Restarting after 12 years in storage

[webwalker]

Ok, I get you now. I had initially thought you were saying 'expect to be 12-14k in expenses before you have anything worth driving.' That seemed out of bounds based on other comments I've heard, which is why I asked.

M

[Amskeptic]

Ok, I get you now. I had initially thought you were saying 'expect to be 12-14k in expenses before you have anything worth driving.' That seemed out of bounds based on other comments I've heard, which is why I asked.

M

Lawdy lawdy, I ain't one of THOSE. I specialize in . . . how do you say . . . economical work-arounds. Like spray-painting my bus with 42 cans of Chevrolet Engine Enamel and spending three weeks rubbing it down, no labor charges when you do it yourself . . .
Colin

[webwalker]

Ouch! Maybe no labor, but the Physical Therapy on your wrists afterward is going to cost.

Looks real nice for a rattle can job. I've always been impressed with the Tremclad/Spray Paint crowd who substitute ingenuity and hard work for cash.

The white top / red bottom on my 77 CE1 was added by Maaco....and it looks it. But it is in good enough shape that I want to only tilt at one windmill at a time...get the engine running first. The paint can wait.

M

[Amskeptic]

get the engine running first. The paint can wait.
M

Took me 21 years to get to painting it . . . and 26 years to waxing the intake plenum under the dashboard.
Colin
(hey, this ain't troubleshooting anymore. Moderator!)

[SlowLane]

. . . waxing the intake plenum under the dashboard.

Now Colin, those nice men in the white coats at your door are here to help you...

[Amskeptic]

. . . waxing the intake plenum under the dashboard.

Now Colin, those nice men in the white coats at your door are here to help you...

Excellent! Here, here's a terrycloth towel, if you could wipe down the sliding door track please, no your coat will be fine, and you, yes, you, can use that strait-jacket as a drop cloth to lay on while you polish the CVs. It's a beautiful day to be alive!
Colin

[SlowLane]

The Shiny!!! It hurts us, precious, yes it does!

[webwalker]

So after quite a while pecking away at this (while life pecks away at me) I've performed the following operations for component and system testing:

1. Disconnected Fuel pump and Regulator, plugged tank, got pump running, and put it and the Regulator into a closed loop pumping gasoline round and round for hours to refloat the crud. Seems to have worked. Later tests showed 40psi at the pressure port when the whole rail was repressurized, and the pressure varied as expected when vacuum was applied to the regulator.
2. New Oil, filter.
3. Starter runs fine. New Battery as well as new Positive and Negative cables (upgraded to 2AWG) installed.
4. Points were corroded and fried; barely any power getting through. Replaced points and regapped: happy distributor. (Also tested vacuum canister: works.)
5. Replaced all plugs Bosch Coppers for Autolite 455 19mm reach. Discover a timesert installed in #3 plug bore that backed out glued to the plug. Got a replacement timesert and walked it back into the old timesert threads cut for the original, fixating it with Loctite 266 (which will take up to 600*F.) New Autolites went in.
5. With stumbing starts from a functional cold start injector, seemed to indicate no power to injectors, or varnished shut injectors. Tests indicate pulsed power to injectors but when pressurized, no fuel jets when tested and distributor turning. QED. 4 glued shut injectors.
6. Replaced all 4 injectors and seals.
7. Engine now starts, but almost runs away in RPM, likely vacuum leaks like a sieve.
8. Replaced all 3.5mm and 5mm vacuum hoses. No change to run away tendency. (Though engine dies within 60 seconds of this start.)
9. Compression test yields 100-120 for all cylinders.

At this point, I have only one other test I wish to perform: pull the rocker covers, remove the rockers and straightedge across the valve stems to see if any show a sunken state, indicative of a falling seat. Beyond that, I've done enough diags that I don't see any reason why, with a good cleaning, this engine won't do for the time being.

The only upgrade I intend is a replacement of the exchangers to the early style (and all of the mantling changes involved in that, 8 pieces if memory serves) as well a dropping a Pertronix unit I've had in my kit for eight years into service. Since the engine must come out anyway to also be able to remove the transmission (to get to the rear shift rod, who's bushings have given up the ghost) as well as to R&R the fuel tank, I'm motivated to get moving on the removal so that lots of things can start happening in parallel.

All

[Amskeptic]

So after quite a while pecking away at this (while life pecks away at me) I've performed the following operations for component and system testing:
7. Engine now starts, but almost runs away in RPM, likely vacuum leaks like a sieve.

The only upgrade I intend is
replacement of exchangers to early style
a Pertronix unit
rear shift rod bushings
R&R the fuel tank,

What about the rear shift bushings do you not like?
Colin

[jonyem]

Ok, I get you now. I had initially thought you were saying 'expect to be 12-14k in expenses before you have anything worth driving.' That seemed out of bounds based on other comments I've heard, which is why I asked.

M

Lawdy lawdy, I ain't one of THOSE. I specialize in . . . how do you say . . . economical work-arounds. Like spray-painting my bus with 42 cans of Chevrolet Engine Enamel and spending three weeks rubbing it down, no labor charges when you do it yourself . . .
Colin

Colin, have you ever done a write up on your Road Warrior paint technique?

Jonathan

[Amskeptic]

Colin, have you ever done a write up on your Road Warrior paint technique?
Jonathan

Sort of. Four coats of paint, using two cans at a time in a chevron sweep pattern to help hide the lousy tint control in off-the-shelf cans, color sanding from 600 down to 2000 with lots of slightly soapy water, rubbing out with 3M rubbing compound, followed by Mothers California Gold. It was an inspired home hack job because I loved that car and it deserved a careful paint job with absolutely no overspray anywhere, none. That was the point of doing it myself. Now Chloe is badly infected with overspray and primer fog from the last paint job, so I am slowly cleaning up.
Colin

[jonyem]

Colin, have you ever done a write up on your Road Warrior paint technique?
Jonathan

Sort of. Four coats of paint, using two cans at a time in a chevron sweep pattern to help hide the lousy tint control in off-the-shelf cans, color sanding from 600 down to 2000 with lots of slightly soapy water, rubbing out with 3M rubbing compound, followed by Mothers California Gold. It was an inspired home hack job because I loved that car and it deserved a careful paint job with absolutely no overspray anywhere, none. That was the point of doing it myself. Now Chloe is badly infected with overspray and primer fog from the last paint job, so I am slowly cleaning up.
Colin

From the pictures I've seen you did a great job. I'm sure in person it was even better.
I can't afford a pro paint job, but really want to paint this year, so I'm strongly considering this method.
This is the little push that I need.
Thanks, Jonathan

[Amskeptic]

I can't afford a pro paint job, but really want to paint this year, so I'm strongly considering this method.
This is the little push that I need.
Thanks, Jonathan

For the No Overspray Result, you will need a couple of rolls of clear plastic and several rolls of blue masking tape, and plan on a remarkable taping extravaganza . . .
Colin

[jonyem]

I can't afford a pro paint job, but really want to paint this year, so I'm strongly considering this method.
This is the little push that I need.
Thanks, Jonathan

For the No Overspray Result, you will need a couple of rolls of clear plastic and several rolls of blue masking tape, and plan on a remarkable taping extravaganza . . .
Colin

From all that I've read about home paint jobs, I know going into it that most of the work is in the prep, and I'm counting on masking, masking and more masking. And probably a little more masking.

I'll need to practice the "two cans at a time in a chevron sweep pattern" a bit before I get to the actual job.

Jonathan

[Amskeptic]

I can't afford a pro paint job, but really want to paint this year, so I'm strongly considering this method.
This is the little push that I need.
Thanks, Jonathan

For the No Overspray Result, you will need a couple of rolls of clear plastic and several rolls of blue masking tape, and plan on a remarkable taping extravaganza . . .
Colin

From all that I've read about home paint jobs, I know going into it that most of the work is in the prep, and I'm counting on masking, masking and more masking. And probably a little more masking.

I'll need to practice the "two cans at a time in a chevron sweep pattern" a bit before I get to the actual job.

Jonathan

Most common error in spray technique from cans is trying to catch a gloss. Don't worry about gloss. Just get the paint down evenly and build it up smoothly with enough dry time to prevent sags. Your final coat may go on foggy like the rest but you will see it melt. That is the sweet spot, to move on just as the melt starts, it will complete itself as you move on. Then your color sanding will be easier. PS you can't spray a run out. Just ignore it and sand it down later. Ask me what kind of dipsh*t doesn't know that . . . Because these are big panels, you won't be doing more than one or two at a time. Mix up your paint can batches seriously well. If you have two boxes of six-count, take one from each for each painting event. Use those helpful triggers that snap onto the can. Saves fingers.
Off to the Superbowl pre-game show, go 49ers.
Colin