Well it's been a while but i'm now on my 3rd engine
, after the 1st one was too smokey and the 2nd one lasted 10 miles before it blew a conrod through the side of the crank case!!
had to modify the gearbox mounts to fit the new engine in
and use a mish mash of pulleys etc to get alternator to line up with water pump
Since then, i've managed a pay and play at 4x4withoutaclub with dan_2k and other than having a dead starter motor it all ran well for 1st time out.
starter fixed with this
I made Scottie a prop spacer
(I also have a drawing of prop spacers if anyone wants dimensions.)
And managed 1 green lane trip since, on the last day of the ridgeway being open was good to get out there again.
In the mean time I've been collecting bits and pieces (31"kaimans <same as special tracks as far as i can see>, winch, new U bolts<from llama>, new rough country shocks, new grill, new led indicators, new front lights and a steering wheel to go with my YJ springs and the conversion kit from LowRangeOffroad also need to hunt down power steering) for my next "challenge" 2013 is gonna be busy!!
And I've done a few little bits and pieces like moving the fusebox to where its easily accessable
picked a set of 31" malatesta kaimans on white steel wheels... but they are a little bit on the tight fit side
so close to the bulkhead i can turn the steering wheel about half a turn before they scrub
also got a set of these lying around from my old truck had them sand blasted but unsure what colour to powder coat them at the minute
I had a problem with front caliper sticking turns out to be one of the sliding pin bushes was so worn inside the caliper was twisting when it closed on the disc and then jammed and wouldn't release. Plan was to spend time off over xmas to replace the calipers ready for laning trip on Salisbury plain new years day.. best laid plans etc
due to it never stopping raining long enough it took me nearly 2 weeks to get calipers on and bled
Also thought it might be a good idea to swap over rocker cover, as at some point on last trip out somehow the oil filler cap disappeared
it was fixed in true red neck style with a plastic lid and a jubilee clip found in a mates garage i stopped at as it had no compression so was cutting out on me
So got the rocker cover swapped over and i see this out of the corner of my eye
Well that looks like my cambelt is trying to escape through the cover!