Before I pull the head - Need Advice!

[Daisywheels]

When I was 16 my dad bought a 1957 Chevy for the family and gave me their 1950 Olds and a box of used tools to get me started. I'm a retired electrical engineer by degree but have been fixing and modifying my vehicles for 53 years. With modern vehicles problems seem to be as much electrical as mechanical.

Impressive resume! Now I can see how you have so much knowledge. I'm an accountant by trade with a degree in Economics. So you can bet I have kept track of how much money (and time) I've put into this truck. There is an Economic term I'm sure you have heard of: "sunk cost." It's a cost that can never be recovered. My background tells me to treat this truck just as that - a sunk cost and move on. I seem to have problems with doing that tho. I'll get the old spreadsheet out and add up all the items I need (including tools) to consider swapping out this motor. It's a slow season right now, so although time is a factor, I would not take on this project during tax season -DW

 

[Flash]

Car-part.com has complete motors for as little as $350.

-DW

$350 for the engine, couple hundred for new timing set maybe even throw in a pre-oiler.

Should be good for a few hundred Ks.

 

[Daisywheels]

$350 for the engine, couple hundred for new timing set maybe even throw in a pre-oiler.

Should be good for a few hundred Ks.

Okay - looking up what a pre-oiler is. I'm going through StreetRods thread on engine removal, and most is done except the separating the tranny. Still need a crane and engine stand. I think I can rent those. I wish everyone knew what my shop looked like. It's an uncovered unlevel gravel driveway in the forest. A small garage would be nice! Nope. -DW

 

[Flash]

Okay - looking up what a pre-oiler is. I'm going through StreetRods thread on engine removal, and most is done except the separating the tranny. Still need a crane and engine stand. I think I can rent those. I wish everyone knew what my shop looked like. It's an uncovered unlevel gravel driveway in the forest. A small garage would be nice! Nope. -DW

Ask Streetrod about his pre-oiler. Bloody good investment for any engine but especially the SOHC.

I use a couple of 8'x4' marine ply boards on the ground. I call them my slabs.

 

[Daisywheels]

Ask Streetrod about his pre-oiler. Bloody good investment for any engine but especially the SOHC.

I use a couple of 8'x4' marine ply boards on the ground. I call them my slabs.

Does that mean you work outside too? I am not the only crazy one? I know a gal from Queensland, and she says when it rains, it pours, and pours, and pours. Even in your Summer time.

I'm going to have to find something level to put a crane/cherry picker on. I do not think it would move smoothly on my old carpet and plastic tarps laying on the gravel. I think StreetRod has a thread about his pre-oiler. Gonna search it now. Never understood oiled air filters. -DW

 

[Flash]

Does that mean you work outside too? I am not the only crazy one? I know a gal from Queensland, and she says when it rains, it pours, and pours, and pours. Even in your Summer time.

I'm going to have to find something level to put a crane/cherry picker on. I do not think it would move smoothly on my old carpet and plastic tarps laying on the gravel. I think StreetRod has a thread about his pre-oiler. Gonna search it now. Never understood oiled air filters. -DW

Yeah, I work outside. The garage is full of my wife's junk and the cars are out on the driveway.

Summer is our wet season.

The engine crane works pretty good on the "slabs." Try it. I use marine ply, 5/8 inch thick.

Pre-oiler holds oil pressure in the oil galleries ready to start the engine with full pressure. If anything will make an engine immortal, that's it. That and a bypass filter.

Oiled air filters are something else entirely. In my location they're not worthwhile

 

[Daisywheels]

Yeah, I work outside. The garage is full of my wife's junk and the cars are out on the driveway.

Summer is our wet season.

The engine crane works pretty good on the "slabs." Try it. I use marine ply, 5/8 inch thick.

Pre-oiler holds oil pressure in the oil galleries ready to start the engine with full pressure. If anything will make an engine immortal, that's it. That and a bypass filter.

Oiled air filters are something else entirely. In my location they're not worthwhile

Edited out bad info.

Scratch that - StreeRod used an Accusump. Don't know where I came up with Amsoil

 

[Flash]

Yeah, StreetRod used an Amsoil Pre-oiler, and I just looked them up - Discontinued due to no demand apparently:
--
AMS-Oiler™ Engine Pre Oiler(Pre-charger)
Ends Dry and cold starting issues

NEWS 7-14-09 AMSOIL Ea Breather Air Filters, AMS-Oiler Discontinued Due to limited sales (AMK01, AMK02)

NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Look around, there'll be others.

http://www.accusump.com/

 

[2000StreetRod]

Accusump

I considered the Amsoil pre-oiler but decided it was too expensive and had insufficient capacity. Instead I installed a three quart Accusump. See Accusump installation in Ford Explorer In retrospect I wish that I had installed an electric oil pump instead of the Accusump even though it would have required installing an oil pickup port in the lower oil pan. An electric pump allows pressurizing the engine with oil after major repairs and a complete oil change with no dry starts. With my Accusump to do a complete oil change I have to deplete the oil in the accumulator which means one dry start after each oil change. With the increasing popularity of turbochargers the availability of suitable electric oil pumps is increasing. I plan to incorporate an electric oil pump in my next project vehicle.

 

[Daisywheels]

I considered the Amsoil pre-oiler but decided it was too expensive and had insufficient capacity. Instead I installed a three quart Accusump. See Accusump installation in Ford Explorer In retrospect I wish that I had installed an electric oil pump instead of the Accusump even though it would have required installing an oil pickup port in the lower oil pan. An electric pump allows pressurizing the engine with oil after major repairs and a complete oil change with no dry starts. With my Accusump to do a complete oil change I have to deplete the oil in the accumulator which means one dry start after each oil change. With the increasing popularity of turbochargers the availability of suitable electric oil pumps is increasing. I plan to incorporate an electric oil pump in my next project vehicle.

I've got a project vehicle for you Seriously, In my inexperienced opinion, I really thought pre-oilers were for vehicles that sat a lot and not used often. I only drive my Honda Accord about once a week, so I may look into doing something about that.

Also, I was always under the impression that major engine wear was usually caused by people starting up their cold vehicles, and revving and revving as if the heater would work faster that way. I just cringe every time I see somebody do this, and I don't know why they do it unless they have idling issues. Still no reason the rev at high RPMs tho. One person told me they do it so the battery will charge, and not die on them down the road. Get a new battery! -DW

 

[Daisywheels]

I use a couple of 8'x4' marine ply boards on the ground. I call them my slabs.

Never saw this coming. Just returned borrowed tools to my neighbor, and he asked what the final result was. I told him, he felt bad, and said I could use his shop if I needed to swap a motor. He has an ACTUAL shop, it has 3 separate ROOMS. I asked him if he had a Cherry-picker. Yes. I also asked him if he had a engine stand. Yes, and air tools. His shop was always off limits to me, because that's just the way he is. He must have really felt bad for me. It's almost like if I say no, it will hurt his feelings because this WAS a hard thing for him to offer. The Explorer Gods are begging me to learn how to swap a motor. I can't let the Gods or my neighbor down -DW

 

[Flash]

Make sure you have lots of socket extensions for the upper bellhousing bolts.

 

[SoHK_alumni]

An engine swap really is not that difficult -- can't say it's easy but it'd definitely not complicated.

You can lift the engine straight up out of the engine bay if you leave the transmission in the hole, or leave the transmission attached, pull the front pulley off the crank and you can pull the engine and trans as a unit after getting the radiator and a/c condenser out of the way.

Both techniques have pros and cons, not sure either is a better or easier way than the other.

As noted earlier, a couple LONG extensions makes getting to the bell housing to engine block bolts a lot easier if you decide to separate the trans from the engine first. I've got a couple 18" extensions along with a few 6" ones to make getting to the bolts possible from the very back of the trans.

 

[Daisywheels]

An engine swap really is not that difficult -- can't say it's easy but it'd definitely not complicated.

You can lift the engine straight up out of the engine bay if you leave the transmission in the hole, or leave the transmission attached, pull the front pulley off the crank and you can pull the engine and trans as a unit after getting the radiator and a/c condenser out of the way.

Both techniques have pros and cons, not sure either is a better or easier way than the other.

As noted earlier, a couple LONG extensions makes getting to the bell housing to engine block bolts a lot easier if you decide to separate the trans from the engine first. I've got a couple 18" extensions along with a few 6" ones to make getting to the bolts possible from the very back of the trans.

Since I'm putting the old tranny on the new motor, would it be easier to put the tranny on first and also install the tranny and motor together? Or is that just wash just like you said - there is really no easy way? Thanks - DW

 

[Daisywheels]

I also talked to a buddy today that said repairing the old motor is another option provided the rods are okay. Get a piston, take it to machine shop, etc. Never thought about that. I don't even know if the head can be repaired. I'm guessing no. Here is the pic again:

 

[Tech By Trade]

If you were going to spend rebuild kind of money, you would be better off just getting a newer engine from a wreck. it would cost the same after all the tools and be a hell of a lot less work.

 

[boominXplorer]

Just go get a low mile 07+ Ranger, Mustang or explorer 4.0 sohc and swap it in. Don't mess with the chains or anything unless they appear to be broken. Swap your valve covers, exhaust and intake on and keep it moving.

 

[Daisywheels]

Just go get a low mile 07+ Ranger, Mustang or explorer 4.0 sohc and swap it in. Don't mess with the chains or anything unless they appear to be broken. Swap your valve covers, exhaust and intake on and keep it moving.

07? I guess I need to find a list of which motors will fit/work in my 1999. Why would I swap the valve covers, exhaust and intake? Is that necessary for a newer year motor? Thanks... -DW

 

[Daisywheels]

Based on the views of this thread, it appears there is an interest from non participants, so I am going to update the thread as I reach problem after problem:

After a few days of not turning any wrenches, I decided to go ahead and drain the radiator fully before removal. The radiator drain bolt busted as I was tightening it back up. I did not even put any torque on it at all. It broke off as soon as the bolt contacted the radiator frame. What a way to start! -DW

ETA: It's plastic - didn't know thay

 

[Flash]

Does anybody do a crate motor for a good price?