Well It Is A Start, MOPAR Fire. Missy Lumpy Lives And Moves After 8 Years!

[cudaken]

I did pick up a stock sizes plug and a oversize 1/2 plug today. But just did not feel like working on her. 

I started this post on 06-02-13 and here we are at the end of July. It has taken me this long to do what in my prime would amount to only 4 to 6 hours worth of work? (not counting screwing up te drain plug, but 9 years ago I would not have done that)

Then there is all of the uncertain things in my life, will Sue get better, will BoS let me keep the house, if not where will I move to? Then there is the meager funds, I have around $4,000.00 saved up. If I have to move, well there goes that money. If I get to keep the house, I would spend maybe around $2,500 of that on the car. But till I know what BoS is going to do, I dare not spend much.

At this point tonight I m down in the dumps and really wondering if I have another car left in me? 

Big thing that been keeping me up at night, should I be packing if BoS foreclose on me or work on the car.  After living here for 22 years, we have a lot to pack!

Cuda Ken

[nvrbdn]

hey ken, we all have bad days. we also arent 20 years old anymore. so things take longer. here is the deal. i will tell you what my wife told me one time when i was tired of not getting the charger done and threatening to sell. she said that car out there isnt costing us anything while its just sitting. if you dont want to work on it, then fine dont work on it. but you are not selling it. one day you will decide to get back into it. until then just shut the garage door and do something else.  well, i still have that car. if you end up having to move we can find somewhere to store the gal till you can get back to her. then you can worry about the wife and the house and the car will be waiting till later.

[cudaken]

 Thanks Jim for the words of encouragement! I just hope I or we can find somewhere to keep her inside if I lose the house.

Felt pretty good today and had to help my daughter out in the AM. Pick her car up at work and took it to get tires for the rear. She needs all 4 but you do what you can do.

Got home around 12:00 and got working on the Runner. I bought a stock sizes oil pan plug and a 1/2 over sizes plug. Stock was a no go, but I was able to get the over sizes in and it was a bitch! All so learned something. If you are under the driver side of the car with your head facing the rear if you are not smacking your self in the faces you are turning it the wrong way!

It started to drizzle but I kept working. Pulled the distributor and getting the little nuts off the coil was a pain, all I could find that was the correct sizes was a box end wrench.

Got the valley pan off and this is what I found. I had dumped in some fresh oil before this shot.  

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/7-26-2_zps54257aec.jpg.html]

Over all the valley seemed free of gunk.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/7-26-3_zpsf2d89585.jpg.html]

All so no sigh of flat lopes at this point but in till I tun the motor I won't know.

Next Problem?   I have not been able to get the darn oil filter off! When I started to really crank on it the canister started to collapse. Well if there where no problems, it would not be my Mopar!  

Cuda Ken Feeling More Like Him Self Again!    

[nvrbdn]

when i changed the oil on my cougar, the filter started crushing. time to grab the big screw driver and hammer. punched it through, and it made it easy to turn it off. just have to deal with the leaking oil.

[A383Wing]

if the filter has been on that long, it's gonna be a bitch to get off...if it crushes, get a rag or something and wrap it around the filter where it crushed and keep using the filter wrench to get it off

Bryan

[cudaken]

Over all had a pretty good Mopar Day!  

Was out side today at 10:00 AM working on Miss Lumpy. (Nick Name for the Road Runner) Knocked the oil filter wrench back about 2 inches (You know you have not worked on a car for way to long when your oil filter wrench gets rusty   with a hammer, then used Vies Grips for extra leverage. It took some yanking, but slowly it started to turn!   Got it off and started to install the new filter, then I noticed a leaf was threading in with the filter. Another sign you let your car set to long Took care of that problem and got the filter on!  

Nothing stopping me now! Wrong! Got the out my 18 volt cordless drill 3/8 and the oil pump primer rod, hum seems the primer rod is 1/2 inch!  

Looked on Home Depot and on Lowe's web site and the cheapest I would find was $50.00, more than I wanted to spend at this point. Then I remembered there was a Harbor Freight 10 miles from me and found this.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/image_13962_zps3d0e1a74.jpg.html]

.6 Amp motor and max RPM's was 2500. One I seen on the web max speed was 800 RPM's for $31.99. So I went on a road trip.

Along the way I stopped at O'Rilleys and picked up plugs, 5 gallons of thinner (I like thinner to clean with) and gasket sealer, $75.00.   Then I hit Harbor Freight. Found the need drill (had a 20% coupon) and while I was there, I picked up a cheap HVLP Paint gun, just in case my Sharp Cobalt does not work.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/image_8048_zps25964cc9.jpg.html]

For $15.00 it was cheap, less than the rebuilt kit would cost for my Sharps.

While I was checking out the clerk told me told me the drill has a 90 day warranty and I could buy a 1 year warranty for $5.00. Told her I only need it to work for 90 minutes!

Got home and got the oil pump primer hooked up and had at it. It took about 6 seconds and I could feel the drill bog down, means the pump is picking up oil!  :2thumbs:Pull the driver side valve cover off and kept at it. Plenty of oil coming up in the lifer valley but nothing to the head. But I know the crank may need to be turned.

So I kept at it, then I started to smell something funny, like smoke? My first thought was the car! (I had been enjoying some Cam 2) Then went to my self Heck the battery is not hooked up! Then I looked at the drill and white smoke was pouring out of it!   Remember the 90 Day Warranty?   So I just kept letting it cook! Ran the drill around 10 minutes then I shut it off.

Sunday I am getting out there around 8:00 AM turn the motor and finish off this drill and go pick up the next one!   I wounder how many of them do they have?  

Cuda Ken

[resq302]

Yeh, one thing I found out about Harbor Freight is that the electric motors they have tend to burn up really quick!  No matter what product it is in.

[ws23rt]

This is a great example of the value of Harbor Freight.---We are in a pinch---need something that does not need to last--- and can get our money back when it fails.
It's all about the right tool at the time of need and quality is not an issue.
Those that need long lasting quality tools know where to get them and will pay for them.
Those that shop at Harbor Freight for the most part are actuality learning about tools and when they find something they need to rely on they will seek out the quality that fits there needs.
However a friend came to me once to show off the good deal he got on a tap and die set he got new for real cheap. (It may not have been from harbor freight). I picked a tap out of the set and looked closely. It seemed to have been stamped out as opposed to ground. I found a nut of the thread size to feel the fit and screwed it on the tap. It ruined the thread of the nut. My friends great value turned out to be no value at all.
Buyer beware. You may not even get what you pay little for.

[cudaken]

 Afternoon fellow Mopar lovers.  

Worked on Miss Lump a few more hours today after I did some running for the wife. (She seems to be feeling a little better)

Far as Harbor Freight, somethings you do get a little more than you pay for. My old Cherry picker was a deal for $125.00. Good long reach, could snag a 440 out of a Charger with out removing anything. Far as the drill, well I have not been able to kill it yet, but I do plan on killing it so I can get a refund.  

Today I lubed the motor again for about a minute, then turned it about 1/8th turn. When I started to rotate the motor I felt a faint pop. More like she was going Hay, what are you doing to me Ken I am sleeping   than to be alarmed about. Oiled the motor again and turned another 1/8th turn, no odd feeling in the ratchet. Oiled again and got oil up in the passenger side head! Repeated the 1/8th turn 2 more times then I got oil out if the drive side head.  

Not happy with the way the oil looks coming out rocker arms shafts. But then again, it been there for 8 years. Think I will fire her up with this oil, but change soon there after.

At this point I am pretty sure the 383 will live again! So it is time to start getting the 383 ready to go back together. Vacuumed the intake ports and front end of the motor. Got out a razor blade and cleaned the silicon sealer off the heads and the block. Boy that sucks being old now! I ware bifocals, which are fine for typing and working on model train stuff. Working on a engine in the car, not so great!   Have to lean over the motor so I can reach the engine, then look up at the same time, talk about a pain in the neck!    

All so started to De-slime the motor.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/7-28-2_zpsf746a3fd.jpg.html]

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/7-28-1_zpse9f5ae5e.jpg.html]

By the way, when I edited the pictures I had to lighten them up a lot. That is why the heads and motor looks like there is surfaces rust.

Plans for Monday.

1 Finishes cleaning the motor and get some paint on the block.

2 Install a battery and see if the starter still works. If I does, find my remote starter and crank and oil the motor at the same time.

See you later, Cuda Ken

[TruckDriver]

Good news Ken 

[Budnicks]

Good to see your making progress, have fun... best of luck

[cudaken]

 Evening Fellow Gear Heads!

Yesterday was a bust, was just not in the mood to work on Miss Lump, guess it is a age thing?  

Today, well did not get a lot done but I did work on her just a tad.

When I first started messing with her I installed a battery and hooked a battery charger to her with in say 5 seconds I saw smoke coming from the wire that goes from the power bulk head on the fire wall to the starter relay. I pulled it real quick! I have a hidden starter switch under the carpet and guessed it was in the on position. Went and hit it, and it was pretty much stuck and did not want to move freely.

Today I pulled the kick sill on the driver side and cut the wires to switch to be safe. It looks pretty nasty and rusted. Next I installed a fresh battery and hit the headlights, I have Lights! Pulled the carpet up a little, while the floor looks just a little crusty, not bad for a 45 year old car!

Pre oiled the 383 and hit the remote starter, click and then a poof  from the + battery post. Tried again, same thing. Found some sandpaper and cleaned the post and cable end. Pre oiled again and hit the remote starter button with the drill spinning the oil pump boy a big block spins fast when there are no plugs in it!  

Pre oiled some more, then stuck my finger tip in #1 spark plug hole and gave her a spin with the starter. I head a Poof  and my finger was promptly blew out of the plug hole!   We have compression!

Plans for Wednesday is to find TDC, get the oil pump drive installed and stab the disturber. I was going to recruit Allen (41 Husk)) to help and called him, but he had bad news.   Seems Sunday he drove his sweat 340 Challenger and popped a head! So he is in the middle of his on trashing trying to get the 340 going again.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/chl_zps8b331b9c.jpg.html]

See you all later, Beep Beep Ken

[moparstuart]

  hey i know that challenger and the chubby guy who drives it   

[cudaken]

  hey i know that challenger and the chubby guy who drives it   

Ah Stuart, you do know that Allen has A Black Belt and it's not for holding up his paints?  

Cuda Ken, glad that Allen is my friend.

[F8-4life]

Any person that has the passion & foresight to hold onto a car as long as you has my respect!

[nvrbdn]

sounds like things are moving along. keep up the good work.

[General_01]

Glad Sue is feeling better.

Sounds like Miss Lumpy will be ready to drive soon. 

By the way, your not the only one who has days they just don't feel like working on the car.

[moparstuart]

  hey i know that challenger and the chubby guy who drives it   

Ah Stuart, you do know that Allen has A Black Belt and it's not for holding up his paints?  

Cuda Ken, glad that Allen is my friend.

LOL  we trade insults but he is a great guy and friend for sure , and i always have a place to stay when coming though madison , stocked with beer and plenty of memberbilia to steal

[cudaken]

F8, I would not call it foresight as much as love and stupidity!    :lol:Me and the old girl have sure had a long history.

Last night after a few  I went out and hooked the battery up and sat in the car. Alternator gauge still works, I all so have brake lights! Best Part? Road Runner Horn still works!    Took a few tries and some wire wiggling but it started to work right. Pretty sure the neighbors where not happy. 

Beep Beep Ken

[A383Wing]

and now that some stuff works, he sits on a milk crate in the drivers side and makes "Vroom Vroom" noises

[cudaken]

 and now that some stuff works, he sits on a milk crate in the drivers side and makes "Vroom Vroom" noises

No I don't, I sit on the front bucket seat and go Belch!  Man before I test drive her, I need to clean out all the Cam 2 Cans

Well my favorite hobby right now is throwing money at Miss Lumpy! Went to Advances Auto today and picked up some Distributor Point Lube and order a stock fuel pump that will be here Thursday. I was originally going to try get here running by hang a container up over the Holley with gas and gravity feed the engine. After thinking about that I said screw that!   

So today I pulled the Alternator (had my 10 year old fresh chrome one test and it is good) and pulled the fuel pump. It is a Carter Chrome Plated HP Fuel Pump, hard to believe they are $130.00 now? I wonder if I can buy a rebuild kit for it?

Then I half ass finished clean the motor and prepping for some paint. While I know it is sort of a waste of time to clean the motor and paint it if my goal is just to get her running. After she is running, I don't want to be embarrassed if someone wants me to pop the hood. Reason I call it half ass, well normally I would pull the water pump, heater lines and sand blast all I could get to. It's not like I am taking it to Monster Mopar Weekend!  Hum is that still in August? I only live 10 miles from the track. 

Here is a reminder of what I started with.

  http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/1-RoadRunner004_zpsb1b19b3f.jpg.html]

What I have today.

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/1-7-31-8_zps528a3db8.jpg.html]

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/1-7-31-7_zpsd35ce20c.jpg.html]

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/1-7-31-6_zps93233092.jpg.html]

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/1-7-31-5_zps95c19b8f.jpg.html]

Well nothing left to take off, so Thursday she will start going back together.

Cuda Ken

[resq302]

Looking good!  You leaving the valve covers orange though?   

[cudaken]

Looking good!  You leaving the valve covers orange though?   

No, when I am ready to start her, she will get the Chrome plated M/T covers again. They are cleaned and ready to go.

Cuda Ken

[Budnicks]

  might as well do some painting while she's tore apart, it can't hurt...    there's Almost Nothen' Worse than a dirty looken' motor... keep it up

[cudaken]

Well I have not done much in the last few days but daydream, spend money and clean chrome. Yesterday was a bust due to it being to hot.

Today I spent most of it at the VA Hospital. Now that I have a different job I got a Skin Graft on the wound! Before they would not let me have one due to the time I spent on my feet. They want me to stand and walk no more than 3 hours a day. New job is as a salesperson for a Mattress company, I have done that before and was good at it. So from experiences I know most of your day you sit on your ass. One year I read something like 36 books!

I all so did some other running and got the oil changed in the wife car and now it is raining so no Mopar Time today.

Saturday I want to test the old fuel pump, with the alternator off, that will be easy! Next get the engine on TDC and just have at it.

Cuda Ken

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Charger%20Site/RunnerandMuff_zps52a186a2.jpg.html]

Picture is from around 1985 when the Mopar Nationals was held at Indianapolis. That my copilot Muff, best dog I have ever had and she loved riding with me in the Road Runner!

Cuda Ken