Rebuild Day One

The scene: I started Thursday at about 1130 Mountain Standard Time. The iPod was set to "shuffle".

Work progressed fairly quickly and painlessly. The last time the engine came out I left the exhaust installed out of fear. I don't know what I was afraid of; it came off without the involvement of a hammer or torch. Some sooty leaks make me think the muffler at least has breathed its last.

Its removal also occasioned the first casualty of the project. This was the first of several exhaust bolts that refused to go gentle into that good night.

 "Four bolts and a floor jack!" False. (But he was singing along with Pavement during this photo, so his spirits were still high.)

How does this thing come out?

Melissa ran the jack with admirable attention to my orders--"Back! Down! Stop! Up a little! Back! Stop!" etc.--as I jimmied things from above. The magic moment came at about 1530 MST as some Juliana Hatfield song played on the shop stereo, and the engine was out. Tater Tot watched events unfold with some small degree of enthusiasm, and a great deal of patience.

This short piece of cinéma vérité reveals what I believe to be the root of all this evil. That big round thing I'm wiggling is the flywheel, which is bolted to the crankshaft. It shouldn't be able to wiggle....