Chuck's Baja Build

[chuckput]

Still a little bit more to do. First on the list is to tune and balance the carbs. But the engine is running!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jmXYvvfegMPSgXTq7

[jt1967]

Chuck are you gonna make it out for the Night Run this year? August 17 is the date

[chuckput]

Definately, August 17th is doable. I plan to be there. Just had a second opinion on my lumbar stenosis with a doctor at UCSD Medical Center, and he believes he can fix me up with a minimally invasive surgery method that won't take forever to recover from. The first surgeon wants to fuse my first three lumbar.

I keep eying the Mojave Road Adventure and wonder if I can make it. This week is my Spring Break so I should have the car ready for some desert trials next weekend.

[Leatherneck]

Chuck, I read your post and went and snapped this pic, we will be on the Mohave road trip driving this.

[chuckput]

Oh the joys of working on older cars. Around every corner there's another obstacle to overcome. Began trying to get the carburetors dialed in which isn't easy when the instructions you have talks about "seat of the pants" and feeling what your engine's doing. I had a buddy come over who has a lot of engine skills and we worked on it for over an hour. We finally deduced that there was a vacuum leak on the number 2 cylinder. Checked the tightness of the all the nuts and found a head stud was pulling out. So I will be pulling the manifold off tomorrow and putting in a Time-Sert.

I have also have been having an issue with oil pressure. Initially I was running a 30-weight break-in oil and once the engine warmed up the pressure would drop (less than 10 psi at 1000 rpm). So I changed out the oil for 20w - 50 and I am still running into the same thing. Pulled out the sender unit to check with a mechanical oil pressure gauge and noticed that no oil came out. Cranked the engine with the coil wire pulled off and still no oil came out of the hole. I have some things to check out there.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

"Initially I was running a 30-weight break-in oil and once the engine warmed up the pressure would drop (less than 10 psi at 1000 rpm)."

Oil pressure usually is 10# gain for every 1000 RPMs. At idle 10# pressure in a warmed up engine doesn't seem to be that unusual you just don't want the red light to come on (I usually double up with a gauge as the idiot light is slow to show problems which includes flickering). The seeming blockage I think I would be worried about though.

Are you running a sump for off-road fun. If you are playing on steep hills or similar conditions it is a good idea. My gauge showed oil pressure problems which got me back to camp before the idiot light finally came on and the engine was toast.

Lee

[Leatherneck]

Like to hear the results of your oil pressure deal. Hope you get it all dialed in soon.

[chuckput]

It looks like it is problem solved! Pulled the right hand carb and manifold this morning and put a Time-Sert in and fixed the stripped out stud. Began inspecting the oil system to see why my oil pressure was dropping so drastically. Everything checked out, but then after staring at everything for a while, I deduced that I probably reversed the oil lines coming out of the engine going to the filter/cooler. I had marked the the inlet and outlet with magic marker at one time, but in the cleaning process in preparation for the engine rebuild they got erased. I thought I remembered which was which - I was wrong. I will be marking them more permanently. Lee, I have both the idiot light and a gauge (along with an oil temp and cylinder head temp gauges)

With the oil pressure issue fixed, we were able to finally able to conquer the carb synchronization and tuning. We did run into a little issue with the barrel for cylinder 2. A little bit of trash (junk, goo, whatever) got into the idle jet and caused some issues. After that we got it to run smooth with good throttle response. It was 102 here this afternoon, so I will get it buttoned up tomorrow morning and take it out for a spin.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

"Lee, I have both the idiot light and a gauge (along with an oil temp and cylinder head temp gauges)"

Because of some of the things you said I suspected you did have both the gauge and light but, just in-case and for others that only do the idiot light, I mentioned it.

When I lost one of my engines I was having problems with the oil gauge and it was temporally disconnect and plugged. I suddenly started to get idiot light flickers and every so often a solid idiot light coming on temporally after going down the face of a steep dune. I fixed the oil gauge and then noticed (accurately) the oil pressure problem. The gauge finally warned me to get to camp; it was about a mile later, and at slow RPM speeds maybe more, before the idiot lite came on just as I pulled into camp. The engine was done before the stupid light came on and it was a new, pre-checked sender also.

Lee

[chuckput]

Lee, you are right, your comments are good for all. My idiot light seems to be a little sensitive. Engine idling at about 1,000 rpm and it will come on, yet the gauge reads 10 psi. I also have a handheld manual gauge that I have used to verify the electric gauge.

You also asked whether I ran a deep sump. Since my engine is type 4 based, deep sumps are not readily available (I think I saw one once). In the type 1 world using a deep sump off road is deeply debated. Some fear the danger of a sump hanging low being hit by rocks. Others, like you alluded to, say the extra oil capacity helps prevent oil starvation on steep inclines. I tend to lean towards the extra oil capacity as long as the sump is well protected.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Lee, you are right, your comments are good for all. My idiot light seems to be a little sensitive. Engine idling at about 1,000 rpm and it will come on, yet the gauge reads 10 psi. I also have a handheld manual gauge that I have used to verify the electric gauge.

You also asked whether I ran a deep sump. Since my engine is type 4 based, deep sumps are not readily available (I think I saw one once). In the type 1 world using a deep sump off road is deeply debated. Some fear the danger of a sump hanging low being hit by rocks. Others, like you alluded to, say the extra oil capacity helps prevent oil starvation on steep inclines. I tend to lean towards the extra oil capacity as long as the sump is well protected.

I forgot you have a Type 4.

If you have a cage or other protection the sump is less of a problem but it still does have negatives. I run only on the sand but a plate at the bottom may protect the bottom of the engine but it can also collect sand and other debris that can fill in the gap and still cause problems.

Your sensitivity of the idiot light is more or less what I was talking about but to the opposite; it would come on way after the real oil pressure was zilch.

Lee

[chuckput]

Another day and another success. My Baja is out of the garage for the first time in over six months. Drove it around the block and discovered I needed to make some clutch adjustments. Got that taken care of. Also, the trip around the block indicated that I could probably use some better gas. It has been sitting around for at least a year (if not longer). I drained the tank and now I need to make a run to Costco and wait in line I will probably pull all the idle jets and clean them out for good measure. A couple of pictures for good measure:

Bug 042719.jpg

Bug (2) 042719.jpg

Bug Engine 042781.jpg

[Leatherneck]

Very nice. Way to go!

[chuckput]

Still not happy with the way she's running. Off idle it is not a happy camper, but once it hits 3000 rpm it smoothes out. Any Weber IDF experts out there willing to give me some advice?

[fortyeye]

I can help with the Webers if you are still scratching your head. Let me know.