Day 86 - Engine reassembly Challenge

(Ursula) Heinz stuck his head through the door in the wee hours this morning. Wally and I were suddenly awake and relieved he was back safely with all the parts.

Wally couldn't wait to get busy with the assembly process. The dealership workshop lacked hydraulic equipment for removing and installing the valve guides, but Wally found a local mechanics shop that did. The chief tech assured us that he had done this a hundred times and it would be ready in an hour. But the idiot installed the valve guides upside down and refused to correct the mistake. Wally tried to take them out himself, but it only worsened things. He cracked the cylinder head in the process. Ouch!

I just wanted to cry after Heinz's 30-hour trip to Guatemala and all the anxiety. The bump in the road changed into a mountain!

We decided to wait until the following day to discuss our options. Everyone was hungry, but none enjoyed dinner or slept well that night.

July 27th
(Ursula) It was already hot again early in the morning. After discussing the situation, Wally recommended we leave the valve guides as they were. Granted, they were upside down, but he thought it should not create a mechanical issue. However, we needed to find a place to weld the two cracked cylinder heads.

The two men left with the cylinder heads for town in search of a welding shop while I kept my fingers crossed. They showed up shortly after lunch, and I could tell by the look on their faces that they were successful. The cylinder heads were welded and saved! Wally thinks they should hold up just fine. My two heroes didn't lose a minute and immediately continued the assembly process.Read more