I was so close to getting my motor started...

I was getting ready to put my mallory into place. Put in the spring, but it did not go into the divot right. So I put my finger into the hole to grab it, and the freaking spring disappeared.

I look in there with a light, and there is a hole that goes into the case that the spring has somehow gone into. Dr Evil and I tried to retrieve it with a magnet, but we can't locate the spring.

So - what is that hole? Where does it lead to? Is the spring sitting in a galley somewhere, or has it gone down into the pan. Will I find it if I pull the tuna can off and the inspection plate? I just spent a week building this motor, and an am trying to find time on friday and saturday night after my son goes to sleep to get it running. Dropping the motor for a ANOTHER rebuild is an option, but it is likely one that will table my car until I am done with grad school, or I stop being mad at it/myself.

Zach

I'm going to cock up a wheel and rotate the engine a few times to make sure it is not binding in the cam gear. Then drain the engine and pull the taco plate and see if I can find it. If I can't find it, I'm going to fill the engine up and run it.

I'm not going to let this beat me. I want to drive my damn car this year.

Dont you have another block up in the attic that you can look at to see where that passage goes? I will consult the book for you.

It is a drain that goes to the forward sump after bouncing off the dizzy drive gear.

I need to be sure that it is not in the gear. I may be able to find it by pulling the tuna can and working a magnate forward, but there may be a wall.

I just can't worry about this too much. I have too much real world stuff to worry about, and I need my hobbies to be a way to relieve stress and stop causing me more.

Zach

I'll fix it if you cant get to it first. Dont fret honey, it will be ok

Remove the taco plate and fish with a magnet you can reach most of the area
and the oil screen plate that should let you reach all the area.

Zach, might I recommend a hand transplant? Or, at least transplanting some fingers onto those hands in place of all of those thumbs?

I think if you remove the plate that holds the oil temp sensor....it may have fallen down to that area.

Rich

Could have gone down near the taco plate. A small mirror and a flashlight are your friends.

He has been quite today. I hope he got it, and that he didnt break anything else

did this happen right after i left???

yup

No, I have not gotten it. I did jack one side up and moved the engine through a full rotation by moving a tire, and there was no binding.

When I dump the oil, I need to get a fresh (new) oil catch pan. The oil is new brad penn break in oil, and the case is clean. I see no reason to throw it away just because it has been sitting in a clean fresh rebuild.

I spent my day doing house chores and schoolwork. I only got about 30 minutes to play with cars.

Zach

Ya, I am about to finish up my two papers. I would so much rather be in the garage I agree about the oil. If we flip the car upside down it wont leak out the bottom when we remove the taco plate

So I skipped class and went into the garage tonight armed with a brand new covered oil catch pan and a strong magnate on a flex shaft.

Drained out the brad penn and went upstairs to plan my attack using my spare case.

And then came back downstairs with the understanding that I would be dropping my engine (again) friday night.

The only way to get where this spring is gone to is to pull out the oil pump.

Friday I will pull off the speedo, clutch, CV Bolts and driver side headers, shift bar and drop it. Then pull the front tin, alternator belt, fan, fan housing and engine bar.

I'll pull the pump, get the fucking spring and put the motor back together. If I have time, I'll put it back in the car on Saturday.

I have to think that this will be easier then trying to do this with the engine in the car. If McMark says it is possible, then it is possible, but I bet pulling the motor is faster.

Looking for the silver lining, this will allow me to reposition my header slightly so it won't knock against the shifter bar. It did not before, so I am sure I can make it not do it again.

Also, when looking at the spare case, I realized that it had a taco plate with an oil temp sensor in it - which I needed as my inspection plate on the motor did not have one. So I'll put that in too.

The rear end is back in the air, ready for more operation.

Oh, and I pulled the dizzy drive to see if I could maybe get the spring that way - no dice. And now I have to get the dizzy washer as well as the spring since that fell off as I pulled up the drive.

Honestly, just start calling me Captain Cockup. My wife now asks what I am going to break this time when I go into the garage.

*sigh* I can have this done and the engine back in this weekend if I just concentrate and do it.

Zach

Need help? I will see when I have time to come down and do some of the work. Chin up man. I will search the literature for a cure for the fecal touch

I'm not in nearly the foul mood that I was in Saturday night. Skipping class, taking a nap, having a nice dinner with Erin and Theo like a proper family should, and then watching the episode of Top Gear that I downloaded on Sunday did miles to improve my mood.

Not that I am turning down the help. If you are around, I'll take it gladly. 'Specially putting the clutch cable back on is a two person job, and Erin does not go into the garage to work on cars, unless it is her car that I am working on.

Zach

Last time something like this happened, my partner decided he would risk it and swore he heard the m6x1 nut he dropped hit the ground.

It did not, it went into his intake runner and he luckily only munched 1 valve. Miraculously it was only a valve and the forged custom pistons were fine.

Lesson learned about just jamming it together to get it to run then. Glad you came to your senses about pulling it back apart.

I will not be dropping the engine. That is for armatures I will lower the front of the engine after removing all of the gear. It wont be hard as there is nothing on top of the engine to get in the way. Quick in, quick out. No one gets hurt.

Armatures? I guess you could call the jack an armature, and you do need one to drop the engine.

If you get to it before I do, just make sure you grab the spring and the washer. They are both likely sitting on top of the oil pump right now, or right under it.


Zach

Sure, wise ass. At least I am not trying to go after the spring using a "magnate". What was he a magnate of, steel? Coal? If you have a magnate just get him to pay someone to do it for you

GOT IT!

Well, Dr Mike got it. I came out and assisted whenever I could, but I was on baby duty and was only able to help for 15 or 20 minutes total.

We (DrEvil) did drop the engine, and it is a good thing. The pump did not want to come out, even with torque broken on the 4 case studs.

I need to source a new paper gasket, and then everything can go back in.

Zach

The paper gasket between the pump and cover?? Or the case and the pump?

Case and pump.

But I was reading on your site last night that it was not required if you used the loctite sealant. So, I'm not going to use it.

Zach

Nice work!

Good work researching the gasket, Zach. Now you can just put it together

Pump is back in and sealed. Engine went back to TDC and I put the dizzy drive back in, and put the Mallory right on so that I was not tempted to futz with it. Being an idiot, I put it in 180 off, but I recognized it before I blew fireballs trying to start the car. I just marked on the cap where the #1 plug wire goes, no problem. :-)

I got the taco plate swapped out with a plate with a temp sensor in it. Yeah, another gauge that will work!

Fan shroud needs to go back on, and the engine needs to go back in the car. But Erin and I have plans for this evening (*cue funky bass*) after Theo goes to bed, so tonight I will not be able to just work out in the garage all night like most Fridays.

I'll work all Saturday night instead. Next weekend, I want to be able to run it to break in the cam and set timing, but I'll need a local to sit fire watch for me, since I will be in the car.

Zach

I'll be over tomorrow to futz with the bus after I ship a gear box