So with the rocker arms installed and the valves covers in it was time to move to the manifold installations and then locking down the cylinder tins.
And thus began the multiple hour nightmare of dealing with aftermarket parts.
Tin Nightmare
So the EMPI EPC 34 manifolds are poorly cast and when installed onto EMPI cylinder heads you turn a not on the left bolt at all. And since each side is identical I had to mod them both.
My trusty Dremel came out and I slowly shaved off metal at the flange and up the pipe a bit. I managed to get them to a point where they could be locked down onto their bolts. The bolts were pulled out and got some high-temp loctite. The gaskets when down and then the manifolds were put in.
The top cylinder tins where then screwed down. It is a rather tight fit to deal with the gasket and manifolds with the tins already fully screwed down.
Next it was on to the under cylinder tins and that’s when the true nightmare began.
I’ll say this: They simple are not properly formed and cut for the space. It is that simple.
Now the top cylinder tins really aren’t that great a fit, especially at the exhaust port, and it also takes some effort to line their holes up with the crank pulley tin holes. After all that painting and topcoating I may still need to pull out a dremel to make these fit.
But the bottom tins are just horrible.
The 1/2 side rear bottom tin is what I would call the “general shape” of where it is supposed to fit but it just is too big and has way too much metal.
I started bending and pounding it to try to reshape it but still could not really get it to work.
I finally got so frustrated that I called it a day and went and mowed the lawn.
Now the original AH engine’s OEM tins were damaged since they could not be easily removed due to corrosion. And the tins of the other used motors I bought also had the same problem so I didn’t have much option other than sourcing new ones.
I’d read about how poorly some of the new tins fit but I didn’t really think it would be this bad. They are just pure horrible.
If I can get these cut and beat into submission to fit I’ll have to paint them now.
Oh, and the 3/4 side? Can’t really fit that when the engine is on the stand. Great! Just great!
Oil Cooler Foam Tape
I managed to find some closed cell adhesive foam tape to use for the oil cooler / fan shroud but I’m not sure what the temperature tolerance is. I used it anyway and will keep and eye on, probably checking it out after break-in.
It should be enough to force air through the oil cooler’s vanes and out the doghouse.
Lessons Learned Today
- You would think EMPI carb manifolds would fit perfectly fine on EMPI cylinder heads and then the surrounding EMPI tins would fit but no. That would be too much to ask.
- Things that do not fit after cutting them and banging them with hammers really triggers my wanting to throw them onto the ground and stop on them with expletives fly out of my mouth.