shopping list

[TSD]

Hi all,

Next major project, hopefully the last this year:

1) check/adjust valve clearances

2) replace cambelt; swap intake pulley with aux pulley

I'm putting together a shopping list to try to get everything ready before I start. Would appreciate any advice on what I need or don't need.

Parts:

Cambelt

V-belts: waterpump, alternator + a/c, vacuum pump

crankshaft front oil seal & gasket?

tensioner bearing or rebuild kit?

gaskets for cam covers

o-ring for cam cover screws

cam cover crinkle paint (red)

Loctite 504 for cam housing/covers?

Special Tools:

Timing gun?

feeler gauge

Burroughs tool or Krikit

woodruff key for pulleys

torx screwdriver (cam covers)

camshaft pulley woodruff key

[WayneB]

Compression Tester. Before you remove the engine, check the compression of each of the cylinders and make sure they are in the acceptable zone(135psi+- 10% highest to lowest) I would also change as many of the water and vacuum hoses that you can afford. Your cars previous life in Pheonix Arizona will have subjected them to alot of temp. I would also change the auxillery housing gasket(prone to leaking) and check and pack the oil pump with petroleum jelly(to pick up oil when you start engine back up. Never hurts to take off cylinder head to check out condition of valves and pistons either! (is that enough for now?)

[TSD]

Wayne,

you are scaring me! I wasn't planning on engine out! I've got to take this one step at a time...

[WayneB]

Sorry mate didnt mean to scare you Im just into preventative maintenance (fixing things before they fail catastrophically) its an old fashioned concept!

[DrieStone]

Special Tools:

torx screwdriver (cam covers)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually you need a 12mm allen wrench for the cam covers not a torx, unless you mean the cam assembly, which in that case you need an E10 socket (inverted torx).

[lwasson]

If you are going to replace the front seal you will need a tool to slip the new seal in place. You can spend about $70 for a tapered tool that helps the seal slip on the crank shaft or you can do it with the time tested universal tool that fits any make, model and year of automobile.

Take a 2 liter plastic pop bottle and cut off both ends leaving a round cylinder. Cut down the wall of the cylinder from top to bottom. This allows you to roll the plastic cylinder to fit whatever diameter you need. You can also taper the cylinder making it smaller on one compared to the other end.

Roll the cylinder to the ID of your front seal and slip the seal over the cylinder. Grease the cylinder so the seal with slide. Place the cylinder/seal over the crank and roll one end to fit the crank. Slide the seal down the plastic cylinder and into place on the crank.

I would put a thin film of Loctite on the seal before you slip it into place.

Cost? Price of a two liter bottle of coke.

louis

'83 Turbo

[WayneB]

The proper Lotus E10 female torx is hard to get. I bought a Lisle one and ground down its outer diameter so it would fit the recesses on the cam towers.

[TSD]

thanks for the tip(s) everyone!

Q: is it really worth changing the front seal? Can I easily check if it is leaking from underneath? And if not, should I leave well enough alone? 56K Miles on an 86 HCI. Running smooth now, no obvious oil leaks.

PS - Wayne, appreciate the preventative maintenance - I definitely agree, but given my mechanical skills/experience, I don't want to take on too much. I guess you know the other time honored expression: If it ain't broken, don't fix it...

[lwasson]

thanks for the tip(s) everyone! 

Q: is it really worth changing the front seal?  Can I easily check if it is leaking from underneath?  And if not, should I leave well enough alone?  56K Miles on an 86 HCI.  Running smooth now, no obvious oil leaks.

PS - Wayne, appreciate the preventative maintenance - I definitely agree,  but given my mechanical skills/experience, I don't want to take on too much.  I guess you know the other time honored expression: If it ain't broken, don't fix it...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, you can check it from underneath. If its not leaking I would leave it alone and save that job for when you need to replace the cylinder sleeves. Hopefully that will not be for a few more miles and years.

louis

'83 Turbo