SkinnyG's "Lethal Locost"

Sprayed some bedliner, which sucked (next to no texture), so I ended up running a roller over the wet paint to "pull up" some texture. I also made the bedliner taller (16" measured vertically off the bottomest part of the fender, that's probably 4 or 5 inches more) and wider (wrapping around the curve) as 14 years of rock chips required.

I bought some cut polish, but haven't decided if I'm going to bother or not.  I hope to install the fenders tomorrow.

And the front fenders sure look shabby now.

And we're back together!

Also changed the fender mounting to Nutserts and stainless panhead bolts. I didn't have a nutsert gun when I built it, and it's so much more convenient if you use them.

Also changed the windshield bolts to stainless panhead bolts. Looks classier.

And video.

Just know: I'm not a body man.  I hate body work. I probably did this all wrong. It will work.

In reply to SkinnyG (Forum Supporter) :

<3

In reply to SkinnyG (Forum Supporter) :

Why not make a splash mold and redo your fenders?  Using either fiberglas cloth or carbon fiber you'll get a stronger,  lighter,  fender. Plus if anything ever happens again you'll still have the molds. 
 

I could do a splash mold in about an hour ( or 2 I'm getting so much older I've got to remember to double my old time for rest periods)     And have the real part in less time.  If I still had my chopper gun figure 1/4 of that time. 
 

Plenty of how to's on U tube but I'll talk you through it if you'd like. 

I've been pretty much dailying the 7, as it gets three times the mileage that my '77 C10 does. 

Mornings in March just above freezing, and even today daytime not much more than room temperature.

I had recently ordered some swedged tubes, rod ends, and jam nuts to replace a couple trailing arms in the rear (reasons, long story), but shipping seemed to have lost 16 of the 18 items I ordered.  Waiting on the replacements from the supplier.

With no "real" PCV system (just a filter on the valve cover), the oil ages pretty quick.  Also it's burning and leaking a lot.  I am considering re-freshing the engine this fall as I lead my students through engine rebuilding in Mechanics.

I've been tweaking the tune every afternoon on the drive home with TunerStudio.  It's running super good.  Lots of cackle in the exhaust which I'm not sure why, but I kinda like it. I've been playing with spark timing some - people just don't seem to be consistent in what works for a 4AGE in this department.  Added a degree more advance at cruise, and you don't need much throttle to maintain speed at all.

Replaced leaky valve cover gaskets today, and also sync'd the ITBs to smooth up the idle some.  It wasn't far off, but I have not sync'd them for what... 10 years?

Awesome that you're dailying it. Aside from the wind this week it's been pretty great weather for open top driving. With the car being so low do you have any worries about being seen by all the bro-dozers in the Kelowna area?

I enjoy the car a lot more with the bikini top on it.  Keeps the sun off my milky white countenance, as  well as reducing the buffeting considerably.

Not too worried about the brodozers.  I am VERY defensive as I have been almost hit by all manner of drivers - more so by normal people in normal cars.  So far, I have seen them not see me every time.  Some day my luck may run out.

I bet if you added a working PCV system, your leaks and oil burning would drop by quite a bit.

In reply to ShawnG :

I second Shawn's comment. A working PCV system adds power as well as reducing leaks. No down side at all.

With a motion, and a seconder, we now open to discussion on the topic.

I, too, fully intend to run a proper PCV system, truly, I do.  Just haven't gotten there yet.

Interestingly, Toyota just ran a tube to the air filter side of the throttle body - there is no "PCV" per se.  So, essentially a "vacuum" crankcase, with vapours siphoned into the incoming airstream.

I -may- keep the filter on one valve cover, but add a port on the other with a metered orifice and send that to manifold vacuum.

Continuing to daily the 7.  It's enjoyable. 

I've been running Tuner Studio on the Megasquirt every day, and refining and refining the tune.

Cold start is better than it has ever been.

I discovered that if the TPSdot filter is too high, you need a ridiculous level of Accel Enrichment to make ITB's happy.

I was noticing some surging on the highway, buy O2 says it is most definitely NOT lean.  Started thinking it's too much advance at cruise.  Knocking the timing back a degree at a time seem to have eliminated almost all of the surge.  What's interesting, it it seems really happy at 31° advance at full throttle, and not happy with more than 32° at cruise.  I find that weird.

Still waiting on the replacmement rod ends for the rear suspension.  The original supplier dragged it out forever and finally just reimbursed me (4-5 weeks wait??).  I had chosen this particular supplier because I would have had to wait a week from my usual supplier.  Ha-ha for me.

I think I found the tuning issue - the O2 has crapped the bed.

I re-calibrated the O2 (Innovate LC-1, has been on its second sensor since 2017), to no avail.

Ordered a new one.

In the mean-time, I set the O2 correction to zero, and just butt-tuned it to and from work since my last post.

The O2 still reads around 12:1, and I've set the VEs to be just shy of lean surge at cruise. Is it possible the engine just doesn't like 14.7:1?  Weird.

I may re-visit my grounds when the new sensor comes in.  I've read that if you don't have the best ground for the LC-1, you get unusual readings. It ran freakin' awesome last year.  Or at least until the spark plugs crapped the bed and nothing ran right.

SkinnyG said:

I spent a considerable amount of time trying to make ITB's work with Speed Density.  They all say you can't, but I'm stubborn, resourceful, and determined.

In a nutshell, you can't.

:snort:

I just coughed up some soda.

I replaced the lower trailing arms, because the forward bushing was still UHMWPE since it shared the seatbelt bolt. All the rest of the trailing arm bushes were changed to rubber shortly after this was on the road. I think this last bushing has been a hindrance.

Low pressure fuel pump also decided to spring a leak and try to drain the fuel tank in the middle of the swap.

Did you have durability issues with the plastic bushings?

The plastic had zero compliance - an issue with the 4-link on a one-wheel bump or chassis roll. I am still running UHMWPE in the front, with zero issues in 15 years and 30,000km.

RE: LC-1 

AFAIK LC-1 does not have a signal ground connection.

No 12v devices should be grounded by the sensor return, So it should not be connected to the MS sensor ground line.

I connect an LC-1 ground to the same place the MS is grounded (motor block).

I also power the LC via the fuel pump relay so it is not powered when the motor is running (per MFG specs).

Free air calibration good? You should be able to set 14s or better in your cruise "bubble". Some (many) motors will not idle well at 14.7.

I will look into the grounding shortly.  I am very sure I wired it according to the instructions, that's what I would expect myself to have done.

I don't remember if I grounded the LC-1 at the motor.  It would have made sense to have done that, but I don't recall.  I wired it in many moons ago.

I have also wired the LC-1 via the fuel pump relay, but it is running when the motor is running (I think that's what you meant). Some say it should be relayed such that it is also NOT running while the engine is CRANKING - but I have not done that.

I am pretty sure I have been able to get 14.7 cruise in the past, but I definitely cannot do that now, which makes me think the sensor is polluted.  I did have some raw-fuel/no-spark issues last year or the year before, which may have harmed the sensor?  Or harmed it with back firing from that awesome cackle and pop.

I don't worry about idle mixture - I shoot for the smoothest, most stable idle.  This engine likes about 13:1.  I can idle it right now and see 13:1 on the gauge, but cruise at 13:1 still learn surges and/or missfires.  I can tune it by the-seat-of-the-pants and get decent cruise and the VE numbers don't look out of line, just the gauge shows really rich (like, 12.5:1 cruise).

I appreciate the help, and I will report back on whatever I find.

New Bosch sensor is sitting on the desk beside me right now.

New fuel pump in, my THIRD "Mr. Gasket" 12S "Facet" style pump.  Surely there is a more cost-effective pump than this.

Daily commute indicates the spherical rod ends are nice - back of the car seems very planted.  I measured NO change in articulation with the new joints; I am temped to replace the other trailing arms as well as the panhard to rod ends now too.

Have done nothing about the O2 yet.

Rod End video up.