[wickedwitchinak]

Actually, you wouldn't happen to know of any good "engine rebuilding for idiots" books, would you? To date, it has kinda gone like this: I get so far as installing the pistons, then someone says "gee, you DID calculate the gravitational pull of the moon when you put those in, right?" To which I reply "uhhhh..yeah, of course I did, I mean do I LOOK like an idiot?" and then I promptly run home, break out a book on Astrophysics and redo everything I've done. But I must admit it is getting old, tearing it down and putting it back together and I am almost at the point of saying, "If a stray dog hair eats that rod bearing alive, then so be it" But I know I will regret not redoing it if and when it blows up. Plus I constantly have this nagging feeling that I misread the Plastigauge, or I over/undertorqued something or I put the pistons in upside down (ok, even I'M not that dumb). Kinda like the same feeling when you get to work and wonder if you left the stove on. You are pretty sure you are being stupid, but the one time you don't run home to double check, your house burns to the ground. Furthermore, I stumble across horror stories here about errors someone else made (like the machinist perhaps) and I start wondering if a warrantied crate motor isn't less of a hassle.

ANyway, if anyone knows of any good literature on the subject, I would appreciate it.
Have a great weekend, all!!!

[advanced design]

You might want to check this one out http://www.affordableclassicsinc.com...lock_chevy.htm

I haven't used the book but this might be a lead for you - assuming you are rebuilding a small block Chevrolet.

[wickedwitchinak]

HA!!! SO i took my truck to a mechanic and even with all the right tools, the comfort of a warm shop and the necessary muscles, it still took him over an hour to break that ball joint loose. He even bent his pickle fork in the process....He said he has never seen anything so stubborn...except maybe the Idler arm. I said that my ex-boyfriend was probably that stubborn, but I never had the satisfaction of hitting him with a hammer for over an hour to find out.

But I digress....the point of this post was to vindicate myself a bit. So now that I feel better, I will bid you adieu.

P.S. It snowed today, so wish me luck that nothing else on my truck breaks this winter, k?