if ever there was a reason to not use steel freeze plugs here is a fine example, not sure why they even sell them
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My 69 Dart "AKA" The Blue Mutt
- Thread starter billsdartgt
- Start date
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torsion bars kicked my but quite a bit, ultimately I prevailed, the adjuster nut coated with rust and paint, took a while to get the threads cleaned, then I finally got to use this handy tool I bought a few months ago.
two torsion bars, two different numbers, they do appear to be the same diameter, haven't checked just yet though
two torsion bars, two different numbers, they do appear to be the same diameter, haven't checked just yet though
sure hope when I install the Dougs it helps this little nightmare, thanks goodness for shorty wrenches
A comparison of what the new one is compared to old, also it is substantially lighter
A
A comparison of what the new one is compared to old, also it is substantially lighter
A
more tear down, starting to get anxious to install something. Whoever thought it was a good idea to install strut rods so you had to take out the torsion bars and lower control arm was a maniac, that absolutely sucked.
old and crusty to clean and painted
old and crusty to clean and painted
got the driver side header out, one of the leaking freeze plugs is right behind the motor mount, that one isn't going to be easy to replace, since I had no plans for the old header my friend the sawzall helped out.
With the lower control arm ut did a little clean up in the wheelwells and made sure the upper arm and camber bolts were ok
One thing I don't like is what looks like a leak along the head, very concerning, notice that wonderful steel freeze plug
One thing I always end up doing when I take on a buch of different work is getting some new tools, picked up this cart and 2' ratchet from Lowes, the tools that came with the cart are some of the most common things needed when working on a car, I have been wanting a ratchet for a long time but to cheap to buy it, caught it marked down, maybe by mistake but Lowes honored the cheap price.
progress has been slow, still in tear down mode and cleaning some of the things I have already taken off. After cleaning the lower control arms found the bushings completely wore out, still more cleaning and now bushing replacements. Spent today cleaning up the garage so when I get back from my Utah trip I can get back at it, and to just have a sense of getting something done I put on my hood/cowl seal. I looked closer at the head and will be pulling them off for a closer examination and hopefully just a new set of gaskets and bolts
Joe Mc
No Car Like A MoPar!
Bill, enjoying your thread. Nice car. I hear you on steel f-plugs... might as well make sure any of the threaded plugs aren't steel. I know you don't want to separate eng/trans but... if there's steel f-plugs where you can see there most likely are same where you can't. Best to do now then later...
^ I thought about that, still haven't ruled it out since Im taking the heads off, short block is easier to handle than a long block, especially when you work alone.
Joe Mc
No Car Like A MoPar!
Bill, I hear you = working alone. At least there's no one but yourself (and the previous owners} to blame when something goes south... LOL
Keep on keeping on!
Keep on keeping on!
^ yep, when you look around and crap everywhere and can't find the tool you need, nobody else to blame, worse one I hate is dishes, I swear somebody is eating at my house when Im gone, just can't catch them LOL
more teardown today, what originally started out with a few simple things has snowballed into a whirlwind of cash burning and plenty of work. it was obvious that the rear leaf spring bushings as well as the strut bushings were worn out completely, after getting the lower control arms off I found those bushings were bad as well, they will be replaced and also to have everything new and refreshed I have pulled the uppers to replace them as well - mo work and mo money. I got the intake off and the heads, I confirmed what I thought from putting my scope down the plug hole, I have the TRW 11.5 pistons, you can still see some crosshatching in the cylinders so the block has been redone in the not to distant past or the engine never ran much after the rebuild. I also found out I have what I believe are "J" heads with the 2.02 valves, while they appear clean and have new valve springs it doesn't appear there was any other work done to them, tomorrow should be the last doy of teardown then on to all the cleaning of everything taken off or out, sure wish there was a better way to change the bushings on the LCAs, looks like I will be welding in the washer for my endeavor.
Part number pretty clear, glad the engine only has a .030 over, 2 bolts where it looked like the head gasket may have been leaking did not seem they were as tight as all the others, this sucked but now I will know exactly what I have with my engine.
Part number pretty clear, glad the engine only has a .030 over, 2 bolts where it looked like the head gasket may have been leaking did not seem they were as tight as all the others, this sucked but now I will know exactly what I have with my engine.
Some more teardown again headers out and started removing UCA bushings, also started cleaning up a few pieces, next weekend will be cleaning and perhaps a start to install crap back on the car. My 16 year old Ryobi grinder has about given up, doesn't take much pressure to completely stop it, first on the list will be a trip to lowes, hope whatever I get I can get at least half as much life as the old one. Cam bolts, bump stops, and torsion bar tensioner bolts, amazing how easy nuts will thread on their bolts without 50 years of dirt and rust
Lookin good Bill! Lots of work done. I think what you have is a solid foundation. Got some good parts there. Some would argue those pistons are heavy......and they are, but they WORK. Great old school stuff. nothin wrong with it. Wish we were local, I'd ride over and give you a hand.
Thanks, I don't work as fast as I used to, I now realize that weekend naps aren't just for babies anymore. LOL
Cleaning sucks, just no shortcuts, reassembly should be pretty good till I get to the rearend, its rusted to hell and it will be my first rebuild, also the exhaust will take a bit, Im a crappy welder, thankfully Im good at grinding.
Love it! One day I'll have to drive the up to Wa in the dart to go on a cruise with you. Or just to drop it off and let you do the hard work I dont know how to do for me
I have an exhaust and rear end for that car sitting in my garage. Lol.
come on up DD, I have all the parts, including the rear and exhaust, any more parts and I start to be competition for Oreilly's.
I have no idea why people even buy steel freeze plugs anymore. Brass are just as cheap and do not corrode. Makes zero sense.
^ yeah, not sure why either,
got a little bit of work done, dirty grimey K-member is out, more time looking at different cams though, soaked with degreaser and washed off 4 times, startin to see its actually metal under there
picked me up a new bench grinder so back at cleaning bolts, cam bolts, steering box bolts, K member bolts and leaf spring bolts ready to go now
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