Got another exhaust manifold for a too-good-to-pass-up deal. I used my rethreading tap and die set, and a bunch of PB Blaster, and cleaned up the studs and nuts. The nuts now spin on easily, and aren't loose, like if I'd used a "regular" set of taps and dies. I'll go over it with my little 1/2" belt sander and Dremel to break all the sharp edges off, and knock down the casting flash it has on it. I was hoping to avoid getting the exhaust flange resurfaced, but after carefully inspecting it under a bright light, I can see that it had been leaking at some point in it's life, so now to find a shop to do it. Any shop that can mill a set of heads, deck a block, or resurface a flywheel can do it, but I haven't found a friendly little shop like that. I'll ask some family friends.
After that's done, I'll coat it with some POR-15 High Temperature paint, cure it in the sun a few days, then wrap it up and put it on the shelf until such time as I really want to spruce up that side of the engine bay.
As far as yesterday's rain......
There used to be a automotive machine shop near me that did excellent work at a good price. Unfortunately it is no longer there. I suspect the guys that owned and operated it either retired or died as they were rather old a dozen years ago, the last time I needed their services. It was a full head rebuild for my pickup. I used them a half dozen times over the years. Good luck finding a good shop.
ReplyDeleteI had several I used during my Gearhead Days in Illinois, and I used two shops when I lived in SoCal.
DeleteA local motorcycle dealership pointed me toward a shop they use. As far as I can tell, it's where they all go. I got my work done and it worked out and was a reasonable price. It wasn't Next Day,,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't in a hurry and told them so.
Yep. When you tell a shop "No Hurry", they generally use it as fill-in work, and you get a nice break on the cost.
DeleteThe Taurus goes in for an oil change next week. I will ask the mechanic (old school - thirty years in the biz) who he can recommend.
ReplyDeleteI was able to find four "Automotive Machine Shops" here in town that all had a 5-star rating. And they all say they can do resurfacing.
DeleteNice find, and you 'could' send that rain on this way...
ReplyDeleteI would if I could, NFO! You guys are gettin' pretty parched down there!
ReplyDelete