[jefspg]

I dropped a valve spring about 4 weeks ago. The cheap and easy thing to do would be to throw in a new valve and replace the crappy aftermarket springs to the stock valve springs and bolt it up again.

However, my brain doesn't do cheap and easy, so now I have spent about 1K on new tools and new parts freshening up the engine bay...

An easy weekend project has now turned into an 8 week project.

I decided to remove and replace all of the turbo studs as a preventative maitenance item. One stud was stuck good and another broke off in the housing. So I went out and bought some new left hand drill bits and a stud remover... I then decided that the stock studs suck and found some ARP replacement studs and nuts. I hope they are worth the price!

I then sent out all of the intake/valve cover nuts and bolts to be chromed. I don't know when I'll get those back. Hopefully that will make everything much nicer to look at!

I still need to fit my new external wastegate exhaust once I get the engine back together.

Finally, I hope that slightly slipping clutch I have goes away until next spring when I can upgrade that part of the engine!

Perhaps if I wasn't driving my 9-5 Aero around I wouldn't waste any time on the small detail stuff. I would just throw it back together and get back to driving. Oh well. :roll:

 

[DrSquirley]

Sounds like me, youre not alone!

-Alex

 

[eggsngrits]

Not on that scale, but I tend to 'right' all the 'wrongs' while I'm there. I can't bring myself to cut many corners.

 

[Basre]

Uhhhh just how... did the crappy aftermarket spring get into yr engine?
Usually dropping a valve means new pistons (all of them cuxz patching only one is Hillbilly
Heat, as in from a Torch, usually solves all manner of problems with bolt/stud removal Before they happen.
IF you don't have one, tool rental stores do.

 

[gorper]

Nope. I am on the other end of the spectrum: there's a hood covering that engine, so I couldn't care less what it looks like!

So long as everything works and the motor is reasonably clean, I'm happy.

I don't really know what "strokes" are, but they say different people have different ones.

 

[Areomyst]

Hey, you gotta admire the dedication.

Perhaps you could post a few pictures when you're done sir.

~Josh

 

[unkleG'sif]

most definately not alone in you level of festidiousness dude... a suspected blown valve (still not checked yet, not enough time.... too busy riding my bmx in the sunshine) resulted in a full engine rebuild and swap as well as an apc installation!!!

potentail £200 max repair cost over £1200

I think its something in the blood - my guy at the garage who did the rebuild and swap asked if I loved these cars, but I just said no, only my one:roll:
G

 

[saabchilten]

who cares

i agree with gorper. who cares what the engine looks like as long as its clean and shiny. it is safe to wash the engine off with water right? note not while its hot :nono; . the steam would scare me :lol:

 

[skucera]

Shipwright's disease

When I restored English sports cars as a hobby (before I was married, and certainly before I had kids) we had a name for this phenomenon, "Shipwright's Disease." You start working on one thing, and discover something else that needs fixing. That leads to something else. Eventually you realize that the car has been completely rebuilt twice over, and never left your garage, and is still only 90% complete. And it is so pretty.

Scott

 

[Matt88S]

LOL Sounds like me.

My latest excapade went something like this.
Head gasket blew.
Pulled head. Too simple to just replace head gasket and put everything back, so it was decided to rebuild head while off.
Head was sent off to the shop where they royally jacked it up.
However while they were busy jacking it up, I was busy replacing little things.
Alternator mount bushings, belts, hoses, water pump, bolts, studs, new radio, new speaker wires, no new speakers yet though so it sounds awful, stock speakers are blown.
After I ran out of things to do I relized the machine shop had had my head for almost three weeks. That was when I found out they had for basically ruined my head.
So I had to find another head.........

There was also a few specialty tools that had to be purchased during all this, but I'm sure they will be used again. You can never have too many tools.