My first project vehicle
- Thread starter That One Guy
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That One Guy
Adventurer
Thanks Loopie! Was it a Dodge too?
That One Guy
Adventurer
Sounds pretty sweet. If you ever see it again, you should get a few pics and ask what all his drivetrain consists of for me. 
That One Guy
Adventurer
I finished the gas tank. All I need is oil, tranny fluid and a battery!
Okay, so I'm going to modify my dash like I've always wanted, and make it similar to an H1. I want this thing as close to a cockpit as possible. So my question is how can I wire two cigarette lighter outlets in it? And I also want one house type plug-in near the back. Is this possible? (I want to be able to plug a heater in to warm it up before I drive in the winter.)
Okay, so I'm going to modify my dash like I've always wanted, and make it similar to an H1. I want this thing as close to a cockpit as possible. So my question is how can I wire two cigarette lighter outlets in it? And I also want one house type plug-in near the back. Is this possible? (I want to be able to plug a heater in to warm it up before I drive in the winter.)
That One Guy
Adventurer
Got it running today and took it around the block a few times. When I rebuilt the carb, I guess I did really good because it just purrs. But once I put it in drive, I realized that it does need some tuning because that killed it. On top of that, it got way too hot (had the needle burried past 270), and the transmission lurches like a mother effer. The engine was REALLY loud once I got on the gas to accelerate too, like it didn't sound normal. I almost died too, I got a big *** fireball out of the carb one of the times it died while it was really hot. I was gonna bring it home today, but that didn't happen. Now I'm bummed. What a terrible day.
That One Guy
Adventurer
Replaced the thermostat with a really cold one (gets really hot here in the summer) a 160*. That solved my overheating issue, but now basically none of my gauges work. So tomorrow, I'm getting Equus electrical temp and oil pressure gauges. I'll buy the rest of them when I can afford it. I've been running it a lot and driving it and the engine doesnt die when I put it into drive anymore, and no more Thrust needed to start it! But the transmission still jerks, so I'm also getting Marvel Mystery oil tomorrow and hopefully that will clear it up. If I can sell this TV tomorrow, then I'll also replace my leaky valve covers.
On an ExPo note, the rest of my roof rack materials should arrive tomorrow, and I got a pushbar for my birthday that's going on tomorrow as well. (That is, until I make my own bumpers)
On an ExPo note, the rest of my roof rack materials should arrive tomorrow, and I got a pushbar for my birthday that's going on tomorrow as well. (That is, until I make my own bumpers)
That One Guy
Adventurer
That One Guy
Adventurer
Yep, There's no way I can afford an engine for this. And if I never have to take an engine out of a van in my life, it will be too soon, as my father says. That's why I'm getting it tomorrow. My 4 gauges are all in one circular cluster, so the plug-in on the back is a single plug-in. How do I splice the right wires into my new gauges? Im drilling holes in my dash for them.
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That One Guy
Adventurer
I think I found my transmission problem. I was a quart low on ATF. I put Marvel Mystery Oil in my tranny and engine that will hopefully clear up anything else. After I run one more tank of gas through it, I will change both the oil, and the transmission fluid and filter again. I Put this sweet pushbar on it today too. I like how my cousin works at a shop. That was my birthday present from him, as well as a Craftsman half inch drive ratchet set with deep and shallow well sockets, and extentionsfrom my parents. With my birthday money, I spent 83 dollars on an oil pressure gauge and water temp gauge that are getting in tomorrow. Oh, and I painted my side marker lights black, and used Night Shades on the lenses. But only one coat, so the light still shines through, because I like them.
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dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Engine thermostats don't keep the engine cold - they keep it hot.
A proper cooling system has enough radiator and water flow to make the engine -too- cool, and then a t-stat to restrict the flow to keep the engine *up to* proper operating temp. I.e., if you were to run with no thermostat (constant full flow), the engine would never get warmed up.
Running a 160 t-stat is generally a bad idea. I wouldn't run less than 180. One reason is, that when the engine cools, condensation builds up inside and drips down into the oil. When you run the engine next time, you want it to get hot enough to evaporate that bit of water out of the oil. Otherwise, it builds up over time and water in the oil is a sure-fire recipe for a ruined engine.
If your cooling system itself is not adequate to cool the engine, then a 160 t-stat doesn't do jack - because at any temp of 160 and above it's just wide open all the time anyway.
If the cooling system IS adequate, then you don't want to hold the engine at such a low temp - better to bring it up to 180.
That One Guy
Adventurer
That One Guy
Adventurer
I cut and labeled all of the wires going to the circuit board on the back of my original instrument cluster. Replaced the sending units for the oil pressure and water temp supplied with my gauges, and have them ready to hook up. Marked out where I'm gonna cut the two places in my dash for the new cluster and stereo, and put a coat of Night Shades on my tail lights to match the side markers. Cleaned the inside of the dash while I was at it so all the wiring in there will be a little less painful. I also got a 175 dollar ticket today, so I'm not in the greatest of moods.
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