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Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
This old bruiser has a lot of sentimental value. It's a 1973 AMC Jeepster Commando with a 304V8, TH400 trans, Dana 20 front, Dana 34 rear, and Dana 20 Transfer case. My old man bought this thing in 1985 and it served us well as a family vehicle and weekend dune climber. It was originally pumpkin orange with a hard top(still removable). As we moved on in years and cars, he always kept it around. By the time I was in high school in the mid 90's it had mostly been relegated to yard mule duty. Rusted to hell and back, beat to hell and back, just pitiful. Dad, being a residential contractor, was making beaukoup money from the late 90's all the way up to 2008 and had all the body work done and painted DuPont hunter green with some blue pearl-coat. 2008 happened and it slipped back into disrepair.

I talked him into selling it to me( supposed to be inheritance but poo poo happens ) and got it hauled down here last weekend. Upon arrival it had jumped time and was worn the hell out on several fronts.



I dug into it almost immediately found some pretty gnarly stuff

In addition to the timing bits, the dist gear was ate to hell and back. The dist gear also drives the oil pump on an AMC 304. Once I got the chain and cam gear done, I dropped in a Summit HEI, ran a new fuel line and added an electric fuel pump.

She fired right up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Js1E1VB5EM
There may have been bourbon involved in the recording of that video.


The list as it currently stands:

Replace timing chain and cam gear - Done
Re-time and upgrade to HEI - Done
New fuel line and electric pump - Done
Replace Brake booster and MC - Done
Adjust vacuum advance - Done
Rebuild carb Upgrade to 4BBL and manifold - Done
Replace rockers - done
Replace Cam - done
Replace lifters - done
Replace Pushrods - Done
Fabricate and install transmission lines(dad literally put rubber hose over the leaky parts and zip tied them) :suicide:
*possibly* replace tires - They're oh so slightly dry rotted but it wasn't stored outdoors and they hold air, might be ok.
repair/replace steering column sensor switch(to keep it from turning over in reverse)
Replace every bushing I can get my grubby little hands on.
Replace Pittman Arm
Replace Tie Rod ends
Replace Power steering cylinder

Farking Bastage fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Mar 11, 2016

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Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Carb's leaking like a motherfucker :( Not going to run it anymore till I can rebuild it.

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.
Those new spark plug wires look way out of place on that thing :v:

Might be a good opportunity to pitch the 2-barrel; throw on an Edelbrock intake manifold and a 4-barrel of your choice?

Have you done a compression or leakdown test to see how much life it's got left?

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug
Megasquirt and GM TBI, you've already done GM HEI?

gently caress I love me some Commando.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Did those plug wires get photoshopped somehow? :stare: I don't think I've ever seen anything that bright blue that didn't involve neon.

drat nice looking Jeep you got there.

eberbs
Aug 29, 2011

And I wonder, I still wonder, who'll stop the rain.
That thing is loving sweet and I want one. AMC is the way for me.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
That HEI is a blueprinted application from summit racing made for AMC v8. Had an internal module and the oil pump slot,literally a drop in replacement. I haven't done a leak down test but the complete absence of blue smoke and good oil pressure would seem to indicate the engine still has life. If it goes I'll get it built. Lifters are noisy and have been since about 1990. There was minimal oil on the plugs after sitting 2 years so that's probably valve guides.

I have a 600 Webber 4bbl sitting on a shelf that would be a good application for it but the intake for that engine is like 300 bucks.

That transmission will probably out live me.

Astonishing Wang
Nov 3, 2004

Farking Bastage posted:

That HEI is a blueprinted application from summit racing made for AMC v8. Had an internal module and the oil pump slot,literally a drop in replacement. I haven't done a leak down test but the complete absence of blue smoke and good oil pressure would seem to indicate the engine still has life. If it goes I'll get it built. Lifters are noisy and have been since about 1990. There was minimal oil on the plugs after sitting 2 years so that's probably valve guides.

I have a 600 Webber 4bbl sitting on a shelf that would be a good application for it but the intake for that engine is like 300 bucks.

That transmission will probably out live me.

If you have a moment sometime I'd love to see a walkaround/tour of the thing. It's super awesome looking and looks pretty utilitarian.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I got the proper Brake booster/MC/Spacer combo installed, bled out all 4 wheels and it stops like it did in the 80's. Dad trusted some Autozone dick to source him the right part and the brake pedal has been like kicking a cinder block for at least 15 years. The first cue that I had the right part was the fact is was 1.5X the size of the old one.

Astonishing Wang: As soon as it is finished uploading, i'll post a walkthrough. <3

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
TH400 not shifting out of first... gently caress Hoping it's just the vacuum line

Pomp and Circumcized
Dec 23, 2006

If there's one thing I love more than GruntKilla420, it's the Queen! Also bacon.
Or a hosed modulator, or a stuck governor.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
https://youtu.be/TlhIdIIk8sM here's your walk around.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Found the shift issue

http://imgur.com/a/33iyF

Sandbagger SA
Aug 12, 2003

Giant Thighs.
Painted Threads.
Just Off the Highway.
You can definitely see the early "Wrangler" type lines in the design of the body. Pretty cool.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I think a carb rebuild is in order sooner rather than later. Having some issues under load. The timing is pegged on 5 deg BTDC ( the factory spec) and even with the Vacuum advance plugged, it bogs down under load and backfires through the carb. Does that sound like not enough fuel to you guys as well?

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.

Farking Bastage posted:

I think a carb rebuild is in order sooner rather than later. Having some issues under load. The timing is pegged on 5 deg BTDC ( the factory spec) and even with the Vacuum advance plugged, it bogs down under load and backfires through the carb. Does that sound like not enough fuel to you guys as well?

If it weren't for a brand new distributor, I'd say that it sounds like a timing problem. I guess the timing chain could have jumped a tooth, but I think the carb being out of shape is more likely.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I'm done with that tired rear end ford carb. Timings dead on and after a rebuild the accelerator pump is still fail. Got a 600 Webber 4BBL sitting here off a 4.3. Manifold, throttle adapter gaskets for manifold and coolant neck here Monday.

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.

Farking Bastage posted:

I'm done with that tired rear end ford carb. Timings dead on and after a rebuild the accelerator pump is still fail. Got a 600 Webber 4BBL sitting here off a 4.3. Manifold, throttle adapter gaskets for manifold and coolant neck here Monday.

Nice. Are those the ones like the Carter AFB/Edelbrock Performer?

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Yeah Edelbrock without the chrome.

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.
The 600 Edelbrock I had wasn't chrome at all, but it also worked pretty great out of the box without needing to tweak it on stock to mild motors. And it's nice to be able to change jetting without spilling gas everywhere. Good choice.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I got it in a trade for a lovely pellet gun. Came off a marine 4.3. Coworker was eager to get rid of it. Has the fuel regulator and all. The main difference between the two is the electric choke, which I will wire off the solenoid on start.

Farking Bastage fucked around with this message at 01:58 on Feb 15, 2016

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Couldn't stand it with all the nice weather yesterday. Took her down the road a bit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoA5Qe3npIA

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Mwuhahahahahaahahahaha!

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Goddamnit. You mother fucker. Started pulling the intake, got to the last bolt tucked away behind a bunch of emissions bullshit that's getting deleted and that mother fucker was rounded off by someone not me. Gonna have to Ez-out the loving thing.

gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress you bolt

meltie
Nov 9, 2003

Not a sodding fridge.

Farking Bastage posted:

Couldn't stand it with all the nice weather yesterday. Took her down the road a bit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoA5Qe3npIA

That twittering/squeaking nose and the vibrations remind me so much of my old Land Rover :)

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.

Farking Bastage posted:

Goddamnit. You mother fucker. Started pulling the intake, got to the last bolt tucked away behind a bunch of emissions bullshit that's getting deleted and that mother fucker was rounded off by someone not me. Gonna have to Ez-out the loving thing.

gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress
gently caress you bolt



How badly munged is it? Can't vise grip it out?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJi3G2oUOfY

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug
If it's got any head left at all I'd soak the bitch in PB for a few days and then try to either yank it out with screw pliers or my friend the flathead screwdriver used as a chisel.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I got it out by hammering a 13mm 6 point onto it. Once inside, I figured out pretty fast why is sounds like a skeleton jacking off in a wash pan full of metal spoons. Rockers are loose as gently caress. These engines use little aluminum pivots and they wear. Several pushrods were plugged which explains the wear. May as well do the lifters while I am an there. I really don't want to have to pull the Camshaft. I've had people tell me rather emphatically that you can use a zinc based break in lube on new listers and they will wear to the cam just fine. Thoughts?

Farking Bastage fucked around with this message at 22:08 on Feb 20, 2016

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
New pushrods lifters rockers and cam in. Assembled the Manifold. I might get this fucker back to running this week.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I suffered a bit of a setback attributed to alcohol, black RTV, and a torn intake gasket. Regrouped this week's evenings and got the valve covers back on



and took some time( like i loving should have to begin with ) to mock up the intake and see where stuff interacts.



I figure that electric blue engine paint on the VC's will match the equally electric blue plugwires :)

cakesmith handyman
Jul 22, 2007

Pip-Pip old chap! Last one in is a rotten egg what what.

It looks like a Photoshop :v:

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
While it is quite blue I think my LED work light tends to amplify the color.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I can't get that intake to line up :negative: After some research i've found out that the recommended gasket from Edelbrock is wrong, so I went back to the original valley pan and that won't mate up either. Ordered a new valley pan and bolts after galling a few of them.

Farking Bastage fucked around with this message at 16:25 on Mar 7, 2016

Salami Surgeon
Jan 21, 2001

Don't close. Don't close.


Nap Ghost
On an Edelbrock intake, don't you just use RTV instead of the rubber that comes with the valley pan? Or am I not understanding what doesn't line up?

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
^^ You're right about the RTV. Problem here is something on the mating surface of the heads( hopefully the old valley pan) wasn't letting it sit down far enough to line the bolts up.

kastein
Aug 31, 2011

Moderator at http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/and soon to be mod of AI. MAKE AI GREAT AGAIN. Motronic for VP.
Sounds like it's the wrong one (the case here?) or maybe the heads have been planed too many times, bringing their slanted intake port faces too far apart.

From what I hear it's a pain in the dick to get the valley *and* head interfaces to all seal at once on some V8s due to the angles. Can't wait till I have to do my first... :suicide:

Salami Surgeon
Jan 21, 2001

Don't close. Don't close.


Nap Ghost
The valley pan should be the same between all the V8s be it a 304, 360, or 401.
If I remember correctly, there are ports that are flared to align to the head, and others that align to the intake. Or maybe I don't remember that correctly. I pre-fit mine to the engine, then took it off and fit it to the intake to make sure everything lined up. After doing that, I didn't have any alignment issues.

I used exhaust studs as alignment dowels so the intake dropped right into place. I'm also still using the iron intake so it smashed the pan down with authority.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I got it on last night finally. It took some persuading, but the new valley pan fit like a glove.

Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
I was actually able to line bolts up without prying on poo poo.. Whodathunkit? I can't mess with it much till this weekend, but stay tuned!

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Farking Bastage
Sep 22, 2007

Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengos!
Mother fucker is on there.




If you have been reading, I sourced that carb from a 4.3 marine application( basically free but in great condition and beats the poo poo out of $450). Stamped Weber 8867 which is an Edelbrock 1403 600 CFM 4BBL. . It has front and rear PCV openings, which is fine, but I need a timed vacuum port for the Advance on the distributor for an AMC V8. The automotive ones have nipples installed to holes on each side of those adjustment screws. From what I can see this one has the ports, but they are plugged, so I'm going to get the little caps out, press a fitting in and see if it works.



This one has an electric choke as opposed to the original Heat actuated choke, so I should be able to use the switched electrical lead running the HEI and the fuel pump to run it. There's still a million things that can go wrong with this stunt, but I'm feeling a hell of a lot better now.

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