1978 Pickup, giving her some love...

Started by Jims5543, January 20, 2014, 08:22:02 PM

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Jims5543

Yes, that is an old picture and in that old picture you can see the lock nut laying in the oil. It was never tightened or not torqued correctly.

I pondered how that could happen 2 years ago, I now know. Who ever worked on this car must not have owned tools or was not strong enough to tighten a nut or bolt correctly.

It has made pulling this engine easy as nothing is on tight on this entire car including the water pump, thermostat, etc... Every time I put a wrench on something it just turned with zero effort.

It is amazing things were not falling off this car while I was driving.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

Usually I have the opposite problem, nothing will come undone.

Jims5543

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Busy weekend. Trying to drop new engine in and swap out the suspension.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

Jims5543

#478
The coilovers are sexy....



Up and over...


This wasted a lot of time. I assumed the new engine mount on the tranny side was good so I left it on even though I had 2 new mounts. Turns out it was slightly wider where it mounts to the car. Had to lift the engine 5 inches and swap in the right one. Only after wasting an hour trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.



Newer engine in. Have some issues I need to sort out. Questions tomorrow.


Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

Certainly looks nice sitting there  4.gif

MiniDave

Yep, you're going to have so much more fun with a properly running engine!   4.gif
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jims5543

Parts from Miami arrived today a week after the UK parts. LOL!!

No excuses now, I have pretty much everything I need to finish.

Dan and I were discussing my newer Metro alternator and starter vs. the wiring in my 1978 wiring.

Here are some pics Dan, hope they are clear.

Old Alternator. Hook up is a simple wire with a nut and another wire plugged in.



Newer Alternator needs a plug. I do not have the plug and I am going to need some wiring info to figure out what it wants where.


Old Starter, very simple, one wire to a nut, wire comes from a heavy relay mounted on the side fender wall.


New Starter has a different size bolt and I am not sure if there were any others, I am sure this is an easy fix, a larger wire washer and I should be o.k.



The only other thing inhibiting me right now is motivation to go out in a 95° garage in 90% humidity. I am working on AC.  I have a window unit, better still, my friedn has a 12,000 btu ductless setup he just pulled from a clients house, it was too big for the room, it is only 2 years old so I may be able to get a really good deal on it.

Tracking my friend down and nailing him to a price and time frame is proving difficult. He is as busy as I am.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

MPlayle

Jim,

For the alternator wiring:
I believe the old alternator's main output lead is the screw-post and the 'field sense' line is the smaller bullet connection.  To hook these to the new alternator, the large wire will connect to either of the bigger spade connectors and the 'field sense' line to the single small spade connector.

For the starter wiring:
The old starter used a separate solenoid mounted to the fender.  The batter feed, alternator feed, and main harness power lines all go to that separate solenoid.  The new starter has the "integrated" solenoid piggybacked.  All of the old connections will need to be migrated.  The drawback is the wires likely will not reach the new solenoid location.

Have you checked whether you can re-use the original starter and alternator with the new engine?  If so, that should simplify the wiring side of the exchange.


MiniDave

#483
The starter wires up differently - the main cable from the battery goes to the big lug on the starter, the red/white wire to the solenoid on the firewall goes to the small spade terminal on the starter or - take another big cable from the solenoid to the starter and move the red/white wire to the starter - that way your supply to the fuse panel stays intact.

For the new alternator, you can buy a plug kit with the lugs in it for about $5..... one of the small wires goes to the light in the instrument panel, that light has to work to make the alternator work.....

Edit - the starters are not interchangeable, the flywheel ring gear is different.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

#484
Dave's comment reminds me, I may have that plug kit.  If so, I'll get your address and put it in the mail to you.

Edit:
I just finished checking and I seem to have either lost it or sent it on with the last mini in its box of "spares".  Sorry.

MiniDave

#485
They're readily available, just google for Lucas alternator plug kit - although they seem to have gone up a bit - $8 now.....



https://www.bpnorthwest.com/alternator-plug-kit.html?gdftrk=gdfV25409_a_7c4396_a_7c16510_a_7cAYB400&gclid=CL_77Kf8h80CFYU2aQodZuQPQA
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

On the starter, you could always do like WillieB did and mount a terminal block.....then take your main cable to it and a #10 wire up to the fuse panel, then a cable with lugs on both ends from that to the starter (Wal Mart has those for $4.)

Here's WillieB's pic....



Then you can extend the red/white wire by making up an extension with a male on one end and female on the other.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jims5543

Thank you Dave, I ordered the plug and I am going to check at my local Wally World or Radio shack for the jumper.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

MiniDave

Just make it, a short length of wire with a male spade connector on one end a female on the other.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

Jims5543

You have to just keep laughing...







I wish I made more headway, 12-14 hour work days are killing me.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

Jims5543

The pic and video above is of the rear engine brace mount point, I wondered why my engine rocked so much, everything was, wait for it.... loose!!   I had to tighten it all back down during the install. Which is a common theme with this poor truck.


I am slowly working through all the little issues as I put it all back together, it feels like I am wasting a lot of time, but I am happy with how things are turning out so I am willing to spend some time in order to be happy.


So I am up to wiring up the alternator and Starter.

First the Alternator, I looked at it closely today and noticed something amiss.. hopefully the pic shows it.



It is not aligned at all, the belt is actually reaching back to it, it was too far to the left (looking at pic) and looking down not square with the main pulleys.

I put some spacers to push it back right and put a single washer behind the back mounting bracket in order to push the ass end out but feel I may need to put additional washer back there, it looks like it is still not square.

Spacers:


Washers:


I looked over the wiring, Dave mentioned wiring up the light on the dash, I think I have that and I think it is the red male connector that was connected to the old alternator.  The brown wire with the yellow connector is the heavy wire, the red male connector was the only other wire on the old alternator.




But here is the problem, I have 3 possible connections to the new alternator see below:




I have two heavy connections and one small connection. Not sure what goes where.

Anyone with a newer Metro engine care to chime in? 

Then the starter, the old starter had one heavy gauge wire. I know we already established that the new one has the solenoid built in. So I need to take some wiring from the old one and move it over to the new one.

No problem. I purchased a heave gauge wire the run over if needed.  I am just not sure what other wire I need to pull over there, I am sure it is a trigger wire to initiate the starter.

Solenoid  on side wall of car.



New starter:



I am trying to get my buddy to install a 12K BTU  ductless system in my garage, for now a shitty window unit has to make do. I took advantage of the overcast day today and lower temps to crank up the AC early and cool down the garage. I got it to 82 degrees. I am leaving the window unit running tonight with an optimistic 78 degrees set for the desired temp.

It was at 81 when I left the garage this evening.  What sucks is I have to open the front door in the morning and pull the BMW out so the wife can put a table in there to put a coat of urathane on that she is refinishing.

So I may loose some cool tomorrow morning. Heat index is topping 100 already here.



I want to dive into the suspension but want the engine buttoned up first before I move on. So I am staying on the engine for as long as it takes to get it all sorted out.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

Jims5543

I have all the parts to build the half shafts too, but all that waits until this engine is 100% installed then I will move on to suspension, bearings, CV joints, brakes and whatever else... if this thing is ready for the road by late August I will be happy. I am missing it greatly but know this time down is worth the wait.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

MPlayle

For the alternator:
The big (solid brown) wire from the old one will go to either of the big spades on the new one.  The small male connector you called out in your picture (brown wire with yellow trace) will go to the small spade connector on the new alternator.

It is recommended to run another thick wire from the second big spade connector of the new alternator to the same terminal as the other one - usually where the main power from the battery connects to the solenoid.


Jims5543

It is funny how things work out. The AC guy that was supposed to sell me a used 12K BTU ductless system has been MIA. I am not to type to harass people, so I just let it go, he knows I want it and will pay cash for it so the ball is in his court.  It has been about a month now I have been waiting to hear back from him.

Yesterday his wife calls, they need an updated copy of the survey I did on their property and they needed it the same day for a house refinance.  I could have made them wait a month too, I mean turn around is fair game right?  No, I got them the survey that afternoon.

Then I get a text message from him last night that he is digging out the AC unit and he wants to know if we want to install Sunday?  I told him not to wreck his weekend lets just try to knock it out one afternoon during the week when he has a light day.

In car related news, I acquired a full set of SAE bolts in countless varieties so I no longer have to keep running to Ace hardware over and over again. Mrs.5543 was not impressed, I was startled by the size of it and have to come up with a solution for storage.

I have had a busy 2 weeks, hope to spend a decent amount of time on it this weekend and get the engine buttoned up. Then move on to the brakes and suspension. Going out into a 98°+ garage is also not appealing either. Hope to get this AC deal done next week.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring


Jims5543

That is the problem, I really do not have room for a huge bolt bin my my home garage.  It came with bins, I am working out how to set it up and not take precious room in the garage, I need to purge that damn garage.

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

And the wife was mad cause you tried putting a bolt bin in the bedroom...

Jims5543

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride! -Hunter S. Thompson

94touring

I picture the toilet paper roll replaced with a bin of shiney 3/8" bolts.

MiniDave

A 12K ductless system - is that a Mini split? If so I doubt 12K will be enough. My window unit is 18K and when it's really hot and humid it barely keeps it cool enough. Of course, I like it around 65*, not 85!  ;D

But it's way better than the little 5K unit I had before, that would get it down to about 75* overnight, but one open of the garage door and all was lost........
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad