Thus begins the saga of rebuilding a seized engine, a seized water pump, broken bolts, registration woes, and the many other problems from sitting for years in who-knows-where.  So far, it's living up to its namesake, but it's complete and in good condition. 

Looking good!

Whats up with the muffin tray?

20 minutes ago, Probz said:

Looking good!

Whats up with the muffin tray?

It's where I keep all my most valuable parts, specially my muffin tops. 

Ancient mechanic technology, use the old lady's baking hardware to keep your nuts and bolts.   

After long hours of PB blaster, torches, slide hammering, cursing, crying, kicking, torching, cutting, prying, yelling, and more hammering, it finally came up.  A possible bent intake manifold, but who cares?  I won.

 

Edited March 22, 20224 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

3 hours ago, UnorganizedMechanic said:

It's where I keep all my most valuable parts, specially my muffin tops. 

Ancient mechanic technology, use the old lady's baking hardware to keep your nuts and bolts.   

I use our old rusty cake tins for this and collecting the odd oil drop from laid up engines or vehicles. They’re very handy for catching small amounts of oil when opening up rocker covers etc too. 

@UnorganizedMechanic - I reckon you need to bin that EA81. Keep the oil pump (do not hit it or you WILL crack the housing rendering it useless). 

Options:

1) find a good EA81 to drop in

2) EJ it. You won’t look back once it’s done. If doing a full DIY you need to push through the poo that so many give up in. 

Cheers 

Bennie

21 minutes ago, el_freddo said:

I use our old rusty cake tins for this and collecting the odd oil drop from laid up engines or vehicles. They’re very handy for catching small amounts of oil when opening up rocker covers etc too. 

@UnorganizedMechanic - I reckon you need to bin that EA81. Keep the oil pump (do not hit it or you WILL crack the housing rendering it useless). 

Options:

1) find a good EA81 to drop in

2) EJ it. You won’t look back once it’s done. If doing a full DIY you need to push through the poo that so many give up in. 

Cheers 

Bennie

So many uses for baking tins, I love it.

Here in California there are more hoops to jump through than a seal in a circus when doing engine conversions of that extent.  Plus it's more money I'm trying to not spend.  Good idea though and I'd love to do it, but as for now I'm going to crack open the ea81 carefully and see what I've got to work with.  Plus a brand used ea81 so far is around $300 - $400 USD from these local maniacs that horde them.

If anything, it'll be something fun to document and share. 

Thanks for the comment @el_freddo.

This hunk of junk is registered. The engine is out. The cylinders look like poo. PB blaster didn't do much. Trans/marvel/diesel cocktail didn't help much to loosen the pistons.  Attempting the old Coca-Cola sauce to loosen the rust. Evapo-rust is on the shopping list. Lots of hammering and torching the pistons yet to come. 

 

 

Edited March 22, 20224 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

That a serious boat anchor! 

Move on. Either replace the EA81 or drop an EJ in its place and smile from ear to ear whenever you fire it up  

Cheers 

Bennie

There may be a place in my heart for Evaporust if this thing breaks loose after sitting for a week topped up with that black magic juice.  One bank down, one more to go.

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 20214 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

A cocktail of ATF, acetone, Marvel Mystery Oil, diesel, and eye of newt.  Soaked each set of cylinders for a few days and hit it with hammers.  No luck.

Then, I applied an appropriate amount of hydraulic force and BLAM!!!!  She busted loose.

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 20224 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

 

Edited September 25, 20214 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

 

 

The case before going balls deep in cleaning and rehabilitation.  The cylinders after taking a glazing stone, ball hone, then a honing stone, then ball hone again.  

Gonna run what I brung!

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 20224 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

A glorious hunk of junk.

A little before and after of the bearing surfaces.  Took the old 400 grit wrapping and shoelace trick and got them to where I won't hate myself for it.

 

 

 

Edited January 24, 20224 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

Should be a bucket of fun once you get it back together and running! 

Cheers 

Bennie

The new-ish engine.  Fully rebuilt, slightly questionable, but hopefully reliable.  

Edited December 22, 20205 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

It's only taken a year, but it's just about there. 

This week, gonna start her up with or without a radiator or coolant and see how many fuel leaks it has, then radiator and watch her leak like a seive. 

 

Edited January 24, 20224 yr by UnorganizedMechanic

That’s a crazy amount of dedication and effort for an engine that many, including myself, would’ve binned! 

Have a bit more faith in your work! I guess having a low expectation won’t be so disappointing if it does leak, smoke, not run! 

Make sure your valves are correctly adjusted. The first time I fired up my EA81 after a semi similar build, it was only running on one bank properly as the other bank’s valve gaps were too tight and not making full compression. It smoked heaps too, my heart sank - I forgot that I oiled the cylinders during the slow rebuild, once this burnt off she was smoke free! 

This is what came with my brumby many moons ago. One small bit of pitting at the top of cylinder 1 or 2, can’t remember now... 

 

We drained out about 15L of an oil and water concoction! This engine dropped an internal Welch plug and dumped the coolant into the engine. I’m still driving this engine, so with the work you’ve put into yours it should run fine, unless the carb etc needs further attention. 

Cheers 

Bennie