Walkabout - escape

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Amskeptic
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Re: Walkabout - painting cont.

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:49 am

xyzzy wrote:
Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:39 pm
This whole walkabout is amazing -- thank you Colin for sharing.

How far west are you traveling?!? I'm in love with your bus!

I am in Phoenix this morning, waiting to see if ScottLasVegas wants a visit. If he does, I will be west of you, I believe.
Colin :cyclopsani:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: Walkabout - Starter Refresh

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Sep 29, 2018 10:35 pm

(1340)
Camped on tribal lands adjacent to Phoenix. Thankfully dark and starry. Here it is 85* at 9:00AM. A very nice start to the day to have already warm water for morning ablutions:

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Painted the "daily driver" key so I know that it is NaranjaWesty's. It rode from Phoenix to Flagstaff right here:

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With a tailwind, we were looking pretty good on I-17 out of Phoenix at about 100* (high of 104*) :

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The city skyline is boring:

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The approach to Camp Verde is not. It is a seven mile - 6% grade, losing about 2,800 feet in elevation:

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You can see the interstate stripe over there on the right:

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Soooo much better than the Tappan Zee Bridge at rush hour in the rain . . . remember?

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Oh yeah, so here we are in 100*+ sunshine:

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Went through Flagstaff before cutting west on I-40. Speaking of "40", the nighttime temp in Flagstaff was 43* thus giving me a full sixty degrees drop in one day. We don't do that AGAIN.

I camped on a cut-off section of old Route 66 under the STARS. So very happy in the great quiet gorgeous outdoors. The moon came late in the night and lit up the interior like snow. Was shaving poorly dressed at 8:30AM when a good twenty or so classic American cars came along towards Seligman. They could not see me because I was in the cut-off behind some Arizona cedars. Checked my valve adjustments, all were fine, then drove to Seligman and got scared when a CHINESE GIRL (remember Los Alamos?) tried to dock a huge rental Chevy Suburban at the pump ahead of me. After about three tries, she successfully came within a hose length of the pump. I was terrified none-the-less. There was a whole gaggle of Chinese tourists here at the pumps taking photographs of every silly little thing, the kitsch, the kutesy, tacky tacky tacky "real Americana" trash . . . made in China. Ain't life ironic?

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Drove to Kingman AZ.

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Spruced up the newly painted key with a razor blade to bring out the shiny brass perimeters, then hit it with three shots of clearcoat.
Yes, my whole day was about this key .. .. .. :

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.. .. .. and the item that the key commands. Yes, unfortunately, I got nailed by another hot no-start, even after my lovely fusebox rejuvenation that I thought was going to forestall any more issues with the starter.

Decided to fix the starter at the airport:

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After removing the air filter and s-boot, to get to the 17mm mounting nut, the starter came out easily enough. Look at how nice that mounting flange is. This is the electron *supply* to the starter motor:

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SEE??? I told you that the electrons come blasting IN at the flange. This mounting bolt almost looks like a white corroded battery terminal:

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This is the starter, the factory original starter:

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It had good grease (!) in the endcap, looked suspiciously like my favorite Valvoline Durablend Semi-synthetic molybdenum disulfide fortified grease. I re-greased it with same, and sealed the endcap with Indian Head Shellac:

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This oddity is the starter, stuffed in a large socket to hold it upright so I can paint it:

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Painted starter, barely an hour provided to let it dry, because these days are shorter and shorter these days:

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Decided to replace the solenoid with my Commemorative Cheesehead Bosch Starter Solenoid from 2013. Had to paint it, too, Bosch doesn't even try any more. Re-taped the plastic cap to the solenoid (do not forget to do this), masked off the plunger and terminals and shot VHT gloss black three coats:

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Assembled solenoid onto still-wet starter, and here it is, ready to be re-attached to the car:

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Ain't it purdy without too many fingerprints in the fresh paint?

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It is sundown. Perfect timing.
Colin

( bonus: what is wrong with this picture? )

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BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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satchmo
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by satchmo » Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:01 am

I don't know. Looks like that wire casing is a little fried. Heat? Or friction induced wear through?

If you get to Barstow, you might as well keep heading west and stop in for a visit. Would be good to see you.

Satchmo
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius

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asiab3
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by asiab3 » Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:16 am

Is the dialectric grease grogan just hanging out instead of spread on the connectors? Is the heater blower wire, (marked white instead of red,) partially burnt through? Are the ring terminals stacked in a way that stresses the copper crimp connection? Oh wait, I got it, the heater ducting is missing! :bootyshake:

Oh, and did it start??
RobbieFromUpstate
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by Curtp07 » Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:13 am

Awesome write up.

12 mpg?? Why so low?

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BusBassist
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by BusBassist » Sun Sep 30, 2018 2:23 pm

As always Colin, your attention to detail is inspiring. I would never had thought to paint my starter motor or a key spade.
And I appreciate the contrast between the conditions you experienced on the Tappen Zee bridge with the arid environs of the southwest.
Having driven across the Tappen Zee bridge earlier this week, it looks like not much has changed between your crossing and mine:

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Robbie, I hope you're enjoying your travels in Upstate. Sending good vibes.

Jeff
Late 73 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Sep 30, 2018 8:15 pm

satchmo wrote:
Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:01 am
A) I don't know. Looks like that wire casing is a little fried. Heat? Or friction induced wear through?

B) If you get to Barstow, you might as well keep heading west and stop in for a visit. Would be good to see you.

Satchmo

a) We have a winner! I have no idea what caused it. It had a life before I got it. I think it was chafing . . . it is not now.

b) would love to. depends on whims and compression numbers. I am SUPPOSED to be back in Pensacola on October 10th, but that damn moisture parade appears to be still going strong, and I gots painting yet to do.
Camping here in fierce wind as I write:

Image
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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asiab3
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by asiab3 » Sun Sep 30, 2018 9:14 pm

Pensacola is no place to watch an election!

I mean, air travel is getting cheap again, but it can’t compare to the drone of an air-cooled engine for thousands of miles at a time...

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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tommu
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by tommu » Wed Oct 03, 2018 6:00 pm

Time to start crowd funding the IAC desert retreat.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:42 pm

Curtp07 wrote:
Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:13 am
Awesome write up.

12 mpg?? Why so low?
This, Curtp07?
"You, too, can enjoy 373* CHTs at 65 mph on a 93* day ...................................................... at 12 mpg"

I forgot to lean out the mixture for high elevation AGAIN, and you know it is too rich when CHTs fall from nice to stupid* under full throttle.
So, yeah, I can kick your CHTs down, but you may not like the fuel economy. When I am careful and diligent, I can get 16-18 mpg at 400* CHTS, and I like that just fine. Today I hit 424* at 92* because I leaned the mixture too far last time, and do not care.
Colin
(* stupid: when your CHTs are already laughably too low and they just drop from there)
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Curtp07
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Re: Walkabout - escape

Post by Curtp07 » Thu Oct 04, 2018 6:20 pm

Gotcha! Thank you. And thank you for the brilliant narratives. Makes me feel closer to home reading your entries. Check them every night when I’m away.

Curt

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