I knew things were going too well. Back to typical SBF bs. Barely leaned on the top 2 wp bolts and they snapped. Getting the pump in without pulling the a/c bracket was a non starter. 1 of the long wp bolts was a bolt/stud with the head behind the bracket. Then, 2 of the 4 long bolts were froze, requiring the heat wrench to free them. Then the lower thermostat bolt is froze. Timing cover has to come off anyway to get a straight shot at it. Being a SBF, it undoubtably needs a timing chain. At least all these parts are cheap lol! Rock Auto is digging this project. After snapping those bolts, tunes changed to Robert Cray blues.
Progress Thread Today in the shed........
- Thread starter Don7Up
- Start date
DadLife0724
I vote for a new bung hole.
Wonder if the Fox ARP timing chain/water pump bolts will work on this setup?
I used these on both of my cars and all I can say is way better than the OEM stuff.
I used these on both of my cars and all I can say is way better than the OEM stuff.
More chipping away today. Who in their right mind pops for a nice double roller chain and forgoes the bottle of anti-seize? Idiot. Today's tip is if going in after said idiot, have a torch and dist. wrench handy or you'll break more than the 2 bolts I did. Went well getting to the last timing cover bolt. Another one of those bolt/studs hiding behind the lower air pump bracket. More heat needed, and had no problem ripping out that lower flexy air dam that was all kinds of in the way. Lower thermostat bolt came out by VERY carefully working back and forth. Parts should be here tomorrow, supposed to rain next 3 days. S'okay, got gaskets to scrape, parts to clean, gaskets to glue, and threads to chase. Hope to have it wrapped up next weekend. Nerve calming tunes provided by Atlanta Rhythm Section.
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While waiting for warmer weather Monday, got the bolt threads chased and gaskets glued. Most people find this drudge work, but strangely I find it relaxing. Low mental input required so I grab a beer and get lost in the tunes, which were a couple of my fave Jethro Tull cd's. Check out that gross thermostat. No wonder the water pump puked when swimming in the flush solution. I believe the 3 most ignored pm's are ATF filters, cooling flush, and rear end lube. This job covers the second, and I have a rear end cover gasket to take care of the last one.
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gkomo
now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft
Off topic, but what do you guys do with old/used coolant. You can take oil to O'Reillys (or wherever) and they recycle it for free. But they don't take coolant.
You probably already know, but sometimes those backing bolts that come with new pumps are too thick and hit the cover before the pump gets tight. Always good to check with a feeler guage they aren't touching.
Nice work on it. Those broken cover studs are a pain. And in a van even worse! Not much room to work.
Nice work on it. Those broken cover studs are a pain. And in a van even worse! Not much room to work.
DadLife0724
I vote for a new bung hole.
Certified recycling facility.......
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gkomo, my local transfer station takes oil/anti-freeze. I always keep a quart around for rubber lube. Used to mount ALOT of motorcycle tires.
nicholase, the pump/hoses are Gates. Always had good luck with their belts/hoses, and they got the pump bolts right. Thanks for a good heads up for the new wrenchers who stumble across this thread.
I will also give props to the Dorman timing cover. Very nice casting and machining. I have plenty of experience recognizing that having closed out my working days running cnc's making green tractor gears for the last 22 years. The Dorman stat housing looks good, but the stat flops around a little more than I'd like, but the stat OD might be a little undersized.
nicholase, the pump/hoses are Gates. Always had good luck with their belts/hoses, and they got the pump bolts right. Thanks for a good heads up for the new wrenchers who stumble across this thread.
I will also give props to the Dorman timing cover. Very nice casting and machining. I have plenty of experience recognizing that having closed out my working days running cnc's making green tractor gears for the last 22 years. The Dorman stat housing looks good, but the stat flops around a little more than I'd like, but the stat OD might be a little undersized.
The pic shows where I got yesterday. Slow start gave me 4 hrs. before I ran out of light, and my back was tweaked from bending over scraping gaskets. I can't get through a job without double laboring myself. Putting on the balancer, I ask myself where's the timing pointer? Oh. over there. Doh! Not bad, just a couple bolts.
Finished up this morning. Surprises were the water pump and cam gear had Ford part #'s. When I think SBF timing chains I see a cam gear with plastic covered teeth like the one that came out of my Comet 25yrs. ago which was the last one I did. At least I avoided the "well. I'm in this far, might as well bump up the cam and put a 4bbl. and headers on it" this time lol. Was that double roller OE? While waiting for parts I was looking thru the owners manual and found a service station service reminder dated 7/10/06 with mileage 18290. So the van has done 3K in 20 yrs. The gas/brake pedal show almost no wear so I'm wondering if this van has 21K instead of 121K. Being parked for a couple decades would explain why someone who wanted it back on the road cheap would just put 1 gas tank in it and bypass the other, and why the cooling system was so corroded. It would also explain the timing chain not loose enough to be changed and total lack of anti-seize. Let it idle while I put away tools. Stat was open, topped off the coolant and didn't see any leaks. That leaves the A/C, cruise control, and axle lube to be done. Running out of warm weather, so might get get to pulling the cruise module connector and ohming the steering wheel switches. If not, the rest of those can wait until next spring. It's back on the road.
Finished up this morning. Surprises were the water pump and cam gear had Ford part #'s. When I think SBF timing chains I see a cam gear with plastic covered teeth like the one that came out of my Comet 25yrs. ago which was the last one I did. At least I avoided the "well. I'm in this far, might as well bump up the cam and put a 4bbl. and headers on it" this time lol. Was that double roller OE? While waiting for parts I was looking thru the owners manual and found a service station service reminder dated 7/10/06 with mileage 18290. So the van has done 3K in 20 yrs. The gas/brake pedal show almost no wear so I'm wondering if this van has 21K instead of 121K. Being parked for a couple decades would explain why someone who wanted it back on the road cheap would just put 1 gas tank in it and bypass the other, and why the cooling system was so corroded. It would also explain the timing chain not loose enough to be changed and total lack of anti-seize. Let it idle while I put away tools. Stat was open, topped off the coolant and didn't see any leaks. That leaves the A/C, cruise control, and axle lube to be done. Running out of warm weather, so might get get to pulling the cruise module connector and ohming the steering wheel switches. If not, the rest of those can wait until next spring. It's back on the road.
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DadLife0724
I vote for a new bung hole.
Just from the photos you have uploaded, I could believe 21k.
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