Engine issues - advice needed

[MilkyNoSugar]

First weekend where I could get some work done on the car following my knee surgery and the friends were available to help, and made reasonable progress before my knees started to complain.

The intake manifold and carb, and rocker covers were already removed. We got the alternator, water pump, bonnet, and radiator removed and oil drained. We took the rocker arms off, push rods and lifters out and moved the pipes and threaded studs over the new water pump.

First problem of the day was that the damper puller my friend said he would bring, was the wrong type so we could not get the timing cover off or cam out. Got a new puller on order along with a damper installation tool so we should be able to make progress when they arrive.

We then moved on to swapping the valve springs and seals that came with the rocker kit. We decided to try and do this with the heads in situ as the exhaust manifold bolts look like they have not been touched in 52 years and I do not want to make the job any bigger than it needs to be with a broken bolt in the head or block. Air line attached to the spark plug hole, and home made valve spring compressor deployed (waiting for a new one to arrive) we got the old spring removed. Second problem of the day was that the supplied valve stem seals were too small. The Inner Diameter of the ones we took off is approx 15mm, the new ones are only 12mm. There was no mention of needing to modify the valve stems, but from the research done this looks like what we are supposed to do. Have I missed something obvious here?

 

[MilkyNoSugar]

Another day on the corvette.

Good progress today with one exception.

Good news. New valve springs and seals fitted. Lots of cleaning and painting in preparation of putting everything back together.

Bads news. Cannot get the harmonic damper off the crank. The Sealey puller broke before anything moved. I had applied heat and used plenty of penetrating oil, and yes I had removed the bolt and washer.

Any suggestions welcome for getting the damper off.

 

[Oneball]

I didn’t mean hit the crank. I don’t want a disagreement so have deleted my post.

 

[Emc]

Do the puller up then hit the end of the puller bolt straight on with a metal hammer.

If that doesn’t work leave it done up and apply heat but it’ll take about half an hour of heating with an hot air gun as it’s a big heat sink. Keep hitting the bolt

If that still doesn’t work leave the puller on over night. Keep hitting the bolt

Or any combination of the above.

Bad advice the crank should never be hit, get a better puller

 

[MilkyNoSugar]

DPTOOL Harmonic Balancer Puller Removal & Install Tool versus a 1972 harmonic balancer.

90 minutes of effort.

I tightened the puller as much as I dared, and it was starting to bend the plate. I then got a paint stripper heat gun on and heated the balancer, occasionally turning the bolt to apply even more pressure. At 102 degrees centigrade, there was a sudden audible ping, and the puller had won the battle. I did have to jack the engine up to give me enough clearance to get the balancer of the crank without it catching on the cross member.

For anyone else who is struggling to remove the balancer, the DPTOOL is much better than the previous Sealey tool.

 

[MilkyNoSugar]

It's been a while since I last updated this thread.

The engine was definitely overdue for a rebuild. The old timing chain was so slack, it's a miracle it hadn't skipped a tooth. The camshaft was worn out, and the followers were badly worn. I was amazed by the variety of valve stem seals—I didn't know there were so many types!

I installed the new camshaft kit and reassembled everything. The engine turned freely by hand, and oil pressure built up during cranking without the ignition coil connected. As part of this process, I cleaned and repainted several components at the front and top of the engine. I also removed and cleaned the sump pan, but found no significant metal debris in the oil.

When I finally fired up the engine, the previous top-end noise was gone, but there was still a terminal noise. Initially, I had suspected the noise was all top end, which was backed up by what I found on inspection but it seems there is a remaining problem with the crankshaft bearings or something at the bottom end. The sound was concerning enough to shut the engine down immediately. It's hard to describe the disappointment I felt at that moment.

It was time to remove the engine and consult a specialist, as this issue is beyond my capabilities.

I've heard some people complain about the difficulty of removing the engine due to its size, weight, and the need to lift it over the front of the car. I'm not sure what the issue is, as we didn't encounter any significant problems using a small engine hoist.

 

[Chuffer]

If you are gonna do a lift , go big !!!

 

[Nassau65]

As people say “ big is better”

 

[Forrest Gump]

Brilliant. Are there any cows in the pen next to your car?