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Now I'm in for it.

I had the chance to spend two and a half uninterrupted hours working in my garage last night. Sadly it was replacing the starter in my truck. Some day I will get back to work on my project.
 
So today, I got to work on the Alpine for the first time in a long time. A master bath remodel in the house is finally complete. The last time I was working on the car, I was attempting to finish up the new brake lines for the rear disc brakes. I had a persistent leak at one of the unions. I went to the autoparts store and bought a new 60" chunk of line with appropriate fittings. As I was taking off the old line, I got a good look at the terrible bubble flare I had formed at the end that was leaking. I determined that I should take one more run at correctly forming the end. It turned out much better and I screwed it back into the union. I gave the pedal a few pumps and no leaks, but the peddle did go easily to the floor. I returned to bleeding the brakes. I used my hand vac pump to pull air and dirty old brake fluid from each corner until I got nice clean fluid in my catch can. Now for the test. I still have the car up on cribbing, so I carefully jacked first the front and then the back and spun each wheel by hand while my wife applied the brakes. Success, the brakes applied and released as they should. I then tested the hand brake while I had the rear whees l up in the air. That also applied and released nicely.

So I have been thinking that once I got the brakes sorted, it would be time to take the car off the cribbing and drop the motor and transmission back in. I think I will set the trans on a jack under the car before I lower it to the floor, so it will go in the bottom and the engine will go in the top. With the removable trans tunnel, I will have plenty of access to the back of the engine to fiddle with joining them up.

On another matter, a buddy of mine just had a pontiac 455 built to go in his 72 trans am. He has nearly convinced me to take my engine to a shop and have it run on a stand. The engine came with the project and I have never heard it run. I have had the valve covers and oil pan off and turned the crank over by hand to make sure everything moves as it should. I have also done a cold leak down check on each cylinder and compression seems fine. What do you think, should I get the motor checked out before I go to the trouble of putting it in, only to have to pull it back out?
 
I think it would be a good idea if the facility is available. If the engine is a fresh rebuild, you could use that to break in the lifters. Plus, as you stated, it could reveal any issues that would require pulling the motor after install.
 
I am going to call the shop that built my buddy's engine and see when they can squeeze mine in. I will have to make a skid to set it on for the trip to the shop.
 
I am scheduled for the week after next to get the engine checked out. The shop has a skid I can borrow to hold the engine in the back of my truck for transport. I am excited to see what they find out about this engine.
 
I am taking my engine in for dyno testing next week, so I spent a little time dressing it today. I stabbed in the distributor and installed20250111_151441.jpg a new aluminum pulley set and alternator bracket.
 
I know this is a quick photo .. but I note all the cooling passges are open, have you had those taped off normally?

Also you said you just installed the distributor.. before that did you have plugs in the head it have the plug holes taped off?
 
I have had plugs in it and the intake manifold taped off, but I have not had any of the cooling passages taped. What would I be trying to keep out of the cooling passages?
 
Aladin Sane said:
I have had plugs in it and the intake manifold taped off, but I have not had any of the cooling passages taped. What would I be trying to keep out of the cooling passages?
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As the thermostat housing opening face up and same with water pump etc... general dirt, dust and shop debris .. if you are sanding, grinding etc and crap is I the air can settle down into those openings and you get debris in the system that can either help clog the radiator, help accelerate corrosion, or add something that can wear on the pump veins... It's why radiators come with plugs in their outlets when new...just keep debris from settling in then while on a shelf etc .
 
Ok, since the engine will be run on a dyno engine stand next week, I am hoping any accumulated debris gets flushed out into the shops coolant.
 
Aladin Sane said:
Ok, since the engine will be run on a dyno engine stand next week, I am hoping any accumulated debris gets flushed out into the shops coolant.
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Looking sweet! ... The first V6 conversion I saw in person was Johns "phyrman's" orange Alpine ... Those V6's look like they belong in these car's.

........ David
 
Aladin Sane said:
View attachment 34028 a new aluminum pulley set and alternator bracket.
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I just noticed something on the motor... You have generic cast alloy ribbed rocker covers.
On the LAT ones for the Tiger the ribs at the rear of each cover are shaved off, this alloys a little more clearance under the scuttle where the motor sits back into the firewall and allows a bit more wiggle room to get at things without having to drop the motor.

I know you have modified your scuttle , but have you looked at clearance for the rocker covers... In a stock tiger they will fit with ribs.. but there is no chance to remove them with out dropping the motor down for clearance.

1000108252.gif
 
Here is a pic from when the engine was in the car. A tight fit for sure. This was one of the sellers pics. A lot has changed since then. I hope my air cleaner clears the bonnet. I bought it after I pulled the engine. I sure like it better than the foam triangle type it came with.s-l400 (2).png37313.jpeg
 
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