Got the radiator, timing belt cover, t-stat housing out of the way. Picked up the BASocket for the crank nut, and a new 3/4” (yikes!) drive ratchet. So far, I’m spending more on tools than I am on parts..but I’m sure that’ll change.
A gentle pull on my new BARachet, and the motor began to turn, very smoothly! After a short happy gearhead dance, I decided to try to pull it to TDC. Came within a quarter turn of it, and the thing just stopped cold. Didn’t pull very hard, since it might be a valve. The PO said someone had “gone through the heads”, but I don’t know if that means they were rebuilt, or if someone just tried to replace the original multi-piece head gaskets with the good ones after it started leaking. Maybe the guy didn’t have it in time when he bolted it all back together.
Current options:
1.) Remove the heads, fabricate liner hold-downs, rotate it all to the marks & bolt it up. Pros: It’s easy. Cons: new head gasket set.
2.) Remove timing belt, and slowly crank the cams & crank forward by hand to get the valves out of the pistons’ way. Try to see if I can get all three shafts to TDC one degree at a time. Pros: No expense. Won’t have to remove the heads. Cons: It’ll take a lot of time to do, and I won’t know if the PO’s mechanic bent valves when he put the thing back together 15yr ago.
