Been doing a 360 rebuild and just need to come vent to the fellow FSJ clan that might get it. This is my first rebuild of an engine at the ripe age of 39, well, let me back up and say i started it at 38. It has just been one thing after another.
I really didn't set a budget so not complaining about the money but putting it back together has been a pain in the butt. Don't get me wrong, I have had a blast working on this thing. My 88 Waggy has taught me a lot and I love getting my hands greasy after a long day at work, but if it can go wrong - it has! Some mistakes were my ignorance, some rushing, some rookie, some just stupidity.
Let me back up a few days. I fired it up on Monday night. Sweet baby Jesus it was awesome. To build something and actually have it work is a great feeling. My wife cheered me on, I actually thought I was free and clear and just needed to put the hood back on... Yeah, keep thinking bonehead. Start looking around. No oil leaking - check. No fuel leaking - check (my wife laughed at me when I was hauling out a fire extingusher to the garage). Water leak - dang it! I have water leaking on the front timing cover just above the harmonic balancer. Take a closer look and I forgot to put the bolt on in that particular location, which explains the extra bolt I couldn't figure out why I had left over! Tired and feeling a little defeated, I head back in the house to chill for the rest of the night after what should have been a major victory.
Tuesday I spent tearing apart the serpentine and pulling the harmonic balancer. I put so much junk on that bolt thread and in that hole I had gook spewing all over as I torqued it down. Getting that harmonic balancer back on laying on my back was a complete pain in the butt. My arms kept falling asleep b/c of the position. I finally get it all buttoned back up and fire it up and start her up. Success, except the fact that she is running so hard that it feels like it is going to jump out of the garage in neutral. Tune the carb tomorrow.
Tonight, I am playing with all of the settings on my Holley carb like a monkey using a phone. I am turning stuff like I know what I am doing but truth is each thing I do is just making it worse. I had a carb backfire that I am sure was reported as a gun shot from my neighbors... I am starting and stopping the jeep quite often. I start looking on youtube and find some great how to videos. Just as I think I am making head way the battery went dead. So here I am typing to you guys. Tomorrow I need to go to my local vatozone and get the battery recharged so I can start all over and see if I actually started figuring it out.
I have more stories about this build but there isn't enough space on the internet. Pictures to follow because I know everyone here loves pictures... Oh and thanks for listening, or reading, I needed to get my frustration off of my chest.
I really didn't set a budget so not complaining about the money but putting it back together has been a pain in the butt. Don't get me wrong, I have had a blast working on this thing. My 88 Waggy has taught me a lot and I love getting my hands greasy after a long day at work, but if it can go wrong - it has! Some mistakes were my ignorance, some rushing, some rookie, some just stupidity.
Let me back up a few days. I fired it up on Monday night. Sweet baby Jesus it was awesome. To build something and actually have it work is a great feeling. My wife cheered me on, I actually thought I was free and clear and just needed to put the hood back on... Yeah, keep thinking bonehead. Start looking around. No oil leaking - check. No fuel leaking - check (my wife laughed at me when I was hauling out a fire extingusher to the garage). Water leak - dang it! I have water leaking on the front timing cover just above the harmonic balancer. Take a closer look and I forgot to put the bolt on in that particular location, which explains the extra bolt I couldn't figure out why I had left over! Tired and feeling a little defeated, I head back in the house to chill for the rest of the night after what should have been a major victory.
Tuesday I spent tearing apart the serpentine and pulling the harmonic balancer. I put so much junk on that bolt thread and in that hole I had gook spewing all over as I torqued it down. Getting that harmonic balancer back on laying on my back was a complete pain in the butt. My arms kept falling asleep b/c of the position. I finally get it all buttoned back up and fire it up and start her up. Success, except the fact that she is running so hard that it feels like it is going to jump out of the garage in neutral. Tune the carb tomorrow.
Tonight, I am playing with all of the settings on my Holley carb like a monkey using a phone. I am turning stuff like I know what I am doing but truth is each thing I do is just making it worse. I had a carb backfire that I am sure was reported as a gun shot from my neighbors... I am starting and stopping the jeep quite often. I start looking on youtube and find some great how to videos. Just as I think I am making head way the battery went dead. So here I am typing to you guys. Tomorrow I need to go to my local vatozone and get the battery recharged so I can start all over and see if I actually started figuring it out.
I have more stories about this build but there isn't enough space on the internet. Pictures to follow because I know everyone here loves pictures... Oh and thanks for listening, or reading, I needed to get my frustration off of my chest.
Comment