So I've decided to pull the engine on my '82 CE in order to give it and the engine bay a good cleaning, detailing and repainting. I feel like I have a pretty good idea on how I want to do the pull, but any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated. Same goes with the detailing... Anything you guys can offer in terms of making her look like a gem under the hood. I plan on removing the hood and radiator (I know its possible to remove the engine without doing so, but I want to paint and detail both). I also plan on leaving the transmission in the car (no need to remove it). I also will be pulling it from the side due to engine lift size and floor space (I will also be using a leveler). Aside from obvious things such as tagging EVERYTHING and protecting the sides of the car, draining coolant etc.... are there any big tips or tricks out there? Also I haven't really found any good step by step photos/videos out there for the "newer" C3s, so would it be worth my time to take extra photos/videos along the way for future use to others? Thanks for the help!

In need of some TLC

She's original and very dirty

Hopeful Outcome....

 

I've never pulled mine so I can't give you any tips or tricks....following though, in case I ever get the wild hair to do mine!

Only advise I'll offer is to take your time. Remember, it's a hobby....when you get frustrated close the hood (if its still on the car, LOL) and walk away for a bit.

All the best in your endeavor!

 

PB Blaster is your FRIEND!!

Good luck

 

As you said, mark everything. But be ready for the unanticipated issues such as everything rubber will need replacing, including the engine mounts. You don't get many opportunities to work in a wide open engine bay on these cars so make the best of it. A lot of things will be much easier. Transducer, heater core, vacuum hoses, PB booster, power steering pump, and the list goes on. I found a crack in my valve cover so I replaced both of them. Also found a crack in my exhaust manifold which needed welding. Here are a few photos. I used a bunch of brakleen and an air hose but most of the work comes down to elbow grease, time and, as i said, patience.

 

Get a wire wheel on a drill, plenty of lacquer thinner, plenty of newspaper and GOOD 3M masking tape (if it doesn't cost $6 a roll don't buy it )......a razor knife and plenty of cardboard sheets you can cut.
The wire wheel is obvious.
The thinner is to wipe down everything after you have wire wheeled it.
The newspaper and tape are to mask things off for overspray.
The pieces of cardboard are to cut to size and hold as shields to ward off overspray in other areas......
I like Duplicolors Satin Black engine paint because it is durable, covers awesome and dries fast. Engine enamel has etch agent in it to help it stick to crummy surfaces.

Now is the time to regasket your whole engine......change out the block drain plugs for petcocks.....new engine mounts ( I went Moroso solid...they are zinc plated)...etc...
I like to paint the engine up and then install the gaskets with ARP stainless bolts for a trick look.

When I had the engine out of my 72'........I did EVERYTHING all the way back to the trans tunnel.....hard not to because you make one thing look good and the thing next to it all of the sudden looks like ****.
I ended up powdercoating ALL of the brackets, pulleys, fan, brake caliper brackets, backing plates.......then painted the sway bar, idler arm, pitman arm, drag link, etc........
It looks like a new car under there now.......not overdone, just the way I like it.

I documented some of it here..... https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...up-a-72-a.html Maybe you can get some ideas.

LOTS of potential creativity here and a chance to make it look amaze ***** under the hood......and I had a rip doing it while the block was out being machined......lots of beer and Slayer!
I also took all hard vacuum lines off and steel wooled them......and installed all new brakelines after painting........along with new rubber brake hoses, painting calipers....taking the rotors and painting the whole rotor, friction surface and all, then having a light cut on the brake lathe.....(should have seen the look on the parts guys face when I handed them to him....he asked me why I painted the rotors and that I can't do that....I told him that is why he is cutting them...to knock the paint off the area that counts...DUH!)

But the biggest trick of all is to NOT paint anything that was not painted originally.......don't blackout everything....that is what used car lots do. To me, this separates the men from the boys......and makes for a high dollar look for $5 of steel wool. If look close at my pics.....things like nuts and zerk fittings, shock washers, etc.....are natural....

Jebby

 

Drifter nice picks....Essentially mine is as nice as Drifters...yet I DID NOT PULL THE ENGINE.....

there are many tricks and tips as to detailing...can't go into it now.

If youre pulling the engine for other reasons...so be it.
Now that I have your email I'll send some picx.

I'm not a fan of the chrome air cleaners...but who am I to say...I have a chrome 130 amp alternator! Edit and I took the aluminum alt bracket out an buffed it until it looked like chrome....GUILTY.....47 NCRS guys are convulsing now!

I've popped engines out of C-3's.. I preferred to leave the tranny in. Be aware the the double wall tubular manifolds can get crystallized and can fracture.

I'm certainly liking this thread.
Drifter....great job! A rising tide raises all boats!

Unkahal

 

I almost didn't clean my engine bay when I replaced my engine, then decided to do it and man am I glad I did! Looks so much better now and it was easy.

 

I did my engine and bay without pulling the motor also , I did pull the covers ,intake stripped the front and radiator ect it came out looking new ... its hard to get at the frame tho but possible.