From lemon to daily driver part deaux.

[bogof]

I started a thread a while back http://community.ratsun.net/topic/20410-from-lemon-to-daily-driver/ but had it in the wrong section.

 

Also I took way too long between updates. I contemplated selling the truck a while ago, but finished one project and had room in the garage for another.

 

So the truck started out as a total pile of ... Slowly I'm chipping away at the problems. First on the list was the engine not running very well, and blowing a lot of smoke.

 

I decided to tear the engine down to the head gasket and clean/fix as I went up.

 

How it looked hen I started.

 

 

When I took the valves out there was over a 1/4" of crud on them. A trip to the wire wheel, and they looked new.

I don't think the head has been off since new. so some of the bolts, and gaskets were a pretty stubborn.

 

Anyway as I put it back together I've been trying to clean everything to make the engine bay look halfway decent. So here is how it sits tonight,

 

 

 

[Scgreen620]

Nice

[Scgreen620]

Did you pull out the engine for that paint job?

[bogof]

No I took it down to the head gasket, and cleaned/painted the block while it was still in.

[720inOlyWa]

Is she running yet? Looks like you made great progress.

[banzai510(hainz)]

what kind of carb is that Look like a weber clone of some sort

[84720FourWheel]

Looks like a Holley off a '73 Vega. 

[bogof]

Not running yet. I need to button up a few things first, then tackle the wiring. The carb is a vega carb. I had one on it before, but the secondaries were screwed up. I found one on e-bay cheap.

 

Shooting to have it running this weekend.

[bryant2482]

wow bro shes a beaut!!

[Scgreen620]

How many bolts hold on the head I think I have to replace my head gasket I haven't done in before... I don't wanna fuck something up

[qwik510]

 

How many bolts hold on the head I think I have to replace my head gasket I haven't done in before... I don't wanna fuck something up

Here is all you need to change the head gasket

 

 

 

 

 

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[Scgreen620]

He said it he motor is a l18 I have a l20 is it the same anyway?

[banzai510(hainz)]

all L motors are the same

L13 14 16 18 20 24 26 28

 

theres another vid(you tube or else where of just the head gasket only using a chain wedge But be very careful not to fuck it up

 

the vid above is more doing the whole front cover assembly

[bogof]

Sorry for not updating. This truck took a backseat again. The head gasket wasn't hard to do at all. The video posted above really helped a lot. The most time consuming thing was cleaning everything up.

 

I was a little nervous tearing into the engine since this was the first time I've done a head gasket, but this engine is so simple to work on it's a really good one to start with.