I just got so lucky I can't even describe how happy I am right now.

I assembled the ATI damper by pulling off the timing belt cog and installed the 36-2 Flyin Miata timing wheel and the thin timing belt guide(necessary for the FM timing wheel), loctited them and checked the torque on all the bolts, checked alignment for TDC all is well.

Then I go to put on the damper installer and the M14x1.5 adapter just spins and won't thread on...**** me. So I try to thread the new bolt on...spins free and won't thread....**** me!

So I crawl under the car and poke my headlight and head in the nose of the crank and see the threads are garbage for about 1/4-1/2'. Original owner must have cross threaded it then noticed he did and backed the bolt out and reinstalled. So I start panicking thinking I'm screwed, then I have an idea HOPING based off the fact that it only looked like a little bit of the threads are mangled, that I can save it.

Bust *** over to Harbour Freight and buy their uber expensive Tap and Die kit45 Pc Titanium Nitride Coated Alloy Steel Metric Tap & Die Set Which luckily has a M14x1.5 tap in it.

So I oiled that bitch up and ran it through with strangely not much resistance. After about 1/2" it was able to be spun all the way to the back of the crank by hand, I backed it out and tried my crank bolt and it spun on perfectly woot!



So dodging that bullet I threaded the damper installer on, pressed the damper on with the woodruff key partially in, and it was a bitch in a half. I had to remove my starter and jam a flathead in the flywheel. Even in 6th gear it was still pushing the car forward as I was pressing it on. Luckily that did the trick and it seated flush. Installed the crank bolt and torqued to 125 ft lbs. Good to go!

I don't want to do this job for a long time. Just waiting on my 99 crank sensor to wire in(shows up tomorrow) and then dropping the head on tonight since I was waiting on some ARP Ultra Torque assembly lube for their torque figures to be correct.



I zip tied the timing belt tight around the cog so it was firmly engaged with the teeth.

 

Nice, you dodged a bullet on that one

TORQUE SPECS THAT ARP INCLUDES WITH THEIR HEAD STUDS ARE NOT CORRECT.

Checkit: All About Head Studs ? revlimiter.net

You have been warned.

 

I literally just put the head on and was just about to put the studs back on. God bless.

 

After extensive forum archaeology I chose the stock 54-60 ft/lbs and used the stock washers with ARP studs, but you can do whatever you like.

Edit: Checked my notes and edited to reflect reality.

 

Considering I have no other washer than the ones on the head at the time I'll just reuse those and clamp in 3 stages to whatever revlimiter did. Kind annoyed I forgot to buy the 99 sensor and I am hoping to god I didn't delete that connector from my harness otherwise its gonna be fun to wire it in....luckily it was on amazon prime so it shows up tomorrow.

I have the rear water neck on and CAS, cam seals in place and timing adjustment cover on. After I torque the head on its just basic reinstall of peripherals!

 

Why did you have to jam a screw driver in the flywheel? On the installer you have, there is the hex on the end of that needs to be held with a socket and breaker bar while you turn the hex of the collar that pushes the damper on. Were you not holding the body of the installer from turning while pressing the damper on?

 

Well the only reason I needed to was when I was doing the last couple MM and torquing down the crank bolt. Honestly I'm glad I did because I found out only one stud was holding my starter in, so I am very glad I caught that before it damaged something. I may have exaggerated how difficult it was, it took some muscle but it was pretty smooth.

Got this far before I got called into the bakery for a malfunctioning wheat mill issue(damn employees don't know how to fix a tripped breaker)....damn, I was in my groove too!

All that is left is intake manifold, fuel rail, reinstall radiator, install 99 crank sensor, install cam gears...well a lot still but the hard stuff is out of the way.

 

Ah, got it. Yeah, I had to figure something out for torquing my crank bolt too. That's why I made that crank holder out of 1/8" flatbar I mentioned a few pages back. At least you caught that starter bolt issue before it fell out.

 

Looking good!

 

You know it's really bugging me that Gates belts aren't the same shade of blue. I plan on doing nothing but being mildy perturbed at them, but still, you had one job Gates!

 

Dude, there's something wrong with you.

 

dye the belts.

it's the only way

 

50 shades of blue

 

Jeff blue himself

 

I'm just sayin'...as a business owner, that would bother me if I was selling a product! Nothing more nor less.

 

Are all your donuts the same color? Do you have blue donuts?

 

 

No blue donuts(ovens are ridiculously expensive), blue frosted sugar cookies yes, all frosted with the frosting "lines" in the same direction on a sheet pan of 12...

Otherwise you are just a sick disgusting animal with your erratic directionless frosting job.

*Takes a deep breath to calm down OCD* I gotta go polish something...

 

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