Builds Welcome home Matilda - faded like your favorite pair of jeans

[CruiserTrash]

Hey there CruiserTrash, enjoying this thread!! I think you're so close!!

Based on your videos, I believe I see two things I'd remedy in this order.

1) I'd get a brand new group 34 battery in Matilda. The cables from the Tomato truck are causing a considerable loss in amperage needed to get Matilda to turn over quickly enough to properly fire.

2) The fuel situation in Matilda is unknown right, and I'm not certain it's mentioned but I'd start with a fresh small can of fuel hooked up to the hose going to the fuel filter. Fuel goes bad (separates) quickly and then won't allow an engine to fire or run in some cases. It's possible that the float bowl is also filled with this partially separated fuel.... it might be helpful to have an extra person squirting a small amount of fresh fuel down the carb as you try to start it. A small water bottle with a tiny hole drilled in the cap works.

I'm not all that worried about the compression numbers (yet) until it's been started and the rings and valves have broken loose. The valves possibly not closing due to carbon and the rings not sealing because they've been stuck in place could both be contributing to the low compression numbers.

Give those two things a try. I wish I was nearby, I'd be eager to help out. It's always fun getting a rig to run again. Keep at it, you're super close!!

Cheers,
Adam

My knowledge is limited on this stuff - I didn’t grow up working on cars or anything - so having help like this is so great. Thanks!

I believe the gas tank was near-empty and I put 4 fresh gallons it, but I’ll try running it straight out of a full gas can of fresh fuel.

For now I’ll pop the battery out of the tomato truck (it’s only a few months old) and put it in Matilda. That should alleviate the line loss to resistance and the poor contact of the jumper cables.

For what it’s worth the float bowl was bone dry when I got the truck but could have residual crap in it, or old gas that was in the fuel lines. I did replace the old fuel filter which was full, so there’s several ounces of old crap gone.

What are your thoughts on the bore scope images and this supposed diagnosis is from 2017 of a cracked block?

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

My knowledge is limited on this stuff - I didn’t grow up working on cars or anything - so having help like this is so great. Thanks!

I believe the gas tank was near-empty and I put 4 fresh gallons it, but I’ll try running it straight out of a full gas can of fresh fuel.

For now I’ll pop the battery out of the tomato truck (it’s only a few months old) and put it in Matilda. That should alleviate the line loss to resistance and the poor contact of the jumper cables.

For what it’s worth the float bowl was bone dry when I got the truck but could have residual crap in it, or old gas that was in the fuel lines. I did replace the old fuel filter which was full, so there’s several ounces of old crap gone.

What are your thoughts on the bore scope images and this supposed diagnosis is from 2017 of a cracked block?

Stupid question… your priming the carb?
Or just follow Adams instructions and add fuel directly to the carb.

 

[77CruiserDog]

You're doing a fantastic job.

I think swapping batteries is a good idea! If you have a trickle charger, you can toss the battery coming out of Matilda on the trickle charger and maybe breathe new life in to it depending on how old it is.

The problem with today's fuel is that when it gets old and separates, it can leave a corrosive substance behind, damaging a fuel tank or carb/float bowl. So I think the idea of fresh fuel in a smaller can will take much of Matilda's likely contaminated fuel system out of the loop. Spraying a tiny bit of fuel in the carb as you try to start it will also help as it will circumvent the float bowl in a crude fashion for starting purposes. I think a carb rebuild or City Racer carb and a handful of fuel filters are in your future....

At this point if the RTV work around the intake/exhaust manifold was done by the same person who diagosed the engine, I'm not going to take their diagnosis seriously. The scope images are not pretty, but they could simply be an idication of moisture collecting at the top of the cylinder and yet more corrosion from sitting.

If this were my rig, I'd put a small amount of engine oil in each spark plug hole, no more than a teaspoon, to help lubricate the cylinder walls and maybe break the rings free from the ring lands on the pistons. I'd then use the starter to turn the engine over with the spark plugs removed for a short time, 10 seconds or so. I'd perform an oil change and put some new NGK plugs in it and then I'd attempt a start with a known good battery and some fresh fuel in a small tank.

It's not possible to seal up a cracked block with RTV, so I think the small amount of RTV near that EGR passage on the block is just messy work. I also see a new intake and exhaust manifold gasket in your future. I've had excellent results with a clean, dry Remflex gasket.

Let's get this thing started today!

 

[CruiserTrash]

You're doing a fantastic job.

I think swapping batteries is a good idea! If you have a trickle charger, you can toss the battery coming out of Matilda on the trickle charger and maybe breathe new life in to it depending on how old it is.

The problem with today's fuel is that when it gets old and separates, it can leave a corrosive substance behind, damaging a fuel tank or carb/float bowl. So I think the idea of fresh fuel in a smaller can will take much of Matilda's likely contaminated fuel system out of the loop. Spraying a tiny bit of fuel in the carb as you try to start it will also help as it will circumvent the float bowl in a crude fashion for starting purposes. I think a carb rebuild or City Racer carb and a handful of fuel filters are in your future....

At this point if the RTV work around the intake/exhaust manifold was done by the same person who diagosed the engine, I'm not going to take their diagnosis seriously. The scope images are not pretty, but they could simply be an idication of moisture collecting at the top of the cylinder and yet more corrosion from sitting.

If this were my rig, I'd put a small amount of engine oil in each spark plug hole, no more than a teaspoon, to help lubricate the cylinder walls and maybe break the rings free from the ring lands on the pistons. I'd then use the starter to turn the engine over with the spark plugs removed for a short time, 10 seconds or so. I'd perform an oil change and put some new NGK plugs in it and then I'd attempt a start with a known good battery and some fresh fuel in a small tank.

It's not possible to seal up a cracked block with RTV, so I think the small amount of RTV near that EGR passage on the block is just messy work. I also see a new intake and exhaust manifold gasket in your future. I've had excellent results with a clean, dry Remflex gasket.

Let's get this thing started today!

Well, here’s the thing: before Matilda was on my radar I was planning on putting a refreshed head on the tomato truck. I picked up a spare head, spare manifold set, spare thermostat housing, had a machine shop refresh the head, am waiting on getting the manifolds worked on, for all new front/lower coolant hoses, thermostat, fan clutch, water pump, and OEM nuts washer and bolts for literally everything (those took some tracking down!).

All of that is sitting there, 95% ready to go. Just waiting to see which block to hang it all on - the tomato’s 264k mile block or the 124k mile block in Matilda. I also have the Jim C rebuilt carb from tomato (10/2020 rebuild) that will go on top.

I will put some oil in the cylinders (recommended by somebody else too). I keep putting off buying a trickle charger but maybe now is the time.

As for the previous owner’s mechanic. I will not badmouth him as he’s pretty revered in some circles. Perhaps the PO himself did the manifold gasket and not the mechanic. With all these old vehicles there’s always a big untangling: figuring out what work was done and why. To an extent I’m lucky I have this nuclear option of swapping in a freshly rebuilt head … I still need to figure if the block is worth putting it on though, and that’s tricky.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Stupid question… your priming the carb?
Or just follow Adams instructions and add fuel directly to the carb.

Yes. About 6-10 squirts of the AP with the gas pedal seems to be the sweet spot where she wants to start the most. That seems like a lot, but proof’s in the pudding.

 

[CruiserTrash]

@77CruiserDog I won’t be able to get over to the shop until tomorrow unfortunately. I’m taking my daughter to a play for her birthday and it’s an all day affair.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Perfect, have fun enjoying her birthday and the arts!!

 

[CruiserTrash]

Perfect, have fun enjoying her birthday and the arts!!

I clean up well, believe it or not. I’ll just have to hide my grease-stained hands

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Yes. About 6-10 squirts of the AP with the gas pedal seems to be the sweet spot where she wants to start the most. That seems like a lot, but proof’s in the pudding.

When I prime I don’t use the gas pedal. Get in, key in ignition, no pedals, turn key and let it rev (say a count of 4), do that a few times on and off. You’ll get to know how many it takes for the fuel pump to move gas up to carb. Check sight window, look for half, then pull choke and turn key. Should fire right up. No feet on pedal at all. @OSS taught me that and I share it widely.
Mine only needs about three turns of the key and it’s enough.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I clean up well, believe it or not. I’ll just have to hide my grease-stained hands

Nah just shows your a hard working dad!

 

[TLC4K2]

Can't contribute anything technical, but me and Kaylee are rooting for ya! I can attest to old gas going bad in only a few years, and wasting an entire afternoon trying to fix what ain't broke. Changed the gas and voila! Insta-start.

PS @77CruiserDog, I have to give you fair warning: you're on my radar now. We're only an hour north of you (give or take the Lynnwood traffic). I might just ping you at some point in the future to c'mon up here to help with something. You've been warned. We'll provide the beverage of your choice, and a pizza if it takes too long.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Can't contribute anything technical, but me and Kaylee are rooting for ya! I can attest to old gas going bad in only a few years, and wasting an entire afternoon trying to fix what ain't broke. Changed the gas and voila! Insta-start.

PS @77CruiserDog, I have to give you fair warning: you're on my radar now. We're only an hour north of you (give or take the Lynnwood traffic). I might just ping you at some point in the future to c'mon up here to help with something. You've been warned. We'll provide the beverage of your choice, and a pizza if it takes too long.

Awesome TLC4K2, I'm always happy to help!! That's the third level of Land Cruiser / IH8MUD enlightenment which I'm only now starting to hit.

Level 1 - Using MUD to drool, research and entertain​

​

Level 2 - Contributing to MUD to help others, support vendors and create entertainment​

​

Level 3 - Using MUD to lend a hand in person or just meet up and have a beer, because everything on these rigs is heavier than it should be and the people closest to us are tired of hearing about what we did to our Land Cruisers.​

​

Level 4 - Most mortals never make it here.... @NookShneer @wngrog @Samppahj @GA Architect @TheNeek just to name a few who have essentially reached Land Cruiser Nirvana by providing content at a level we all hope to emulate someday.... but know we never will.​

Helping others, sharing information and learning through our eventual mistakes inorder to reduce the struggle to keep these rigs on the road. It's what MUD is all about... and this...

Cheers,
Adam

 

[wngrog]

 

[CruiserTrash]

Awesome TLC4K2, I'm always happy to help!! That's the third level of Land Cruiser / IH8MUD enlightenment which I'm only now starting to hit.

Level 1 - Using MUD to drool, research and entertain​

​

Level 2 - Contributing to MUD to help others, support vendors and create entertainment​

​

Level 3 - Using MUD to lend a hand in person or just meet up and have a beer, because everything on these rigs is heavier than it should be and the people closest to us are tired of hearing about what we did to our Land Cruisers.​

​

Level 4 - Most mortals never make it here.... @NookShneer @wngrog @Samppahj @GA Architect @TheNeek just to name a few who have essentially reached Land Cruiser Nirvana by providing content at a level we all hope to emulate someday.... but know we never will.​

Helping others, sharing information and learning through our eventual mistakes inorder to reduce the struggle to keep these rigs on the road. It's what MUD is all about... and this...

Cheers,
Adam

That’s what it’s all about man. I owe a debt to folks on Mud that would take several lifetimes to repay - an impossible task. The next best thing is operate in Zone 3 and try to attain Zone 4 in order to pass it on. Hopefully some lurker out there has learned from my limited successes and frequent failures.

 

[77CruiserDog]

Did you happen to get Matilda running this weekend?

 

[CruiserTrash]

Did you happen to get Matilda running this weekend?

I got over to the shop long enough to put some Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders per a suggestion from @Colorado84. I’m hoping to sneak over there later today and see what happens.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Quick questions while I’m too busy to make progress on Matilda:

1. The tach seems to be stuck at 2500rpm. That’s whether or not the truck has electrical power, and no matter if the key is in the ignition or turned. I have never seen this issue in all of my Mud trolling. Thoughts?

2. If this block is cracked, what would the symptoms be. Given that the old mechanic suggested the block was cracked adjacent to a freeze plug I would guess the crack is near a water jacket. But the coolant is full and I have not seen any leaks or moisture. When I get the motor running, what symptoms should I be looking for? How would I determine that the block is indeed cracked? Certainly there are other issues that could be similar to a cracked block, so how would I tease that out?

 

[77CruiserDog]

I can't answer definitively for your question #1. However, I would guess it's a mechanical issue with the gauge since it doesn't change with power. I'd pull it out and get a better look at it as step one and if you have a known good tach in Tomato, perhaps a quick swap would tell you if it's a bad gauge or something else.

For #2, I believe that if you have a cracked block, you'd get one of three distinct things happening shortly after it starts. Some amount of uncommon noises as it's running, changing with RPM. Leaking coolant either on the outside of the block or in to the cylinders or oil passages which would present itself as a ton of white steam or oil in to the coolant or coolant in the oil. Leaking oil or coolant to the outside of the block.

I want to believe that you don't have a cracked block but you'll find out within a few minutes of it running. Cracked heads happen more often than cracked blocks based on my understanding. It could also be a myriad of other things and I think step one is trying to evaluate it for yourself so you know exactly what it's doing rather than relying on years old information that may not be accurate.

 

[CruiserTrash]

I can't answer definitively for your question #1. However, I would guess it's a mechanical issue with the gauge since it doesn't change with power. I'd pull it out and get a better look at it as step one and if you have a known good tach in Tomato, perhaps a quick swap would tell you if it's a bad gauge or something else.

For #2, I believe that if you have a cracked block, you'd get one of three distinct things happening shortly after it starts. Some amount of uncommon noises as it's running, changing with RPM. Leaking coolant either on the outside of the block or in to the cylinders or oil passages which would present itself as a ton of white steam or oil in to the coolant or coolant in the oil. Leaking oil or coolant to the outside of the block.

I want to believe that you don't have a cracked block but you'll find out within a few minutes of it running. Cracked heads happen more often than cracked blocks based on my understanding. It could also be a myriad of other things and I think step one is trying to evaluate it for yourself so you know exactly what it's doing rather than relying on years old information that may not be accurate.

I totally agree that the entire motor needs a fresh assessment. I do, however, want to know how a cracked block will present itself so that I can be on the lookout for that, amongst other things.

So here's an additional questions: how would symptoms differ between a cracked block and a cracked head? Would some potential symptoms overlap, and then how would I discern between the two?

Last thing: Metal expands with heat, so I feel like any cracks that would cause leakage of coolant or oil would be more prone to leaking when cold, rather than when hot. A hot engine crack I think would expand and in some cases (not all) self-seal. Am I thinking about this the opposite way?

 

[TLC4K2]

@CruiserTrash, one of the things I was taught on my daddy's knee is that if you have signs of coolant and motor oil mixing, like milky-tinged motor oil, that's a dead ringer for a crack or seal fail somewhere, ie a blown head gasket. But my good friends at my local Napa also introduced me to this little contraption which might help provide a positive ID:

How To Check Your Vehicle For A Cracked Block Or Blown Head Gasket

A cracked block or head gasket failure can total an engine. Use this easy test to rule out a severe engine problem!

www.hotcars.com

Hope that helps. If you do have signs of a leak, here's hoping it's a blown head gasket, rather than something worse.
Kathryn and Kaylee