FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Some nasty engine noises started to come from under my bonnet coming home to Canberra from the Cooma Motorfest at the end of last year.  The diagnosis was big end trouble, and so my FE moves from completed cars to Members' projects, with a deadline of getting it right to get to Orange looming.

So from this:

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe2008.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe2010.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe2012.jpg)

Its a Repco Goldstar replacement motor that went in in 1985 and has done 19,000 miles.  Most of those were in 1985-1987, as a daily drive.  The car was off the road from 1987 for about 18 years while kids and other commitments took priority.  In the past 5 years there was one year on full rego, and then onto concessional.  About 2,000 miles travelled in the past 5 years.

David,

Have you considered getting an engine off Ebay, even if it shits itself after you get back from Orange you'll still have a spare.

Dean.

So to some dismantling (thanks for the help Col):

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe2015.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe002.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe003.jpg)

And some heavy lifting:

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe004.jpg)

And the offending part:

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/fe005.jpg)

Some nasty arthritis there.

The challenge now is to get it all sorted for Orange.

I've got a team beavering away on trying to get the motor rebuilt motor and in. I'm undertaking the lovely task of degreasing and cleaning and making things look new(ish). 

Lots to do and so little time.  Deep breath in, breathe out and repeat until calm.

Cheers
David

sounds like "labour pains". Labour of love

David,

I hope all goes well, you should be able to get it back together in time for Orange, bugger about the bearing though.

Keith

Best of luck with it, Dave. You've got a pretty handy off-sider there, you'll be right.

cheers
RET

It turns out that most of the black on the walls of the engine bay is not paint, but  sound deadener with years of oil and muck on it.  In places it is coming away to reveal the original colour underneath.  Its not in fabulous condition, but suprisingly good all things considered.  More shots to come after I get several hours more done this weekend.

Cheers
David

Believe me David I feel your pain - twice!

Good luck with it.

Cheers
John

Thanks for that John.  All the clean up is done except for the panels either side of the radiator.  The photos I promised are yet to be taken - I really have been flat out at it whenever possible and I am usually too mucky to handle the camera and then its is too late to be bothered.

I may get the motor back this weeknd, so I am just ploughing ahead and trying not to panic.

Cheers
David

Don't rush it, make sure you go over everything, i would hate to see you miss something and stuff up everything you have done.

Here are some shots of the engine bay cleaned of the sound deadener and with the paint underneath seeing the light of day again.

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02004.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02003.jpg)

There are rough bits but alot more will come up better with some cutting polish.  There appears to be a layer of yellow paint over the original beige.  The yellow is polishing off in places.

Oh, and did I mention the engine went back in today and started like a dream - more to come.

Cheers
David

A quick note to all of you who are doing major engine work. When removing / installing engines, make sure you wear a WHITE t-shirt. It wakes it so much easier to find all the dirt and grease. I wore a white one again today, I found it all AGAIN! Maybe I should follow GP's lead, he wore overalls. Much smarter!

BTW, why are you on the computer Ridgey Didge? You have more work to do!

Love a grey motor, so sweet!

Colin.

Yes David, why are you on the computer when there's so much work to be done!   ;D

Dave, you can stop work now & get back on the computer. Where are those piccies?

OK - here they are:

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02002.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02010.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02013.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02019.jpg)

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c110/ridgeydidge/engine/engine02020.jpg)

A big thankyou to colt and gp and others for assistance on the day getting it in and all connected up.

Orange is definitely back in the picture.

See you all there!

David

What a difference, compare the first engine bay shot to the last and it looks like a different car, nice job David.
             Pedro

It certainly does Ollie!  :D

Glad to see you'll make it David.

Dean.

Who resprayed the engine? Was that you or part of the engine rebuild? Looks good!


Paul
 8)

Now they're some "before" and "after" photos, aren't they?

Glad to see you're all mobile again, Dave. See you in Orange ;D

RET

The actual engine repaint was part of the rebuild.  What you see coming out of the back of the ute was done.  One of my helper elves went away with "spray can finger" from painting my other bits and pieces.


Before: I was ashamed of my engine bay.  At displays I had to keep the bonnet down and the car locked to hide my shame.  Small children laughed and pointed - you know what I mean

After:  This is no show stopper, but I am amazed at what came out from under the black stuff.  Let's call it an antiqued presentation.  I can show my face in public again.

It is odd.  I have had the car since 1979 and it now has a grey motor that is actually grey in colour for the first time in my ownership.  Gone are my gold and blue engined days.

Now I have stopped being worried about the exercise I can appreciate how much fun it all was!

Cheers
David

Good one David. You know who you have to go see don't you? So no-one gets confused, the ehgine was built and painted by our local Holden guru. I'm surprised he even let us take the motor out and then put it back in. He wasn't going to let us put it in an unpainted engine bay. Thanks to GP and others on the day.

BTW, who's got their greasy mitts on the engine? Geez, he'll go crook if he saw that.

Colin.

Good to see Humpty back together again David, & a lot cleaner too, should get along a bit quicker now

Great stuff,
 I just love seeing how much activity there is on this forum around now, with the Nationals just around the corner. The best thing that comes out of all of this is that our cars get a once over before the Nationals which prevents any major disasters or them getting so run down that they are not worth fixing.
 Keep up the good work you guys, and keep that passion, enthusiasm and comraderie flowing. It doesn't just help the person you are helping, it also helps those of us that are on the forum. ;)
 Cheers Scotty

Just back from the first drive on the new motor - very nice!

A water leak from a cracked heater hose connector identified and sorted.

Now just some routine things like a leaking brake cylinder and putting the handbrake in the right way so it works to get  ready for the Nats.  (And a few tidy up jobs in the engine bay, and in the interior, and the exterior - you know how it is -there's always something).

And some more driving would seem to be in order.

Cheers
David

The mechanic has the car today to sort out brakes - a leaking cylinder, and to put the hand brake ratchet in the right way around (after his apprentice put it back in upside down last time.)  Hopefully that sorts out the last mechanical things.  He'll also sign off on the papers for the RTA so that the new engine number is official in case a picky police officer gets too interested in such matters going to or from th Nats.

The engine is running beautifully and I couldn't be happier.  I had a nice run to Wheels Day yesterday and will do some more running in this week when I can.

I'll do few cosmetic things over the next week and a half including more cutting polish on rough places in the engine bay.

Roll on Orange!!

See you there
David

Good to see that you got it all sorted and that you will make it to Orange in your car

Keith

Brakes are done, Motor Registry sorted for new engine number and then .... stalls on Northbourne Avenue - that is about the busiest place you could choose in peak hour - and won't start.  It looks like there was too much oil in the air filter and it has got oil in the carbie and flooded.  Cleaned up, started up, back to the office to finish off a couple of things, and hopefully I'll make it home (after peak hour) without further issues.

This is called teething problems isn't it?

At least in a convoy going to Orange there will be someone to push me to the side of the road!!

Cheers
David

If ya need to be pushed to the side of the road ya weren't going fast enough when ya broke it.  ;D

Great news, Dave. See you next week!

RET