My first big project today was removing/masking all of the components on the 4.0 so that I could clean it up and give it a few coats of engine enamel. It might not be evident from the pictures, but the engine enamel really helped out the appearance of the motor. The valve cover turned out especially nice, which is great because that will be the most visible part of the engine when the hood is popped.
The next thing I did was to strip down the intake manifold so that I can take it into NAPA and get it hot dipped. The toughest part was getting the fuel rail off, which turned out to be just a pull and wiggle technique according to my newly purchased Haynes manual.
The final, and by far WORST thing I worked on today was setting up and installing a new parking brake on the rear right axle hub. I thought it was hard getting the brake drum off last night; well that was nothing compared to installing new brakes. Not only did I have to figure out 90% of the assembly on my own, but I also had to deal with compressing springs and getting everything to fit just right without any assistance. I have a new respect for auto mechanics now...
I still have to do the same thing for the driver's side rear brake, but it shouldn't be as tough now that I have struggled through it once and I know how to do everything.
No comments:
Post a Comment