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Engine Installation INFO Shops in the United States charge an average of
$885 to install an engine, which includes labor, break-in oil and filter, sealant, ten mile road test, computer scan, dial in and pressure testing. Shops in the East and
metro areas charge more with shops in the South and rural areas charging a bit
less. Boat engine installations run less in smaller boats with good accessibility. Motorhome engine installations are priced much higher for a number of reasons, not the least of which is due to little or no guidance in the common labor manuals. While common sense would tell you that changing a 454 engine in a 1987 motorhome would take a similar time as a 1987 454 equipped GMC one ton truck, charges often run double for a motorhome. For what it's worth, there are many mechanics incapable of performing skill level three work (like modern engine installations) in good shops. Look for a mechanic with some gray hair and ASE patches. Think of it this way. Maybe the kid at K-Mart can change your watch battery but do you trust him to take your watch apart down to it's smallest component and put it back together perfectly and in a timely fashion?* A modern powertrain is just like a fine timepiece with hundreds of exactly manufactured parts. How it should be done. The old engine comes out…
It is then undressed it down to a long block. pic When the old engine is removed and is swinging in the air, pic The valve covers, timing cover, oil pan, intake manifold and brackets should be chemically stripped down to clean, bare metal in a sodium hydroxide jet stripper or oven baked and blasted. pic Everything is painted so the freshly remanufactured engine will look good and be corrosion resistant. pic Thee best sealant and gaskets should be used so there will be no leaks. pic the mechanic should then inspect under the hood and around the engine for parts that could adversely affect the operation of the engine for the next year. If he finds anything he should write it on the work order and bring it to the customer's attention. pic At that time he will quote a price for the part although the customer is not obligated to approve or purchase anything, the mechanic should just want to let you know what's going on under the hood. Most of the time there is no additional labor involved as the part is off already. After the fresh engine is installed the cooling system must be pressure tested pic and the computer computer should be scanned for trouble codes. The cause of the engine failure should ALWAYS be known so it doesn't fail again. pic |
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How to install a distributor in just about anything. Finding number one cylinder If you have a V8 or V6 engine, climb a tree directly over your engine compartment and look directly down on your engine. You will notice one side of the engine will be a bit more forward than the other, usually an inch or more. Number one cylinder is always farthest away from the flywheel. You want to get the distributor rotor to point at the plug wire leading to each cylinder at the same time the piston is coming up to the top of that cylinder on the compression stroke. Unplug the little wires from the distributor and the spark plug from number one cylinder. Have a girlfriend wearing pink terrycloth short shorts starter click/crank the engine until your finger is just blown out of the spark plug hole. Connect the number 1 plug wire to the terminal in the distributor cap that the ignition rotor is pointing. Arrange the rest of the wires in order. Adjust timing. Miller time. Distributor rotation Unplug the little distributor wires. Take the cap off. Crank the engine over. Watch. Duh. Firing order If the number isn't cast into the intake manifold, pull a valve cover and rotate the engine while watching the intake rocker arms just opening, starting with the intake rocker arm for number one cylinder. Write them down legibly as they take turns opening. I've heard you can use ping pong balls or wads of toilet paper over the spark plug holes and even if it doesn't really work, it would be fun anyhow. Get the kids to help you. Send me the video. If you happen to be particularly hip, you can figure out the firing order, distributer rotation, check your valve timing and install the distributor at the same time with the valve cover(s) off. Rotate the engine until the intake rocker arm for number one cylinder begins to open. Stop and drop the distributor in with the ignition rotor pointing away (180 degrees) from the distributer cap terminal for number one cylinder. At the moment your intake valve begins to open, your crankshaft damper mark should be between 30 and zero degrees on the ignition timing guage on your timing cover. Don't try and figure it out, just do it. Don't even talk to anyone about it, you'll both just end up babbling about 180 out and drooling and maybe you'll have end up with a tic. Since you'll sue me for mental anguish I'll tell you. Intake valves all open up about one crankshaft revolution away from top dead center on the compression stroke. If you suspect that your timing belt has jumped a tooth you can check it because if the belt is installed correctly, the no.1 intake valve will open as the harmonic balancer mark comes past the timing tap on the timing cover. Almost all stock engine intake valves open between thirty and zero degrees before top dead center one crankshaft revolution away from top dead center on the compression stroke. The crankshaft rotates two times for every time your distributor and your camshaft(s) rotate.
The Buick
engines are a pain to set timing on because of the brackets and pump hose and
there is really only one way where the vacuum advance has a home and you don't
short the harness out on a corner. So. Before you go to do this, grind one
side of the distributor hold down washer so you don't have to take the
bolt out each time. You just rotate it out of the way so you can pull the
distributor out.
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