Ever have one of those weekends

tistan

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2005
Messages
5,976
Location
savannah
I bought a 87 fox coupe a couple months ago. I really just bought it to put some suspension on and to some HPDE with it. It started with new motor mounts. I lifted the motor, and when I set it back down coolant started leaking from what looked to be the outside of the head gasket. I go to put new gaskets on it. When I get to the lower intake, not one bolt was tight. There was my water leak at the intake gasket. It has been ten year since I owned a 5.0 or I would have remembered to mark the distributor cap and rotor so I could drop it right back in place. I have to find the timing. I pull the distributor about 5 times and I'm close enough that I'm one tooth off from being in time. I pull it one last time and then try to put it back in and nothing. It will not go down on the oil pump shaft. I fought it for 3 hours and destroyed my distributor trying to figure out why it wouldn't go in. My friend had a couple extra distributors. I got one from him, and it wouldn't go in either. So, I'm like WTF. I took a magnet and stuck it on the oil pump shaft and it lifted up, but the clip that holds in place was still on it. I figured out that the shaft had come out the oil pump. I worked with it and rotated it until it went back in. I put the new distributor in and the car fired on first try, but it was still one tooth off. I pulled it one last time and the oil pump shaft came out again. No problem, I have the rotor set where I need it and I'll just get the shaft back in the hole. Nope, PING, the sound of the oil pump shaft hitting the bottom of the oil pan. Somehow it worked free from its clip and dropped into the abyss. Now I get to drop the k member and pull the oil pan. I have had enough for this weekend. I'm just still pissed that I was so close to having it timed twice and the day to end like this.
 

KingJacobo

GM Fanboy Gone Darkside
Established Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
214
Location
Atlanta
Whenever I set the timing in my '66 I plan on spending 2-3 hours because of....stuff that happens or that I find while poking around.

It really sucks, but that's what comes with the territory of working on cars.

Take a breather and get your mind off it, then go where you left off next weekend.
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top