New oil cooler installed. Along with the new sleaves, pistons, and valves (2056, somewhere near 8.4:1 compression).

Question for the hive mind. Should I put the heat exchangers/headers on now or wait till it's in the car? It is not on an engine stand.Click to view attachment

And a little protection...

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Without an engine stand, you can tilt the engine up on the valve cover (with good padding) & install the upper H/E, then tilt on other valve cover & install the other, Install the muffler hanger loosely. You can do an air leak test on one tube at a time with it's exhaust valve closed.

Easier than balancing the H/E's on your knees while trying to install overhead.

Good luck

I always wait until the engine is in the car. That way you can loose assemble everything and then torque stuff in the correct order.

And you don't have to worry about bumping the heat exchangers while installing the engine.

Just my $.02

I agree with Clay. Install the heat exchangers and the muffler bracket and muffler loosely and when everything is adjusted then tighten the heat exchangers to the heads.

Great Question I have wondered myself I have the tangerine plate.
Loose fit would work except I want to seal at the head with Loctite 510

If I do it now I could probably rig up stuff to hold the system up while I bolt it on (kids), under the car it will be just me. maybe I will mock it up and see. Not damaging anything is also pretty important. Tough call.

It is easier to install the engine without the heat exchangers.

That is what I was thinking. That and all the piping for the heater boxes and crap.

Ready to go for tomorrow I think.
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Yup, all or nothing. Install the engine without any exhaust (best), or bolt up the exchangers, muffler, and bracket out of the car--and deal with a bigger assembly.

I think I am going to put it in without. No damage, the car is in a nice position for me to work on it comfortably laying on my back. Without the exhaust I can have better access at all the cabling, heat stuff etc.

So shiny.
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Guess who forgot to do the ground strap before I put the cvs and the exhaust back on... it could have been so easy....

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Put it all together this morning up top, turned over maybe 20 times and fired up
https://youtu.be/nhVbYlhdsH4?si=x1aCpajxsU8Hm6V1

Rock on dude!

Sounds nice!

Like your gauge set up in the center console.

No clock at all!

I'm getting old and have my own lift...

I'll never have to work on a car using the drive-up ramps again!

That looks like a form of torture to me now...

I'm becoming a WIMP!

I thought so at first, but then I realized I got to lay down the whole time...

Going DOWN is stupid easy now; it's like gravity has increased for me.

It's the getting back up that I'm having trouble with...

What I hate the most is crawling up under a car (or dash) and figuring out I didn't bring that one tool I need with me!

Yep. Lots and lots of grunting.

'finished' tuning. I will post more stuff on the heat and cht thread...

https://youtube.com/shorts/XJzcPS6JJiE?si=iQvBmsulcmKMwR6o

I wanted to revisit the exhaust question. Waiting till the engine was in worked very well. Didn't even need child labor. Rested the tail of the exchangers on the jack and pumped it up using my leg as I wanted more height. Super glue on the annealed seals. Reassembly of the heater boxes and the rest of that crazy stuff was easy as could be.