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813 hits | 79.19 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
Slacked the U-bolts sleeve nuts
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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1547 hits | 74.79 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
Levered the incorrect iso clamp downwards
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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849 hits | 75.96 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
Deteriorated rubber and no locating center left in the rubber
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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1101 hits | 62.99 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
The incorrect iso clamp is missing the detents and allows the rubber to walk
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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808 hits | 53.76 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
This side goes up against the spring and has some life left in it.
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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682 hits | 57.58 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
This other side goes against the incorrect clamp and without the slots to fit the rails of rubber at both edges, it's crushed them nearly flat.
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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723 hits | 75.11 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
With parts weeks away I used the vice grips to keep the clamp and rubber located in the center, then torqued the heck out of the nuts.
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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732 hits | 82.29 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
Seems to have worked for now and I'm back on the road, able to drive it until the new parts come in.
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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765 hits | 66.31 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
Everything back where it should be.
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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953 hits | 86.39 KB | Posted: 2/1/11
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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1228 hits | 51.53 KB | Posted: 2/23/11
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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1294 hits | 40.77 KB | Posted: 2/23/11
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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592 hits | 9.27 KB | Posted: 2/6/12
(Posted in: Leaf spring repair)

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566 hits | 42.24 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
Pulled this plug out of the passenger's rear cylinder. The engine was effectively a 6 or 7 cylinder as two plugs looked this bad.
(Posted in: Tuning)

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592 hits | 36.51 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
This was about the average plug condition for 5 of the other cylinders
(Posted in: Tuning)

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684 hits | 38.92 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
Only one plug, the passenger's second from the front, looked like this.
(Posted in: Tuning)

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612 hits | 39.98 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
These are correct for an 83' 318, but I prefer Autolite Copper 65s gapped out to .050" instead of stock .035"
(Posted in: Tuning)

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596 hits | 23.12 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
I've always had good luck with Taylor SpiroPros. I'd rather have an old set of these, than a new set of house brand parts store wires. I use black so the smog nazis take no notice of the rest of the engine.
(Posted in: Plug wires)

pnx-45011.jpg
624 hits | 11.71 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
The Pertronix Flamethrower II is a good 0.6 ohm coil cranking out a very hot 45,000 volts at peak. It, and the better plug wires, allow me to open up the stock .035" plug gap out to .050" no problem, with good results. Add a multiple spark ...
(Posted in: Hotter coil)

sum-850610_w.jpg
989 hits | 28.51 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
I'm running this digital multiple spark control box that lights off each firing multiple times below 3000 rpms and then gives and uber fat single spark over 3000 rpms. Frankly I'm chasing mileage even more than performance so I don't care what it's d...
(Posted in: Multiple Spark box)

mech_adv.jpg
1164 hits | 36.38 KB | Posted: 4/2/11
The newest Mopar Performance vacuum advance distributors have fully adjustable mechanical advance weights. Just slack the two T-20 torx screws (on the weights) and adjust away ! You can go from zero to 28 mechanical degrees not counting initial (base...
(Posted in: MP vacuum distributor)

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540 hits | 71.19 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Good running 85' 318 2bbl scored out of a parts car we bought two years back. Ran well, but had a couple of leaks and...it's 27 years old, so we're freshening it up to replace the engine in the 83'.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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583 hits | 69.99 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Tearing it down with an impact saves time. The engine in the 83, which this will replace, seems past it's prime and is impossible to time properly (must be a whipped timing chain).
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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583 hits | 41.71 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Main and rod journals are in amazing shape for a 27 year old engine. So were the bearings, but at Rock Auto's prices, we're replacing them and polishing the crank journals.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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533 hits | 43.93 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Chain seems a little whipped, but I've seen worse. It will be replaced with a double row timing chain/gear set and a Magnum style MP chain tensioner, so it will never be slack again.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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501 hits | 65.97 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Cleaned the block exterior and then removed most of the rust with a wire brush wheel, readying it for paint. I'll replace the frost plugs when they arrive with the rest of the parts.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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484 hits | 56.43 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Cast in late 84', happily it has 302 heads but also happily, not the roller cam and low rpm valve train.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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584 hits | 74.46 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Borrowed a buddy's valve spring compressor for an hour and disassembled the heads. Great shape, but the seals were so brittle they cracked up as we removed them
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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516 hits | 77.22 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Valve lapping time again. There's the course and fine lapping pastes on the bench in front of the Record vice.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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522 hits | 66.58 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
If hand lapping the valve seats and faces doesn't work, then you're in for a fairly hefty machine shop bill.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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505 hits | 46.44 KB | Posted: 11/17/11
Happily the seats and valve faces cleaned up easily and quickly with minimal lapping, a testiment to the good shape they were in. No appreciable guide wear either.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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547 hits | 73.6 KB | Posted: 11/22/11
Got the new seals, assembly lube, lapped valves all ready to go into the heads with my buddy's valve spring compresser, on top of the head.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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536 hits | 79.92 KB | Posted: 11/22/11
Last valve going in. Got my buddy's compressor back to him inside two hours, as he's a mechanic and I know how it feels to have loaned out a tool then need it.
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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502 hits | 76.28 KB | Posted: 11/25/11
(Posted in: Engine rebuild)

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522 hits | 67.73 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Picked up all my parts at once, from the states, having brought them in from Rock Auto, Summit and Advance Auto.
(Posted in: Rebuild parts)

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628 hits | 58.96 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Double row heavy duty timing gears and chain for $35.00 at Advance
(Posted in: Rebuild parts)

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437 hits | 52.58 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Last time I paid nearly double just to get the balancer repair sleeve and gaskets and seal included in the kit. The seal and gaskets came free in the gasket set and the sleeve was $7.00 locally.
(Posted in: Rebuild parts)

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389 hits | 73.8 KB | Posted: 11/21/11
Clevite No. 219 9420, for Seven dollars at Rock Auto, gets you all the plugs a small block Mopar needs. No chasing around, ready to install(block AND heads). They even throw in one slightly oversized plug in case some GM trained monkey botched an ins...
(Posted in: Rebuild parts)

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489 hits | 67.88 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Dying for a low end torque and mileage increase, so we blew $204.00 for a Comp Cam with 16 new lifters. 250/260 compared to stock 240/248 degrees. Excellent torque and mileage, so says the specs 800rpms to 4800 rpms. Just what a heavy, tall geared Fi...
(Posted in: Camshaft)

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500 hits | 72.96 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Tried this rust removal technique I learned from the Fullsizedbronco forum. Note the water vessel supplied by the township, battery charger and sacrificial piece of metal.
(Posted in: Electrolytic rust removal)

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584 hits | 73.45 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Washing soda is added at one table spoon per gallon of water.
(Posted in: Electrolytic rust removal)

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582 hits | 63.34 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
A likely candidate for rust removal.
(Posted in: Electrolytic rust removal)

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756 hits | 53.15 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
The positive clamp goes on the sacrificial rod, that gets dipped in the water. It gest this much build up on it, every 6 hours. Shows how much rust is coming off the manifold.
(Posted in: Electrolytic rust removal)

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600 hits | 74.55 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
Removed, pressure washed after only 12 hours. 48 hours gets rid of all the rust...completely....inside, outside....all of it. The heat riser valve works like it's brand new, cleaning iron, steel and brass beautifully.
(Posted in: Electrolytic rust removal)

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511 hits | 57.99 KB | Posted: 11/18/11
The balancer pulley is completely rust free. Try that with a wire brush.
(Posted in: Electrolytic rust removal)