[DeTomaso] My little repaint project is growing....

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/8/09 10:44:31 AM, charlesmccall at gmail.com writes:

> My question is what else should I do while the engine is out? It's the 
> first time the engine has ever been out of the car (it was rebuilt twice with 
> the engine in place (!!??) and I hope it's the last!
> 
When ANY Pantera engine is out, I always recommend replacing the bronze 
pilot bushing in the end of the crank and throwout bearing as insurance, simply 
because its such a pain to get to them. Note that far-east suppliers have 
compensated for the high price of copper by adding less copper and more iron 
filings to some "bronze" bushings to cheapen them. These bushings will look 
brown/gray and be magnetic; a high-iron bushing will rapidly wear the nose 
of your ZF input shaft. Take a small magnet with you to the parts store or be 
VERY sure the mail order shop knows you will reject any magnetic bushings. 
Good luck, Charlie- J Deryke