Prep for Pulling Engine + Engine Bay cleanup
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 42
Likes: 7
From: East Bay
Prep for Pulling Engine + Engine Bay cleanup
Hey CF,
I am about ready to pull the engine & tranny out of the 79 in the next few weeks. The plan outside of rebuilding the engine & adding an overdrive tranny is to 1. Tear apart the front suspension, clean, paint and replace rubber/parts as needed. 2. Clean up the frame & engine bay as much possible. 3. Likely replace the decrepit wiring harnesses for new ones from Ecklers / Lectric Limited
My question for those who have done an engine bay restoration:
1. What did you do to keep things organized when taking things apart? Bagging and tagging hoses, etc?
2. What do you wish you did differently?
3. What were the biggest challenges?
4. My power steering components don't seem to be leaking...but they are 40 years old? Should I spend a little money and replace this to ensure another 40 years of good steering?
Thanks!
Ian
I am about ready to pull the engine & tranny out of the 79 in the next few weeks. The plan outside of rebuilding the engine & adding an overdrive tranny is to 1. Tear apart the front suspension, clean, paint and replace rubber/parts as needed. 2. Clean up the frame & engine bay as much possible. 3. Likely replace the decrepit wiring harnesses for new ones from Ecklers / Lectric Limited
My question for those who have done an engine bay restoration:
1. What did you do to keep things organized when taking things apart? Bagging and tagging hoses, etc?
2. What do you wish you did differently?
3. What were the biggest challenges?
4. My power steering components don't seem to be leaking...but they are 40 years old? Should I spend a little money and replace this to ensure another 40 years of good steering?
Thanks!
Ian
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,062
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
If its all apart I would. Nothing like good access-
Id take some good pictures as you go along they are great to have during assembly.
Did the bag/tag thing, months later I was glad I did, forgot where half the stuff went.
Nothing worse than putting something together not knowing what goes where or worse losing small pieces.
Id take some good pictures as you go along they are great to have during assembly.
Did the bag/tag thing, months later I was glad I did, forgot where half the stuff went.
Nothing worse than putting something together not knowing what goes where or worse losing small pieces.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 129
Likes: 4
From: Perth western Australia
Hi Ian, when I pulled my motor I drew pictures on a piece of cardboard and pushed the bolts in
were they came from. You can right left side or right side to explain
Also good for taking out screws in the interiour, makes it easier to put them back in the correct location.
I have a bad memory so this helps me after many weeks.
were they came from. You can right left side or right side to explain
Also good for taking out screws in the interiour, makes it easier to put them back in the correct location.
I have a bad memory so this helps me after many weeks.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 608
Likes: 64
From: Lake Villa,IL
I'm in the process of putting mine back together. The two biggest things to do, in my opinion, are bagging//labeling, and taking pictures. I cant tell you how many times I have looked at a picture I've taken to see what went where, or the orientation of something. Even something as simple as which way a clamp goes on , does the clamp go up or down. Take a lot of pictures and try to get as much of the engine compartment as you can so you can expand the picture and see what things in the background look like. At first I didn't bag stuff, thinking I would remember what went where. Then I saw a bolt on my bench and said, Hmm, I wonder what that is for. You will never remember where everything belongs. Bagging and detailed labeling are a life saver. Good luck and enjoy the process and the results
Last edited by Radman2112; Oct 22, 2020 at 07:21 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,030
Likes: 363
From: Lubbock Texas
It would be a good time to replace the positive battery cable if it has never been replaced. Don't know about your '79 but my '73 had a copper clad aluminum cable that was showing signs of corrosion inside the jacket. I built a new all copper cable when I replaced my engine and transmission earlier this year. One thing to think about if you build your own positive battery cable: Leave extra length and don't terminate the starter end of the cable until you have your engine and headers in place. I terminated my cable early in the process and while I made it work, the cable was too close to the new header for my comfort. I ended up running the cable to a terminal post I installed on the lower passenger side firewall and then routed a short cable from there to the starter so I could keep it away from the header.
DC
Old Fart Pilot
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,838
Likes: 923
From: Spokane, WA
Hi Ian, when I pulled my motor I drew pictures on a piece of cardboard and pushed the bolts in
were they came from. You can right left side or right side to explain
Also good for taking out screws in the interiour, makes it easier to put them back in the correct location.
I have a bad memory so this helps me after many weeks.
were they came from. You can right left side or right side to explain
Also good for taking out screws in the interiour, makes it easier to put them back in the correct location.
I have a bad memory so this helps me after many weeks.
...or in my case, many YEARS!!!
Paul
