13, 2022, 07:46:38 pm
Post by: TopNotch on April 13, 2022, 09:31:31 pm
Edit: I looked on Jeggs for "high temp wire loom", and what I found there was only good for up to 200 degrees F. The melting point of nylon is 512 degrees F.
Post by: TopNotch on April 17, 2022, 08:49:42 pm
My latest attempt is to paint them with exhaust coating. I also wire-brushed and painted the rusty EGR valve mount. Here is a picture that shows one of the valve covers and the EGR valve mount.
Post by: TopNotch on May 03, 2022, 05:16:46 pm
Before I bought it from Amazon, I tried to find some at the local AutoZone, but they didn't have it. It would be nice if they did. And this brand has a "bake on the car" procedure in the instructions. That's good, because the cross-over pipe is too big for the oven.
I paid for the Eastwood order by Paypal, so I have applied for a refund with them.
Post by: SpadeCustoms on May 04, 2022, 10:09:07 am
BTW I used the bumper method to raise the car up. Helped out tremendously to slide the 4.9 in. Didn't have to fight to get around the cherry picker this time.
Post by: TopNotch on May 15, 2022, 06:24:16 pm
The good news: It started right up. It was as if it hadn't sat disassembled since last November.
So with all the appropriate fluids in the car, I decided to let it run for a little while. Since the transmission pump runs even when the car isn't going anywhere, I had put some ATF in my "new" transmission.
The bad news: One of my transmission coolant hoses came off the metal line from the transmission, and the transmission peed ATF all over my home-made carport concrete. Well, at least I know that the transmission pump works quite well.
So I went to the store and got a large bag of cheap store brand cat litter to pour on the mess. I'll clean it up tomorrow.
Post by: Fierofool on May 15, 2022, 07:22:04 pm
Post by: TopNotch on May 15, 2022, 08:26:35 pm
I bought the same brand in black to paint my battery tray area and an area on the cradle after treating it with rust converter while the engine was out.I assume you meant the same brand of exhaust coating I mentioned in a previous post, and not the brand of kitty litter I mentioned in my last post. ;)
Post by: TopNotch on May 17, 2022, 08:23:01 pm
It has a curious problem that I will live with for now -- my body is too beat up to work on it any more for a while. It will only go if it is in reverse of first gear. But once the car starts going, I can shift to a higher gear and it will "catch". After that, it works normally until I have to stop. Then I have to shift to first again to take off. If any of you know what's going on, please let me know.
I will go on longer and longer test drives to see if anything changes.
Post by: Fierofool on May 17, 2022, 08:49:08 pm
I bought the same brand in black to paint my battery tray area and an area on the cradle after treating it with rust converter while the engine was out.I assume you meant the same brand of exhaust coating I mentioned in a previous post, and not the brand of kitty litter I mentioned in my last post. ;)
:D
Post by: TopNotch on May 18, 2022, 11:18:54 am
Post by: Raydar on May 18, 2022, 08:07:26 pm
Post by: TopNotch on May 18, 2022, 08:28:14 pm
Post by: TopNotch on May 19, 2022, 01:12:23 pm
Post by: TopNotch on May 21, 2022, 02:26:26 pm
Post by: TopNotch on May 22, 2022, 12:14:59 pm