FJ40 I call Shipwreck

[SuperBuickGuy]

I like how I can blast grease off, though I need to get a pump so I can also wash with the brush.

[SuperBuickGuy]

So I was all ready to spend some mindless time putting rings on pistons... oops, I have 1/16" rings not 5/64.... so I'll put it off to the side for a couple days while I wait for rings....
However, I did get the crank in


.0029 for the oil passages, .0002 end play... amazing how a 300,000 mile motor has no appreciable wear on the hard parts. I simply polished the crank, and cleaned everything else up.


anyway, I figure tomorrow I'll do maintenance on my hummer and work on my wife's Heep

[yellomalibu]

.0002" end play?

Typo or too tight?

...also, why do you need to keep sentiment out of your parts washer?

/smartass grammanazi

[SuperBuickGuy]

.0002" end play?



...also, why do you need to keep sentiment out of your parts washer?

because everyone wants to know who's the wiseacre.... sentiment, sediment.... it all looks the same to me.

[Deaf Bob]

Nobody wants their parts washer to say..."You are washing that in me?.. Why!! I've washe old so and so in here!"

[SuperBuickGuy]

frickin dagnabit!!!!
this ring compressor, is worthless


I got the right rings today, got the pistons all ready, but nope, no joy in getting the pistons in.....


at least they're ready to go in.... Sunday, after the Hummer.... which means, if you read my H3 blog, is maybe not

[Deaf Bob]

I think after the H3 you will go mudding! .

[Beagle]

I thought I had a problem with my ring compressor on my last 302 - there were TINY specs of carbon on bottom of the piston's ring grooves. They'd go in the bore but were tight. I didn't like how hard I had to push on them to get them in so after the second one I pulled them all apart again and looked everything over. I had to look at them under a magnifier to see the offenders. Modern thin ring pistons apparently don't have as deep a groove as the older designs? I never did compare the old rings with the new ones for how wide they were (not ring width, ring depth) but I should have. I'd expect the old ones to be a little thinner (VERY little) but they were gone before I put the new ones on. fwiw...



works good when everything else is right.

[Loren]

Those shim-stock-and-ratchet compressors are perfect for 348/409s w/ an angled deck but step-bored at the top but don't pass the left-it-on-the-floor-and-backed-over-it-with-the-car test well, which any fine tool should do. Although I'm hesitant to try that on my dial calipers. Anyhow it seems like you need three kinds of ring compressors around sometimes. My personal favorite:

[SuperBuickGuy]

and I learned something new. 1986-1996 350 Chevy motors use a shallow oil ring. I got the new compressor yesterday, tried it last night and the pistons still wouldn't go in right. I had measured everything and the gaps were fine. I'll have the new rings on Tuesday.... for those who care, the narrow ring set is a Hastings 5615... they are cast iron rings, but I plan on comparing them to the compression rings (I put the pistons in without the oil ring and they went in correctly).... if they are the same, and it's just the oil ring that's the issue, I'll use the molly rings.

[SuperBuickGuy]

So I was curious.... the issue with the rings that came in the kit was it was too narrow (metric rings vs. 5/64 and 4mm oil rings)... which got me thinking, how much different is the old 3/16 oil ring than the 4mm ring? the answer, for those who want the answer now, is "just right".... there were 2 problems with the oil ring the oil rings were just a touch too thick (it's a measurement, I swear) and they were too wide... so, in my thinking, I thought "why not try just the oil ring (not the spacer) from the Vortec in these pistons?" it was a good guess, it worked.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I can't say I got a lot done today... I did get the pistons in, and they went in correctly with the right oil rings... I also went by a wrecking yard and got the power steering/ac bracket and a power steering pump (which is junk except for the pulley). I'm going to have to compare a few pumps - I'd like to use all SAE connections (since the steering box is SAE), and I may even use hydraulic rather than vacuum for the brakes (mostly because I have a booster) and possibly because I might put a motor in it with no vacuum...


I've also made an executive decision on the transmission/transfer case. I've got an AX15 from a 2005 Colorado, and it basically bolts to a Dana 300 transfer case.... not the most robust, but stout for sure... just not 500 lbs (automatic/NP 205).... automatic is better for off-road, manual can be push started... and since reliability is the key to this build... push starting it is...

[SuperBuickGuy]

got a little further today
here's where I started


and where I stopped


I think I'm going to be unhappy with the color - it shows dirt so easily... ah well...

I'm not waiting for a timing chain, then I can bolt the pan on forever, the cam is in... no, I'm not degreeing this one straight up is good enough.

then start dressing the motor with accessories.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Today was a Heep day, so no fun stuff.... but I did find out something, the AX 15 spline is the same as a Super T-10. I may totally cheap out and hit the disk and the pressure plate with an abrasive disk (very lightly) and use this... it came off my Corvette... couldn't hold the power.... worst case is I have to swap it later, but best case is no $$ out today.




and knocked some brackets apart so a friend can sand blast them for me

[yellomalibu]

Is that a crack on the pressure plate?