FML!!!
Hi everyone,
Its been a little while since I posted any progress. Here's the story. I put new bearings in the 302, it was needed. I also put new freeze plugs in the block since they were corroded and leaking horribly. I have since assembled the engine and painted the valve covers and intake. The engine is in the car as of last Wednesday. But that is when the fun started...
Since I hid all of my wires behind the inner fenders, I had to re-route alot of them. When I tried to start the car for the first time, I couldn't get power to the fuel pump. After a frustrating day, I realized I had a wire as a ground that should have been on the starter relay hot side.
So then we had the fuel problem sorted. Then the car wouldn't start. No problem, the distributor was off 180*....... and then a tooth one way or the other. Then it fired. Hooray! it wouldn't run, but it was starting, which was progress, although frustrating none the less.
Also, I deleted the smog and A/C. After 8 TRIPS to O'reilly, I got the right belt. Luckily, its within walking distance of where the car is. But, where the belt goes from the alt to the p/s pump, it rubs on the top of the water pump, so I need to put in an idler pulley somewhere. S**T!!!
I decided to fill the cooling system with water at that point to keep things moving. At that point I realized that one of the gaskets wasn't where it was supposed to be since there was a serious stream of water dripping from the back of the pump. F**K!!! I threw in the towel as it was Saturday night at this point and I was pissed/tired/hungry/etc.
Yesterday, I took the water pump back off, swapped the gaskets and re-installed all of the associated parts I took off. Guess what? Still leaks. AAANND - the freeze plug in the pass. side head is bad too. What the hell?!?!? (yes, I know, I should have changed ALL of the plugs)
So now, I have a car that fires, but doesn't run. Wont hold water, and a serpentine belt that rubs itself b/c of the way it is routed. I had to take a break from the thing for a while. Luckily, I got called offshore for a while so I can re-motivate myself to keep working on this terd.
Sorry for the long report, but i needed to vent frustrations, and my girlfriend doesn't understand, hahaha. I only have on pic of all the work, but I'll try and post it up from out here tomorrow but the 'net sucks out here.
Oh, almost forgot, I should have my 408 shortblock back from the machine shop in a couple of weeks