My new bus - 1979 California Transporter (lots of pics)

[airkooledchris]

Im too far along with this setup to consider using the Vanagon housing. Chris at busted bus is working to get me a halfway decent deal on the correct heater box and a charcoal canister.

Ive hit my first major snags on this motor though:



First, the stud on the left is bent, so ill have to try and remove that one to replace it (or beat it back into shape, in place)

But that other stud, on the right in this shot, is broken off just before that staggered bit of threads would appear. There was about 2 turns of thread barely showing on there, so I stuck a nut on there and smeared some JB Weld onto it. Im assuming that i'll just end up spinning the nut free of the JB Weld when I try it, so how the H do I extract that stud from the head with no threads showing? have someone come over and weld the nut to the stud and then try wrenching it off?



I figured I may as well start the pushrod tube seals while I figure out what to do with this exhaust stud, and that's when I noticed this hiding under the rocker assembly:



my heart sank when I saw this. it's probably a whole GEX motor, or at the very least one of their heads. it's too bad since the motor is actually pretty clean otherwise. now im half tempted to just pull these stupid heads and swap on the known good ones I have in a box on the shelf. Maybe even swap out the P@C while im at it with the other set from the good build. Both motors were from 79 busses, so they both have hydraulic lifters and matching cam.

[tristessa]

After catching up on the thread here, I'm not clear .. Chris, you still want that case?

[airkooledchris]

After catching up on the thread here, I'm not clear .. Chris, you still want that case?

Yes! This (above pics) is a gamble on a used engine that may never see the light of day, depending on how many other snags I run into, but id still like to build a proper motor up using good parts and starting from scratch.

[Mike Boell]

Pipe wrench on the stud with no threads?

[Gypsie]

ayuh, mikes onto it. grab aholt' a that thing and wrench it out.

I like the weld the nut Idea. Can the nut be threaded on and then the stud smashed out there by making it a 'solid head" when you try to back it out?

Impact pressure (n the nut as above or on a vice grip holding the stud. controlled.

Heat (the head not the stud)

2c.

[tristessa]

Yes! This (above pics) is a gamble on a used engine that may never see the light of day,

K, no problem .. I just wasn't clear anymore, so I figured I'd ask. I'll wrap it in trashbags and strap it to the luggage rack.

[SlowLane]

Google "stud extractor". There are any number of options. I think the trick would be to find one that fit in the confines of the exhaust port area.

GEX, huh? that sux.

[Gypsie]

Ooooh, I just had another Idea for the stud....Dremel cutter, though a hacksaw'd work, to make a nice slot for a big a$$ flat head screwdriver, maybe an impact driver...

[Mike Boell]

Pipe wrench.

KISS

[Gypsie]

Not to be contrary, but I think a pipe wrench will be tricky to get in there though it would be a good first thing to try (pipe wrench, offset pliers, good vice grips...) I just think the clearance near the fins will make this tough to grab. Heat will help.

[airkooledchris]

Ooooh, I just had another Idea for the stud....Dremel cutter, though a hacksaw'd work, to make a nice slot for a big a$$ flat head screwdriver, maybe an impact driver...

Thank you!

Pipe wrench didn't fit well, and the smoothness of the stud without threads was impossible to get a tight enough grasp onto.
Ive been hitting it with penetrating fluid for a few days now.

I finally went out and hacksawed a slit in it and then used my impact screwdriver and the BFH to back it out 1/8th of a turn at a time. Once I was about halfway out I could just muscle it the rest of the way with my big screwdriver.

It was such a release to finally get that sucker out of there - it was like I finally had a BM after a week of being plugged.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Gypsie]

Great minds and all that...

[airkooledchris]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sSe6abkAts [/youtube]


im getting closer now. this was my first attempt to start it.

there was a small fuel leak where the test port is on the 3/4 rail, which ive since tightened.
so I guess there's fuel, and from this one attempt it seems like it might have spark, but that's where ill start checking next.

EDITED TO ADD: ITS ALIVE!!!!!

[Amskeptic]

EDITED TO ADD: ITS ALIVE!!!!!

Tell us more . . .
What transaxle is in it?
ColinTransaxles-R-UsToday

[airkooledchris]

Tell us more . . .
What transaxle is in it?
ColinTransaxles-R-UsToday

(My bad - I thought I updated my original 'I think my clutch went out' thread, but did not.... )

I put the 'bad' transaxle from my blue bus into this green one.

After I realized I could easily find all of the gears using my pliers on the shift forks, I swapped in the steel ball joint (from Long Ent, less than $20 including shipping) for the hockey stick and have been waiting to mate it to the gearshift in the bus to see if I could still find all the gears.

Right now the axles aren't connected, but I can run through ALL the gears quite easily from the drivers seat.


It took some serious cranking before it fired up finally. First I verified there was gas, which was easy since it was leaking from the test port. I put the gauge on it and confirmed it was also the correct PSI and it was, though the check valve in either the pump or the fuel pressure regulator is apparently dead as the PSI drops quickly once you turn off the key. Next was to verify spark was happening, so I connected my remote starter trigger and checked the coil to cap and each plug wire - all of which had spark. Next I fiddled with ground connections, position of the distributor/timing and finally I turned the AFM's idle adjustment screw all the way in, then back out 4 turns. Next I backed out the idle adjustment screw two full turns and it finally roared to life. It's louder than hell without any exhaust connected, and the smells of an unknown age motor and freshly painted heater boxes warming up nearly choked me to death. The exhaust is so damned loud I couldn't tell what the valves were doing, but im assuming they will need an adjustment ASAP (they were all 'soft' prior to starting.)

Tonight ill finish cleaning up all of the axles and related hardware, find some nuts and bolts to hold the rear taillights and side marker lights in place, clean up some of their assorted wiring. Tomorrow install axles and lights, fit foam engine seal, install exhaust and finally the drivers seat.

Thankfully this Hall Effect Sender system didn't cause me any real grief. (though I did have the spare coil/dist on standby just to rule it out if needed.)