Ginger the 83 wagon

[tougeagle]

Yeah...I just got the specs on the oil pan job...it looks more like a week job...no problem though rather get it done right than quick. By the way is the rear main a one piece on theses motors???

Rear main is a two piece, you have to remove the rear crank bearing cap to get to it, after removing the oilpan. One piece is in the cap and one is in the block. Make absolutely positive you take note of which direction they face when you remove them, or you will hate life when you get it all back together and it leaks...Use the little white plastic thing that will come in the bag with the halves, it is your FRIEND

[shanebo]

cool...thanks for the help man!! It may be a while before I Get the oil pan off my work schedule has been nuts!! I dont get home till after dark and I really dont want to tackle that in the dark!!

[doneagle]

                    HI I cant believe that I haven't told you how nice your car looks I was checking out the work your doing .That is a good looking car ...the rear seal  would Nice if one piece but it isn't ...I have the pan off one right now ......I wished  It was warmer so I could work on it  day dreamer  .......Don

[shanebo]

Thank you don I really appreciate that...I sure like her. Right now I'm at yet another cross road in my project. Its time to change the oil pan gasket... I'm really dreading it!! I still have a few more questions though before I can confidently start this undertaking. The most burning question at this time is where would I hook the hoist chains to the engine...Should I hook the chain to a manifold bolt or is there a better sturdier location to hook it to. I really dont want to mess anything up!!! Ive never pulled a strait 6 before only 4 bangers and v8's...and both had eyelets to hook a chain to
Thanx
Shane

[tougeagle]

Thank you don I really appreciate that...I sure like her. Right now I'm at yet another cross road in my project. Its time to change the oil pan gasket... I'm really dreading it!! I still have a few more questions though before I can confidently start this undertaking. The most burning question at this time is where would I hook the hoist chains to the engine...Should I hook the chain to a manifold bolt or is there a better sturdier location to hook it to. I really dont want to mess anything up!!! Ive never pulled a strait 6 before only 4 bangers and v8's...and both had eyelets to hook a chain to
Thanx
Shane

the best way to do it that I've found is by removing the large bolt in the middle of the motor mount on each side, bolting the load leveler to it, then unbolting the engine from the subframe, leaving the motor mounts on the block. This must be done with the manifolds removed. DO NOT use a manifold bolt hole to lift the engine, you will not be able to balance it properly. You will need some additional length on the load leveler chains, but you can pick up chain and quick links (use same size chain) for cheap at a hardware store, at least, for the length you'll need. There is an eyelet on the front of the block just above the oil pan, on the spark side, just behind the timing cover, and another that should be directly opposite of that at the rear of the block, though it will require some creativity. You could use a transmission bolt and bolt the rear to the block, at the large hole on the side, or even use the axle bracket mount holes if you want. you need to have the manifolds off though.

[doneagle]

HI          the best way that I know of is In the back of the head there is a 3/8 bolt hole and in front of head the same  3/8 bolt hole .. put the leveler on the two bolts and lift you have the traney off so its an easy pull .that is the way I do it .hope it helps ........Don

[shanebo]

Good info fellas!!! the engine is sitting safely on a stand eagerly awaiting a good going through a clean up and a fresh coat of paint...No mishaps what so ever  ;DI gotta pull the half shafts and front axle out tomorrow..check them all out and get em all cleand up and painted as well....

Ill tell ya what though...between the tranny and the engine leaks there were areas that had a good inch of grime built up...Im gonna need a jack-hammer to get through some of this stuff

Now if I can remember how the thing goes back together Ill be on easy street! LOL..I may be posting alot of questions here in a few weeks

[doneagle]

                HI glad to hear every thing went well I Reilly like the way your doing this car .The right way its so good to see it fixed right............Don

[shanebo]

Ya know Don...I originaly was just going to fix the tranny and hit the road.....But Ginger is 28 years old and stuff is going to wear out...The way I see it I could have just done what was minimaly needed to drive her and spend the rest of my life tearing her down ever few months to fix somthing..or...just buckle down and redo everything and be able to drive her confidently for years to come.

Plus I always wanted a brand new Eagle...I was 9 when the last new eagle ever was sold....When I pull Ginger out of the garage, I want to feel like Im pulling of the Owen Faricy sales floor in 1983.

[shanebo]

I went outside tonight and just sat in Ginger for like an hour...There is something about Eagles that just feels good. They have a fit and a feel like no other car!!!

[tougeagle]

I went outside tonight and just sat in Ginger for like an hour...There is something about Eagles that just feels good. They have a fit and a feel like no other car!!!

When in the midst of the efi conversion I did that constantly. Every time I went to the garage to smoke I sat in Caroline and just daydreamed about what it would be like to finally drive her. It's very bittersweet though, she's fast and handles very well but is extremely rough around the edges...

[shanebo]

No doubt...If I sat down and made a list of every single thing ginger needed to make her like new, I would probably have a 30 page list. Im gonna get the motor and tranny done...then Ill move on to the axles and all the steering components and vaccum lines and so on. Body and Interior are last on the agenda.

Right now Im kinda frustrated cuz I really cant do anymore until I save up some cash to buy the gasket kit. I had to put myself in check today as I found myself getting very obsessive... I was out there starting to pull trim cuz there was nothoing more I could do with the drive train right now. I had to stop and say tomyself...Whoa!! what am I doing!? If I start moving too far ahead and getting like 20 partial projects going at once stuff is gonna get misplaced or broken. I need to stay focused on one goal at a time here.

Im getting a little squirrely too cuz I know know ive lost a few labels on the vaccum lines and others have become disconnected durring the engine pull....I have a tendency to sit and dwell on things like that. Its a good thing I have the Nest...Id be going absolutly crazy If I was doing this alone...Thanx for all the support guys!!

[shanebo]

Spent an hour or so with a plastic scraper today getting the crud off the engine...ill bet i scraped close to a half pound or so of caked on grime off the engine...This weekend i replace the oilpan gasket....still debating on head gasket...a new one comes in the kit im buying...Id hate to get into bolt issues though...a gamble no doubt

[shanebo]

Im pretty tempted to replace the water pump too...it has a a slight catch in the pully when turned not bad but it would be a very easy fix at this point in the project.

[maximus7001]

Im pretty tempted to replace the water pump too...it has a a slight catch in the pully when turned not bad but it would be a very easy fix at this point in the project.

That is exactly what I would do at this point. I would also change the bearing in that idler pulley and the thermostat as well. Also the block heater is so easy to replace while the engine is sitting there like that but I do not see one there so I am guessing that it is not needed for yours.