Welcome to the first year of American Mechanic...The Backyard Breed. I'll start out by catching you up to speed. I have been slowly rebuilding the engine for a 1984 Chevy Caprice Classic station wagon.

    It came with a 305 small block with a four barrel Rochester Quadrajet sitting on top, and air conditioning that amazingly still works. All or most of the work is being done out of the shed in my backyard. The picture below shows my workspace. It's not much room but I'm doing the best I can like most backyard mechanics.

    The original problem was that the oil pump drive shaft came lose and was rattling in the pan. Upon removing the valve covers, cooling water was discovered puddled on top of the heads. So I decided to pull the engine and do some further investigating. After removing the intake manifold, I found the reason for the cooling water being where it was. The water passages in the rear portion of the manifold where solidly blocked on both sides as where the passages on the cylinder heads.

    After seeing the condition that this engine was in, the decision to rebuild it was an easy one. By the tons of grease that had to be removed before anything could be done, it was obvious the previous owner did little to maintain it. After allot of scraping, degreasing, and pressure washing I finally had the block to where you could touch it.

    I then got a loan of a ridge reamer through AutoZone's loan a tool program. After removing the small ridge at the top of the cylinder chambers, I broke out my hone. I found that I was able to obtain the cross-hatch pattern I wanted to achieve, be slowing down the drill and taking my time. After cleaning all the cylinders, I could better see the extent of the scaring on the walls of the #1 cylinder. This I thought qualified it for a trip to the machine shop. The scaring isn't too severe, but I would like for this engine to last for awhile. Unfortunately, with the Taurus's  (my other car) transmission shot, this moves the deadline for this project from whenever to as soon as possible. With no transportation to get the block to the machine shop now, that trip is going to have to be canceled and we'll have to hope for the best.

    The block has been sprayed with 2 coats of Duplicolor's Engine Enamel GM Blue part # DE1608, and most of the new brass freeze plugs, that I got on eBay Motors, are installed. This pretty much brings you up to date as of mid-January 2005.

    Note: I've suspended posting to here for a couple of reasons. Lack of interest is the first, but if you want me to start posting again, email me and let me know. Second is the engine is in the car and outside. Living in Western Washington State in the spring, you tend to get soaking wet if your outside.

March 11, 2005 - Intakes man
March 08, 2005 - Can't get a head er
March 07, 2005 - Hoist away - Home at last
March 03, 2005 - Modifying - Under Pressure!
March 01, 2005 - Packin' it - Modifying

I'm currently looking for sponsorship, so if anyone of you or these fine merchant's would like to contribute please let me know.

Lasik