Checked the flex plate bolts and they were tight, pulled the trans and checked the flex plate for cracks-it was fine.
Pulled the oil pan and found #5 cylinder had a broken piston skirt...so there was my noise, had chunks of the skirt in bottom of oil pan.
Took motor to machine shop and had it gone over with .030 over pistons, all new parts including camshaft and lifters, polishing of the crankshaft and new valve guides, seals.
Pretty much a stock rebuild.
Performance mods will be a banks revolver header pipe and 4 hole upgraded injectors, brown dog motor mounts.
Eventually a new cat back exhaust but gotta recoup some funds first.
Put a new vibration dampener on and got the trans mated to engine....just waiting another 10 days before my motor mounts arrive so I get this sucker back under the hood.
Gonna send my driveshafts to the driveshaft shop for new U joints and balancing.
Eventually I’ll do a slip yoke eliminator kit and a Tom Woods double cardan rear driveshaft.
Put a new dampener on, $50.00 cheap insurance.
I ended up renting the dampener installation tool from autozone which made the puller install a breeze.
My mercedes fan clutch holding tool was the perfect aid in holding the pulley while I torqued the bolt down.
You can easily make a holding tool with a length of flat steel or aluminum with some precisely spaced bolt holes which can accept bolts form any pulley removal tool set.....a must have and available cheap at any auto parts joint.
I also replaced my input shaft radial seal on my trans since my old seal looked pretty worn and was leaking.
I spent hours yesterday finding another seal since the one I got from autozone went on way too easy by just pushing it in with my fingers.
I found another seal at a small auto parts store and we used a micromenter to measure the new seal against the original and it was a little larger in diameter and this new seal went in like it should with the aid of a seal installer....in which case, an old rifle scope sun shade I had lying around was the perfect fit to pound the seal in.
Little stuff like this will set you back a half day sometimes.
