The following assembly for Flint and Tonawanda engine
plants is general in nature as small variations were usually
made from year to year.
Flint |
Tonawanda |
Raw castings
enter plant |
Raw castings
received from other parts of Tonawanda engine plant |
Block machining
(boring/broaching) in 1 to 2 days and washed |
Block machining
(boring/broaching) and washed |
Block begins
upside down. Bore sizes on oil pan rail broadcast
ahead to piston hook up area. |
Oil galley plugs |
Galley plugs |
Transmission
alignment pins |
Camshaft |
Camshaft |
Main bearing
caps removed, crank installed, caps reinstalled. |
Main bearing
caps removed, crank installed, caps reinstalled. |
Flywheel &
pressure plate or flex plate |
Flywheel &
pressure plate or flex plate |
Cam & crankshaft
gears, timing chain |
Cam & crankshaft
gears, timing chain |
Piston installation |
Piston installation |
Front engine
cover and seal |
Front engine
cover and seal |
Harmonic balancer |
Harmonic balancer |
Oil pump shaft
and oil pump |
Oil pump shaft
and oil pump |
Windage tray
bolts if applicable |
Windage tray
bolts if applicable |
Oil pan and
hardware |
Oil pan and
hardware |
Clutch housing |
TDC determined,
timing pointer |
Engine turned
upright |
Engine turned
upright |
TDC determined,
timing pointer |
Camshaft
lifters |
Camshaft lifters |
Build date/suffix
code stamped * |
Cylinder heads
installed |
Cylinder heads
installed |
Rocker arms &
balls installed |
Rocker arms &
balls installed (studs already installed) |
Intake manifold
installed (oil filler tube if applicable, water
outlet & thermostat already affixed) |
Valves adjusted |
Valves adjusted |
Intake manifold
installed |
Valve covers
installed |
Water outlet &
thermostat installed |
Miscellaneous
brackets and switches installed |
Water pump installed |
Build date/suffix
code stamped |
Spark plugs
installed |
Water test with
vacuum gauge |
Distributor
installed |
Oil cavity test |
Miscellaneous
brackets installed |
Paint assembly |
Exhaust manifolds |
Distributor
installed |
Vacuum test |
Coil & plug
wires |
Valve covers |
Spark plugs |
Paint assembly |
Temperature
switches |
Hot test |
Water and oil
drained |
Water and oil
drained |
Exhaust manifolds
installed |
Racked &
readied for shipment |
Spark plug wire
supports, heat shields, other miscellaneous brackets
installed |
|
Component verification |
|
Racked &
readied for shipment |
|
* Early (1965) 396-cid big block engines were stamped
further to the right on the engine pad due to the large
plug in the end of the cylinder head after assembly at Tonawanda.
This caused problems for the final assembly plants in stamping
the partial VIN identification. Later the engine ID information
was stamped on the left of the pad before the heads were
installed allowing the right side of the engine pad to be
used for the car's partial VIN to be stamped.