Working On The M561 Gama Goat

[mkcoen]

Good job on tracking that engine down, good time of year for a road trip, keep us updated.

Hate that you got all this trouble to go through, but if you got the time for a picture or two on the road, you'd sure get my gratitude (like you care, right!?).

Better before the snow flies at least. Maybe the aspens will be changing by now.

I have to thank hndrsonj and m38inmaine for making me get back in touch with the guy (sorry Mark, didn't think you'd want to drive there from Maine to pick it up since he wouldn't ship it). I've known about this engine since I got the tires from him in June but he said he was selling the place and had to have all the stuff cleared out so I figured he was gone by now. That and I wasn't sure I wanted to drive back to Colorado again, but, given the aggravation with getting the one I have now fixed figured it was worth it.

 

[combat32]

Any word from the engine shop yet?

 

[mkcoen]

Any word from the engine shop yet?

See post #655. I wouldn't let him touch it since he wouldn't give me any indication what he would charge just to tear it down. If I left it, he did the tear down, wanted some ridiculous amount then not only would I be stuck with a vehicle I couldn't drive back on a trailer and have to pay a tow company to recover but I'd be hostage to whatever he wanted to charge me. I'm not saying it's a disreputable shop or he would do that but what he thinks is reasonable for a tear down and what I think is reasonable may be 2 different, and distant, numbers. Since he refused to do that I just abandoned the repair options and went with the Cheyenne engine behind door #2.

 

[mkcoen]

How many Waffle Houses are there between Spring Branch, TX and Cheyenne, WY?

Safe travels Mark!

There are several in Amarillo, then none between there and Colorado Springs but between CS and Fort Collins we'll be covered. We should be able to hit 1 or 2 if TexAndy can handle it.

 

[mkcoen]

Getting ready to pass through Amarillo. Luckily I was out of cell coverage when the SEE sold so couldn't go over my max of $15,500. It sold for $17k and I might have been tempted. Would have come in handy pulling the Goat engine.

 

[Another Ahab]

Getting ready to pass through Amarillo. Luckily I was out of cell coverage when the SEE sold so couldn't go over my max of $15,500. It sold for $17k and I might have been tempted. Would have come in handy pulling the Goat engine.

Good luck, mkcoen; safe travels.

 

[combat32]

Are we there yet?

 

[hndrsonj]

Yep, engine is loaded. They had a beer and burger here. I am guessing they will be back home late tomorrow. Turns out he got some extras with the engine---trans, exhaust, and some smaller parts. It was good meeting you guys!

 

[mkcoen]

Thanks Jim! That was solid advice on the tollroad around Denver. Probably saved us an hour. We're about an hour from NM now (2000hrs MT time) headed into NM.

 

[KansasBobcat]

Safe travels, Mark. What an ordeal!

 

[wsucougarx]

Sounds like a great adventure. I'll be hitting the road in about a week to bring something home...hopefully.

 

[mkcoen]

Sounds like a great adventure. I'll be hitting the road in about a week to bring something home...hopefully.

Good luck with that. If you need any specific parts post them up. We've got quite a little exchange program going.

 

[mkcoen]

Luckily one of the parts that came with the motor was a defroster piece for the dash. AMGeneral was going to send me his but now won't have to.

 

[quarkz]

Mark, could you take more pictures of that from various angles? I may be needing to fabricate one for my goat.

Do you know if that defroster part was part of the hard or soft top winterization kit?

 

[AMGeneral]

Luckily one of the parts that came with the motor was a defroster piece for the dash. AMGeneral was going to send me his but now won't have to.

I actually had that boxed up to be sent out today(work has not allowed me to ship anything lately,never home!)since I was home today because of the weather.

 

[mkcoen]

Made it back. We left Wed 9/30 around 1200 and got back Fri 10/2 around 1800. 2075 miles with 122.3 gallons of diesel used averaging 17mpg. When I checked the motor in Cheyenne there was no water at the pump outlet and only some residual oil on the dipstick. When we pulled in tonight there was some water at the pump outlet probably jiggeled down from the ride but the first thing I noticed was oil in it. The trip may have been a big waste of money or a very expensive trip for a spare alternator and starter. More to follow when I'm back awake.

 

[wsucougarx]

Hoping for the best Mark!

 

[Another Ahab]

Hoping for the best Mark!

Yeah, welcome back!

Did you enjoy the food on your trip?

 

[TexAndy]

I vote for securing the engine to a stand and run it before installing it in the goat.

Also, there is nothing good in Clayton. Only trains and train noises.

 

[m38inmaine]

I agree, I have seen several videos of those engines running quite easily on a makeshift stand.