Da Groj

We'll be pulling the busted engine out of the Mirage this Saturday!

Starting at 8:30am, probably working until no later than 4pm. Hopefully, it won't take that long. And we'll be having lunch somewhere in there.

This will be at my place in Safety Harbor. PM me if you need the address.

Reply if you're coming. Everyone is welcome. Don't need lots of help, but it's always easier and more fun with extra hands. No experience required!

I'll be there at 8:30, should have it dangling from the hoist by lunch!

Yeah, I would expect so.

Thanks, Mike!

BTW, I'm off Wednesday and Friday. I'll be pulling engine accessories, maybe the front bumper and hood, etc. If anyone is bored one of those days, let me know. I always find it easier to get my butt off the couch when I have company!

I'm a maybe for Friday.

If anybody's bored Friday, Philip and I will be starting about 10am with some initial disassembly.

And today I learned that we do need to return the engine for a core. Doesn't mean we can't take it apart and look at it. But, we'll have to slap it back together when we're done.

Should video removal of 1.2 engine and post on youtube so you can get some sponsor money over time.

At least you'll learn if it's an interference engine for the rest of the world to know.

Yep, I'm sure we'll pull the head and look things over. Answer some questions. Maybe weigh the assembly, stuff like that.

Man, this car is easy to take apart!

Philip and I spent a lazy 3 hours on it today.



Pulled the fender liners, bumper, upper core support, radiator and AC condenser, battery, battery tray, and airbox. Drained the engine oil and transmission oil. Unbolted the lower control arm (easier than separating the ball joint) and the lower strut bolts. Unbolted the outer tie-rod ends. The whole hub assembly is literally hanging on the axle at this point.

Ready to pull the axles. Then heater hoses, fuel lines, wiring and shifter cables. That's about it! We're starting at 8:30, could have it out by 10 if we wanted to.

Wow, great start guys!
I have the engine hoist and slide hammer ready to load up in the truck first thing tomorrow. I collected a few random tools together that could be useful and I will see you at 8:30 ready to get this motor out.

And Cathy has already baked us a batch of really fantastic chocolate cookies to get us through the morning.

Should be a rather fun day. Weather's going to be nice, and a very acheivable project before us.

Will be going over to a friend's "play room" sometime Sunday (probably around 11am) to put the flywheel on the lathe. I'm sure I could get away with bringing a guest or two.

As expected, we had the engine out by 10am. I'll let the pictures tell the story.



Mike stepped on the scale with the engine to weigh it. 123.5 pounds. (10.5 pounds less without the alternator)


Timing chain and everything top-side looks perfect.


All three pistons were scarred by impact with exhaust valves. Not good.


Yep, definitely tweaked.


Wow!

So it's an interference engine then. Hmph.
Those pix are terrific!

It's an interference engine with very soft valve springs. You can easily compress them by hand. They're just as strong as they need to be for normal operation, and no more. Extra spring resistance = extra friction, and they've done everything they can to eliminate friction. Valves probably start floating about 6501 rpm.

So for ONLY $100 is it worth keeping the engine? Doesn't look like it cracked the head even? Bored/Stroked to a 1.3 could be mind bending.
I saw there is a 1973 V4 Saab with 64 HP. That sucks even worse than the 3. Who knew you guys could curl 123lbs? Wow. Now we will all want one. Bids? Who can sleep without their curlers?

Nah, I'm not one of those "engine builder" types. No desire to even fix the engine and keep it stock, much less try to modify it!

It was fun taking it apart, though.

My observation was that, for all of the advanced technology in it, it's actually "old tech" for 2018. This engine was first produced in 2005, probably designed around 2002-2003.

So, while it's got all sorts of minimalist and lightweight and low-friction tech in it, and it's got variable valve timing on the intake cam... a more modern engine would have VVT on both cams, and direct injection. Not quite the difference between fuel injection and carburetion... or is it?

And I'm always amazed that every manual transmission car made since probably sometime in the 40's has exactly the same clutch technology.