Well, it has been awhile and I've not been entirely idle. I have been burned out on the constant fight to get this thing roadworthy though.
So the starter was not working properly if you remember it would not engage the flywheel all the time. I thought about this for a few days and finally decided to replace the starter with my spare. First I got up in the morning and went out and tried the starter. Click, Eeerrrrr Bam it started!!!! Damn, I didn't even have my camera!
It was idling kinda harsh but running so I adjusted the idle screw until it idled smoother. Then I locked in the front hubs and put it in low range. Slowly I pulled out of the drive and into the street and did a brake check. Then I drove down the street going from first to second and stopping. Put it in reverse and backed up keeping an ear out for issues and stopped again.
I then drove down the hill to my mailbox getting up to third gear and turned around, on the way back up the hill I got it up to fourth. When I backed into the drive the power steering box started making noise. S**t! Then there was the squealing noise coming from the clutch.
With the engine off I discovered the power steering fluid was low so I refilled it. I got my flashlight and started checking for leaks and found one where the turbo bolts to the exhaust manifold.
That and the oil fill cap was leaking badly in the rocker cover.
I had to wait while the turbo cooled and then I pulled it all off and I found oil in the exhaust side coming from #2-3 cylinders.
With hope in my heart I put the turbo back on. Thinking that maybe it was a stuck piston ring or 2 and with driving it it might free itself up. So I drove it about 4 miles for a higher speed test on the next day. It still leaked but it was fun to have it on the road. I know that the oil is just going into the exhaust and not really hurting anything, but something ain't quite right. Again disappointed..............
So it could be valve stem seals or rings or a gasket. I'll find out soon.
Ahh you asked about the squeal from the clutch... When I would start it up there was no noise but would start after a couple of minutes. I racked my brains and looked at all my pictures to see if I put in the brass pilot bushing. I just couldn't be positive and the pics were inconclusive. I got out my stethoscope and crawled under to listen and see if I could pinpoint the source. I figured now would be a good time to take out the wooden block I still had between the flywheel cover and the crossmember. I hit it with the hammer and chisel and the squeal changed, once the wood was removed the squeal was gone, problem solved.. Whew!
I've been working on a cubby box and took this time to finish and install it. I made an identical panel to the one on the center seat box and then made the sides.
I did this last year sometime and it has been languishing in my garage taking up valuable space.
So figured out how to do a top for it with hinges on 2 sections. Once that idea was finalized I pop riveted the sides to the base. First by centering and locating the sides.
Then attaching the sides;
Inside;
which left me with;
and fit in between the seats;
It was well clear of the Roamerdrive shift lever so I thought I would make the top. I cut and bent the piece for the flat top and pop riveted it to the back side. then I made the more complicated front piece and hinged it with pop rivets to the top. I doesn't lock and isn't waterproof, but will keep things from rolling around whilst driving.
It is coated with Duplicolor truck bed spray on liner.
This week has been HOT so I have kept a low profile indoors with 1 exception. I added another back up lite. Having just 1 on the left side didn't provide the necessary light on the right side for safe backing up.I did the install the same as the first one using a 2" x 1/2" wooden disc I sanded it down to have an angle which would tilt the lite down towards the ground. It is just plugged in the the same hot wire from the dash as the other lite. These LED's put out 400 lumens each. They are controlled by a switch on the dash and when the roof top tent is deployed will give a nice light under it.
Yellow idiot light for work/backup lite.
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