Huge yank shite - odd jobs.

[alf892]

Coke and hookers eh? Hmmm!

 

Are these cars that rare then? I know there's not that many over here but no idea about back on home turf. Obviously were not talking rare as in Cord rare! I don't think cars like this have the same sort of classic status in the US that they do here do they?

 

I realise there's not been any pics for a while either so here's a few of the bolloxed actuator. Since I've had it off the car and given it a good look over it is worse than it first appeared.

There's rusty pin holes all over it, especially around the seam in the middle. If you blow into either of the ports it doesn't hold air at all. The seal at the top under the dust boot leaks and I think the spring and seals inside are gone too.

 

 

Dan.........did you check that link I sent? Those come in a range of sizes and could be easily adapted in a couple of hours???

 

Edit. Ignore me.......yours look like they are double acting so I r idiot.

[danthecapriman]

This is not the AS way. Cable ties and gaffer tape if you please.

 

Yep, I'm afraid I've gone against the shite code! But it's sort of made up for by the 'make do, mend and bodge' on my other chod!

 

Alf, yes they are double acting, the headlight switch changes which end of the tank gets the vacuum feed. Of course on mine neither end is vacuum tight.

[purplebargeken]

The balance has been restored. You are of course forgiven anyway for having such a lovely big old beast of a car

[danthecapriman]

Ok, an update!

 

I took this in to the classic specialists on Monday. They have gone over the car and found various vacuum leaks that won't be helping the running. However! This pales into insignificance, as there is a far far bigger issue.

 

Basically the engine is fucked!

Compression test results revealed massive variations between cylinders, the engine is also breathing very heavily. It's way beyond just being worn valves or possibly head gasket leakage. The guy said even by tuning and fixing the vacuum leaks it will still run as badly as it does now. There's also a lot of oil sludge build up in the engine. Never a good sign!

I guess, I kind of expected something like this, as all the things I tried made little difference, and I had noticed the crank case breather chugging away an awful lot!

 

So, my options:

1, find a used engine and they said they could do that and fit it. The downside here is that the replacement engine is not guaranteed to be fault free, they aren't exactly easy to find over here, and this would mean the cars originality would be compromised (I realise this bit sounds stupid!)

 

2, do nothing, accept the whole thing as a loss and sell the car for virtually nothing with an almost dead engine. Realistically it'll end up as a modified horror show or on the banger track.

 

3, rebuild the original engine. This is fucking expensive! All parts are available to do this though...

 

Naturally I'm more than a little pissed off! This could very well of been the reason the car was laid up back in the states all those years ago. But, in their words, the car is remarkably solid and original and well worth fixing. Which makes me feel a little better about it, and that the car is too good to allow it to become oval fodder or yet another tasteless hot rod/low rider. Besides that I love this car, and would love to keep it looking original and with it's original engine still.

So, after a little thought I'm taking option number 3!

 

I know it's expensive, but I'm convinced it's my best option. The other 'pro' to this is that since they are going to nut and bolt rebuild the engine, for no additional cost over standard they can rebuild with performance parts to increase the horsepower! This is a great idea, and one I've taken!

I have also told them to do a few other odd jobs at the same time, and MOT it aswell. I think since the bill will be big then I may aswell get everything done in one hit and just have done with it.

 

So there we go. Not good but at the end of it it'll be great!

Anyone want a good kidney, never smoked in, raced or rallied!!

[HMC]

Sounds like the way to go if its a long termer. Are you tempted whilst the lump is in bits to have a little stage 1 tuning done?!

[vulgalour]

Bad news about the engine but great news that you picked the best option to proceed.  I can imagine this looking super slick if it sat lower, but is it really necessary when it looks so handsome in bone stock form?  You are the right person for this car.

[Jim Bell]

XUD9 conversion prime candidate.

[Bren]

Fuck it - plant a ford V4 in it.

 

Seriously, a motor as big as yours can run for years in a worn state, compression loss in one or more cylinders is easily masked by the rest.

 

If I were you, I would price having the parts imported from the states and have it rebuilt.

 

You could even have a go yourself - the biggest difficulty will be getting the motor out ( a decent engine crane is a must). This engine is about as low tech as you can get.

 

You can't bale out now.

[danthecapriman]

Thanks guys!

I know it's not the autoshite way, but it's the best way to keep this one on the road and it deserves it. I probably could do a bit to save pennies, but it's easier at the moment to just leave it in the hands of the pro's and let them get on with it. If it were a Pinto engine or similar I'd do it myself, but this thing is enormous and, realistically I don't think rebuilding this engine in my shed is the best way to do it!

 

Sounds like the way to go if its a long termer. Are you tempted whilst the lump is in bits to have a little stage 1 tuning done?!

It's definitely a long termer! It has to be now!! I'm not going to get it massively tuned, but it's getting high compression pistons, cam kit etc. The full list of new bits should raise the hp significantly above a standard engine.

[danthecapriman]

Fuck it - plant a ford V4 in it.

Seriously, a motor as big as yours can run for years in a worn state, compression loss in one or more cylinders is easily masked by the rest.

If I were you, I would price having the parts imported from the states and have it rebuilt.

You could even have a go yourself - the biggest difficulty will be getting the motor out ( a decent engine crane is a must). This engine is about as low tech as you can get.

You can't bale out now.

That's it, it didn't seem to drive particularly badly once it was going. But probably only because the engine is so big you just wouldn't notice the wear in some cylinders.

[purplebargeken]

Frustrating though it is, you seem to have made the choice of rightness. Think of the shove it will have when completed and it will still have matching numbers.

 

It really is a lovely car and deserves such an effort to bring it back (and a bit more).

 

Cracking choice Sir.

[Junkman]

Thing needs a valve job, that's all.

[Skizzer]

Pah, what you want is a metric shitload of K-Seal and Chemical Metal, maybe some heatproof tape.  This place etc.

 

Seriously, respect for taking the plunge.  Looking forward to a successful outcome, this car is magical.

[danthecapriman]

I did think about getting a bottle of Quentin Wilson's magical piss water oil additive for worn engines, I bet that can replace worn fucked metal! Ok maybe 2 bottles for this!

[eddyramrod]

FWIW I think you've made the right choice, as so many have already said.  This car is most definitely worth the effort.  Post up a glamour shot so we can all daydream while it's away...

[Sloth in a bowl]

Thing needs a valve job, that's all.

 

 

What Junkman doesn't know about American metal, probably happened after 1986...

 

...or something like that.

[strangeangel]

If it was a car I liked I'd probably have gone for Option 1, so hats off to you for doing it properly

[cort1977]

Sorry to hear about the state of the engine but good on you for keeping on.

 

Depending which way you want to go I would be very tempted to go with some modern alloy cylinder heads, will give plenty of extra oomph and will probably compare reasonably with the cost of rebuilding the heads.   Even with a big increase in power the bottom end on this is likely so strong that a set of ARP bolts is all it needs and you're replacing those anyway presumably.   Edelbrock or ARP make heads for these engines I think.   Non stock obviously so I would keep the originals for future reference.

 

Let me know if I can help if you need stuff from the US although most companies will ship overseas these days.

[garethj]

Is a valve job and set of rings something you could do at home instead of pulling the engine out?

 

If you decide to go for the garage option, don't go mad with high compression. It's a quick and efficient way to more power but the quality of petrol here means that high compression just leads to pinking or pre ignition. You don't have a modern car's sophisticated engine management that can tweak stuff as it runs so keep it sensible.

[danthecapriman]

FWIW I think you've made the right choice, as so many have already said.  This car is most definitely worth the effort.  Post up a glamour shot so we can all daydream while it's away...

Just for you Eddy!

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry to hear about the state of the engine but good on you for keeping on.

 

Depending which way you want to go I would be very tempted to go with some modern alloy cylinder heads, will give plenty of extra oomph and will probably compare reasonably with the cost of rebuilding the heads.   Even with a big increase in power the bottom end on this is likely so strong that a set of ARP bolts is all it needs and you're replacing those anyway presumably.   Edelbrock or ARP make heads for these engines I think.   Non stock obviously so I would keep the originals for future reference.

 

Let me know if I can help if you need stuff from the US although most companies will ship overseas these days.

Thanks for your offer! Appreciated!

I think I'll probably be sticking with stock heads. The extra grunt from the other bits should be more than adequate. It seemed pretty good even with a worn out engine and it's a cruiser as opposed to an all out muscle car. Plus, the cast iron heads will keep things looking stock and standard.

 

I'll just have to see how things go over the next few weeks, it depends what things end up looking like once the engine is stripped down too.

[eddyramrod]

If we are ever close enough to speak face-to-face, I really have to sit in that!  Thank you!

[danthecapriman]

Is a valve job and set of rings something you could do at home instead of pulling the engine out?

If you decide to go for the garage option, don't go mad with high compression. It's a quick and efficient way to more power but the quality of petrol here means that high compression just leads to pinking or pre ignition. You don't have a modern car's sophisticated engine management that can tweak stuff as it runs so keep it sensible.

It's not something I'm even going to try taking on at home. I just don't have the space and it's a big heavy lump to be trying to pull in and out. I think letting professionals do it will end up quicker and a better job.

I know what you mean about the compression. I'm not going to go over the top with it, it's not that sort of car and it's not a race engine I'm having built. Like you say, I'll keep it sensible.

[danthecapriman]

If we are ever close enough to speak face-to-face, I really have to sit in that!  Thank you!

I'll go one better and let you drive it! I'm sure I'll be able to get it to a shite meet up at some point.

 

 

So, after that slight downer I did the sensible thing and went looking for a pick me up!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMC-Gremlin-Gremlin-Options-luggage-rack-etc-/121693351841?forcerrptr=true&hash=item1c557d2fa1&item=121693351841

I'd love to add this to my fleet!

Some people never learn do they!

[garethj]

It's not something I'm even going to try taking on at home. I just don't have the space and it's a big heavy lump to be trying to pull in and out

 

This might be a stupid question (yeah, like I care), but can you leave the engine in and pull the pistons and rods out?  With the heads and sump off can you remove the conrod bolts from underneath then pull the pistons and rods out through the top?

 

Just an idea, not that I've ever tried it.  But if the bearings are mostly ok and the crank is fine I wonder if there's an easier way to just fix the stuff that needs it.  Have the garage given you a quote (a good thing) or are they just going to present you with a bill at the end, and if you don't keel over they'll say "of course that's plus vat"

[danthecapriman]

I've no idea tbh if it can be done in situ. I don't think there's much wrong with the crank or bearings, I'm sure if there was that wouldn't of escaped notice by now.

They have given a quote, but it's dependent on everything else being ok. Obviously with a car of this age it's entirely possible there may be other things once it's opened up. It is also getting valves and a head rebuild at the same time.

[Jon]

Coke and hookers eh? Hmmm!

 

Are these cars that rare then? I know there's not that many over here but no idea about back on home turf. Obviously were not talking rare as in Cord rare! I don't think cars like this have the same sort of classic status in the US that they do here do they?

 

I realise there's not been any pics for a while either so here's a few of the bolloxed actuator. Since I've had it off the car and given it a good look over it is worse than it first appeared.

There's rusty pin holes all over it, especially around the seam in the middle. If you blow into either of the ports it doesn't hold air at all. The seal at the top under the dust boot leaks and I think the spring and seals inside are gone too.

 

 

 

I reckon the reason you've got a buggered engine is probably due to that little fella above, who's no doubt been actuating a load of instant mashed potato around it, whilst laughing heartily with is cohorts. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[alf892]

I've no idea tbh if it can be done in situ. I don't think there's much wrong with the crank or bearings, I'm sure if there was that wouldn't of escaped notice by now.

They have given a quote, but it's dependent on everything else being ok. Obviously with a car of this age it's entirely possible there may be other things once it's opened up. It is also getting valves and a head rebuild at the same time.

Re crank........if you are spending a wad on having stripped you would do well to think about putting a set of big ends and mains in....and maybe a quick polish on the crank. The relative cost of this while it is in bits is minimal (x8!)

[eddyramrod]

How basic is that six-pot Gremlin!  How nice though, it's a real survivor.  If it was within viewing distance it would be a contender.

[danthecapriman]

Re crank........if you are spending a wad on having stripped you would do well to think about putting a set of big ends and mains in....and maybe a quick polish on the crank. The relative cost of this while it is in bits is minimal (x8!)

I think that will probably be done as part of the work tbh. Like you say, it's in bits anyway so it would be stupid not to! The place doing the work seem very professional and don't do things by halfs so I'm confidant they will do the best job possible and advise accordingly if there's any other things that may need doing at the same time. They did say it would be a full rebuild required so it should be getting at least this treatment. I'll find out more over the next few days anyway.

 

 

How basic is that six-pot Gremlin!  How nice though, it's a real survivor.  If it was within viewing distance it would be a contender.

It is a little stunner! Fantastic colour too. I love the little gremlin badges!

I really want to try to get a small unit and bring a few yanks over every year, get them upto MOT standard and sell them on, not really as a full business but just something to do that I enjoy!

[purplebargeken]

That would be ace ^^