Larry Bible's 81 300D
 

Larry, what's the latest with daughter's 300D? Is rebuild completed, still pending, underway, etc.?

Larry,

The last I recall, the engine was shaking violently. It was thought that it may have been gas on the fuel. What ever bacame of that issue?

Well, it isn't shaking now. I have the engine all apart.

It finally lost compression on number one and it was time to bore it. I got it all apart back in August, got the block to the machine shop, they bored it, fitted the new pistons and I thought that I was going to get it back together over the Labor day holiday, WRONG!

I put the head on and it was locking when almost at top dead center. Upon investigation, I discovered that I had the wrong pistons, they were the earlier style and were hitting the late style prechambers. The pistons were already fitted and the shortblock together, so I ordered the prechambers and the tools which came in late. I then went to Europe for two weeks on a business trip and wasted those two weekends. Then I got back, still didn't have the tools so I took it to the machine shop for them to change the chambers. Before doing that I went to the dealer to get some new prechamber retainer collars. That was Monday and they said they would order them and have them Tuesday. They called Tuesday and said they were in. I drove over there only to find that they only had one. They got the other four and I picked them up Wednesday and took it all to the machine shop.

At the machine shop they said they would start on it in an hour and I could pick it up any time in the afternoon. I was buisy so I went back on Thursday. It's a long drive to get there and they told me they had not gotten to it. I called this morning and they said they were starting on it. They then left me a voice mail mid morning saying they were out of acetylene and could not heat the collars to get them off. I'm now waiting to see if they will get acetylene and be done today so I can get back on it this weekend.

With all this happening, I'm about to wonder if this is some sort of sign saying that I am not supposed to put this car back together. I'm at my wit's end. I need to finish up this job and get my shop back.

I'm sure that you're now sorry that you asked, but I appreciate your asking so I could get this frustration off my chest and keyed in on Mshop so I can start breathing again.

Had I not run into the piston thing, I'm quite confident I would have finished it on the Labor day weekend. Very frustrating.

Thanks for your concern,

Hi Larry,

What a bunch of trouble you've been through on this! In a case like this, who is covering all the extra costs? Did the machine shop order the wrong pistons? Did you provide your own parts? Can you return the "wrong" pistons, or are they considered used now that they've been installed?

You have my sympathy! These jobs are expensive and time-consuming enough without all the problems you've encountered.

The parts store gave me the wrong pistons, but the cylinders were bored and the pistons fitted to the bores before the problem was discovered. Changing the prechambers was the only practical fix at that point. This has cost me a BUNCH of extra time and about $300 extra for the prechambers to replace perfectly good prechambers. It's just one of those things that you have to take care of yourself when you do the work yourself.

Have a great day,