Builds A New 55 Owner Intro (cgn1976 thread) (2 Viewers)

[Cgn1976]

So I read on a 55 thread somewhere recently that there is 1 step forward 2 steps back kind of dance with these rigs. I'm certainly finding that to be true, granted I think I might be causing some of my own backawards steps, being a noob and mine is more of a forward, forward, back, back, back, back thing!

Forward - Yesterday I got the rear shoulder belts installed. I went for some Wrangler replacements off of ebay instead of trying to track down OEM stuff. It was also 6 weeks out to get some from Wesco or other web based storesI may eventually move to something from Toyota, but they work great for now, are solid and will have the wife allowing the kids in truck now!

Forward - got that alternator regulator ground figuered out, so I went for a nice little drive last night!

Back - when I turned on the headlights, the left blinker indicator on the dash lit up solid, and left blinker would only flash once. Turned off the headlights, works normally. I also noticed that the left blinker is not quite as bright as the other side, so I think I have a ground issue still and maybe a short from the dash headlight indicator or switch? I actually fixed this same blinker issue but without the headlights on a few weeks back, but clearly there's more to sort out.

Back - left headlight wasn't working on the drive as well, so I wiggled the harness and it came back on. That's an easy fix, however I then noticed a little coolant getting splashed off of the fan blade. Didn't have time to figure it out last night, so I ran it idle for 15 min today and it started splashing again. Leaking at the water pump. see pics. I took the fan off last weekend to smooth out the pulleys, as they had a little rust and I figuered that probably led to the belt breaking. I wonder if somehow removing that pully caused the water pump issue becasue it looks like it's leaking at the front of the pully, although is that even possibble? I do recall the pully feeling like it could wiggle on the pump with the bolts loose, almost like the part it was seating to had some play. There was no leak before I pulled the fan so I must have doen something! Eitherway, the pump looks really rusted and old, so I ordered another one from Cruiser Corp. just now. Hopefully that solves that one!

Back??? - I'm really hoping not, but it looks like the coolant is a little oily. I'm no expert, but I read this could be and probably is a head gasket failure! Oh joy! getting into the deep end real quick with this thing! I guess a compression test is in order? The engine runs smooth, strong and doesn't smoke though, so I don't really know what to think.

Back - I'm having exhuast fumes in the cab, but I have only driven with the back window down and I read it could be wafting in from there? Was having gas fumes in there but adjusted the carb a bit as it's now living at a lot higher elevation than it's prior home and that seems to have helped that. There's a new exhuast from the PO that routes out the side well behind the rear tire though, so kind of doubt that's the issue. Also ran shop vac backwards into the exhaust and splashed soapy water on the exhaust manifold and dind't find any leaks, so I guess that's a win! I also have the rebuilt OEM carb and new dissy with Pertronix coming from Mark in the coming weeks, so maybe the better tuned carb will help some with this one. I'll see!

Anyway, not sure if this is the right place to post on all of this, but I thought I'd share my journey and this seemd like as good a place an any!View attachment 2438395View attachment 2438396

I'm a little scared to post this, but all 4 backward steps have been reveresed! Blinker/running light issue fixed by running it's own ground wire, water pump repalced with no leaks (so far anyway), no oil in the coolant so no head gasket issue, and driving with the rear window closed sovled the fumes issue in the cab! All in all a pretty sucessful weekend! Bring on the carb and new dizzy (GULP!)

 

[bobm]

Doing Great. Keep it up. You'll be fine

 

[wngrog]

Late to the party. Looks like you are kicking ass on this pig. Glad you decided to learn along the way. No better way.

if you have not figured out the blinker issue those are 99% ground issues most time. I usually add a ground wire from the inner metal on the fender light through the post and to the fender. Usually fixes the flash issue

 

[Cgn1976]

Thanks to everyone all the support. It's giving me confidence to keep at this. My carb and dizzy are coming back from Mark's today. Does anyone have any thoughts about which one I should tackle first? I was thinking the carb since the current dizzy is mechanical advance. My thought is get the carb on and tuned with the current setup before I tackle the dizzy. Don't want to add multiple variables at the same time if I somehow screw it up and I can't get it to run! Hoping to get at it a little tonight, and more Saturday.

 

[RUSH55]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Cgn1976]

So excuse the noobiness here, but I started thinking about this carb install a little more today and have a few questions that are probably gonna be stupid. I was thinking I was just going to unbolt the old on bolt on the new, but in looking at pictures around the furom and the web I think I'm missing the correct Insulator plate for the Aisin (see pic)? All I have is the carb as pictured from Mark. Also, I dont have any gaskets other than what's currently installed whisch I'm sure is an issue. I probably need to get that figuered out before I bolt anything up! I've looked in the Hayens manual and engine repair manual I have and can't quite make it out. I think I need some parts! Any thoughts on where to get parts? I'm guessing the ussual suspects online (SOR, outfitters etc.)? Thanks in advance!

 

[scrapdaddy]

I bet Mark could hook you up, no?

 

[Cgn1976]

Time to pick up the old telephone!

 

[bobm]

Ya, they have all. Except the carb itself

 

[Cgn1976]

Mark is the man once again! And he said doing the dizzy first made more sense too, so got a weekend project still.

 

[Cgn1976]

Well, got the dizzy and Pertonix in and she fires right up!....but, it's not running right. Almost like it's missing. I timed it and it's right on. Fires right up, but it's just not right. I'll post a youtube video link or upload a video if you can do that, here tommorow. Heading out now.

That said I used the plugs that were in it. They looked good, but while running, I pulled each plug wire off to see if it had any change. They all had a noticible difference except 3. I couldn't detect a difference when i pulled it and put it back on. I put the timing light on all the plug wires and they all have spark. I'm gonna try new plugs tommorow.

Any other thoughts from the gurus? I'm sorry. Probably not giving enough detail for anyone to help! so close!

 

[abqcruiser]

When you say the timing is right on, is that to factory settings? You may want to advance the timing a bit for our altitude here.

 

[Cgn1976]

When you say the timing is right on, is that to factory settings? You may want to advance the timing a bit for our altitude here.

Hey Mark. I did notice it ran a little better advanced a tad. i'll adjust it based on feel tommorow. I really feel like something is just off. It took a few tires to get it dialed in With the dizzy position..I had to move it 1 tooth over a few times and at one point forgot to make sure I had the proper TDC. Realized that and did it right and got it dialed, but it's just clunky. I pulled the plugs to turn the motor by hand to find TDC, and dropped one about a foot onto concrete so I think maybe that's the one that's not firing on 3...I hope so anyway becuase I fires it more than a few times in the wrong orientation. Never back fired..never 180 back though the carb, as far as this noob could tell. Had it limping along a few tes, so figured a tooth off.. anyway, tomorrow is another day! Hope I didn't fck anything up!

 

[Cgn1976]

Hey Mark. I did notice it ran a little better advanced a tad. i'll adjust it based on feel tommorow. I really feel like something is just off. It took a few tires to get it dialed in With the dizzy position..I had to move it 1 tooth over a few times and at one point forgot to make sure I had the proper TDC. Realized that and did it right and got it dialed, but it's just clunky. I pulled the plugs to turn the motor by hand to find TDC, and dropped one about a foot onto concrete so I think maybe that's the one that's not firing on 3...I hope so anyway becuase I fires it more than a few times in the wrong orientation. Never back fired..never 180 back though the carb, as far as this noob could tell. Had it limping along a few tes, so figured a tooth off.. anyway, tomorrow is another day! Hope I didn't fck anything up!

2 beer post

 

[bobm]

Put new plugs in. And you should increase the gap on them . Up to .045

 

[PabloCruise]

So I read on a 55 thread somewhere recently that there is 1 step forward 2 steps back kind of dance with these rigs. I'm certainly finding that to be true, granted I think I might be causing some of my own backawards steps, being a noob and mine is more of a forward, forward, back, back, back, back thing!

Forward - Yesterday I got the rear shoulder belts installed. I went for some Wrangler replacements off of ebay instead of trying to track down OEM stuff. It was also 6 weeks out to get some from Wesco or other web based storesI may eventually move to something from Toyota, but they work great for now, are solid and will have the wife allowing the kids in truck now!

Forward - got that alternator regulator ground figuered out, so I went for a nice little drive last night!

Back - when I turned on the headlights, the left blinker indicator on the dash lit up solid, and left blinker would only flash once. Turned off the headlights, works normally. I also noticed that the left blinker is not quite as bright as the other side, so I think I have a ground issue still and maybe a short from the dash headlight indicator or switch? I actually fixed this same blinker issue but without the headlights on a few weeks back, but clearly there's more to sort out.

Back - left headlight wasn't working on the drive as well, so I wiggled the harness and it came back on. That's an easy fix, however I then noticed a little coolant getting splashed off of the fan blade. Didn't have time to figure it out last night, so I ran it idle for 15 min today and it started splashing again. Leaking at the water pump. see pics. I took the fan off last weekend to smooth out the pulleys, as they had a little rust and I figuered that probably led to the belt breaking. I wonder if somehow removing that pully caused the water pump issue becasue it looks like it's leaking at the front of the pully, although is that even possibble? I do recall the pully feeling like it could wiggle on the pump with the bolts loose, almost like the part it was seating to had some play. There was no leak before I pulled the fan so I must have doen something! Eitherway, the pump looks really rusted and old, so I ordered another one from Cruiser Corp. just now. Hopefully that solves that one!

Back??? - I'm really hoping not, but it looks like the coolant is a little oily. I'm no expert, but I read this could be and probably is a head gasket failure! Oh joy! getting into the deep end real quick with this thing! I guess a compression test is in order? The engine runs smooth, strong and doesn't smoke though, so I don't really know what to think.

Back - I'm having exhuast fumes in the cab, but I have only driven with the back window down and I read it could be wafting in from there? Was having gas fumes in there but adjusted the carb a bit as it's now living at a lot higher elevation than it's prior home and that seems to have helped that. There's a new exhuast from the PO that routes out the side well behind the rear tire though, so kind of doubt that's the issue. Also ran shop vac backwards into the exhaust and splashed soapy water on the exhaust manifold and dind't find any leaks, so I guess that's a win! I also have the rebuilt OEM carb and new dissy with Pertronix coming from Mark in the coming weeks, so maybe the better tuned carb will help some with this one. I'll see!

Anyway, not sure if this is the right place to post on all of this, but I thought I'd share my journey and this seemd like as good a place an any!View attachment 2438395View attachment 2438396

It was probably time for that water pump. this will be a great time to flush the cooling system and fill with fresh coolant.

Can you smell anti-freeze in the exhaust? It is the kind of smell you don't forget if you have ever blown a head gasket.

If you drive with the rear window down, you will get exhaust fumes in the Pig.

Gassy smell inside? Check your vapor separator. Pull the interior panel for the driver side cargo area. My '74 had a plastic check valve that was cracked and let gas vapors inside - yuck.

 

[PabloCruise]

Hey Mark. I did notice it ran a little better advanced a tad. i'll adjust it based on feel tommorow. I really feel like something is just off. It took a few tires to get it dialed in With the dizzy position..I had to move it 1 tooth over a few times and at one point forgot to make sure I had the proper TDC. Realized that and did it right and got it dialed, but it's just clunky. I pulled the plugs to turn the motor by hand to find TDC, and dropped one about a foot onto concrete so I think maybe that's the one that's not firing on 3...I hope so anyway becuase I fires it more than a few times in the wrong orientation. Never back fired..never 180 back though the carb, as far as this noob could tell. Had it limping along a few tes, so figured a tooth off.. anyway, tomorrow is another day! Hope I didn't fck anything up!

Can you clarify what you mean by "wrong direction"?

Set engine at #1 TDC - install dizzy w/ rotor pointing at #1.

Make sure dizzy is fully seated!!! This will drive your oil pump.

Make sure you have oil pressure, otherwise you will feel like you moved back several steps...

 

[PabloCruise]

When you say the timing is right on, is that to factory settings? You may want to advance the timing a bit for our altitude here.

Once you put in new plugs and install the dizzy correctly, set timing.
I have heard 1 degree of advance for each 1000' above sea level is a good place to start.
you can listen and set timing by ear to where she sounds happy. Or, if you have a vacuum gauge, you can set timing for max vacuum at idle.

Make sure your idle is set to factory (700 RPM?).

You may have to dial back on the timing from that max vacuum to prevent detonation under load - run it hard up a hill and listen for pinging.

 

[RUSH55]

Set engine at #1 TDC - install dizzy w/ rotor pointing at #1.

Make sure dizzy is fully seated!!! This will drive your oil pump.

And by pointing at #1, that means the #1 plug on the rotor for the spark plug wire that runs to the #1 cylinder. This was an area of confusion for myself for awhile when first learning about setting timing. Not really a simple way to explain it without pictures.

 

[PabloCruise]

And by pointing at #1, that means the #1 plug on the rotor for the spark plug wire that runs to the #1 cylinder. This was an area of confusion for myself for awhile when first learning about setting timing. Not really a simple way to explain it without pictures.

Excellent point! The rotor needs to be pointing at the tower for #1 on the dizzy cap.

Thanks for keeping me honest @RUSH55