Builds 1984 Root Beer in Vermont - Build

[Seth S]

Just did a short test drive and it was definitely pinging under mid throttle accel. But now that I’ve learned about all these ports and lines and valves etc I am pretty sure that before the vacuum advance was actually not connected. It was connected at the distributor but all the lines or most of the lines on the back of the carb were broken or missing. So I’ll disconnect the distributor and try it again.

 

[Seth S]

Disconnected vacuum advance and test drive again and pinging was gone. Thus confirming my theory.

Steps still to do

1 set timing
2 adjust valves
3 send carb in for Jim C overhall
4 probably send distributor in for a recurve as well. Would be nice to drive the truck with advance that works....considering I’ve just figured out it hasn’t worked since I picked the truck up

 

[Seth S]

Found this photo on the web from another mud forum somewhere. Looks like the lower right diaphragm gets a line run from it to the gas filter port on the air cleaner.

And the diaphragm on the left I am 99.9% sure is connected to the valve for the AC idle up that runs back through a valve to the fitting on the brake booster pickup at the head.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Set timing to BB with vac disconnected at dissy and idle RPM at or below 650RPM.
Then connect ported vac to dissy primary vac fitting.
Test drive. If rattling is heard, then move vac hose to HAC fitting on dissy, reducing vac advance from 20* down to 7*.
Test drive. If rattling is still heard, then dissy definitely needs recurved.

You've got the AC idle up figured out. And the Choke breaker and choke opener.
Carry on.

 

[Seth S]

Set timing to BB with vac disconnected at dissy and idle RPM at or below 650RPM.
Then connect ported vac to dissy primary vac fitting.
Test drive. If rattling is heard, then move vac hose to HAC fitting on dissy, reducing vac advance from 20* down to 7*.
Test drive. If rattling is still heard, then dissy definitely needs recurved.

You've got the AC idle up figured out. And the Choke breaker and choke opener.
Carry on.

Ok. I’ll try the vac on the HAC when I get home in several weeks.

 

[Seth S]

I'm home from my worldly travels and I have been driving the 60 a bit with the desmog done. My road car needs some O2 sensors and a new front exhaust half to pass inspection so while thats waiting for parts I'm DD'ing the 60. On Wednesday I went out for a drive and picked up some parts to tidy up the desmog. I use bolts and some hose clamps to close off the rubber hose down to the exhuast from the old air injection system. I found a rubber stopper that perfectly fits in the end of the EGR pipe coming off the intake manifold.

I currently have both vacuum advance diaphragms disconnected on my distributor because I had bad pinging with the 20 degree port and mild with the smaller one. However I still have to verify base timing and adjust the valves. The truck drives well enough with no advance diaphragm at least until I can make the checks and or recurve the dizzy.

Yesterday afternoon I finally changed out the brake master and changed all the brake fluid. I was able to remove all 4 bleeders without issue....wire wheel them clean, and reinstall with anti-seize. The brake pedal is nice and firm now and stopping power feels smooth, even, and like it should. I also pulled the parking brake pivot off the passenger side drum. Cleaned it up, got it moving again and reassembled with anti-seize to keep it working.

With the drum off I inspected the pads and while they had plenty of life left they are both cracked down the center of the linings. This one might have gotten hot due to the parking brake sticking. The linings seem to work fine and the parking brake works as well...I'll probably just service the rear brakes with new pads and hardware and a good cleaning.


Thinking the next task will be to get a new voltage regulator and replace the battery/alternator/starter cables with some 4g welding cable. Might also redo the headlight wires as I'd like to go to a higher wattage bulb. The pattern on the Hellas is great but currently wishing for brighter light output. I have a set of IPF driving lights I may throw on as a suplement or I might also put a set of these bad boys on to really boost the output:

 

[Seth S]

The day I did my brake work I was at a friends garage as he has a lift. Unfortunately that’s about 2 hour drive from where I live. I didn’t leave his place until about 9 at night and I was rather tired and my neck muscles were acting up. All thing that are really good for testing your vehicles comfort level.

Let’s just say the drive home was a lot of work. Stopped for coffee and ibuprofen to combat sleep and muscles. Truck wise I really need to do a couple things

Seat. Drivers seat is killing me on any drive more than an hour. At 6’3” tall with a tall torso the top of the stock seat digs into my shoulder blades, the seat base offers no leg support, and my legs almost touch the steering wheel with the seat all the way back. Time to try out the ventilated Saab seats. I have a bracket idea in mind that will support the seat and be strong without adding any height over the stock mounts.

Headlights. My Hellas pattern is great but the base bulbs just are not bright enough. For now I’ll upgrade the harness and bat cables and then go to a stronger bulb. Probably get some Baja designs LED lights on their too. Eye strain due to low light is an amazing energy sapper.

Radio. The radio in the truck is cheap aftermarket junk. Would like to do a center console swap, use the radio slot for aftermarket water temp, volt meter, and oil pressure gauges and put a radio in the center console.

Shocks. I’m guessing that when the old Monroe’s that are on there now come off the pistons will collapse under gravity alone and rapidly. Think I’m mostly working with the self damping in the leaf spring corrosion.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

As a nurse, I try to remember to premed prior to hard wrenching, ibuprofen to decrease muscle inflammation then Tylenol for pain later. Plus if your not doing it often it’s way harder on the body. Your lucky you could stand but I can just picture the neck craning. Sometimes laying down, is just plain easier for certain tasks. Drink lots of water, eat high protein snacks (muscle building and repair), and take frequent breaks. A neck pillow is cheap driving insurance too esp after being in that type of position, it’s amazing how grateful your muscles will be to be supported after all that. I gave myself whiplash years ago and found a neck pillow to be golden for sleeping at night.

 

[Seth S]

 

[Seth S]

Picked up some 4 gage welding cable and some connectors. Ran another wire from the alternator to the Bat +. Also cut the end off the original battery positive cable, stripped back the insulation, and put on a new connector. Did the same for the fusible link wire. Also replaced the terminal with a marine style. Will probably do a power distribution block in the future to clean up the stacked wires on the battery terminal.

In my work found the nut on the power wire at the alternator was finger tight.

Getting 14V at idle at the alternator and Battery but only 12.6 at the headlights. Also seeing a voltage drop in the ground wire. I next will be to make a bunch of new main grounds.

Lastly spent some time adjusting the headlights and got the beams much better aligned.

 

[Seth S]

Fixed the connector a while ago and plugged it in but temp gage never worked. So I had the wire unplugged. But since I cleaned everything so much during the desmog I decided to plug it back in and now I have a working temp gage

 

[Seth S]

Last night on the way home i filled the truck with 91 octane and hooked up my carb advance vacuum line to the lesser advance diaphragm on the distributor. On the drive home there was no obvious pinging and the truck felt considerably quicker (im sure any other car driver would have no idea what I’m talking about). Dizzy still needs a recurve as I don’t want to be wedded to high test fuel for a stock fork truck engine.

Also with the idle set around 700rpm the engine is so quiet at idle that I have to observe the tack to verify. I still need to get a vacuum gsgenon it and go through the proper idle speed/mixture setup but so far it seems happy with mixture throughout the rpm and throttle range.

And two tanks into the desmog running 31” tires and using about a 8% corrective factor for the tire difference I’ve gotten 14 and 14.5 mpg respectively on the last two tanks.

 

[Seth S]

I went out driving last night and decided to take the long short way home. It’s only about 6 miles but it’s Vermont class 4 road for most of it and slow going. This was my first real foray in the trails with this machine and it was really impressive just how good it did. Only mod is 31” tires. Ran 4 low the whole time and only real issue I had was that the old stock springs made me realize that maybe I do want a 2” lift. The old springs were flexing no problem which was a good thing. And the only things I hit were the rear bumper a few times when passing over a few aggressive water bars.

 

[Seth S]

When traveling these roads on a whim. Not telling anyone where going. And maybe not 100% prepared. I get out and prove every puddle to make sure it’s not a bottomless swamp. Really though I was always in walking distance to help. Just could have made for a long night to recover if I had an issue.

 

[ambient]

Yeah, with all the rain we've had this spring, no telling how deep that puddle is!
Where are you located? I'm in BTV.

 

[Seth S]

Yeah, with all the rain we've had this spring, no telling how deep that puddle is!
Where are you located? I'm in BTV.

I’m in Bridgewater.

 

[Seth S]

Friend of mine and his two kids were heading back from Halifax Nova Scotia and I decided to go intercept their route and camp with them for a night. Met up just south of Gorham NH at Dolly Copp campground. Spent the night, had breakfast in the morning and then headed on our own. Just a few pics from the road.

Head down I93 towards Cannon Mountain with sun setting.

Next two photos out of order...but leaving Gorham on Route 2 heading west with friends Westy VW ahead of me. Has a 1.9 TD which isn't exactly fast but does ok for being even boxier than an FJ.

Camp site with the Westy and my Fj60. I slept in the back of the FJ and it was reasonably comfortable. With the back seat folded down its about 3 inches too short for my 6'3" height to stretch out comfortably. If I could eliminate the flipped up base of the back seat I would have had enough room. If I were to do a platform back there in the future there would be enough room too.

Friend's Westy is very nice but has $$$$$ sunk into its restoration. I'd have to imagine it would sell in the $50k to $60k range if he were to decide to sell it now.

 

[Seth S]

Someone recommend a source for these clips? Drivers side exterior handle to actuator rod.

Or confirm this is correct part?

 

[Seth S]

Got the old clip back in but not sure how long it will stay on. Adjusted the rod a little bit the clip is still pretty loose.

Yeah never mind. Popped off immediately

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Got the old clip back in but not sure how long it will stay on. Adjusted the rod a little bit the clip is still pretty loose.

View attachment 2035683

Yeah never mind. Popped off immediately

I think, @Ian Crawford fixed his in some funky way...