TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (15 Viewers)

[40LandCruising]

Worked on the 40 today, new slave cylinder fixed the seized clutch issue, and did a temporary daisy chain of two factory soft lines in the rear while I wait for my extended stainless line to arrive.

Then I started converting my 8274 from the factory solenoid pacts to a contactor. Unsuccessfully…

Could it have something to do with buying a $28 winch contactor off Amazon? Yes. Does it? Unsure.

Got it all wired up, plugged the controller in, bumped winch out, and it started spooling in and wouldn’t stop. I had to disconnect the battery. Fortunately I’d had enough cable pulled out it didn’t get tight and burn the winch up. Disconnected all the control wires and it still did it when I tried reconnecting the battery. Even once I disconnected the ground cable from the motor(I assume it must be grounded through mounting as well). So I finally removed the contactor entirely and unhooked the winch from power for the time being.
Probably gonna return and buy the Albright for $80

Can’t forget I had to relocate the winch controller plug so I moved it to the dash, was very proud of the little bracket I’d whipped
Up, and forgot the route the wires through the hole before connecting. Oops

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This was all prompted because last trip I was on a solenoid died, so we flipped wires on the motor so I could winch in and just free spool out to get me off a trail.

 

[40LandCruising]

My current best guess is it was a bad contactor out of the box, OR the ‘common’ terminal for this contactor was supposed to go to + and I put it to -. I say this because the contactor I bought did not come with any sort of wiring diagram. So I just went off one for a contactor that looked the same I had also ordered. But I just did some checking and it appears some of that style contactor have that terminal going to + and some to -.

 

[40LandCruising]

8274 contractor upgrade updates, wires were just touching and shorted out, got more insulation on them and it works

 

[NCFJ]

Making a bit of progress on the Merc front suspension

 

[Pick]

We moved out of our house last May for some water damage repairs that turned into a major renovation. We finally moved back in this February and are now getting settled back in.

I drive the 60 once a month or so to work and the last couple of times, it has been running really rough. Finally got a chance to pop the hood today and saw this missing vacuum port?!? Not sure what was there but I blocked it off for now and it runs SIGNIFICANTLY better.

I looked back through @open country build thread for Pearl but couldn't determine anything. Maybe it was just blocked off before?? Anyway, happy to have it running better and looking forward to picking some of your brains at RR next weekend.

 

[open country]

The rubber cap I had there must have popped off, glad you caught it

 

[Pick]

Thanks.... I thought it ran somewhere else and couldn't find another open port.

 

[roadstr6]

In stock configuration that manifold port had a three-pronged vacuum doodad Mr. T called a gas filter. Definitely keep that port plugged. Otherwise its a huge vacuum leak.

 

[Pick]

Thanks Dave... as with a lot of these, there are several mods that are less than ideal. Open Country did a great job of getting most of the bugs worked out and running reliably. I hope to swap to a stock carb or maybe even a sniper or something at some point in the future. Its fun to tinker and there's plenty to do

Blocking it off made a HUGE difference, it idles and runs SO much better. It is hard to start and I think this even helped some with that. It still diesels a little after I turn it off but overall its a pretty good runner now. Thanks for the help, look forward to meeting a lot of people at RR this weekend and picking everyone's brain.

 

[SFROMAN]

Awake from its long slumber. Now that my daughter has my lx450 I have zero excuse but to start driving this little truck once and for all.
Yes the Holley sniper system still won’t let the truck idle correctly.
Yes I have a plan.
Going to replace the frame epump. Going with an in tank version which will require the tank to be modified but I think it will be worth the trouble. Also adding the hydramat for good measure.
I’m hoping this plus a visit to a shop that can help me tune the system will get the truck to where I want it.
Then hurry up and prep the rest of the truck for gsmtr. Good times

 

[fourtrax]

Hell yeah

 

[NCFJ]

That's a nice looking truck Del

I shoot tanks with lizard skin then black paint. Helps with the noise from fuel pumps.

 

[NCFJ]

This is what keeps me playing Two Connect & Cruise packages. If the Gods are with me the next C&C will be for the Mercedes. That will be LS3 525 HP/Tremec 6 speed.

 

[Pick]

Last time my wife had the tires rotated on the GX, they must have forgotten to return the wheel lock key. She went to get the tires balanced for some vibration and can't find it anywhere. I've cut these off with a die grinder when I worked at Goodyear as a teen, but it sucks. I found this on Amazon and it worked perfectly... once. All the teeth inside sheared right off. Just processed the return... guess I need to order 3 more and return them after the first use
If anyone is aware of a higher quality tool, I'd love a recommendation...

 

[NCFJ]

A lot of drive trains going in around here of late. Two 140s getting a LS3/4L70E Connect & Cruise package and an 80 with it's front drive al installed awaiting the Whipple blower!

I never tire of the internals of an LS3. 6 bolt mains were unheard of when I was a kid. Motors get a Hot Rod pan, windage tray, pick up and dip stick.

 

[NCFJ]

The next generation getting his start! Justin's boy lending us a helping hand. First time he came to the shop we showed him the truck getting a supercharger, he reaches in his pocket and pulls out a Hot Wheels with a blower sticking through the hood, "Like this?". He had two more in his pockets. My kind of kid!

 

[Pick]

Last time my wife had the tires rotated on the GX, they must have forgotten to return the wheel lock key. She went to get the tires balanced for some vibration and can't find it anywhere. I've cut these off with a die grinder when I worked at Goodyear as a teen, but it sucks. I found this on Amazon and it worked perfectly... once. All the teeth inside sheared right off. Just processed the return... guess I need to order 3 more and return them after the first use
If anyone is aware of a higher quality tool, I'd love a recommendation...
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2 down... 2 more to go. This really sucks

 

[Pick]

Whoever said work smarter not harder really knew what they were talking about.... upon further investigation, Lexus can replace the tire lock keys. They were in-stock and only $22.50 - from the dealer!!!

No. Brainer.

I now own a key for two locks I destroyed but it was so much easier, wish I knew that before I started all this but live & learn

 

[NCFJ]

Working on the IRS. That's the trunk floor the center section is coming up through. Upper mounting member will use mounts welded to the frame rails. Frame rails already plated with 3/8". I am cutting out small sections of sheet metal at a time to avoid over cutting. I have a notch cut into a major cross member just behind the center section and will most likely be cutting more of it to accommodate the coil over shocks. I'll put in a replacement cross member once everything is sorted out along with more bracing at the mounting points. It gets two adjustable braces with a cross member on the front of the axle as well.

 

[Comet]

So seven years ago next month I parked my 1997 80 series dubbed my screen name after she faithfully brought myself and my daughter back from Cooper Rock State Park in WV with a terrible miss and general misbehavior. @OGBeno answered the call that fateful weekend and convinced me to just drive the piss out of it. Prior to that visit, the last time I was there was in 1995 when I purchased a demo model 1995 VW Jetta and went camping right after I graduated from WVU. The Jetta had to be towed on that fateful trip. Note to self, do not go back to Coopers Rock State Park no matter how gorgeous the views are unless I am a passenger in somebody else’s vehicle. Today I went to my mechanics yard where COmet has been parked for the last two years. You want it cheap or fast, can’t have both. I voted cheap. He is a one man show so daily drivers have always taken priority over my junk. Slowly he worked on things and diagnosed different problems that could be fixed with a steady stream of spare parts I stashed in the back of the truck. Two weeks ago was the first start so today was just a trial run for next weekends drive home. After the jump box was hooked up she started right up to that usual high idle, then calmed right down to a steady drone. My mechanic really was serious about the cheap or fast. There is a ticking that follows RPM so the first thing to be replaced is the pulley bearing. After that I will sort out the usual suspects for both long dormancy and being an old vehicle. Here’s to getting back into the 80 without neglecting the other series.