White EF Fairmont
Posted: February 5th, 2008, 11:27 pmWell some of you already know a bit about this car but most dont so here's a write up about it.
I bought this car from a friend who had slowely driven the car into the ground. When I got it the HG was blown, the auto was a bit crook and was generally needing a fair bit of cash spent to get it fixed. The drive home was pretty uneventful, I'm sure the cooling system was dry when we got back but nonethe less it made it. The oil resembled vomit, there was a crazy ticking from a lifter among other things.
I drove it into the garage and started work. First the engine and trans came out. first inspection I realised the motor was going to need rebuilt. I was hoping to get away with just a reco'd head and new hg but everything was just past it so i bit the bullet and stripped it down to the block and dropped it off to McCulloch's in Warrnambool. They checked the head and it was a throwaway, cracks from all the water ports, warpage you name it lol. The rebuilt the engine, new pistons rings, bearings, I had the rotating assembly balanced, the block decked and a new head supplied. I dlso dropped off all the other bits to be cleaned. So much easier to get them to do it and they came back cleaner than I'd get.
I took my time with putting the motor back together, The block was sprayed engine grey along with the brackets, intake manifold, alternator cage (if you could call it that). Putting the timing chain/guides/gaskets was a royal pain in the arse. I think you need to have the engine facing upwards to do that. It took me 3 go's
When the engine was together and ready to go in, I pulled the syncroniser out and using an air ratchet, 8mm socket and some extensions I ran the oil pump and primed everything.
I ditched the auto and pulled the 5 speed out of my EA. I had a ea pedle box that was once in my eb V8 that I'd kept. I needed a bit of modifying to use it in the ef. The dash came out to fit it. I also pulled the heaterbox out and replaced the evaperator and heater cores. The 5 speed bolted up no worries, Only has an EA flywheel and 3 bolt clutch (HD) but for the intentions of the car it will be perfectly fine.
I replace dthe evaperator as the AirCon did not work when i got it. Previous owner said theyed ben told it leaked in the dash area so to be sure i got it replaced. I also did the condensor and the receiver due to putting holes in the condensor when pulling the engine out.
Refitting was pretty painless, the trans needed the EA cross member and mounted to the other set of bolt holes (there are 2 sets for transmission bolt up). I had to do some rewiring for the speedo and reverse lights and bridge the inhibit switch circuit. The PRND switch I used a resistor to give the car a signal that its in Neutral and another to tell it the trans is dead cold. lol That stopped the high idle and full speed thermo's
First start up was good. Found I have one dicky lifter that took about 10 mins to shut up. Straight away the focker leaked. That metal pipe from the water pump the O ring was too small. I should have realised when the pipe pushed in too easy, usually they take a put of effort to push in. Tried to seal it up with blue silocine but in the end i had to get another O ring. Water pump came off 3 times fixing that one. The oilpressure switch leaked - some silly bastard forgot to tighten it
ant the radiator had a leak seemingly some of the grit I blew out of it with the airgun was plugging a hole 
so I had to rape the V8 of its radiator which was a 6cyl one anyway. All good.
The interior got a good going over. All the seats I took them apart. The drivers needed a new base as the comon prob of the height adjustable seats tearing the mount bolts off. I took all the seat covers off and put everything through the wash. Came up awesome. That took a fair while. The carpet came out and got attacked with the hose and then a bucket of hot water and washing poweder. After the stains came out i hung it on the line and hosed it off. It took ages to get all of the beach sand out.
So in all this car has cost me $5700 from buying it to getting it registered and RWC on the road.
My Xmas Present!
I bought this car from a friend who had slowely driven the car into the ground. When I got it the HG was blown, the auto was a bit crook and was generally needing a fair bit of cash spent to get it fixed. The drive home was pretty uneventful, I'm sure the cooling system was dry when we got back but nonethe less it made it. The oil resembled vomit, there was a crazy ticking from a lifter among other things.
I drove it into the garage and started work. First the engine and trans came out. first inspection I realised the motor was going to need rebuilt. I was hoping to get away with just a reco'd head and new hg but everything was just past it so i bit the bullet and stripped it down to the block and dropped it off to McCulloch's in Warrnambool. They checked the head and it was a throwaway, cracks from all the water ports, warpage you name it lol. The rebuilt the engine, new pistons rings, bearings, I had the rotating assembly balanced, the block decked and a new head supplied. I dlso dropped off all the other bits to be cleaned. So much easier to get them to do it and they came back cleaner than I'd get.
I took my time with putting the motor back together, The block was sprayed engine grey along with the brackets, intake manifold, alternator cage (if you could call it that). Putting the timing chain/guides/gaskets was a royal pain in the arse. I think you need to have the engine facing upwards to do that. It took me 3 go's
When the engine was together and ready to go in, I pulled the syncroniser out and using an air ratchet, 8mm socket and some extensions I ran the oil pump and primed everything.I ditched the auto and pulled the 5 speed out of my EA. I had a ea pedle box that was once in my eb V8 that I'd kept. I needed a bit of modifying to use it in the ef. The dash came out to fit it. I also pulled the heaterbox out and replaced the evaperator and heater cores. The 5 speed bolted up no worries, Only has an EA flywheel and 3 bolt clutch (HD) but for the intentions of the car it will be perfectly fine.
I replace dthe evaperator as the AirCon did not work when i got it. Previous owner said theyed ben told it leaked in the dash area so to be sure i got it replaced. I also did the condensor and the receiver due to putting holes in the condensor when pulling the engine out.
Refitting was pretty painless, the trans needed the EA cross member and mounted to the other set of bolt holes (there are 2 sets for transmission bolt up). I had to do some rewiring for the speedo and reverse lights and bridge the inhibit switch circuit. The PRND switch I used a resistor to give the car a signal that its in Neutral and another to tell it the trans is dead cold. lol That stopped the high idle and full speed thermo's
First start up was good. Found I have one dicky lifter that took about 10 mins to shut up. Straight away the focker leaked. That metal pipe from the water pump the O ring was too small. I should have realised when the pipe pushed in too easy, usually they take a put of effort to push in. Tried to seal it up with blue silocine but in the end i had to get another O ring. Water pump came off 3 times fixing that one. The oilpressure switch leaked - some silly bastard forgot to tighten it
ant the radiator had a leak seemingly some of the grit I blew out of it with the airgun was plugging a hole so I had to rape the V8 of its radiator which was a 6cyl one anyway. All good.The interior got a good going over. All the seats I took them apart. The drivers needed a new base as the comon prob of the height adjustable seats tearing the mount bolts off. I took all the seat covers off and put everything through the wash. Came up awesome. That took a fair while. The carpet came out and got attacked with the hose and then a bucket of hot water and washing poweder. After the stains came out i hung it on the line and hosed it off. It took ages to get all of the beach sand out.
So in all this car has cost me $5700 from buying it to getting it registered and RWC on the road.
My Xmas Present!
Has anyone ever built a 4L that didn't leak?