Builds Zeke, the 1975 Wanderer and DD

[PabloCruise]

Got the head off and the problem is obvious. Need to find a local machine shop to fix it.

View attachment 2806378

View attachment 2806379

Juan de Fuqua!

 

[120mm]

So, I've decided what I'm going to do.

Currently, I haven't/cannot/it's a really bad idea to tap my retirement funds and am living off my savings until the end of the year. I do NOT have the funds, nor is there a reputable machine shop available until after the end of the year.

I'm not willing to let the truck sit until then.

I need this truck to be running soon, so I am going to experiment with the "lap the new valve and run it" part of the equation. Got the rest of the parts I need to do that today.

I'm also going to try to figure out why the Downey Holley carb conversion sucks so bad and see if I can fix that. Because I think that was the proximate cause of the valve issue to begin with.

Will throw a carb kit at it, and redo the timing while I'm at it.

This is with the idea of keeping Zeke in perpetuity.

Once its running, will fix the hole in the driver's side and fabricate the support for the frame mount there.

 

[120mm]

This is how I get the valves out. Heard some folks have problems with it.

I put the rocker column bolt in the head, with washer and oversized bolts as shown.

I put a wadded up rag in the combustion chamber of the head to keep the valves from falling down when I'm fishing the valve keepers out.

I use the valve spring compressor thusly. It's important to get a feel for how to push the valve spring straight down, as any angle you put into it binds the valve keepers to the valve stem.

 

[120mm]

Got the new valve in, cleaned all the gasket material off, hoped everything was flush and level and put new gasket on. In laws are coming tonight from Iowa so left head bolts finger tight.

Next, pulling the oil pan because the gasket leaks oil.... Aaand I might've dropped something down in there. Didn't realize there were holes in the rod gallery that go into the cam, crank and oil pan even with the tappets installed.

 

[120mm]

Got it all back together and even got it to fire off. Doesn't run super great, and the dizzy hits the oil filter as I turn it. When it's touching the oil filter it will start, but runs rough. Is it possible I'm off a tooth? And, as shown by the picture, the upper clutch cylinder s*** the bed overnight. ****!

 

[120mm]

Got her running good today. Pulled the dizzy, turned the oil pump approximately one tooth clockwise, and re-stabbed the dizzy. Dropped right in. Actually kinda scared me how easy it went in, as last time it was a minor struggle to get everything to line up right. Oh well.

Engine ran fantastic after that.

Drove the dog out to the mountains and woods and worked her stored adrenaline off. Lost a couple quarts of oil on the way home, since I forgot to tighten the valve cover bolts next to the dizzy. Managed to snap off a valve cover bolt that's on the short side nearest the radiator, but am going to replace it "whenever" since I've never seen it leak there.

Did a short oil change, and they are out of nearly all diesel oils everywhere I look, so put a couple gallons of Supertech diesel 15-40 in it.

Ordered a master and slave cylinder for the clutch, and a new hose.

It runs really nice. Provided the head gasket doesn't let go right away, I'm going to tackle the front body mounts and driver's side floor next.

 

[scrapdaddy]

A good day!

 

[bobm]

Diesel oil?? Why??

 

[120mm]

Diesel oil?? Why??

Why not?

There are a bunch of threads talking about using 15-40 diesel oil for the Zinc. And certainly it can't hurt it.

I'm willing to be educated, if there is a better alternative.

 

[PabloCruise]

Why not?

There are a bunch of threads talking about using 15-40 diesel oil for the Zinc. And certainly it can't hurt it.

I'm willing to be educated, if there is a better alternative.

Rotella? (<sp?) I hear nothing but good things about that stuff. The BMW crowd loves it, or at least the e46 crowd (crappy oil rings) speaks highly of it...

 

[PabloCruise]

So, I've decided what I'm going to do.

Currently, I haven't/cannot/it's a really bad idea to tap my retirement funds and am living off my savings until the end of the year. I do NOT have the funds, nor is there a reputable machine shop available until after the end of the year.

I'm not willing to let the truck sit until then.

I need this truck to be running soon, so I am going to experiment with the "lap the new valve and run it" part of the equation. Got the rest of the parts I need to do that today.

I'm also going to try to figure out why the Downey Holley carb conversion sucks so bad and see if I can fix that. Because I think that was the proximate cause of the valve issue to begin with.

Will throw a carb kit at it, and redo the timing while I'm at it.

This is with the idea of keeping Zeke in perpetuity.

Once its running, will fix the hole in the driver's side and fabricate the support for the frame mount there.

I like your ideas!

If you can, convert it back to the Aisin carb for your year. You seldom hear people bitch about those. I know Trollhole has replicas - no experience with those.

 

[PabloCruise]

Got the new valve in, cleaned all the gasket material off, hoped everything was flush and level and put new gasket on. In laws are coming tonight from Iowa so left head bolts finger tight.

Next, pulling the oil pan because the gasket leaks oil.... Aaand I might've dropped something down in there. Didn't realize there were holes in the rod gallery that go into the cam, crank and oil pan even with the tappets installed.

View attachment 2815483

View attachment 2815484

Isn't that oil pan gasket fun?!?

 

[120mm]

I like your ideas!

If you can, convert it back to the Aisin carb for your year. You seldom hear people bitch about those. I know Trollhole has replicas - no experience with those.

I have no desire to recreate all the hoses and linkages involved with that. Nevermind the expense, just to trash it to convert it to EFI

 

[120mm]

Isn't that oil pan gasket fun?!?

Nothing but bad words come to mind

 

[iliketrucks]

Valvoline VR1 is also a good choice if you can't find a diesel oil you like

 

[120mm]

Rotella? (<sp?) I hear nothing but good things about that stuff. The BMW crowd loves it, or at least the e46 crowd (crappy oil rings) speaks highly of it...

All gone in Clarksville.

 

[120mm]

Drove Zeke to church this morning, and the transfer case started making a racket. Got under neath it and didn't find anything obviously wrong. Decided to keep driving it and the noise stopped when I took a drink of coffee. Looked in the console and there was two quarters and a spare fuse right under my metal cup causing the noise Feel like a complete doofus.

When I parked it I noticed suspicious steam escaping from the heater under the console. Pry need to look into that now as well.

 

[tucker74]

I’ve always run Delo or Rotella 15W-40 in my 2Fs, they seem to like it. Lots of threads over in the 40 section on it …

Tucker

 

[120mm]

I’ve always run Delo or Rotella 15W-40 in my 2Fs, they seem to like it. Lots of threads over in the 40 section on it …

Tucker

I was running Rotella until it ran out. Hopefully it will come back in soon.

 

[120mm]

Now that it runs, it's time to go after the things that annoy me. First up, the doors. Hard to roll up the driver window, and both front doors fail to lock easily or at all.

The bottom part of the channel had somehow twisted and was interfering with window. Cut it off.

Pulled door card off and thoroughly lubricated all the guts. Works great now.