a quick thanks (re: the engine)

[David Pertuz]

Now that I'm finally home, after three weeks of being away and with
infrequent email access, I'd like to
say thanks to the people who helped me with my engine swap. Thanks to Mike
Jez for the stuff he told
me before I started, thanks to Greg Vogel for getting me the parts I
needed, thanks to Steve Lotho for
the invaluable help, and especially thanks to Larry for taking so much time
to help so soon before
Agnieszka went into labor.

It took me a long damn time (about a week and a half) but that is because
it was my first one. Really,
for those of you thinking about doing it yourself, as long as you have
access to the necessary tools
and equipment, it's a lot of work but isn't complicated. Fundamentally, it
goes like this:

-disconnect everything connecting engine to car (rad hoses, heater hoses,
axles, electrical, etc. etc.)
-remove some other stuff for access or clearance
-unbolt mounts and drop engine
-installation is the reverse of removal

The car fired up and ran perfectly the first time, and it got a quick
break-in, since in the week and a
half since finishing it I've driven it about 1500 miles. It was a little
pokey-feeling until I checked and
set the timing the other day, since it had been at about 10 degrees, but it
gets great mileage (33 hwy
with roof rack) and feels slightly stronger than the old engine too. The
motor is a low-port red-top from
an auto-trans car.

My one question concerns the oil filter. I had a scare when I backed it out
of the garage on the past
Sunday to clean up, and a river of oil followed me out because the oil
filter (later type) had backed
off. I figured that since it was a later engine it would also use the later
filter, and I threaded one on
when the engine was still on the stand to see. Now I see just how tricky
the small difference in threads
can be. It is evident that the correct filter for this engine is the older
type (because it stays on and the
other one doesn't) but I am curious to know what filters others use who
have put in later-model JDM
DEs or VEs.

David