Richard's Corvair

The Restoration of my 1960 Corvair

Final Engine Assembly and Installation

Engine parts ready

New set of correct rings

Rings fitted on piston

Cylinder ready to install with protector on bolts

Oil dip stick tube too high

Oil pickup with dip stick in correct position

Torquing rod end caps

Cylinders and pistons on one side

Home made gasket for alternator-filter adapter

Engine basically assembled

Engine with clutch

New staples for shroud seals

Engine with seals stapled

Grandson Nathan helping put blower on

Engine from bottom

Choke and intake housing

Crankshaft with corrosion

Polished crankshaft

Original condition of cooling fan

Cooling fan

Complete Power train assembled

Engine on jack to install

Car ready for engine

Original Engine condition

Engine installed

Month 14 part 1

This month starts with the second assembly of the engine after having taken it apart to find the bulge on the bearing that was causing too much friction. This part (a) shows the assembly of the engine.

Assembling the engine with parts that are already double checked is a lot easier, although I found that the oil sling on the front of the crankshaft rubbed on the bell housing seal. This sling was later discontinued by GM, so I decided to leave it out.

With all the parts laid out and my new package of rings, I began assembling. Here I have the rings on a piston and am inserting the piston into the cylinder, ready to mount to the engine. Also shown is a the oil pickup tube and screen with the dip stick height corrected, and the oil filter/alternator adapter gasket I had to make because the new one broke when I took the engine apart.

You can also see the new staples I made for the new engine to body seals. These were made from a roll of galvanized wire.

This time when I finished it only took 15 ft. lb. of torque to turn over the engine before putting on the heads

This video shows a fool-proof method of finding the compression stoke to find TDC to adjust the valves and install the distributor. When the wet napkin is shot across the room, you piston is coming up on TDC. Then a screwdriver on the top of the piston puts it dead on. I decided to pre-fill the lifters and adjust the valves cold.

So here are several pictures of the top of the engine, assembly of shrouds and muffler bracket, and the final assembled engine and transmission.
Also shown is my grandson Nathan who insists on helping.

You can also see the choke housing that was filled with dirt, and the engine on the jack waiting to be lifted into the car.

Here are the comparisons of the some of the parts before and after, as well as a comparison of the original motor installation with the new. (Later I was able to find the part number and get original air intake tubes)

This month continues on the next page

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