Alamo_KL: Operation Unpurple back at the shop

[wagZE]

Engine bay will look good with fresh wire loom & those painted vc's & everything.
Look at that even got the engine cradle painted. Diggin it. Nice hatch shade too.

[DRAG323]

Nice job

[Caleb T]

I like your car man... Really like the wheels! What color is the engine bay? It's hard to see on my computer.

[alamo_kl]

wagZE- Thanks! The only thing I can take credit for is the VC's and anything red/black. The wheels and engine cradle were already painted. I am going to respray the green until I can decide what gold I want to go to.

DRAG323- Thanks!

Caleb T- Thanks! I saw it for sale, and it was completely different from what I normally go for. I'm a Honda guy, but this little MX3 has some serious appeal. The engine bay is Lexus Desert Sage Metallic, I believe.

[alamo_kl]

Rebuild is underway! I've only come across a few bolts that I have no idea where they go so far. The worst part is figuring out where the gaskets and O-rings go. Kit has ZERO descriptions.

Here are my cam gears:




My progress yesterday:






Should get the heads built up in the next couple of days, then I'll get to painting the rest of my Valve cover, then get this thing done!

[alamo_kl]

Valve Covers:





Those cam gears (by the radio on the back wall) sure are vibrant!

[alamo_kl]

Well, finally have the motor back in the car! Deploying during an engine rebuild sure does suck. Lost a lot of my pictures because I broke my phone, but I'll get some posted up. There were a few connections I couldn't find anything to plug them into...but we'll see how it goes once I can get the damn thing started. Tried two nights ago and she fired up for a few seconds, but my battery was so shot that I couldn't even jump start it again. Got a new battery yesterday, but ran out of time before work to install it. Tried to crank it last night when I got home, but I got a lot of clunks...and a few grinding noises like when you try to start a car that's already started. I'm going to pull the starter off and take it to O'Reilly's to get tested. Hopefully I don't need a new one because this car is sucking my bank account dry. I have a little over a week until my buddy comes back from his deployment and takes his truck back. If you guys have any tips on that first start after a rebuild/install, I will gladly read them.

[alamo_kl]

So, there has been a LOONG hiatus with the build. Turns out, my buddy who helped with the rebuild used the wrong bolt somewhere on my Valve Cover and the cam lobe snapped it off, which then lodged underneath the cam. Also, being my first rebuild, I didn't pack assembly lube in the oil pump or the crank bearings. The engine ran for about 8 seconds on the first run. It seized, and it turns out I spun some bearings and welded one to the crank. Motor sat outside of shop 1 for a month. Took the motor to shop 2, and they tore it down within a week. Then they sat on shipping the crank out to be turned for 2 months. Then they got the wrong bearings...and didn't say anything until I came back from my most recent deployment. I ordered the bearings for them since they "couldn't find any" that would fit. They got those December 18th. Just yesterday, they had the car cranked and doing break in/tuning of the engine. All of the paint work that I did on my parts is totally ruined. So much for that...

[alamo_kl]

Oh...and they lost my dipstick tube. There are so many horrible things that have happened in this rebuild...I'll be posting pics of some of my setbacks here shortly since I cannot access the hosting websites at work.

[WhiteFinish]

Ouch...

Glad you're sticking in the game though.

[alamo_kl]

I don't have a choice at this point. My $3,200 cheap daily has now become a $6,000 nightmare . Too much money sunk into it to not finish out. I'm just hoping that in a few days I can have her back, and that the bill doesn't jump up since he's continuing to "find" things that need to be sorted out.

[alamo_kl]

Well, I was supposed to have my car today. He can't find the IAC plug...or the Speedo plug...winning

[alamo_kl]

Got the car back yesterday! It's amazing what a fresh engine does for a car! Still needs some tuning, and some minor fixes, but...IT LIVES!!! Have to fix the speedo, IAC, get it aligned with the new suspension, and replace the idler pulley by the alternator. A good wash is definitely in order. I think my clear coat is gone on the roof from just sitting in the desert sun for 2 years. My wheels are trash. They're no longer green...more of an ugly tinted white. My exhaust was good before, but now, it's F****N loud!

[WhiteFinish]

Pictures !!!!!

[alamo_kl]

Pictures will come. I'm just stupid lazy right now. Investigated my no speedo...turns out the thing isn't even plugged in. I find that amusing since he "checked the wires" . Did find the IAC plug, so that's taken care of and my idle is so much better. Power steering started making a ton of noise, but that's because the professional I paid to rebuild/install decided not to put any fluid in the reservoir. Going to pick up some on the way home so I can drive it to the alignment shop.