Engine's Out! Winter build has started

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

hey Jason, do you think I should just get some 660s now or break the engine in on my 550s that I have a fairly decent tune for?

If I switch to 660s I'll probably just change the base tune on the mafT and it should be good enough to idle and low load around stoic for breakin.

[JasonY]

I would break the engine in on the 550's. I normally put the stockers/stock ecu back in for engine break in, but since you are starting with a good tune, you should be fine.

Jason

[lawdogg]

Looks great man! Nothing beats looking at that engine coming up and out!! Well, maybe seeing it go back in when the time comes ... lol!

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

lol

what's the trick to getting the trans off the block when the whole thing is sitting on the ground or dangling by the cherry picker?

I'm wishing I would have just dropped the trans while the engine was still in. I'm sure my clutch disk is bent to hell by now.

Anyone know if an RPS 6 puck disk will work with my ACT Plate? Does a full face disk stand a chance?

[JasonY]

ahh, yours is good and stuck, i lowered the trans onto blocking to support the trans high enough to level out the engine/trans combo and just pried it straight off on Todds car when his input shaft was pretty much stuck in the clutch disk.

Full face clutch is fine, just dont track it much and if you do, give it lots of time to cool off between runs and dont ride it much out of the hole. Not sure on on the clutch combo.

Jason

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

yeah its good and stuck

If I just toss another mitsu disk in there will I still need to resurface the flywheel? I put this clutch in maybe only 5K miles ago, but it seems dumb to not put a new disk in while its apart. It would be the exact same clutch disk, just new.

[JasonY]

I would just check the step height, if its in spec, i dont think it would need to be resurfaced?

Jason

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

yeah it was resurfaced when I put it on last year, if it doesn't have any cracks or hot spots I'm gonna just run it.

Picked up some ratchet straps to try to level the engine, it keeps wanting to lean a ton towards the trans side and is binding up the clutch.

[lawdogg]

Use the lawn chair trick. Sit in a lawn chair and have someone lower the tranny onto your lap, with the engine & trans on the hoist. Now, get them to pull the engine away from you, and you hold onto the trans. Compliments of Iowa crew. That's how Jon and I did mine a few weeks ago.

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

that is a great idea. If you saw my garage right now you'd see why I can't try it though

There is like inches to work everywhere. I gotta get this engine on the stand and get the cherry picker out of here so I have some room to break the engine down.

I got the trans off. I was leaving 2 headless bolts in the bellhousing so it would slide off and not put weight on the clutch, but that was just making it really hard to get apart. I took those out and hooked a ratchet strap to the water neck to keep the engine from tilting down so far and we wiggled it apart no problem.

The flywheel looks great. You can still see the machining marks, so that is going to stay. The pressure plate is perfect too. No signs of hot spots, this clutch hasn't been overheated. The disk is still pretty good, but I'll get a new one since they are only like $60.00.

Very happy with the condition of the clutch components.

I see lots of spots that were leaking on this poor guy, even the rear main was damp and I replaced that a couple years ago. This thing is such a mess, I don't know how I'm gonna get it clean with the car in the garage with me. I'm tempted to put the axles back in the car and roll it outside, but I'd have to put the hood back on or get a car cover. I also am going to paint the under hood black and cleanup the years of aftermarket wiring and vacuum hoses I have everywhere, so it really needs to stay inside I wish my garage was about 10 foot longer. Very hard to work in it.