rebuilt engine worries.

["Andrew Eckhardt" <aeckhardt@starlinx.com>]

Well, I obviously have not left any rocks clamped under the bearing caps. I
just turned 150 miles on my rejouvinated 2226, and it quit smoking by the
time I first got to the end of my street. After all I've been through with
this one, I'm very surprised. I don't know if that's enough break-in or
what. I didn't see a need to hone the cylinders. The crank needed a bit of
polishing. It came down to just under max clearance for standard bearings
before it was done. For some stupid reason I ordered them ahead of time.
The oil pressure is high enough, but I'm afraid to find red line. I'd
rather this engine didn't crumble as it is to be the raw materials for more
substantial builds. That's why I took it apart in the first place. Think
it'll hold?

I replaced the erl and fitler and proceeded to floor the accelerator on the
highway a lot. Aha! I knew there was a reason for pursuing this project.
After 70 mph in second the thing actually starts to get a bit exciting. I
had to hold the auto in second or it would shift somewhere around 3500 rpm,
just where it starts to wake up. As entertaining as it might sound, the
engine is bolted to an 087 E-mode transaxle. The car used to be a turbo
diesel. Needless to say, I will not be jazzing the throttle at red lights
until I get a little further on this project. Though my intake and exhaust
plan turned out sounding pretty wild, that doesn't make hole shots. It
takes a LONG time to climb through first. By the way, does anyone know
where the diff. oil fill hole is on the 087? Anyone have a 016 they're not
using?

I never bothered to install the power steering pump. Instead I removed the
whole works. (Ha ha, your not gonna leak now @#$%&!.) I just ran a piece of
fuel hose from in to out on the assist cylinder to keep dirt from grinding
up the works. I hope the pinion is sturdy. I'll be asking a bit more of it
lately. To me, power steering is just another belt load, chunk of mass, and
thing to unbolt every time I remove the engine. Maybe I played with too
many go carts as a kid, I don't know. I'm glad to have the steering feel
the way it is. I took everything else out too. Is there a manual master
brake cylinder for the '84 5000?

Andrew
aeckhardt@starlinx.com
'83 5000s evolving for fun.