Went out to the shop for the first time in a week and knocked the distributor bushing out of the block. While I was at it I fished an old soft plug out of the blocks cooling passage that fell inside when I tryed to remove it. So the block is ready for the machine shop, but unfortunately, my wallet isn't. I fished the crank pulley and a collection of formerly rusty bolts out of a vingar bath I started for them two weeks ago. They came out almost a hundred percent. So I wire brushed the paint residue off the pulley and put it back into some fresh vinegar. Took the used power steering pump I bought appart, to de-rust the pulley and reservoir. The assembly was the hardest one I ever took apart. I dented the small flange on the outside of the reservoir which is repairable. However there is a fair sized dent, that was hidden by the mounting bracket. I'm thinking about picking up some dry ice to see if it will shrink to a decent looking size. Removing the pulley proved to be a bugger. I had trouble keeping the little ram, at the bottom of the large bolt in the puller assembly centered. It kept walking as I tightened it onto the pulley hub. I dug a half by quarter inch up a bolt, and set it insde the threaded portion of the pump shaft. It allowed the puller (Snap-on) to start pulling the pulley off. However, I broke a half inch socket while turning a large three-quarter ratchet. Replace it with an impact socket, but once the ram contacted the hub of the pulley again, I had to tap it back to center with a drift and hammer. All the way off the pulley protested with loud cracking sounds as the pulley came off the shaft hard. Luckily no damage. I put the parts from the pump assembly in the vinegar to clean them. Later I will take the pump apart to inspect it,and hopefully, it's serviceable.
