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Today in The Shop, I started on the pair of snowblower from my coworker, I drained both carbs and cleaned the jet in the carb with green gas. I wanted to get new spark plugs today, but Davenports closes at noon, not 1 like I thought. Pretty sure i just need a pair of plugs, couple litres of oil for the pair. One of them needs belts put in, but I was given the belts.
My in laws showed up to do a Halloween event with my girls, so I snuck in a quick oil change in my mo-laws Escape.
Out of the shop, I cleaned the eaves and started packing away toys in the shed. The Quadrunner and pair of DR600s packed away nicely.
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Coming soon to The Shop, men doing work.
James asked me for a time slot in the shop this weekend, he wants to swap winter tires onto his DD, and replace a leaking header gasket on the FJ. I told him as long as he helps me push my 600 pound workbench with eff’d up castors out of the way, he’s free to use the space on the weekend.Last week a coworker dropped off a pair of snow blowers to be tuned up. Should be a couple hours work each, few bucks in my pocket, or beers in the fridge.
Sooooooo close to fitting. I can install, start threading nuts on the studs, but I can’t fully close the gap to the cylinder head before contact between header and uca mount. Suuuper close, perhaps tonight i shall defeat this interference. No pictures, they won’t do it Justice haha.
Hate to admit it, but I’m giving up on 2023 as a riding season. It is no one factor, but a few half-assed excuses.
Tires too worn, especially the front.
Ribs still tender from a fall 2.5 weeks ago because of the previously mentioned worn front tire.
Weather is shitty now, cold and rain are not for me.Oh well, there’s always next year. Some new rubber will renew my confidence, and winter will build motivation.
Gahhhhhhh!!! So last night i got frustrated about the non-fit of the header, so I attempted to test fit the motor without the header…. The MF’r wouldn’t sit on the mounts!!! WTF?!?! I already confirmed it did fit!
Since that first test fit, I re-hooked the chains on the motor from the manifold studs to the bellhousing. First attempt on the bellhousing wrapped aroubd the EGR pipe, that created trouble because I couldnt slip the header past the studs of the EGR pipe. So I reset the chains in front of the EGR pipe… WRONG-O!! That was more than a weekago, and ever since the EGR and firewall have been playing keep away with the engine mounts.
Sooooo, I have to reset the chains again, and make sure I do it right this time. Once I discovered this last night, I cracked a beer and put my feet up.Long tube header still doesn’t fit, just being stubborn.
Ribs still eff’d, tryin’ to get an appointment at the chiropractor this week.
Just today I Made a $300 sale of donor 4Runner parts, the trans, tcase and rear driveshaft are gone. To date I’ve sold $950 worth of parts off a donor that I paid $900 for.Hoping to finally beat this header issue this week.
Progress took a hit when I did, but doing my best to keep chipping away at it.
Last night i tried again to get the LCE long tube header in place, but the Upper Control Arm just won’t get out the way. I started heating and beating the interference out of the header, but I need a new tactic to minimize the deformation. I’m going to reattach the hoist and lift the motor a few inches, bolt the header in place, lower it until I get contact to the UCA, mark the location, then heat and beat that spot.
I will also have to re-route the fuel return lines to the tank, and move the brake lines further to the passenger side fender.Haha yea windshield has been a canvas for 2 years now. The kids draw on it, my buddies write on it
I forgot to mention I solved my terrible transfer case shifter lever by harvesting the one of the donor tcase. The mating flanges were not interchangeable, but the lever assembly is held in with a curclip, and once popped out, the lever were identical!! Made me sooooo happy, built lots of motivation.
Great day of progress yesterday, hit some milestones, then hit a hard stop and abruptly killed any further progress.
I started the day by cleaning and prepping for a rear main seal, and new oil pan. I had to buy a piece of PVC to drive the old seal out and new seal in, and buy RTV for the seal plate.
Once all was dry and set, I began stuffing the 3RZ into Redee. The ONLY interference point I came across was between the oil pan and steering stabilizer. I removed the damper, and will figure a way remount it under the original slot. A spacer and a longer bolt should allow me to mount it lower. That’s a later task.
With the damper removed, the 3RZ was able to sit fully on the conversion mounts, and have it fully bolted in place. I still must remove the 3RZ again to install the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate etc. think i want to install the trans too and stuff it in as one so I don’t have to reach bellhousing bolts, the firewall clearance is low.
Before I pull the 3RZ again, I’m gonna try to get the long tube header in place.
At about 3, Matt and I went for a ride on the old bikes, unlucky for me, my worn front tire washed out in gravel and I took a spill. Nothing broken, but my shoulder elbow and rubs all fight for supremacy, ribs lost. Very tender. Too tender to make any more progress this weekend. Crap.
Got two new bolts at Bolts+ for less than the cost of one lug nut at Ideal Supply. Struggled to find appropriate washers in my garage, but alas two were located. All buttoned up, just in time to take it apart in the morning to continue progress.
Started to figure out which bolts go where for the bell housing, turns out I’ve misplaced two of them. Not even drawn on my cardboard template, so I misplaced them during the initial separation nearly a year ago. Gonna buy the replacements tomorrow at lunch, they’re a M12 fine thread about 50 mm long.
I got the engine and trans mocked together, but still didn’t replace the rear seal.
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Small victories last night, got the old dip stick tube hole plugged using the original bushing, therefore I did not need to drill and tap the block. I hammered in the new dip stick tube, only bent it a little when i gave it one extra tap to be sure it was fully seated…but i straightened that by hand after. Thirdly i reassembled my hoist and have the 3rz dangling off of it. The rotisserie is still attached, wanted to have some reassurance the hoist wasnt gonna lose pressure overnight. Perhaps tonight I’ll pull the rotisserie off, and start on the rear main seal and glue on the new oil pan.
Alright, time for a mini update. In the last 3.5 months nearly nothing has changed, but I’m gunning to change that this weekend.
Since June, I painted and primed the gas tank, cleaned the mating surface for the oil pan, modified the new dipstick tube so it’ll fit the conversion engine mounts, removed the old dipstick tube bushing, then drilled/tapped/plugged and sealed that bushing. Tonight i intend to reinstall the old bushing, and install the new dipstick tube. Currently the tube is in the freezer so it’s a little easier to drive into the block (having shrunk ever so slightly).
The plan for this weekend is to test fit the 3RZ in the engine bay! Prior to Saturday (when I’ve got the day to myself), i want to get the motor onto the hoist so I finish this oil pan conversion……I must replace the rear main seal, and glue the new pan in place.
Hoping for big update with pictures by end of weekend. Fingers crossed.
I also finally sold the old TH350 trans to a cool Kijij dude building an Iroc Camaro. $70 in my pocket.
Not much The Shop these days since getting the atv sorted out.
On the labour day weekend i did a full brake job on the Caravan, pissed me off that i had to put another set of calipers in the rear end….my lifetime free exchange calipers failed again, lucky for me the Shop was closed by the time i got dug in, so i had to buy a brand new set from Canadian tire to the tube off about $450. These better last till at least the spring. This damn van eats through rear brakes in about 15,000 km, perhaps Ive gotten 30,000km once since we bought it.In lighter news, I am nearing my 3,000km target on the bike this year, up to 2,000 as of Saturday. I had to adjust the rear brakes, too much travel on the pedal when i need to lock it up on the trails.
Weather looks killer for next 10 days or so, will hopefully get another 250-500 kms closer to my goal by end of next weekend.
Got a full day in the shop to myself, and no family at home this coming Saturday. Hopefully big things come from this opportunity.
Makes sense, but I’m not ready to give it up yet. Gonna be tire shopping this winter, might just go down to a more A/T style (70:30 tire) as opposed to the 90:10 MTs I’m rolling on now.
Friday on my home from work i detoured to Mono Centre Brewing Company and picked up 6 brewery-fresh beers, thoroughly enjoyed them over the weekend. Thinking this may become a regular detour while riding weather is in stock. I was hoping to make another trip there with Matt today, but his wife has kept him busy, and now MCBc is closed for the day.
On Saturday i had to do pads and rotors all the way around Sams caravan, calipers in the rear as well (fucking again!!!). I did the brakes in the rear exactly 11.5 months ago, exactly 30,000 kms ago. One pass on back left was down to the baking plate, which prompted Sam to alert me of the servicing required. I think i noted in April when i pulled the snow tires off that the rear brakes looked like shit. This damn van EATS rear brakes, pretty sure I’m gonna outsource the job next time. Maybe somebody else will have better luck.
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