This is to document the rebuilding of a Corvair engine to turn it into an airplane engine.
Date(s): July 16, 2014. Album by John Cronin. Photos by John Cronin. 1 - 59 of 59 Total. 3500 Visits.
I have two engines. The one on the left came from a member of the Corvair Car club (CORSA). He had several engines.
The one on the left is still surrounded by the sheet metal from the car.
This is the top of the CORSA engine. This is the one I'll start with.
Difficult to believe this will power an aircraft someday. That big round thing with the fly wheel is a torque converter.
It's an RH engine.
Should look like this when I'm done with it.
About to remove cover of exhaust tube.
Cover removed exposing push rod tubes and exhaust.
The other side.
Here's how it looks now.
One of the exhaust tubes removed.
About to remove the harmonic balancer.
The accessory section has been removed.
The plate to which the blower was attached has been removed. This is the top of the engine.
Closer look.
The valve covers have been removed.
All bolts, washers and nuts are being cataloged. I photograph every step from different angles.
Removing rocker arm assemblies and push rods.
Removing push rod tubes.
Here's how it looks.
About to remove the oil pan.
Oil pick up pump. It won't budge (even after the one bolt removed).
Here's how it looks. The garage sure smells.
Here are the parts to save.
I finally got it out. Took a few hours over several days.
Used a lot of this on it.
Used this block of wood to gently tap down on it. I then placed it behind the pick-up and, using engine case as fulcrum, gently tapped, working around both sides and it started to loosen. Just worked it back and forth.
Here's the part that was stuck into the case. It sure was in there tight.
Looking down at the hole in which it was stuck.
Looking up from inside the oil pan area.
Next project; got 12 of these case studs to deal with. Been soaking them a lot with 50/50 mix acetone/ATF and using the torch over a couple of weeks…before making any attempt to loosen them.
This is third specialty socket set I bought and the only one to work. This is the 1/2"drive.
I also bought a big wrench to use. It's about 17"; turning the nuts was much easier with it.
I went and bought the smaller size set as it came with the case. This is the 3/8" drive.
One side off…had to remove two bolts to get the exhaust part off.
Other side removed.
About to remove these so I can remove the cylinder from the engine. The two halves are numbered, so I'll make sure to keep them together.
Got them all out.
Engine without cylinders.
On the bell housing is a little panel, about 2" X 2". It's lying on the left on top of housing. I popped it off that spot which is now a hole in the one o'clock position. That is how you gain access to three bolts to remove the torque converter.
Close-up view. You turn the crank to get to each bolt.
Torque converter removed, exposing that triangle piece.
Triangle piece removed.
Bell housing removed from engine.
Here's what's behind the housing.
The engine halves have been separated.
The engine crank. Getting to this point was quite a journey.
One half.
The other half.
I do not plan to re-build the engine until I can see the end in sight of the Pietenpol. Come back in a couple of years (it's Sep 2014 now).
