I swapped around some engines on their stands.  My custom stand holds the motor from below, the orange stand holds it from the side.  I had to hold the real block from the side to install the oilpan... now I need to hold it from below to install the clutch.

I installed the seal shield and pressed in the guide pins that align the transmission to the block.

Torquing the pressure plate bolts was a little sketchy, I thought my stand was going to collapse under the force.

I was working alone, so I braced the crankshaft bolt against the stand on the other side of the motor.

After they get torqued, they get turned another 1/4 turn.  These are REALLY tight.

I turned down some more bolt heads and bolted the waterpump to the waterpump housing.

Tonight I got the engine block and transmission bolted together and installed on my new custom engine stand.

The real bolts are on backorder, so I had to use the stock bolts temporarily.  To prevent damaging the paint, I turned some delrin washers.  Also, it's crazy how dusty everything becomes in my shop. 

I'm just using a dummy starter (partial starter, rather) and front engine mounting bracket for now.  I wasn't happy with the paint on the real starter, so I need to strip it down and start from scratch.

I painted some more parts yesterday in the extreme heat. 

90 in the booth!

The cylinder head was the main part I wanted to paint.  The block and valve cover here are both scrap, they're only being used to mask the surfaces of the head. 

This is how I trim the tape around surfaces.  I pay the tap overhanging and trim it with a fine file.

waterpump housing all masked:

All painted.  This stuff is all satin black to match the block, transmission, and all the little brackets I have painted so far.

Throttle body damper.  I wish the boot was black, but I believe it's silicone to handle the heat because it's above the header. 

Waterpump, waterpump housing, and I repainted the top half of the oil cooler

A few months ago I painted the oil cooler, but masked off a little too much.  After assembling it you could see a big unpainted area, so I repainted it. 

Here was the old masked area:

Now it's all black.  I taped off the bottom half, the paint match isn't perfect but it's not bad.

I got the oil pump, oil pan gasket/baffle, and oilpan installed on my real block.

New stainless steel bolts, with the heads turned flat and stainless washers.

I installed casters on my engine cart, the block and trans will be ready to bolt together this week. 

I cut pads to put on the top of my engine stands.   I cut these out of 1/8" thick adhesive backed gasket foam.

My Rabbit passed 80,000 miles this week!

I painted today.

Sealer:

Teal!

Idle control valve and throttle plate damper bracket:

This is a spare end cap for the transmission...just in case.

Upper intake manifold bracket.

Starter:

I peeled back some of the tape, but I'm not sure how the edge will turn out.  I might have to pinstripe it.

Our buddy Timmy stopped out at the shop with his Hemi

Actually his real Hemi was in the shop getting a footprint gas pedal installed.  This is only his beater.

Neel took a break from building rocket ships and came all the way from California to wrinkle some red!  We stopped at the CMU Formula SAE garage to check out last year's car.

Check out this totally badass hardfacing I spotted while sitting in construction traffic. 

You just got killed by a Daewoo Lanos, motherfucker!

OK back to work.  New tools!  Schwaben ignition coil puller set for VW/Audi vehicles.

We swapped out the coil packs in Fro's GTI

I stopped to get some lumber for the next project.  I allllllmost could have fit 10' lengths!

All sawed up

coming together, as Fro observes.

My custom engine mounting stand is almost complete!   At least it should make some sense now.

Fro took a break for some gunsmithing.  Remember the SAT's?  Fazz:tools as Fro:guns. 

Back to work again.  You might have noticed I date all of my supplies... I found this can of polyurethane that must have come from my Dad.  It's older than the Jetta! 

All shined up!

That's all for tonight.  Maybe some teal tomorow!