6.9 engine rebuild with pics

[slfan]

Nathan,

Congratulations.  Your engine bay is looking incredible.

Please keep sharing pictures of your progress with us.

Best regards,
Angel

[rumb]

Thanks for the pictures!!!!

[nathan]

ill try and get some better ones, the light was terrible in the morning in the garage, that and I couldn't bend over well in professional attire!

[nathan]

not much tonight.
a tip for people looking for those firewall drain hoses. they are always cooked it seems but then logically, I remembered a 280 wreck I had, the hoses were soft and bloody good in light of the small engine. in comparison, the hoses get decimated by the 6.9 as they sit behind it and cook. so look for good ones (they are NLA) fro a 280 if you need them!
I did a few brackets with new rubbers for the hydro lines. 
slow progress

[daantjie]

Nice work!
Any luck with those unobtainium firewall grommets?

[Peter]

Hi Nathan and nice work - I think those duckbill drain hoses are also fitted to the W123 and W126 and available aftermarket. I got mine from MB Spares a few years back.

[nathan]

Daan,
I didn't want them to touch the firewall as the matting is NLA and I don't want to open a can of worms!
Duckbills is a good description Peter!

[TJ 450]

Awesome, yes that's looking mint. All those rubber parts would be quite crusty by now so it's definitely worth doing, and that was a good idea regarding the mat on the firewall.

Tim

[nathan]

I had some slave labour today in the form of a long time forum member who is largely inactive now.  it made possible a lot of work.  I accidentally snapped the bloody vacuum line on the cruise unit so will need to rectify that. otherwise going well.

[marku]

All looking very good you should be proud. I didn't manage to get the block out which made it difficult but I struggle on.

[nathan]

cheers Marku,
I didn't pull the block out, my mechanic did. I've never taken out a 6.9 without just cutting the front end off!
when dads 6.9 was painted, they just sprayed the whole engine bay black around everything, it doesn't look so good and I want mine done as nicely as possible as the car is a keeper. its a lot of work!
regards
Nathan

[marku]

Yes a lot of work. I started only intending to do the engine but it gradually expanded to a full rebuild with the body stripped out and repainted. Never intended it bought the car just to tinker with the engine and drive round the pubs here on a summer evening. But the magic of the 116 got me and I haven't regretted it. Doing all the work myself I have really learned a lot about the car. Good thing now is that I am putting it all back together. Still looking forward to going round the pubs.

[TJ 450]

Yep, removing and installing the engine without impacting anything is a real challenge with the 6.9, particularly with the centre of gravity being high with the M100 on the engine crane.

It's looking good Nathan, nice work getting that stuff back in, it can be quite a challenge remembering where everything goes.

Tim

[nathan]

thanks goodness,
I think its ready to roll to the mechanic to get the engine back in. a few solid days of effort and the help of an old forum member has seen me wrap it up tonight for the time being. ultimately, there aren't actually that many wires running the m-100 with K jet, although I will get all of them re insulated by an auto electrician before its back as that stuff is well baked now.  luckily we have some 6.9s so I had one to look at for comparison, although its hazardous as after 40 years, you can't guarantee that car is as it should be!
anyway, I look forward to the next phase.

[rumb]

I found that loosening the rear of the round cross member and dropping it a inch or two really helped make room to lower engine in.

connect the engine hoist leveler chains as far forward/as tight as you can to you can get a steep angle on the engine/trans.