Technical Topics specific to the Hatchback body - NOT where you post pics/build specs of your car.
By ngarover
#350597 Got the new heater core in finally.

Pulled the trans dipstick to check it and, holy crap... look at it...

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It's been grinding against something inside the trans... Looks like the Manual swap is even a better idea now...
By ngarover
#350684 Today I got it back together and have heat but have something else to go with it... water in my oil... Looks like the head gasket is blown. I was not like this before, so it must have just happened.

SOOOO since I'm going to pull the head anyways, I might as well put the head from the Vtec engine on in it's place and build up a "mini me"

Dug further into the car, cause I have that cheap head unit... and there are no speakers. Looks like PO ripped them out.

Works going slow, as it's only 40 outside.
By ktang
#350685 Did you do any drilling or anything special to get the heater core in?
By ngarover
#350688
ktang wrote:Did you do any drilling or anything special to get the heater core in?


I sawed out a little from the original bolt hole to the bigger hole where the pipes exit. 2 short cuts, looks like a triangle. After that the unit went right into place.

Also, I think this is only the case for cars with A/C. Had that not been there the unit would have gone in much easier. There is just no way to pull the A/c far enough away and allow the other unit to seat back into place without damaging the A/c

I'm getting the other car tomorrow, will have it brought out to the house this weekend and start the swap of the trans/mini me
By ngarover
#350779 Ordered a head gasket kit to do the original engine, for practice if nothing else. Figured if I can keep the original engine running a little bit longer, I can take some time with the new engine and go though it, and make it nice before dropping it in.
By ngarover
#350946 got into the engine today.

#4 and #3 spark plugs where half full of oil. #2 had a little. I'm surprised the engine ran at all.

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Sure sighs of a leaking head gasket...

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Got tot he point where I'm ready to break the head away from the block, it's stuck on pretty good. Will work on it tomorrow again and see if I can button it up. Would have gotten further today but had to stop and spend a couple hours fixing a radiator in my e320.
By ngarover
#350959 Continuing on...

What a mess...

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The gasket was in pieces, actually dissolved... took me hours to clean it all out and clean everything out, but, sun has gone down and too dark to get pictures, so I'll pop a couple in the am before I goto work. will be Saturday before I can work on it again but it's all ready for the new gaskets. I bought a cheap set of gaskets from evergreen off amazon, but it has ever gasket you can imagine, which is good because it have to replace them all.. going to spray the HG with copper spray to give it that little bit extra, but should be fine as I work on the other engine to drop in.

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By ngarover
#351138 Nice day, brought the head in and replaced all the gaskets, including valve stem gaskets, and lapped the valves. It's all finished and I'll be putting it on the engine tomorrow.

I'll adjust the valves once its back on.

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So, this is the gasket set I bought...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007P7 ... UTF8&psc=1

Cheap, but remember I'm only doing this as a temp engine while I put the other one together right. My only question is should I spray the head gasket with copper spray or just leave it alone.
User avatar
By Loaf31
#351139 Cleaned it up nicely! :thumb: I would just leave it for now. Should be fine :thumb:
By ngarover
#351155 Aright. The engine is back together. Fresh oil, oil filter, coolant and spark plugs.

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But it will not start.

I marked the distributor and I think its right...

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I thought I made sure that the timing belt when on as it came off, Maybe I'm off a tooth or? I guess I need to figure out how to time one of these next and make sure the belts on right. I noticed that the end of the distributor spins and it moved, (I replaced the ring) could I have it 180 out or?

Here is video of what it's doing...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYuei1P ... e=youtu.be
By ngarover
#351170 Hmm.. nope, I never even took the ground off on the thermostat...

Still no luck.

Only thing I can think of is to just take it all apart and make sure the timing belts on correct. Looks like I have to remove the crank pulley to do that, I don't have a air gun that can take that 17" bolt off.

Question 1. is the bolt standard? meaning I loosen it lefty?

Question 2. Can I use the starter bump trick to break it free?

Already have the power steering and the A/c back off. Ran out of time today to work on it. I only have a couple hours after I get home from work before I have to hit the sack and get ready for the next day.

Maybe it was a bad idea trying to make this engine go again... I'm getting the feeling it would have been easier to just do the swap :)
By ngarover
#352832 AAAAND it died.... HG started to pressurize the Radiator hose again.

So, Pulled the engine and swapped in the y8 and 5speed from the 98, just have to finish buttoning up a few lines, but 90% done. Pictures coming.