Nice work! That's a great-looking paint job.
1. Are the witness marks always at the same location on the cranks from different engines and vintages? If they are not always at the same position, matching marks from different engines is pointless.
Who knows?...while assembling mine, I made an effort to find and match the witness marks, thinking all the while, that there was no way it would make any difference since the crank and flywheels are supposedly match balanced before going into the engine. I now think that the witness mark is for consistent reassembly of the same crank/flywheel set and has little bearing on replacement flywheels. I can rev my engine to over 4000 rpm in neutral or, with the clutch disengaged and detect no vibration other than those made by the engine before the swap.
2. Were the automatic equipped engines balanced with just the flywheel (drive plate) or with the flywheel and torque converter? If the latter, having a shop match the 2 flywheels would also seem pointless.
Don't know. Considering the Teutonic mindset, they probably balance the converter/drive plate/crank as an assembly.
The car has been off the road for 3 years, so I must say it is hard for me to remember exactly how “smooth” these cars are, but I do think it has picked up a rumble at some RPMs (unknown since I don’t have a tack).
That rumble could be any number of things: worn u-joint in the driveshaft, worn center bearing, axle wear, etc.
The problem I'm having is a distinct buzz...like an orbital sander. I think a couple of others on the forum have this but at different rpms.
Notice how it rides high. It’s due to the lighter tranny and the removal of the A/C system.
My wagon was the same way after the conversion. I addressed it in this
thread. Since you have a 240, the 'proper' spring should be obtainable (there are a staggering variety of springs and applications in the FSM..you owe it to yourself to look at the manual and determine what you have/need). Swapping spring pads for the thinnest ones will bring the front down but not much. If all else fails, you'll need to have some springs made. Check for threads by Brian Carlton for discussion about his new rear springs on his SDL...lot abotu getting springs made in there.
Good luck, glad you got your ride back on the road too!