A short addenda on the continuing saga of the Great Caravan Adventure.

The days are getting shorter, with sunset coming about 7:30PM or so. I get home between 4:30 and 5PM, and I usually am very hungry from the ride home plus the full 8 hour shift at work...

So I'll eat...and then unwind for an hour or so. Then go out and work on the van about 6PM.

This doesn't leave me a whole lot of time.

The quick and dirty gasket replacement on the '94 was just that. I am now thinking I was lucky that engine started at all, let alone that it ran for six weeks. I simply unbolted the major components, swapped the head gasket, then bolted everything back together without checking for wear or breakage on anything.

I'm being much more thorough this time.

I finally got the manifold on, using the *TFAR method as opposed to trying to use my cheapo torque wrench to get the bolts tightened properly. I stripped one stud out of each head on the manifold side and one of them broke trying to get the jammed nut loose!

Fortunately, I have a pile of spare parts from another (identical) engine. In going over the intake plenum, I discovered the Idle Air Control valve needed replacing. I've already replaced the vacuum fitting that was the primary cause of the '94 van running so roughly. I'll be finished by the end of this week; I know I've said that before, but this time I MEAN it!!!

Things still to do:

Refit the alternator, thermostat, and distributor. Set up the static ignition timing. Re-connect the wiring for the alternator and distributor. Check the plugs and wires. Re-fill the engine with coolant, oil, and check the power steering fluid. Install the intake plenum and throttle, throttle linkage, and EGR bypass pipe.

After all that (some of which will take only a few minutes), I have to "roll" the engine over about 50 times to make sure the various fluids get to where they're supposed to go. Then I can finally re-connect the ignition and start the engine. Once the engine is running, I can put the RH front tire and fender shields back on. I'll still need to replace that door seal, and dress up the scratches on the paint, but it will finally be DONE.

I can hardly wait...