998 Automatic Engine Rebuild

Tomorrow is paint day at last, we were supposed to have rain all weekend and today, and didn't get a damn drop - so much for the weather guessers - so I could have done this on Sat and been that much closer to building it up and getting it running. Oh well.....

I got the tent set up in the back yard and tomorrow I'll spray for bugs to keep the nits out of the works, then set up the block, head, trans, rear housing and a few small bits like the water pump and thermostat housing and spritz away.



Weather is supposed to be cooler tomorrow too and I'm looking forward to that, but it's only going to last one day so I'm taking advantage! Once everything is coated I'll let it sit overnight to cure out a bit then bring it back inside and let it set up for a week or so to really harden off

 

I sprayed early this morning and I'm glad I did, the bugs were really bugging me last night as I put up the tent, today while painting I had no issues....

So first the primer

Then color. this is Resida green used on a lot of VW products that the owner chose, I sent him the pic and he was happy with it.

 

Only got about 3/4 of the first can to spray, then it just quit......I tried cleaning the nozzle but no joy, so I broke out the second can and it not only sprayed better and lay down smoother I was able to use the whole can. Plenty of paint on there now. So now it's just time to let it cure out.....probably at least 12 - 24 hours till I can safely handle the parts. I'll let it cure out for at least a week to harden off good.

 

I can't see the point of using this over good ol RustyOleum or POR15, other than custom color. A good etch primer and brushed on POR looked every bit as good as this stuff......

And $122 for 4 cans of spray paint? Sheesh.....

 

Making progress, and then stalled out again......got the head assembled, but I still haven't found a place that can hone the bushings out in the forged rocker arms I bought - might have to do it myself.

Also found that while they removed the old pistons, the machine shop forgot to install the new ones (press in wrist pins - requiring a special fixture) so I ran them back over today and they will be done by Friday.

I got the head mostly assembled and all the little bits cleaned and painted, so once the parts come back from the machine shop I should be able to press on with the build.

 

Picked up the pistons today, and a friend gave me the name of a shop that he thought could ream the bushings in the rocker arms for me.

I drove the 20 miles out there today and dropped off the rockers, guy said he'd try and have them ready by tomorrow. This is a really old school machine shop owned by a really old and old school guy. He said he used to have 27 people working for him and now has one - he sang the same old song about not being able to get good help, young guys just aren't reliable and don't have good work ethic and he can't trust their work and so on.......

We exchanged war stories for about half an hour then I left - we'll see if he comes thru for me tomorrow.....I would like to use his shop as he says he can do crank grinds as well as bore blocks and do the hardened seats too - but I question whether he can get things done in a timely manner. He said his crankshaft guy was down to two days a week as that's as long as his knee would let him work - he's scheduled for a replacement as soon as the doctors go back to doing elective surgery again.

Same story I hear all over town - old guys barely keeping the doors open, buried in work they can't get out the door and no help.

 

Doesn't look anything like the army green I'm used to, did they change the color of the uniforms and trucks and such? This is army green to me.....

 

Thanks Dave.

I picked up the rocker arms this morning, the guy called at 9 am to let me know they were done! That's the last piece of the puzzle on the 998 automatic, now I just need to get down to assembly.

We talked a little more about doing some work for me but he said he'd rather see me take it to some of the other shops in town as he just doesn't think he can get my stuff done in a timely manner. I didn't disagree with his assessment, as I walked thru his shop I saw stuff piled up everywhere - he pointed to an old Nash engine that had already been there 2 years waiting for a rebuild. I thanked him thoroughly for the quick service and headed over to the local Brit parts place to pick up a few bits for other jobs and headed home.

 

Another setback.....

The block appears to have been bored 40 over - pistons are 60 over.

Maybe if I get a bigger hammer........

The guy who did the work is coming by this afternoon to pick up the block and pistons and try again.

Hard to get good help these days.....

Actually, he was very surprised when I contacted him last night and told him the holes were a little too small. We'll see what he says when he comes over later today. Too bad, I was really hoping to have the engine all assembled and ready for the engine stand this weekend.