swalch's Photobucket root album media

assembled

swalch — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:05:23 MST

swalch posted a photo

assembled - assembled2.jpg

Panels aligned better. The front edge of the drivers side fender was tweaked out a bit with a slide hammer to even the gap with the hood.

assembled

swalch — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:04:52 MST

swalch posted a photo

assembled - assembled1.jpg

The hood latches were aligned and the hood opens and closes smoothly. The front panel had to be tweaked a little with a slide hammer to move it back about 1/4".

hood installed

swalch — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:52:37 MST

swalch posted a photo

hood installed - hood-installed.jpg

The hood aligns well except for a narrow gap at the very front of the driver's side fender. This appears to be due to minor damage to the fender. Clearly the car needs new paint.

car reassembled

swalch — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:15:21 MST

swalch posted a photo

car reassembled - front-fixed.jpg

All together except hood needs to be bolted in. Left front section was welded in by a local body shop (8 hours of labor). New battery, new radiator, new plug wires, and new hood cable. Used hood, fender, light assemblies, left-front quarter panel. Still to be installed is a used fuse/relay box and engine compartment wiring harness.

left front disassembled

swalch — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:14:46 MST

swalch posted a photo

left front disassembled - left-front4.jpg

Spot welds were drilled out to remove the damaged left front section.

used left front section

swalch — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:14:16 MST

swalch posted a photo

used left front section - left-front3.jpg

used part

crash damage

swalch — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:33:06 MDT

swalch posted a photo

crash damage - crash23.jpg

remaining damaged sheet metal removed.

engine

swalch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:09:36 MDT

swalch posted a photo

engine - crash22.jpg

No mechanical damage, but battery acid has damaged some of the paint. The engine compartment was thoroughly washed down with water to get rid of the acid.

damage

swalch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:09:03 MDT

swalch posted a photo

damage - crash21.jpg

The hood and left fender as well as the left side radiator support etc were destroyed. The hood is off and broken parts removed. The battery had been smashed and was removed and spilled battery acid washed off with water.

acura legend grill part

swalch — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:57:31 MDT

swalch posted a photo

acura legend grill part - grill1.jpg

Civic trans removal

swalch — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:23:06 MDT

swalch posted a photo

Civic trans removal - civictrans.jpg

Note chain supporting back of engine. The engine is supported by the front mount and the chain in the back. The trans is lowered out from underneath on a trans jack.

picture after cleanup

swalch — Sun, 2 Aug 2009 14:50:25 MDT

swalch posted a photo

picture after cleanup - acurafinal2.jpg

back bumper aligned

swalch — Sun, 2 Aug 2009 14:49:51 MDT

swalch posted a photo

back bumper aligned - acurafinal1.jpg

Trunk mount points were tweaked to line up the bumper. Also new filler piece installed.

grill installed

swalch — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:41:39 MDT

swalch posted a photo

grill installed - newgrill.jpg

This was a used grill. The bracket had some surface rust and was cleaned up and repainted.

nearly all reassembled

swalch — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 09:12:49 MDT

swalch posted a photo

nearly all reassembled - acuradone4.jpg

Still needs a grill (on order) and the trim strip above the rear bumper needs to be installed. Some small dents in the trim strip were repaired and it has been primed.

acuradone3.jpg

swalch — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:38:09 MDT

swalch posted a photo

acuradone3.jpg

acuradone2.jpg

swalch — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:37:29 MDT

swalch posted a photo

acuradone2.jpg

right headlight aligned

swalch — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:28:44 MDT

swalch posted a photo

right headlight aligned - headlightaligned.jpg

I found a used headlight assembly that had been partially disassembled and damaged. Between my old one and the used one, I had all the parts to assemble a good one. I used the new metal box and the old multi light. It now aligns correctly.

Acura as of today

swalch — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:04:56 MDT

swalch posted a photo

Acura as of today - acuratogether2.jpg

front mostly assembled

swalch — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:04:10 MDT

swalch posted a photo

front mostly assembled - acuratogether.jpg

lights and front bumper installed

swalch — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:33:38 MDT

swalch posted a photo

lights and front bumper installed - frontbumperheadlights.jpg

There is still a problem with the passenger side headlight. It doesn't align correctly. This light assembly will have to come back out and be inspected to see what is wrong or possibly be replaced with a used light assembly.

new hood installed

swalch — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:32:56 MDT

swalch posted a photo

new hood installed - acurahood1.jpg

The hood aligned fairly well and with a bit of adjustment opened and closed OK. A new hood cable was installed.

new radiator center support panel

swalch — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:38:12 MDT

swalch posted a photo

new radiator center support panel - acuradamage9.jpg

front torn down

swalch — Mon, 8 Jun 2009 17:29:36 MDT

swalch posted a photo

front torn down - acuradamage8.jpg

Right side support panel was roughly reshaped with a slide hammer. Center support panel has been removed and will be replaced. AC condenser needs to be replaced but radiator is OK.

acuradamage7.jpg

swalch — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 15:44:39 MDT

swalch posted a photo

acuradamage7.jpg

acuradamage6.jpg

swalch — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 15:44:08 MDT

swalch posted a photo

acuradamage6.jpg

acuradamage5.jpg

swalch — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 15:43:22 MDT

swalch posted a photo

acuradamage5.jpg

front cover

swalch — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:39:06 MDT

swalch posted a photo

front cover - frontcover.jpg

crossmember

swalch — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:13:49 MDT

swalch posted a photo

crossmember - crossmember.jpg

This shows the cross member details.

torque instructions Acura TL

swalch — Fri, 8 Aug 2008 10:18:57 MDT

swalch posted a photo

torque instructions Acura TL - cyl-head.jpg

second generation Acura TL head bolt torque specs

eacv

swalch — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:16:23 MDT

swalch posted a photo

eacv - iacv.jpg

The device in the center of the picture with a connector on one end is the idle air control valve which controls the idle speed.

cam sensor alignment tool

swalch — Fri, 2 May 2008 09:39:04 MDT

swalch posted a photo

cam sensor alignment tool - camsensor.jpg

This tool aligns the cam position sensor drive. The engine needs to be at TDC on #1. Note that the tab on the drive is nearly but not quite centered in the notch in the case.

engine detail

swalch — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:03:12 MDT

swalch posted a photo

engine detail - enginedetail.jpg

Someone asked where the coolant bleed plug is. It is in the approximate center just to the left of the blue part (check valve?).

spacer on camshaft

swalch — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:46:56 MDT

swalch posted a photo

spacer on camshaft - spacer.jpg

note spacer on snout of camshaft

transmission going back in

swalch — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:48:01 MDT

swalch posted a photo

transmission going back in - trans.jpg

I found the rented hydraulic trans jack worked better than a scissors one I have.

disassembled engine

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:47:34 MDT

swalch posted a photo

disassembled engine - mustang2.jpg

The engine had run low on oil and had a melted #3 main bearing and spun #3 rod bearing. The rod in the lower left is black from decomposed oil and was replaced.

engine coming out

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:47:13 MDT

swalch posted a photo

engine coming out - mustang.jpg

Since the engine was seized it had to be taken out with the torque convertor still on the flex plate. The trans was unbolted and moved back. A/C compressor unbolted and wired aside. Car to the right is an Austin Healey Mk II Sprite.

Engine kit from Ron's precision machine

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:00:08 MDT

swalch posted a photo

Engine kit from Ron's precision machine - enginekit.jpg

bearings, pistons and rings, lifters, oil pump etc. The machine shop used brass freeze plugs instead of those included in this kit. Did not include timing chain tensioner.

engine back in

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:59:44 MDT

swalch posted a photo

engine back in - engine12.jpg

Sitting on the main mounts and A/C compressor back in place. Trans still needs to be installed.

complete engine

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:58:08 MDT

swalch posted a photo

complete engine - engine10.jpg

manifolds on

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:57:47 MDT

swalch posted a photo

manifolds on - engine9.jpg

top end

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:57:10 MDT

swalch posted a photo

top end - engine8.jpg

heads and rocker arms in. Lower intake manifold gaskets in place. RTV was added at corners before assembly.

head gasket

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:55:14 MDT

swalch posted a photo

head gasket - engine7.jpg

Note blocked water passage at front of engine. Gaskets are marked, here up/left

timing cover

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:54:53 MDT

swalch posted a photo

timing cover - engine6.jpg

timing cover installed as well as cam angle sensor and crank angle sensor. engine at TDC on #1

timing gears

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:54:33 MDT

swalch posted a photo

timing gears - engine5.jpg

Note crank keyway up, balance shaft keyway up, timing marks on gears aligned. This is the stage usually referred to as a short block.

bottom end

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:52:38 MDT

swalch posted a photo

bottom end - engine3.jpg

crank and rods bolted in. New rod bolts were used. Cracked cap rod caps can only fit one way (bearing tabs on same side on rod and cap). Main bearing caps are marked for position and front (arrows).

crank/pistons installed

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:52:16 MDT

swalch posted a photo

crank/pistons installed - engine2.jpg

pistons/rods in. Note timing marks aligned on balance shaft and camshaft. Arrow or notch on top of piston goes toward front of engine. Rods can go either way around on pistons according to the shop manual.

parts

swalch — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:51:55 MDT

swalch posted a photo

parts - engine1.jpg

Major parts back from the machine shop. Pistons installed on rods. Block and backplate painted (later touched up).