Pinelands Hangover

No, not from drinking, from having so much fun! It's taken me almost a week to get myself together to write up a post. Pics are getting posted to the TDFW Facebook page and I have both Neil and Dennis' video, so I'm actually prepared to make up a new movie. It'll be done before the Fall '09 and Spring '10 videos for sure.

But, I have to share one as a sneak preview. I spent a good part of our time at Mt. Misery pit rumbling around in Heavy D just letting it idle in 4 low and first gear. Never stalled, even going up Driveshaft Hill. Much torque in that beast. I might have to put it on the dyno at Carlisle one of these years.

Anyway, at the next pit, I decided to put Heavy D on auto-pilot. I'll let the video speak for itself:

Resignation and Preparedness

Didn't even touch Hanky yesterday. I figure, why bother. No, I never did try to start it the other day. Again, why bother. No need to rush it at this point.

Instead, I turned my attention to Heavy D. Took it for a ride up to the shop to pick up the Traveler top for Jon and the tires for him to mount for me and topped off the gas while I was out. Also checked and filled the oil and the front diff fluid. Coolant is good. Loaded up all my supplies, so am just about ready to roll. That one tire with the cut in still worries me, but it's lasted ok so far. I do have a spare in case it lets loose. Fingers crossed. Saw some BFG 35" MTs on Craigslist the other day. I should call about those.

This time tomorrow, I'll be in Jersey.

No Fire, No Life

For those of you who took place in our poll. No one voted with the correct answer, which is:

Are you kidding? There's more to do than time to do it.

Seeing as how I haven't even attempted to start the beast, I think it very unlikely that Hanky will make it to Pinelands. Again. It's ready to start, mind you. I could give it a whirl tonight... and still might. But there is also the small issue of closing up that hole in the firewall and reassembling the truck (if you recall, the tailgate is the only piece of sheet metal still attached to the tub).

I had thoughts of massive amounts of duct tape to make due, but even if I do get it back together, I have no time to shake out the cobwebs and really make sure it's running well. Not a pleasant prospect when I have a 3 hour drive to Pinelands. Stress I don't need.

So, looks like Heavy D will get pressed into service again. Limits some of what I'll do with it. Not going to thrash it as hard as I would Hanky and it won't fit some of the places the Scout can go. It'll cost me about 50% more in gas and take 45 minutes longer in Heavy D too, but oh well, ce la vie. At least that will make getting the Traveler top to Jon easier.

Which reminds me, I need to make a run to the shop to pick that sucker up, along with my mud tires, so Jon can mount 'em for me. Need to put on a new header gasket too. Maybe I'll do that tonight.

Hanky will have to have it's new plant debut in the spring. That will give me time to put the locker in anyway.

Life Intervenes

As usually happens, life has a way of letting you know that you aren't in total control. Earlier in the week, I did manage to get the transfer case in, even fabbed up some bushings on the linkage to silence the rattling shifter. Hopefully it will last. Got all the wiring wired. Got the transmission linkages installed.

But between work and other events, I haven't touched it since Monday and I'll not be able to lay hand to wrench again until Sunday. That's not leaving me much time to tinker.

I still need to put the shifter back in, check the vacuum hose configuration, fill engine trans and transfer case with fluids and install the exhaust. I'm pretty well resigned to putting the single back on, but have to patch the passenger side pipe. I'll get the duals on eventually. I'm just not going to have time to mess with it before Pinelands.

...and that's just the drive train related stuff. Also have to blast, paint and install the inners, windshield frame and grill, not to mention the radiator and the rest of the sheet metal: doors, fenders, hood, etc. If I get it running and that's all I need to do, I'll put 'em on as-is and take ]em back off afterwards to blast and paint.

Oh, and before that, there is the slight issue of welding metal in that big hole I cut out of the firewall.

The big question mark for me, though, is the carb. I need to pull the top of it off to clean out the mud dawber nests in the vent tubes and check the bowl. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't need  a rebuild. If so, you'll see me dropping all this stuff where it is and start putting the new header gasket in Heavy D and going to the bank for more gas money, so I can drive that to Pinelands.

7 Days to Pinelands and counting down...

Say Goodnight Grace

With a heavy heart, we will be heading to NJ this weekend to say a final farewell to Diane's great aunt Grace Brown. She was one of the nicest, sweetest ladies I have ever met. She always greeted with a kiss and a smile and always wanted to know how my family was doing. She will be missed, but is rejoining her beloved Raymond. Two peas in a pod, they were - and are again.

Home Sweet Home

After a good afternoon of work, the engine is now sitting pretty in the engine bay, just where it should be.

Started the day by heading over to Lowes to get some hardware and Advance to get a brake line to fashion up a new trans cooler line. Once on the garage, I put on the passenger side exhaust manifold, oil pressure sender, fuel pump and A/C/Alternator bracket. Then Brian H came over and we lifted the engine and dropped the pan to fix the leaky gasket. Had to make a run to Advance again, but we got it cleaned out and put back on. 

We then bolted the trans to the engine. Did you know that torque converter bolts aren't symmetrical? I do now. They aren't off by much, but enough to make you have to do it twice if you aren't paying attention. We then eased the engine back into place and bolted it down. Also cut the ear off the PS pump bracket (the one that holds the now-gone air pump and keeps you from removing the valve cover) and installed it and the PS pump.

We also laid out my exhaust pieces and separated the muffler from the head pipe on the driver's side and decided that I could get it in after the engine is in. This is an exhaust that is nearly new, but scavenged from a parts truck, so will need to be welded back together and I need to cut and weld up the passenger side headpipe from the old exhaust. Depending on how things go, I might end up taking it to Meineke and having them just install a new exhaust. I don't want that to be the bit to keep Hanky from Pinelands.

Still have to wire it up and bend and install the trans lines before I try to start it.

After writing this out, it doesn't sound like we got much done today, but we were at it for a good five hours. Maybe if we (I) didn't misplace the wrenches every five minutes, it would have gone faster. There is always tomorrow. I'll be back at it bright and early.

One in the Trans, Two in the Bush

Yesterday I picked up the new bushing(s) for the trans. I figured I ought to get two since I boogered up the first. Threw 'em in the freezer and got my grip together while they chilled.

After fussing around with it and making a run to Home Despot and AutoStone, I finally came up with a way to get the thing in. The bushing is the same size as a 1 7/8" exhaust pipe and fits neatly inside a 2" OD/2 1/4" ID adapter. Slipped it on and banged it in. Then tapped in the oil seal. So, I have an extra pump bushing if anyone needs one.

Tonight I swapped in a transfer mount that's marginally better than the old one, put the starter on and reinstalled the flex plate.

Little by little.

Location : 6228 Dawn Day Dr, Columbia, MD 21045,

All Shiny and Bright

Today was a light day. The Skins were playing after all. Oh yeah, and the Ravens too. I guess they count.

Painted the exhaust manifold with POR15 manifold paint. Only did one, cuz it's the only one that I've taken off - swapped out actually. Looks pretty darned good with this nice cast iron gray. Maybe I'll do the other one some day.

Also installed the AC/Alternator bracket that had previously been blasted and painted with black POR15. No, I'm not running A/C, I'm going to run on-board air. Yeah baby.

So that's two nice shiny bits on an otherwise rusty, crusty engine. Kinda fits with the rest of Hanky.

Whack-a-Mole

Got a fair amount done in the garage today, even despite two visitors - Brian T and his son dropping off the engine hoist and Brian H on his way back from Alan's (not that I don't mind visitors!).

So, let's run down what I got done...

Went to Lowes and got new bolts for the exhaust manifold and plugs for the air manifold. Got the plugs installed, along with a new stud for the alternator bracket.

Then installed the rear main seal. Wanted to try the 2 liter bottle trick, but I didn't have one, so I used a cereal box instead. Worked slick as you please.

Next up was flushing out the block. Lots of brown yuck came out, so despite the old freeze plugs looking like new, I'm glad I pulled 'em. Once done that I put in the new plugs. and used the compressor to blow off the residual crap that was on the engine - leaves, sticks, dirt, etc.

Then I pulled the exhaust manifold out of the Evapo-Rust bath and washed it down.

Put that up to dry and set about changing out the u-joints. The whack-a-mole method of u-joint removal worked great for three of 'em, but the rear-most one doesn't have enough yoke to smack, so I pressed that one out. Snip, snap, their in and back on the truck.

The list is getting smaller...

Just Call Me Righty

...'cuz I seem to want to get rid of my left hand real bad. Dinged up my ring finger this time at the climbing gym last night. It's a good bit larger than it should be and doesn't move quite like it should.

But does that keep me out of the garage? heck no. Just put a glove over it and move on.

This afternoon I went to order a replacement bushing for the transmission. Ordered two in case I bung up another one. All of eight bucks for the two, I think I can afford it. What I can't afford is having to wait until next Wednesday to get them. Apparently NAPA has to send them to the local shop from Indianapolis via UPS. Now how they make any money on a $4 part shipping by UPS I don't know. Don't really care either, I just need the part.

Anyway, since I can't button up the transmission, I figure I need to get the engine squared away. So, tonight was stuff removal night. Started with the freeze plugs. Judging by the pain on them, I think that they may be original, but darned if they don't look almost new, aside from a little grunge. Popped 'em all out. Had to remove the fuel pump, starter and alternator bracket to get to 'em all. I might need a fair number of those gaskets I got at Nats after all.

While popping out the plugs, I notice that one of the air rails is cracked. That's all I the incentive I needed to trash those buggers. Pulled them out. I'll run over to Home Depot and get some plugs to fill 'em back up again.

Then I turned my attention to cleaning up the manifold from Hanky that will replace the broken on that was on the engine. Took a while to chip off the layer of Pinelands mud that was baked on, but it's now resting in a bath of Evapo-Rust for the night. Tomorrow morning, flip and repeat.

Tomorrow I'll see about flushing all the sludge out of the engine. And there is plenty of it. behind the front plugs was enough mud to fill a baby's diaper and then some. This could take a while. If I am diligent and don't get distracted by the swap meet at the climbing gym or the tent sale at Harbor Freight, I might get the plugs back in tomorrow. Maybe even the rear main.

Oh, did I mention that the engine is leaking oil all over my garage floor. Must be a Scout engine. Seems that in it's current nose-down attitude, the oil in the pan is enough to meet the pan gasket. Pan gasket, meet oil. "Why oil, pleased to meet you, come on through."

Time to ice my sprained finger with a nice cold Yuengling.