milano lives!

[ethan schartman <eschartman@domain.elided>]

esteemed digesters,

after 4 months out of service for a head overhaul and
ring job (also installed fixed tensioner and ran
acetone through the injectors/replaced injector hoses)
i finally reassembled my 2.5L this week. after
correcting a no-start condition due to miswiring the
starter solenoid (it goes to the screw at the *bottom*
of the solenoid - DOH!), it started right up!

i had it mistimed for the initial test-drive (retarded
by about 1-2 degrees ATDC), so it was a complete dog
till about 1500 rpm. but i was anxious to put a load
on the rings before i let it idle into a non-sealing
condition. last night i retimed it and took it for
another test drive. aside from a few issues like the
exhaust knocking on the subframe (harrowing sound till
i realized what it was!) and the drive shaft needing
to reseat itself it runs pretty darn good. much better
than i had hoped given the state of complete
disassembly i took it to! it seems that the stutter
due to fouled injectors is gone (under heavy accel it
would stutter till it hit ~1500-2krpm which i
identified as an injector problem by advancing the
ignition timing as per fred d's suggestion), too!

next up is to check the valve clearances (the Driver's
side bank seems louder than usual) and track down the
coolant leak from the front center of the engine
(hopefully a stub hose and not the water pump!). then
comes the front suspension overhaul:)

many, many thanks to darn near everyone on the list
who gave me pointers ranging from knocking valve
keepers loose to deglazing cylinder liners! 

BTW, anyone have a relatively low mileage set of OEM
front shocks for a milano they'd like to sell? how
about sheet metal panels for repairing the rear wheel
arches (IAP has them but thought i'd ask here first)?

many thanks,
-ethan schartman
-87 milano gold (running strong!)
-princeton, NJ
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