Garentee this gets quite a few posts.

[Josh-stateside]

Hmmm.. How do I start?

Let me start by saying I am a very optomistic person. Bumps in the road are bound to happen, some just happen to be really damn deep pot holes.

So.. where's this going?
You probably looking at the pic allready I suspect.

So how did it happen?

Not sure exactly to be honest.

Picture:
Engine hoist with a level hanging engine, subframe dropped, engine mounts dropped.

I did everything by the books, except for the fact I torqued slightly with a impact wrench 6 o'clock on the engine, on it's lowest setting which is only like 60ftpounds. The whole Time I watched the distance between the tranny and engine. It was the same all the way around.

So I slowly torque bolts jumping my way around the engine and tranny and I hear the weirdest noise.


Answers? I am not sure yet, I am still looking into all my options.

1. get it welded, I been told by a solid engine repair shop that it's possible.
2. get a rebuilt short block, there is a 3b at a decent price.
3. get a bare block 3b,kx,aan,7a? and swap internals.
(kicking myself right now for selling my old 7a bottom end a month ago)
4. Get a bare block, and build a 2.5L bottom end?
5. Get a aan long block, decent price but motor milage is a bit high.
6. Options are endless.... Got some crazy ideas too, I won't bother to post.... Not yet at least.
7. Import a short block from europe?
8.

The coupe itself might makes it way to a particular porsche shop. I will have them drop the tranny, mate it to what ever block I decide upon and make it way into the engine bay from underneath.

This hasn't haulted me from working on the car to be honest. Actually it's motivated me, I been sending out emails non stop looking into all my options. This coupe has been an absolute nightmare from day one but that's part of the challenge too. I luckly have another form of transportation, two steady awesome jobs, and some cool friends willing to help me out.

So I will keep everyone posted.








P.S. Hey martyn I bought a new DIGI still learning how to use it thought

The hoses are sweetness btw. A great tease while we are at it too.

Oh yah it's sitting on a nice thick tire so don't worry. I haven't decided if I want to put it back on the engine stand yet.

[Doug_RS2]

Does that new digi have auto focus

What happened Josh? I can't make it out - the pics are too big!!

[Josh-stateside]

The flange on the engine cracked off that mates up to the tranny.

It's on the side of the motor where the reference sensor, and engine speed sensor attaches. These pics are huge for my webspace to be hosting so when I find some more time I will see what I can do about taking smaller and more detailed pics.

Still reading the digi manual.

[martinjs]

josh - so you still had a gap between the engine and gearbox as you were tightening the bolts up, is this correct,
could you post some more pics?


martin

[Josh-stateside]

Yes that is correct martinjs, there was a slightly gap 5mm-10mms I would say. For the most part as I tightened it up around the tranny the gap was getting smaller and smaller.

The motor went straight in to the tranny. I spent a good 2hours playing with the chain setup getting it to hang properly.
It's a bit perplexing but I don't want to hang on the past thoughts to be honest. I will certainly take some more pictures tomorrow and post them.

This incident has basically got me thinking alot. Most likely I am going to have it welded and get the car on the road. However I am starting to think I like to build a short block as a winter project.

2.5L sounds good to me.

We will see. I still need to look into all my options. Tomorrow I will be visting a couple welding shops to get an estimate. There is a custom weld shop 2 miles from my house :-)

I am hoping that all I will have to do is pull the flywheel and clutch setup again, put the motor in the back of my truck and drop it off. Life would be quite simple if that is the case.

I'll post more about the subject tomorrow after work.

Cheers
Josh

[jameswkr]

Josh, sorry to see your misfortune. Are you sure the clutch/trans splines were engaged correctly before starting to tighten the bolts? Check for damage there too. I have seen this kind of damage (and worse ) repaired by a v skilled welder. The last one I saw him mend was a Lambo block where a rod had thrown. Good luck. James.

[martinjs]

Josh, have you changed the needle bearing at all?, i had a similar problem whilst fitting a rr engine into a 100 avant, input shaft on gearbox is larger on the older open type gearboxes (1mm i think) so had to fit a bearing for the original engine of the car, before i knew about this spent nearly a day trying to get it to fit, couldnt figure out why? completely peeved off!!!
had a look at the magazine article from when the car was featured in volkswagen/audi driver (originally had conversion done in 96', fitting another engine due to previous owners overindulgement in nitrous but thats another story)
and says about this bearing needing to be changed.
the engine should mate upto gearbox relitavely easily.
measure the input shaft on gearbox then the inside diameter of the bearing.
i would have thought welding it would be fine if the mounting points for the timing sensors aernt affected.
saying that are you using the 7a gearbox, if so probably blows this theory completely out the water.

HTH
good luck

martin

[Martynf]

Josh,

That's gutting, hope it works out ok mate. The hoses look good! and the new digi cam needs turning down a bit on the number of pixels in each picture, that's a large picture :-)

If you seriously want a 2.5 cc conversion block ready to bolt in and run, let me know. I'll get figures for you.

Good luck Josh, that really sucks.

Martyn

[Martynf]

.

[SteveH]

Josh,

I'm sure you'll be able to get that welded up without too many problems...still a bummer though m8

[Sweeper]

Josh: as for making pictures. If you have a canon digi there is a button with a flower. Called something like micro or macro picture. It useful when you want to picture something small.

[Josh-stateside]

To answer a few questions:

The spindle went it fine, I actually tested it. I had the car on jacks while I was dropping the motor in so I put it in gear, and hand crank the motor over.

Martyn my email is: livinotte@cox.net

Feel free to interest me in prices on 2.5Ls


IT's a sony digicam. Not the greatest piece of japanese electronics but I got it at a great price. It will be coming with me to construction jobsites so truthfully I didn't want anything too nice yet. Christmas present to myself will be a nice digital.

Thanks
Josh

[Josh-stateside]

wow did I luck out!

There is a happy camper sitting at this computer right now.

One of the best welders in Rhode Island happened to just build a new shop right in my town! The motor was dropped off today, and he said he will have it done by end of the day tomorrow!

He has the coolest toys too. Custom chassis bikes, hotrods all the lovely americana goodies. I will take some smaller pics of the motor when it's finished being welded. This is another place in my area that has certainly been put on the list for future reference.

I still have alot of thinking to do, but I am not sure if I want to put the motor in using an engine hoist.

Most likely I am going to have the porsche shop drop the tranny, bolt it up to the motor, and install everything from underneath.

Cheers
Josh

[Josh-stateside]

Hi guys

-A- and -B- dowel sleeves for centering on the aby motor.

Guess what?

These were too long!!!!!!!!!

I don't know how I could of over looked it!!!


I am so perplexed, but now I know.

I pulled these out and installed the motor, and it went in fine!!

So tomorrow they are being cut.

What a kick in the ***!

I had the motor in, pulled it out, motor in, pulled it out, motor in, pulled it out... Trying to figure out why it would not go in. Checking release bearing, spindles, pilot bearing etc.

I end up putting the motor in the van, Simply put, pissed off and had I enough.

Then my buddy comes overs, and says "lets give it a try"

Me, Mike, and my old man.. Tickered with it.. Till it dawned on me. WTF!


So this was quite a mess, and now I will be even more **** with reading etka, bently and everything else.



I would ussually says

Cheers
Josh

But I am not to amused right now... Human error sucks.