Project Ae92/nova

[Felix]

i have this 92 holden nova i got a while ago. the plan is to rego it for daily duties before i get to involved with the ke25.

 

it is pretty neat, no rust, faded paint. i have replaced the drivers door, and a front corner light. need to match up the paint on the new door. maybe a respray in the original colour later. the interior is good, although dirty, think it should come up good with a steam clean.

 

it is an auto 4afe. the bottom end of the engine is seized so i have to either rebuild or replace it. just going to leave it 4afe and auto. i only want it to be a cheap, reliable, economical driver. no conversions.

 

now i have a problem. my shed hasn't got any decent beams, so i can't use a block and tackle to lift the engine out. also i don't have that much room in front of the car, so an engine crane would be near impossible to manouver.

 

a mate has dropped the motor and box out of one of these things before with a couple of jacks by lowering it and dragging it out from under the front of the car. wondering if i could separate the motor and box and pull them out separately? any other suggestions on how to get the engine and box out?

 

anyway, here is a few pics of the car.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Felix

[Felix]

thanks Nick,

 

ok the xmember will have to come out. i need to get another jack first.

 

i've been putting this thing off for a while now. i'm sure it isn't going to be that bad. every time i look under the bonnet, i see why i really like 60's cars the best. :)

 

reckon i would be able to leave the aircon setup in place, so i don't have to get it regassed later?

[Felix]

i started pulling the nova to bits this evening. didn't do much, labelled a heap of wires and, pulled the battery, splash shields, radiator, o2 sensor, alternator etc. most of the crap from the front of the engine.

 

pain in the ass to work on compared to the old ke1x series. :P very fiddly.

 

i'll see if i can maybe pull the head tomorrow evening. try to at least get the manifolds off. i've only got a short attention span when it comes to working on cars these days.

[Felix]

lol, definitely. :P

[Felix]

well got both manifolds off. what a f@$k around. so much crap attached to the inlet manifold to remove.

 

not looking forward to the prospect of reinstalling the inlet manifold with the engine in the car. thinking i will make room to use an engine crane for when it all goes back together and drop the engine in with the manifolds already bolted up.

 

i'll pull the dizzy and head tomorrow maybe.

[Dan]

I don't know if this helps, but... i've heard of people lifting engines out by stacking wheels on each side of the car, with a strong piece of steel bar placed across the two wheels (over the engine bay), chaining the engine to the pole and slowly lifting it up side by side and placing another wheel under the pole as they go.

Quite a headf@$k.

I don't like the idea of dragging out the engine under the car, myself and a friend are pulling out the motor of a hyundai at school, it seems to be a MAJOR headf@$k. I really don't like the idea of it, seems really unstable..

 

Nice Nova by the way. Very clean, very clean indeed.

 

Dan.

[Felix]

hmmm, not sure about the wheel stacking idea.... problem with a fwd is you just can't roll it back after you lift the engine.

 

getting the engine out should be easy if i drop the box separately. might even be able to just lift it with a bar and some rope once the head is off. the bottom end can't be much heavier than a complete 4k.

 

actually i "might" be able to drop the head back on with the manifolds already in place. meh, see what happens.

 

thanks Dan, yea she's a pretty neat unit. with a bit of work it should make a nice drive car. kinda looking forward to having an effortless, quiet, smooth car to drive around in.

[Felix]

bloody wind. tidied up the shed a bit to fit the nova back in. cleaned out the boot so all the engine bay bits can fit in rather than on the shed floor. pulled the dizzy, cam cover and cams out this evening. can't go any further until i get a double hex 10mm socket for the head bolts.

 

the cams have rust on the exposed lobes for some strange reason. the journals and cam gears are all good. possibly be ok for a regrind, otherwise useless. it must have had either a blown head gasket, or moisture has somehow gotten in there. it has been sitting for over 2 years....

 

bottom end still won't turn over. must be a seized piston or bearing journal.

 

i can get a complete 4afe for $300 with warranty. thinking though i would like to freshen up whatever goes in for peace of mind, and also so it doesn't have to come out in a hurry.

[Dan]

problem with a fwd is you just can't roll it back after you lift the engine.

Shit, didn't know that... how come?

 

Paid 3,800 for a Nova in similar condition about a year ago, you got a good score (G)

[Felix]

LOL, yea.

 

what would be the best plan of attack when i get that far Nick, just pull the struts? my book says to remove the hubnuts and slide the driveshafts out, but i am not so sure.

Edited June 2, 2006 by Felix

[Felix]

slightly fubar....

[Felix]

yep, she's been sitting over 2 years.

 

i could "possibly" knock the pistons out and rebore depending on how the crank looks. easiest to just get another motor for $300 and use that as a base, and this one for spares.

 

depending on if i can remove the converter to flexplate bolts, i'm hoping i may be able to pull the motor leaving the box in.

[Trent-KE30]

I had a 4K that looked like that once, not a very good feeling when you pull the head off lol. Do 4AGE's bolt in these?

[Felix]

didn't really phase me seeing that. at least i know what the problem is now. i bought the car (for sfa) fully knowing that it had a seized engine.

 

a 4age would bolt in. don't really feel like rooting around with a conversion atm. the car is only intended to be a cheap cruiser/commuter.

[Felix]

Bit of WD40 and sandpaper 07-nyahnyah.gif lol

 

:monkey: be just like a new one then.

 

i'll see about getting another engine during the week.

 

the head would be good for spares. looks like it could come up alright with a cleanup and skim. cams, maybe not. heaps better design than any k series head. :)