Slowly, the bottom end progresses
April 3, 2018
With the crank in the block and the pistons and rods assembled, next was putting them into the cylinders.
First, rods needed to be separated. The bolts were torqued down pretty good and I needed a little help loosening them. An impact wrench does the trick.
Then, on goes the ring compressor.
And placed in the block (with rod bearing installed and assembly lube applied. Also, make sure the crank journal for that cylinder is at the bottom of its stroke, so the con rod doesn’t ding it (don’t ask me how I learned that lesson!).
A couple of wacks on the top of a rubber mallet and the pistons slip into place.
One at a time.
Eventually, all six are in.
Torque the rod bolts.
And if you’re lucky, it still turns.
Meanwhile, the reassembly of the body has stalled, waiting for a new headliner. The head, too, is MIA, still at the machine shop waiting for “the end of the week.”