Hey everyone,

I got a 1980 Dodge Aspen from a friend for cheap. It runs currently but it really just needs the engine rebuilt and a good cleaning/painting under the hood. We also talked about turning it from an automatic to a manual.

I myself am not very mechanically inclined and don't know a whole lot about engines at all but I would really like to take this as an opportunity to learn.

I am mostly just looking for guidance on where I can begin researching. What are some good books/articles/videos to start with? Any good suggestions on things I should avoid or look out for while researching? Also feel free to tell me how crazy or insane I am to try this with no mechanic knowledge.

-Brandon

While its running you might determine how badly worn the motor currently is. I'd do a compression check before I went further. At least you would have something to compare with when its done.

You will need an organized workspace and attention to detail. Plus some basic tools. Most machine shops will assemble the motor for a modest charge. I'd keep the automatic transmission if it were mine.

Thanks for the reply. I will do the compression test when I am back up there next weekend.

I have decent bit of space. We have a 2 story 1700 sq ft pole barn that basically just has junk that needs to be thrown a way and several nice solid work benches. Cleaning up will be the first project before I start on the car.

We have tons of tools already but most of them are missing parts or are just old and rusted. Looking at getting a new kit and hiding it where others can "quickly borrow" something and never put it back. One I found so far was:

http://www.harborfreight.com/profession ... 45951.html

Any suggested reading material between now and when I can get to doing the compression test?

After you get a factory service manual, you ought to read this site for a few days. When you rebuild a motor it can be easy to go beyond the basic job as several upgrades can make a noticeable difference in performance. I'd ask around where you live to find the best machine shop. I've seen machine shops make mistakes. You can also purchase quality long blocks for a reasonable cost, with a warranty - which is what I'd suggest you do if you're on a tight schedule. You might not even need an overhaul.

You probably won't need many tools. You can rent some tools at auto parts stores. Harbor Freight is okay for basic tools.

I will ask around. I think I may know of one. I live in Martinsburg WV which is right between Hagerstown MD and Winchester VA right off of I-81. I also work and live in DC during the week. If anyone happens to know of any good shops in those areas that would be awesome.

I am not on any tight schedule. Hoping to start in the beginning of spring or summer ish and when ever it gets done it gets done. But budget kinda depends. I don't really have a set budget but at the same time I don't want to dump a ton into the project if that makes sense.

I will keep reading around. I think the friend I bought it from has the factory service manual already. Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it.

Just an FYI. There are several slanters in that general area (PA & MD). We have a slant six race at Mason-Dixon Dragway, in Hagerstown, usualy in May and Oct.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Do you know how many miles are on the engine? Does it burn oil? What kind of gas mileage does it get? Ditto on the compression read. However, do a wet and dry compression test to determine if low compression is valves or rings. Sometimes a valve job will give you years more service. Did the car sit for a long time. That being said, a valve job on an old engine can make everything else fail. Do you hear any ugly knocking or bumping coming from the engine when it runs?

Have you done a tune up? You might run some engine clean up in the oil for awhile to try and free the rings. I am pretty sure this engine has mechanical lifters, which means the valves probably need adjusting. They changed to hydraulic right around the year, but do not know for sure what models got that. Are the valves quiet or do they make a ticking noise ( or clatter if badly out of adjustment.) If they are quiet then they are hydraulic.

If it really is not too worn mechanically, replacing the wiring and connectors one wire at a time can make a huge difference in performance. The old electrical systems get to where much power is lost due to high resistance in the wires and connectors, leading to very poor performance of the ignition. At the very least put new spark plug wires on

Ditto on keeping the automatic also. That 904 lockup is a pretty stout, and trouble free. You get yourself into all kinds of changes to the car to swap in a manual trans.

Tim, who sells quality long blocks? Jasper seems to require a local dealer or installer to purchase.



Sam

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Thanks for all the great replies. So a bit of history on the car. The friend got it for free from his neighbor. His neighbor's husband originally bought it then past away not long after and she kept it in a garage driving it very rarely. He got it with around 65,000 miles. Since he got it he has replace in one way or another and in no order the Gear Box, Radiator, Carb, Starter, Alternator, and other small things. The biggest thing he did at the beginning of the year was pressure tested and sealed the head after the head gasket was blown. 90% of all of this was done by a local mechanic shop with us tinkering with some stuff. This was his daily use car for 2 years.

Now it has around 89,000 miles on it and it seems to be mixing antifreeze and oil / burning oil up again. Talking to the friend just know he said there is a knocking sound coming from the engine when it runs. I haven't heard it myself yet. It also idles extremely high. Not sure about the gas milage, I will ask him again.

Well, if it is knocking, it seriously needs to be taken off the road right away. And especially so if the antifreeze is getting into the oil; it could break something internally at any moment and that would be the end of it; I wouldn't even start it again if this was known to be the case. Oil into the antifreeze is less urgent but it won't get any better.

If you are mechanically adept and a good reader and take your time and think first, you can do this. But no one here knows you like you do, so be a realistic judge of your abilites. I did my own first engine after having just had my hand in one flathead Ford rebuild as an assistant, and then did a LOT or reading and asking questions. It was a fairly high performance 351C and worked out fine. (I like to think that it was not just luck... LOL!)

There is an old general automtive book that you can find on eBay: "The Peterson Automitve Troubleshooting & Repair Manual". It is a good general book for reading and learning and was written and published in the time when your engine was new. It has a section on general engine overhaul that will be useful for you. Here is a $10 (shipped) copy in Ohio: http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Petersen-Au ... 4ae0f32a83

We are a bit over 100 miles from you, near Waynesboro VA, and are currently in the midst of a /6 rebuild. You would be welcome to come see. Problem is that we will likely be assembling it in the 2nd week of Dec, and you will be working in DC. So that might not work out. But you are welcome to come see the internal parts and talk it over next weekend (assuming we get back from KY in time), and to ask for support. Sending you a PM with contact info.

It's been too long since I did engine work in the Hagerstown area to know the shops there anymore; I use some old-school shops here locally. Prices tend to be pretty reasonable here.

Its been taken off the road as of a week ago. Its now sitting in a garage waiting to be worked on. Which brings me to the question, should I be doing anything to prep it to sit over the winter until we start working on it? Also book has been ordered so I will read that over once it gets here.

If I decide that maybe this project may be too much for me as a beginner does anyone know if a shop would show/teach me what/how they do it if I am in no rush to get it done? This would mostly be a weekend project. In general I would really like to be more mechanically inclined. Not giving up yet but would like to list all my options.

Where this car has sat in unpreped storage condition for a while, the only thing I would check is antifreeze mix to keep block & head suffering a project killing crack, and an oil change if coolant is present in sump. Other than that letting it sit for another winter won't bother it.
Is oil showing in radiator, or is antifreeze in engine oil in oil pan? If coolant is found in oil pan there may be something serious going on, or another blown head gasket which generally is a result of warped head causing poor sealing hence leaks; an easy fix at a machine shop.

Burning oil can be caused by stuck or broken rings, corrosion damaged cylinder walls, worn valve stems, or dried out valve seals. On a slant that has been sitting for a while with under 100K miles I would firstly suspect dried out valve seals, secondly stuck rings, or both. Valve seals will require tools in hand fairly easy inexpensive repair to replace them your self, and stuck rings adding some mechanic in a can to oil and gentle driving for thousand miles most likely will free up and reseat rings.

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To make sure things are clarified. Its been a daily use car for the past two years and has had around 24-25K Miles put on it in those two years but before that it sat for a long time.

From what I am told the antifreeze has been mixing into the oil. I haven't had a chance to look at it myself yet.

As said, drain the oil to get as much water out as you can. It would be nice to idle it to get the coolant out of all the oil passages and nooks and crannies to prevent internal rusting from sitting with water in it. But that all depends on how bad the knock is; it may be less damage to let it be.

It is possible that when the head gasket was replaced before, the block was a bit warped and that was not strightened out.