i was fixing the pig at the side of the road today

[cruisernerd]

so my pig and i have only known each other for less than a year.
we have been having a battle of wills most of that time. i'm stumped, the bitch absolutely refuses to run. but then it does... then it doesn't...
so with winter coming i am on the rampage to figure this out. so a guy tells me " to know if you have a vacume leak choke the carb with your hand, if the revs go up you have a leak.
sure enough, vacume leak. so i check the nuts on the carb, all tight. i check the bolts for the intake exhaust manifold, and find 4 lose ones. start it up, she runs better but won't idle without the choke.
but, i'm feeling lucky, so i take it for a little drive...
seems to run great. more power than previously and responsive. i make it to the highway...
just get up to 50 mph. bam, totally shuts down. sputters with pumping the peddle.
i am realizing i'm going to be dead on a major traffic artery. opt to hit the curb at 30kmph and cross on to a secondary road, coasting with no power. i get to the edge of the road where i can safely pull off, start looking for the cause.
realize that my site glass on the carb is empty. having been through this (i have a compressor in the back, volume tank full of air) blow out the lines to the tank and reconnect them. try to start it again, nothing not even a sputter with a full float bowl.
start thinking it might be spark, so i pull a plug and try to see if it gives a spark. can't see s*** in the middle of the day, but i try again to start. nothing.


...i think to pull off the dist. cap(which i have never removed, embarassing) contacts are so corroded. no wonder the thing won't fire.
so i clean everything up as best i can.

RAR, RAR, RAR, VROOM

so, not feeling as lucky i drive with tail between legs to a friend's house. screw around with fj40 i am also playing with...
that's another story.
drive home. Celebrate
so what do i take from this?
i have a pig with multiple compound issues. at least dirty tank, vacume leaks, and in need of new cap and rotor, wires...
though some how i feel i am getting closer to getting this thing licked.


sometimes i wonder why i screw around with cruiser...

but doesn't it make every day an adventure? must have looked awesome when my truck hit that curb at 30 km's...
anyway, just sharing.
the pig saga continues.

 

[usmcruiser]

lol that's a great story. And I can feel your pain on constant or compound issues on the pig. Seems to be the nature of the beast. But I love figuring them out and getting them fixed. Yes sometimes I really wish she was a showroom pig with no flaws. But then she wouldnt be a pig. lol I love that thing so much my friends thing I'm blind. Keep chugging along on her. They will get fewer and fewer.

 

[MiniPigg]

the first pig I bought... an 1974 FJ55... which was a birthday present.... was owned by a logger. They would drive up to the site and everyone would park their pretty 4x4 trucks and then pile into the FJ55 and drive to the clear cut area.

Anyway he said the engine started to run rough and had problems. It would also overheat and stop running. Or barely run with no power. He told me to tow it home. Well the guy is like in the middle of the north cascades. So I am not about to try and tow it with my VW doublecab truck.

We decide to give it a go. I get there and she looks rough. I get it started and able to some what idle. On the way home it does overheat but I back off and pull over a few times. We make it home and the first things I do are a common routine for me on old VW's I buy. I carried it over to my cruisers.

Adjust the valves:

The valves were so tight I am curious as to why the cam did not flatten out. Some of them I was unable to get a feeler gauge thru. So I adjusted them and tried to start the truck. Not only did it start, it ran and did not over heat. After I got her tuned out and adjusted the valves again.

Ignition system:
New plug wires
New sparkplugs
New points

I unbolted and cleaned all contacts to the ignitor.

Made an needed adjustments and used a digital meter to adjust the dwell.
Also it being a non US distributor I adjusted it as per the FSM.
Later I swapped out the coil for an MSD.

Fuel system:

I changed out the fuel filter and pulled the carb. It is a non US carb. Was nice with a pack of different jets to use for what I think was for different grades of fuel. That thing was dirty and plugged. I spent time cleaning it and rebulding.
I also replaced all rubber lines in the engine bay.
I unbolted and opened the fuel pump. It was filthy with a ton of crap. I cleaned it and placed it back on the engine.

Then started and adjusted the carb and linkage.

Exhaust system:

I torqued down the header.

Engine:
Change the oil and filter.

Fuel: Ran a few cans of cleaner. Had to change the filter a few times.
Replaced all vacuum lines.


After all that the truck ran great. I still had some issues with the carb plugging up even with the filters. But after that I had no issues.

Original engine- turned over twice and then another turn over by me.
I adjust the valve on a regular schedule as well as changed the oil every 3500 miles of so and the filter every other oil change.

Hope that helps.

 

[cruiser_guy]

Yep, it will take a little time to get all the issues straightened out. It took a while with me as well but once done it will be reliable as ever. I drove my '55 from Guatemala to Canada a month ago and it never even had a hiccup.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

fixing something on a pig is like asking it what else could break. You're just highlighting the next weakest link! Sooner or later, I will get back around to where I started on it, and then start all over again!

 

[40Flipper]

Yeah, if you don;t like fixing stuff ( or at least trying to fix it) then you should buy new. I drove to NH last weekend to get my suspension fixed. Now the transfer case is leaking badly after the long drive and my alternator is all but dead. I fixed the oil pan gasket yesterday and saw all sorts of brake problems under there. This party never ends....

 

[cruisernerd]

i saw a new lexus broken down once.

the owner on the cell phone...

he didn't have a hope in hell, i have a fighting chance.
as well, it would cost at least 15-20 grand to get a new car. the pig would be sweet for that kind of cake. way better the a neon...
there is definately a life style choice. the pig makes my 40 seem civilized.

 

[Dave Phillips]

Had my 74 for 30 years and I can tell you there's no end to the fun you can have. It's harder for me to think of things that haven't been replaced, or repaired. You have to consider it a journey.

 

[PabloCruise]

the pig makes my 40 seem civilized.

I feel the same way! I love the way my Pig rides!!!

Had my 74 for 30 years and I can tell you there's no end to the fun you can have. It's harder for me to think of things that haven't been replaced, or repaired. You have to consider it a journey.

30 years?!? That is awesome!!!

 

[MiniPigg]

Ya the pigs a love- hate- love relationship.... I do all the loving and the now exwife did most the hating.... hahahahaha


I hope my next woman is a pig owner.
-She Can weld anything
-Is a Pig owner
-Metal work, modifications
-Loves Pigs
-Isn't high maintenance
-Has a tattoo of a Pig
-can rebuild almost anything mechanical
-Gets frisky when she hears the Pig Oink.
-When she bakes cookies they are in the shape of little pigs.

Hey its always nice to have dreams.