Hoping to get the engine out this weekend to start the TKO swap. Already planning on the front suspension rebuild stuff and new ignition harness. What other stuff do you guys typically take advantage of working on either in the bay while it is open or on the motor while it is out?

FYI, it was just started up this week after sitting for 10 odd years or more. Already has new coil, wires and points conversion kit, new fuel pump and q-jet rebuilt done. Don't want to go crazy on the "while I'm at it" front, but also don't want to regret not taking care of something that is much easier to handle now.

Thanks all...

 

My regret is not having done more re-wiring and done a more extensive job of cleaning up and painting the engine bay.

 

From the experience of going - "Shoulda done it..............

1. If an AC car, pull the evaporator housing and clean out the debris
2. While the evaporator housing is out, replace the heater core
3 Install all new heater housing/evaporator gaskets
4. Check firewall for any holes that will allow heat to get inside
5. Install shut off valves in the heater hoses.
6. Install C4 fan to improve air flow inside

New radiator seals and might not be a bad idea to take your radiator to a shop for a cleaning and pressure check while it is out.

I am sure there are more but those are the ones that I missed.

John

 

Inspect your frame welds for cracks very carefully.

I installed my 383 about 6 or 7 years ago. While I had everything apart wire wheeled the frame rails, inspected and painted all of the frame I could get to.
I either missed a crack, or it started forming since I finished the job.







Needless to say, my engine is back out of the car so I can get this welded back together

 

I was thinking about just patching up the existing ignition harness and putting all the correct colored wires back in, but just decided to go with a whole new harness. The fusible links had been taken out and a couple connectors were bad, so might as well do it right.

As for AC, I have another thread in the General section on this. There was a half completed AC install I'm just ripping out with plans to go Vintage Air.

I'm sure I'll see way more of the frame than I ever desired while replacing the front suspension bushings, tie rods and ball joints, but I'll keep an eye out for the frame as well.

For the engine, would there be any reason to poke around inside it that would not require opening up a whole can of disassembly? Is there anything worth seeing that taking the oilpan off would show? Already assuming that I should be taking the flywheel off to have checked out, other threads said that is a pretty inexpensive process at a machine shop.

 

Engine wise, I'd be looking for rear main seal and front seal leaks. It'd be a lot easier to replace the timing cover, oil pan gaskets and rear main seal with the motor out and on a stand.

 

Be very selective what you choose to "upgrade" either performance wise or looks wise while you do this. Remember the mantra "if it ain't broke don't touch it". I have seen rear main seal replacements morph into frame on (or off) redos in just a couple weekends. It's easy to remove components. The real work is in reconditioning them and getting them all back in proper order. Think more than a bit about each step and its effect on the next steps before you unbolt anything!

 

Front brake line under engine. A/C and heater parts as mentioned previously.

 

i would check upper control arm bushings .spray on lizard skin on the fire wall.do any ac replacement parts .check, clean or replace wiring harness.i also would think about a new exhaust .all new headers and crossover .

 

All things related to the vacuum system .... its a great time to check all the tubing .... I wished I had done with the engine rather then after we dropped in the new one ...
and all things electrical (thats not being replaced with the new harness)

Good luck with the project ......

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had previously already put in ss brake line across the front and new calipers. A-arm bushings are very dried rotted and cracked. Those looked like the most difficult part of the front suspension rebuilt kits, so I went ahead and ordered a whole kit at the same time as the ignition harness.

Planning on Vintage Air next year, so removed the outer AC box after getting the engine out today. Will pull the AC wiring harness tomorrow and try and sort out the AC from the wiper vacuum and remove as much as I can. It was a failed AC conversion by PO that was never completed.

Glad I decided to do the TKO before the paint, I did not feel comfortable moving the hoist all the way out to the farthest 1/2 ton setting (it is a 2-ton lift), and at the second to last hole I still rubbed up against the car several times. Has anyone here tried using the farthest hole with a full engine/trans combo successfully?

Anyway, engine is out, trans off, clutch off and flywheel is out. In two different spots on the flywheel, there are about 3 teeth that are chewed off from the front through about half of the tooth thickness. Taking it to the machine shop on Monday, what do you guys think about the chances of being able to use it? I can post pics tomorrow if you need them for an opinion.

Is the pressure plate typically just reused as is in a clutch replacement?

I just went through the light electrical setup already before figuring out the the turn signal switch was bad. All the lights and horn are working at the moment, have not been able to try wipers yet, that project starts later as some of it came to me unassembled from the PO and I have not gotten to that area yet.

Other than banging against the fender a few times, the only issue today was minor in that one of the starter solenoid terminal nuts would turn, but not actually back off. Frustrating but in light of all the other things that could have gone wrong, I managed to get the thing out and as far as pulling the flywheel in about 7 hours working alone other than the wife coming out to help guide the engine while I moved the hoist.

Just looking to get the car on the road, so no performance improvements planned other than getting the 5-speed. Even that was not in the planning until reading several posts that a 427 convertible with sidepipes would be really hard to bear as a DD, and the TKO .64 OD really quiets cruising speed down.

 

New or at least refreshed radiator. Engine harness. Detail engine bay and paint.

If you pull the evap box, I recommend insulating it inside. It helps. The drier is much easier to get to with the engine out too.

 

RE: the pressure plate, I much prefer to replace all those components when I do a clutch job. Whatever you don't replace will fail at the half-life. This is assuming your current stuff is not known good.

So when doing a clutch swap, I do pilot bushing/bearing, clutch disc, resurface/replace flywheel, new pressure plate, new throw out bearing.

Should also check clutch fork and clutch pivot.

 

Well the machine shop said the pressure plate was shot and showed the wear marks on the throwout bearing that were supposed to be from the worn pressure plate. Just ordered a new RAM set from Summit today. Have the order in for the new gear tooth ring for the flywheel, then will get it resurfaced. Machine shop said it was OK to keep. They did mention that rebalancing the fw without the rest of the engine assembly is not something they recommend and to just go with resurfacing. New pilot bearing came with TKO and is in already.