Project Tootie - Bucket Has a Younger Sister

[GRONK]

All right.  Found a good VIN Decoder:

http://www.vehicleidentificationnumber.com/vin-decoder/amc-car.html

Looks like Tootie was:

-Born in Canada
-Her mom was Americam Motors Canada Inc
-Multi-purpose Vehicle
-6258 2bbl carb
-Auto Floor Shift Full Time (Though she is a select track)
-Eagle (duh)
-4 Door station Wagon
-Base model

'm not 100% sure about 2 things though, she comes up as full time 4x4???  That's not true.  also, for a bas model, she has more options than my 83 Limites minus leather.  Weird....

Oh well. dems the stats.  I wouldn't expect anything less from my girl Tootie.

[Prafeston]

My '83 Limited literally has no options expect the standard leather seats for a Limited model. I got none of the other goodies.

[shanebo]

It seems that all the "Limited" meant was it had leather...cuz I too have seen some limiteds with zero options...other than leather that is. All those options in a base model car make tootie a pretty rare bird indeed.

[GRONK]

Found an engine for Tootie today.  I pick it up this Sunday.  Not going to do anything fancy other than check the seals and clean'er up a but before reinstalling.  It's from a Jeep so MY understanding is I will have to change the oil pan out with the Eagle pan.  Anything else needed?  I'll definitely clean all the extra wires/vacuum lines out from under the hood and give a good scrubbing.  I'm only planning on this engine to last a year or so.  B then I should have something better ready to go.

[mudkicker715]

As long as its an 80 and up.

[vangremlin]

It's from a Jeep so MY understanding is I will have to change the oil pan out with the Eagle pan.  Anything else needed? 

Swap the oil pump too.  And swap the whole pump not just the pickup, because that won't work.

[shanebo]

Good call Dave!! They are different.

What year jeep is it out of?

[GRONK]

It's out of an 83.  180,000K (Not sure if all original or not.  Has an aluminum valve cover and all the accessories.

I'll probably replace the main seal if it looks to need it and all the topical gaskets.  Will add the Motorcraft and TFI distributor before reinstalling.  I'll pressure wash everything and give it a good scrubbing so I can identify any issues/leaks.

I have headers and a 4bbl intake but I doubt I'll waste them on an old engine.  Maybe I'll have Tooties original engine rebuilt and add them before reinstalling.

Thanks for the oil pump tip.  I've never done this so it's all going to be a learning experience for me.

[vangremlin]

I'll probably replace the main seal if it looks to need it and all the topical gaskets. 

Thanks for the oil pump tip.  I've never done this so it's all going to be a learning experience for me.

We swapped a Jeep engine into Pepe, and it is definitely a learning experience.  Since you need to take off the oil pan anyway, I would go ahead and change the rear main seal whether it needs it or not.  Its about a 15 min job when you have the engine that much apart.  I would also recommend changing the timing chain and gears and front seal, another simple job while you have the engine apart.  Were both engines from automatics?  If not I have another important tip for you 

[GRONK]

I don't know if it's from an auto or not.  Tip away kind sir.......

[vangremlin]

I don't know if it's from an auto or not.  Tip away kind sir.......

The engine we were swapping in came from a manual transmission jeep, so it came with a flywheel.  When we swapped the flex plate over from the original engine, we used the bolts from the new engine, which are made for the flywheel.  We didn't learn until we had the engine back in the car that the bolts for a flywheel are longer than the bolts for a flex plate.  We had to disassemble the engine from the transmission to trade out to the flex plate bolts, otherwise everything would not go back together.

So, bottom line, transfer over the bolts from your original engine.

Good luck, it was a fun project putting the new engine in!

[GRONK]

Just ordered a set of FOB's and a 2 relay 12V receiver.  I'm adding remote unlock in the drivers door and a complete all doors lock feature.   Was going to make a remote start too but don't really need one and I figured it was just more wiring to mess with.  The boy wants me to make it a push-button start like my K-5.  We'll see.

If anyone's interested in the wiring for the remote doors, let me know and I'll document it.  It's really pretty simple and for under $80, totally worth it in my opinion.

[WoodenBirdOfPrey]

Yeah that would be great if you could document the remote door install.  I know how to do it, other than where the best place is going to be to tap into the wiring.  Thanks!

[GRONK]

Will do.  It will be a week or 2 but I'll document it and do a nice writeup.

[vangremlin]

Was going to make a remote start too but don't really need one and I figured it was just more wiring to mess with. 

Whenever I've seen the remote start units advertised, they always say they are for fuel injected cars only.  Would one work on a car with a carb?  Thanks.