Here we go. One last time...

[moparedtn]

You guys are killing me with all this "nipple" talk. LOL.

Bow chika wow wow.

 

[moparedtn]

Ed,
The mechanical bourdon tube needs an adapter with a seat for the sensor. You can buy it from Summit or Jegs. Autometer, SW and others all use a similar adapter. If the large hole is 1/2"NPT, you'll also need a 3/8" to 1/2'" bushing. The lower hole can be used for your future heater hose fitting, and the 1/4"NPT hole will need a 1/4"NPT to 5/8" hose fitting. Again, Summit or Jegs has those. NAPA probably does as well.

Thanks Dave! Yeah, I did a little research this afternoon at the local big box auto parts store. I had a new Bosch kit open on their countertop and wala, there were the needed fittings.
Wasn't about to pay $25.00 for the gauge kit to get them, though.

I'm still wondering though - why did Mopar make the upper left hose outlet 1/4"?
Were they trying to throttle down water flow through the heater core?

 

[moparedtn]

colorado and others-- this brass stuff is way easier when you have the pieces in your hand and can look at them. Believe me, 40+ yrs in automotive. I'm just looking out for the younger guys. ( same thing when going for plumbing parts!, no matter ur age)

The plumbing stuff is natural for me, given what I've done for a living most of my adult life (fire sprinklers). The goofy brass adapter bushings are a little odd, though.
When I gave my friend the old engine out of the car, I left that brass adapter in it.
Oy.
I guess no good deed goes unpunished.

 

[moparedtn]

Found it (I think):
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/atm-2264/reviews/

 

[Fran Blacker]

Ed why not ask your friend for the part????????

 

[moparedtn]

Thank you, O'Reilley's

 

[Fran Blacker]

Long time no posts?

 

[Ladysmith Bob]

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[khryslerkid]

Hope he's ok.

 

[BeeKool]

Has anybody sent him a PM.?

 

[khryslerkid]

He's ok. He was just on here 20min ago.

Heh Ed!

 

[moparedtn]

Sorry guys, things went a little sideways on me after the great engine plunking episode. They usually do when I ignore doc's orders.
Go figure.

You know, if this #@%@# site's notifications would actually, you know, notify me when someone posts on my thread, that'd be nice, too.
Oh well...

Onwards. Simple goals for this afternoon are to get the shifter installed + speedo and reverse lights hooked up, then install the pretty new trans crossmember.
If that goes ok, I'll go after the z-bar and clutch linkage.
Sure wish Centerforce had instructions on adjustment of this fancy clutch....
We'll see how far I get.

 

[Fran Blacker]

I noticed it too. They have been working on the site, people getting logged out. Me too.
Joey Chicago must want a bigger cut $$$ SEE or Else.
Wonder if he'll comment or notice.

 

[moparedtn]

Well, that turned out to be a bit of a wrestling match.
As usual, I thought I was well prepared. Turns out, not so much.
Walked out to the garage for the first time in a while and found this:

I'd left quite a mess after the engine install apparently. Straightened that up some first, can't work like that. (If you look closely, you can see the "old" 4 speed crossmember and the new one from Brewer's.
More on that bear later...)
Rounded up all the new hardware and such for linkages and things.

Got out my documentation next:

(Downloaded from their website)
and

the freshly cleaned out shifter and factory shop manual. Notice I have the shifter lined up in neutral, little screwdriver holding it there.
Now, at this point, the trans is still held up by that fine quality Harbor Freight jack.
The idea here is to leave the back end of the trans down to facilitate ease of installation of the shifter, then installing the crossmember once that's done.
Under the car I went...

The mounting of the shifter and such went fairly uneventfully once I figured out I had the adapter plate on the trans wrong.
Wrestling with those friggin snap rings on the linkage ends sucked, but it always did, no surprise there. I wasn't even cussing too badly yet, but it was already apparent I wouldn't be able to get as much done as I had hoped; the body was not tolerating the concrete well today.
Finally got things to this point:

Something was bugging me about the reverse link, though (bottom one in this pic).
Anyone else spot it yet?
Lots of re-checking of documents, followed by a feverish search online, yielded little help - until I looked again at the pics Dan Brewer sent me.
Eureka!
Let's try this again:

Yeah, that's better.

At that point, it came time to wrestle the crossmember into place - and I mean wrestle. That big, dumbass 3" exhaust on either side was no help in this, of course, but the trans acted like it didn't want to raise up all the way into position in the rear. I was grabbing it, wrestling it back and forth, checking for interference from something, all to no avail.
The real cussing began then and I could tell I was about out of time for the day physically - then it occurred to me:
perhaps it wasn't what I was raising up but rather what I was using to raise it with.
Yep, you got it - that Harbor Freight trans jack was maxing out before the trans was in position.
Flying solo like I was, I got the floor jack out and under the tail of the trans, did my best to aim the crossmember on both sides to go up around the cars' frame and went for it.
The thing went right into place.
Bolted that all up, fought with the speedo cable a while (why the heck it's located that close to the shifter linkage, I don't understand) and got the wiring hooked up for the reverse lights.

I was so "concrete exhausted" by then that I gave it up for the evening; left tools all over under there even.
As I exited from underneath the last time, I caught out of the corner of my eye the left side exhaust pipe crammed up under the header, not on it.
Swell. A battle for another day.

Anyone want a Harbor Freight trans jack? I'll let it go for a song.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Work benches are shelves they collect stuff?
I've worked for years to improve my cleanup after EVERY project. Some success but have relapses.

 

[OH71RRunner]

I wish my work bench was as clean as yours. I'm horrible at putting things up. I know exactly where things are in the clutter. I have to clean up to work on things.

Glad to see you're back at it. Sounds like you got a lot done. You're making progress. I'm sure its not the progress you'd like to be making, but it's progress nonetheless.

Slow and steady, checking and rechecking, is a headache and takes longer, but ensures you're doing it right. One of these days, I may follow that advice. Lol

 

[moparedtn]

Work benches are shelves they collect stuff?
I've worked for years to improve my cleanup after EVERY project. Some success but have relapses.

Oh, I've become much better at cleaning up each time over the last few years, mostly because I'm finally acknowledging that I forget stuff so easily.
Not tonight, though. All I could do to shut things down and get outta there.

 

[moparedtn]

I wish my work bench was as clean as yours. I'm horrible at putting things up. I know exactly where things are in the clutter. I have to clean up to work on things.

Glad to see you're back at it. Sounds like you got a lot done. You're making progress. I'm sure its not the progress you'd like to be making, but it's progress nonetheless.

Slow and steady, checking and rechecking, is a headache and takes longer, but ensures you're doing it right. One of these days, I may follow that advice. Lol

Thanks. Yeah, trying hard to pace myself, but it appears that's being handled regardless by what's left of this carcass of mine.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I don't remember now, why the Hurst shift linkage was such a PITA. They can be installed several different ways, and I had little, if any, instructions and photos. Reverse rod and ends, was the nasty one.........................MO

 

[moparedtn]

I don't remember now, why the Hurst shift linkage was such a PITA. They can be installed several different ways, and I had little, if any, instructions and photos. Reverse rod and ends, was the nasty one.........................MO

I couldn't find anything on which way the reverse lever on the trans was supposed to go back on (this one is offset on the rod end). No pic I found showed an offset lever; they were all centered.
I knew something was wrong the first time by the way the snap ring was hanging off of it and how hard it was to install. I finally let the rod tell me how it should go and it did.
I thought about installing the shifter before we put the engine/trans in the car, but thought it would get damaged and banged up if we did.
Hindsight - we should have tried it that way.