kastein
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Yeah I really like it. I will like it a lot more once it has better tires, no death wobble, a working engine, seats that don't cripple me, and a good coat of paint on it 
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My "new" M54A2
- Thread starter kastein
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Any bugs in your teeth while driving bare top? Nice story, congrats on the bouncing baby 5-ton!
Nice story, congrats on the bouncing baby 5-ton!kastein
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Nope... but plenty of assorted grit, soil, decomposed paper, and other detritus in my eyes... I had to use a qtip to clean them out at the end of the day. It kinda sucked.
Other than the FOD eye problem, and being saturated every time it rained, driving it topless was more fun. I sure needed a tan.
Other than the FOD eye problem, and being saturated every time it rained, driving it topless was more fun. I sure needed a tan.
airmech3839
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You said topless!!!! I get all giggly when guys talk to me like that....
kastein
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I did have the windshield up though... so I guess you could say "topless and wearing glasses".
cllctrtom
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Great story! Thanks for sharing it. I'm sure a lot of others might have gone through the same thing. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!
JC Clark
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Good luck with the m54 and congradulations. Be sure to take pictures when you get a camera.
Kalashnikov
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Interesting recovery! I picked up my 71 M35A2 w/w from a member on here, Engine5, a coupe months ago and haven't stopped driving it yet. Where abouts in Worcester are you? I'm about 20/30 min south I'm thinking of going up to NH in a couple weeks for some wheeling if you want to go. Could use another 6x6.
kastein
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I'm about a block from the Denny's on Lincoln St.
Yeah, I drove mine to work once or twice a week till the head gasket blew. It was amazingly fun compared with even the jeeps...
I haven't finished putting mine back together after the head gasket job, hopefully will have it done by next weekend. Still working things out insurance/registration wise as well, it was still on temp plates when the gasket blew up and I haven't had it in driveable condition since. I unfortunately leave for Colorado on business on the 10th and won't be back for anywhere from a few weeks to a month, we'll see.
Yeah, I drove mine to work once or twice a week till the head gasket blew. It was amazingly fun compared with even the jeeps...
I haven't finished putting mine back together after the head gasket job, hopefully will have it done by next weekend. Still working things out insurance/registration wise as well, it was still on temp plates when the gasket blew up and I haven't had it in driveable condition since. I unfortunately leave for Colorado on business on the 10th and won't be back for anywhere from a few weeks to a month, we'll see.
kastein
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Well, I went back up to my friend's place for the first time in months to work on my yard art. He is tolerant to say the least... between the house I bought, the snow we got pounded with, work, and keeping the other 3 jeeps operational, I have had very little chance to work on it.
Pulled the oil filter bell covers off again to put the new filters in and...
full of coolant! NOT GOOD! About a gallon of coolant drained out when I emptied the oil pan.
I KNEW everything was going far too smoothly
Looks like one of the water jacket gaskets on top of the head (the little 3-orifice ones that go from the passenger side of the head to the water jacket on the intake manifold) was leaking slowly ever since I filled the radiator back up. Since I didn't bolt the valve covers down (still have to set the valve lash, I placed them on it with the gaskets to keep debris out of the motor but didn't bother bolting them down) the coolant trickled under the cover and down around the lifters. Fortunately everything was well coated in new oil (with the consistency of molasses, gotta love 15W40 in the wintertime) that I poured over it before dropping the valve covers on, so it appears I may have dodged the bullet corrosion wise. I flushed it with a gallon or two of good clean oil, cranked it over a bunch without the injectors installed (to keep compression loading off the bearings) and drained it again, only a tiny bit of coolant came out so I think I got it all. I hope it's fine, but at minimum makes it home to Southbridge...
If anyone has a spare motor sitting around in New England and wants to sell, I'm listening. I hate not having a spare on hand for every vehicle I own, and this coolant surprise scared the **** out of me.
Pulled the oil filter bell covers off again to put the new filters in and...
full of coolant! NOT GOOD! About a gallon of coolant drained out when I emptied the oil pan.I KNEW everything was going far too smoothly
Looks like one of the water jacket gaskets on top of the head (the little 3-orifice ones that go from the passenger side of the head to the water jacket on the intake manifold) was leaking slowly ever since I filled the radiator back up. Since I didn't bolt the valve covers down (still have to set the valve lash, I placed them on it with the gaskets to keep debris out of the motor but didn't bother bolting them down) the coolant trickled under the cover and down around the lifters. Fortunately everything was well coated in new oil (with the consistency of molasses, gotta love 15W40 in the wintertime) that I poured over it before dropping the valve covers on, so it appears I may have dodged the bullet corrosion wise. I flushed it with a gallon or two of good clean oil, cranked it over a bunch without the injectors installed (to keep compression loading off the bearings) and drained it again, only a tiny bit of coolant came out so I think I got it all. I hope it's fine, but at minimum makes it home to Southbridge...
If anyone has a spare motor sitting around in New England and wants to sell, I'm listening. I hate not having a spare on hand for every vehicle I own, and this coolant surprise scared the **** out of me.
kastein
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Got my replacement oil filter parts from python86, put it all together. Didn't have a couple torque specs I needed the weekend before last, but dug them up here on SS and went up to finish the job last night! Got everything all set, setting valve lash alone was no fun. Just as I was ready to do the last step (fill the oil back up) my friend whose yard it has been filling got home from work... we filled the oil up... cranked it over... it took a good long while to start because all the fuel had drained out of the lines. Started and runs great!
It has a definite knock coming from somewhere, sounds like the righthand back side of the engine, not sure if it is a minor head gasket leak, an exhaust manifold gasket leak, or (I really hope it isn't...) a wrist pin on its way out. Oil pressure is about 40psi idle, 50-60psi running, we took it for a couple mile spin out to center of town and back and it did great! I'm hoping it will at least make it home.
The other thing the knock might be is excessive valve lash... I am really not used to working on such big motors, I am used to valve lash sounding like a tick not a knock.
Who has a spare motor they want to offload/sell?
I'm getting nervous 
don't trust my motor or my repairs.
It running (in the dark, in the rain of course) after the repairs: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=564375140822
It has a definite knock coming from somewhere, sounds like the righthand back side of the engine, not sure if it is a minor head gasket leak, an exhaust manifold gasket leak, or (I really hope it isn't...) a wrist pin on its way out. Oil pressure is about 40psi idle, 50-60psi running, we took it for a couple mile spin out to center of town and back and it did great! I'm hoping it will at least make it home.
The other thing the knock might be is excessive valve lash... I am really not used to working on such big motors, I am used to valve lash sounding like a tick not a knock.
Who has a spare motor they want to offload/sell?
I'm getting nervous don't trust my motor or my repairs.It running (in the dark, in the rain of course) after the repairs: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=564375140822
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kastein
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Got it home a few days ago!
Fixed the bad oil leak and the oil pressure is more in a range I like now.
Also put the replacement turn signal I bought off JB last year, a new window crank handle, new windshield seals, and some other random parts on it... figure the more parts I put on it, the fewer I have in the pile of new parts I can lose track of.
Also put two new front tires on it that I picked up for $5 each on rims already
so it should stop bouncing as it goes down the road now. They're just 11.00x20 NDTs but at least they have 3/4" of tread instead of being almost bald and badly scalloped and unevenly worn. I need to go back to where I got them and clean the guy's stock out... some of my other tires are pretty close to worn out too. I don't like NDTs but at least they will keep it rolling till I can afford some XZLs/XMLs and 1 piece rims, $5 each is well worth it.
Still need to do a whole lot... and I find more to fix every day.
Fixed the bad oil leak and the oil pressure is more in a range I like now.
Also put the replacement turn signal I bought off JB last year, a new window crank handle, new windshield seals, and some other random parts on it... figure the more parts I put on it, the fewer I have in the pile of new parts I can lose track of.
Also put two new front tires on it that I picked up for $5 each on rims already
so it should stop bouncing as it goes down the road now. They're just 11.00x20 NDTs but at least they have 3/4" of tread instead of being almost bald and badly scalloped and unevenly worn. I need to go back to where I got them and clean the guy's stock out... some of my other tires are pretty close to worn out too. I don't like NDTs but at least they will keep it rolling till I can afford some XZLs/XMLs and 1 piece rims, $5 each is well worth it.Still need to do a whole lot... and I find more to fix every day.
TexMc
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Interesting tale any updates?
kastein
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updates, in no particular order:
* I am probably buying 6 395/85r20 Michelin XMLs from patracy as soon as my bonus check comes in.
* the blasted head gasket blew again! I blame the old style gasket I had to use in a pinch, and possibly did not clean the mating surfaces well enough, though I used a razor scraper and a LOT of brakleen. Next time I am using the new style gaskets, getting the heads resurfaced, the valves ground, and generally having them worked over. I suspect I also did not put needed sealant on the gasket - did the old style gaskets require RTV, metal crush rings in the oil ports, or any sort of gasket sealer? The -34P did not tell me to use any so I did not, this was possibly a mistake.
* I fixed the e-brake. Cable is badly stretched, if it gets any worse I will need a new one.
Stuff on the list to fix:
* head gasket obviously... need to do it right this time
* tires!
* the bolts vibrated their way out of the radiator mount that holds the rad to the engine, so if I go off camber the fan hits the shroud. I need to replace them before I drive it again (this happened today) and will be using castle nuts and cotter pins this time.
* air leak somewhere on the passenger side below the cab. This MUST be tracked down and fixed.
* need to replace more steering box bracket rivets with bolts
* need to replace tie rod or adjust toe-in to compensate for small bend in original one
* need to get a broken stock rear axleshaft (anyone got one?) and cut it down to use as a blockoff plate when running in 2 axle drive to save tire wear
* need to replace my wiper control valve
* need to replace passenger seat and properly adapt / secure driver seat
* need to get proper nuts to hold spare tire in place in the bed (I am using a large semi truck load strap about 2" wide right now)
* need more jerry cans, if I run out right before going up or down a hill it takes 10-15 gallons to get running again... 5 won't cut it... found that out today
* need to fix latch for passenger windshield
The list just keeps getting longer...
* I am probably buying 6 395/85r20 Michelin XMLs from patracy as soon as my bonus check comes in.
* the blasted head gasket blew again! I blame the old style gasket I had to use in a pinch, and possibly did not clean the mating surfaces well enough, though I used a razor scraper and a LOT of brakleen. Next time I am using the new style gaskets, getting the heads resurfaced, the valves ground, and generally having them worked over. I suspect I also did not put needed sealant on the gasket - did the old style gaskets require RTV, metal crush rings in the oil ports, or any sort of gasket sealer? The -34P did not tell me to use any so I did not, this was possibly a mistake.
* I fixed the e-brake. Cable is badly stretched, if it gets any worse I will need a new one.
Stuff on the list to fix:
* head gasket obviously... need to do it right this time
* tires!
* the bolts vibrated their way out of the radiator mount that holds the rad to the engine, so if I go off camber the fan hits the shroud. I need to replace them before I drive it again (this happened today) and will be using castle nuts and cotter pins this time.
* air leak somewhere on the passenger side below the cab. This MUST be tracked down and fixed.
* need to replace more steering box bracket rivets with bolts
* need to replace tie rod or adjust toe-in to compensate for small bend in original one
* need to get a broken stock rear axleshaft (anyone got one?) and cut it down to use as a blockoff plate when running in 2 axle drive to save tire wear
* need to replace my wiper control valve
* need to replace passenger seat and properly adapt / secure driver seat
* need to get proper nuts to hold spare tire in place in the bed (I am using a large semi truck load strap about 2" wide right now)
* need more jerry cans, if I run out right before going up or down a hill it takes 10-15 gallons to get running again... 5 won't cut it... found that out today
* need to fix latch for passenger windshield
The list just keeps getting longer...
Welder Sam
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Ive gotta brand new, unmarked data plate with ur name on it. Email me if ya want pics
kastein
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I bought a set of top end gaskets including the new style head gaskets on here... think it was from pigfoot63 but not sure. Whoever it was, thanks! Going to have the heads resurfaced and the valves ground while the heads are off this time, also cleaning up the threads on the studs and nuts very carefully, I suspect the HGs failed again for a variety of reasons - didn't get the heads resurfaced (just cleaned the bajeezus out of em), didn't clean the threads completely, old style gaskets, etc.
Also finally picked up some 395/85r20 XMLs from patracy - thanks a ton! I'll be buying again for sure.
Got a stack of jerry cans at the Stafford Speedway swap meet this morning... once I repaint them and fill them up I won't have to worry about backup fuel anymore.
Need to pick up a new passenger side windshield or just replace the rivet that broke on the latch handle. I'm leaning toward replacing it because the frame is super crusty and bulging from rust anyways.
Picking up a set of rims to put my 395s on soon. Mounting those is going to be an adventure, a friend tells me he does it all the time with one tire iron not sure I believe that but we'll see.
And as soon as my finger heals back up I'm probably going to finish welding my loading ramps and maybe paint them and the worst rust spots in the truck.
EDIT: Welder Sam - I forgot... was I looking for one of those? I honestly don't remember, I keep changing my plans around.
Some pics added too!
Also finally picked up some 395/85r20 XMLs from patracy - thanks a ton! I'll be buying again for sure.
Got a stack of jerry cans at the Stafford Speedway swap meet this morning... once I repaint them and fill them up I won't have to worry about backup fuel anymore.
Need to pick up a new passenger side windshield or just replace the rivet that broke on the latch handle. I'm leaning toward replacing it because the frame is super crusty and bulging from rust anyways.
Picking up a set of rims to put my 395s on soon. Mounting those is going to be an adventure, a friend tells me he does it all the time with one tire iron
not sure I believe that but we'll see.And as soon as my finger heals back up I'm probably going to finish welding my loading ramps and maybe paint them and the worst rust spots in the truck.
EDIT: Welder Sam - I forgot... was I looking for one of those? I honestly don't remember, I keep changing my plans around.
Some pics added too!
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Kalashnikov
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Keeps us updated! What kind of wheels are you looking for? I have some 5 ton 2 piece wheels that I might not end up using.
kastein
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I'm considering just using common 10-lug over the road hauler rims because I found I can get them for 50 bucks apiece. I'm not sure backspacing will be right though, I need to take some measurements and do some drawing. I'm definitely going tubeless, I hate messing around with tubes and lock rings.