1975 C160 Automatic Restoration

[Snoopy11 5,714]

5 hours ago, Pullstart said:

Read the whole thing sitting in my tree waiting for a doe

You can really read this whole thread without busting out laughing? No way I could keep quiet in Eric's threads...

 

Don

[ebinmaine 67,467]

Got the cylinder head off the engine that was on the Automatic. 

 

 

Set the head bolts and washers aside in my extremely well organized fantastic parts area. (Pile of ZipLoc bags on the bench).  

That head we took a BUNCH of time to properly hand plane last year (?). 

It's just that the color is wrong and the paint is 3 miles thick.

So I put it in a gallon Ziploc bag and covered it with citristrip.  

We'll check in on that later. 

 

 

 

One thing I'd noticed awhile back is that the hood was misaligned to the steering tower and digging in to it.  

This morning I noticed that the hood hinges were both bent. One more than the other. 

I commenced to using the vise top and jaws along with a small sledge hammah and foot long metric adjustable wrench to rebendify them.  

Also did a little wire brushing to clean up a few small parts.  

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by ebinmaine
Added pics

[ebinmaine 67,467]

Also got my engine gasket set in from isavetractors. 

 

[953 nut 55,218]

On 12/22/2022 at 10:26 AM, kpinnc said:

 

Are those coils the ones with internal resistors? I can never find those...

Just tell the person at the parts counter you have 1967 to 1979 VW Beetle, that is something they can look up without needing to know anything about an ignition system.

[ebinmaine 67,467]

Not much time today with storm cleanup and other stuff going on. 

I did start the process of stripping the paint from the cylinder head yesterday. 

Started with citristrip spray. I think it would work... Eventually. 

This morning we tried scraping a little on it. 

It's working but, barely.  

 

We changed over to the gel form of the same brand and put the head in an aluminum cooking pan.  

Started out setting top side up. Gave a good covering of gel on the painted side and left it be. 

Checked on it a couple hours later. Found the gel was settled down in between all the fins no longer covering them. 

Ok fine. 

I flipped the head and added more citristrip. 

It's paint side down and completely submerged up to the edges.  

 

And now we wait......... ⏰

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

The Paint Department BBT Trina person has been VERY busy today. 

I'll get some pics of her work put up in a bit... She's still going.  

 

 

I got some great research work done. 

@WHX??

You wanted me to take pics if I tried free hand cutting an axle groove. 

Did some experimentation today on that. 

I struggled for quite a while trying to figure out how to make a straight line on the axle shaft with the tools I have.

Never really did figure that out...

 

One of the things I was going to try is making a row of holes with the drill press and then touching the bottoms with an end Mill bit. Following that, connect the drill holes with the Dremel.  

 

 

 

I tried using my old full size stand up drill press to start holes.

I kind of figured it would be next to impossible on a round surface.

Tiny drill bit. Total failure.

Larger drill bit, partial failure.

I put in a 3/8 drill bit even though I was only going to make a quarter inch groove figuring I could at least start the pattern.

That might have eventually been partially successful but the drill press I have just completely lacks accuracy.

The end Mill bit was beginning to cut and I think with the right drill press could be used with extreme caution.

 

 

That was not the answer....

 

 

 

A few weeks ago I had tried using a 4" angle grinder to cut a groove. I can see the principle but I'm just not steady enough anymore to be able to do that accurately.

 

I am however quite well steady enough to handle a Dremel.

A few days ago I picked up an assortment of cutting tools for a Dremel and today commenced to trying them out. Slow but sure, that was the way for me to do it.

 

I successfully FREE HAND cut two practice grooves in the bad axle shaft I have.

 

I started by hand laying a piece of tape on the axle shaft to use as a sight line. 

I used  a 1/16" thick cutting wheel to make a groove the full 2". 

Next I put a 1/4" wide groove at the end of the shaft (the width of the key stock.)

From there all I did is basically just keep grinding away and trying for fit all the way up through.

 

Time consuming? Yes. But a helluva lot shorter than the TWO MONTHS I was going to have to wait for a machine shop to do it.  And .. I spent about $15 or so on tools compared to a quote of $200+/--. 

 

Successful? Also yes.

They aren't exactly machine shop quality but I think they'll do just fine.

 

The quarter inch key stock is able to bite all the way through the hub now.

 

Here's a few pics of the first groove I cut.  

 

 

 

[Moparfanforever 844]

You ground the whole slot with a dremel ?? How did you get it flat??

 

Great job!!

 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

14 minutes ago, Moparfanforever said:

You ground the whole slot with a dremel ?? How did you get it flat??

 

Great job!!

 

I did.  Thank you!

 

Just a lot of test fitting and extreme patience.  

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

This hood Trina had some great learning on. 
Hammer n dolly. Dent filling.  Filler Primer.  
She's done a LOT of work on it.  

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

[WHX?? 48,815]

26 minutes ago, Moparfanforever said:

You ground the whole slot with a dremel ?? How did you get it flat??

 

Great job!!

 

actually doesn't look the worst. Double set screws might be good to go? 

I would have made the cut a bit further from the woodruff but maybe a practice axle? 

[953 nut 55,218]

57 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Time consuming? Yes. But a helluva lot shorter than the TWO MONTHS I was going to have to wait for a machine shop to do it.  And .. I spent about $15 or so on tools compared to a quote of $200+/--. 

 

Successful? Also yes.

They aren't exactly machine shop quality but I think they'll do just fine.

 

The quarter inch key stock is able to bite all the way through the hub now.

 

Here's a few pics of the first groove I cut. 

I'd be proud of that job,         you can use the $185 savings for some extra bling on the C-160.

[ebinmaine 67,467]

1 minute ago, WHX?? said:

Double set screws might be good to go? 

I would have made the cut a bit further from the woodruff but maybe a PRACTICE AXLE?

Yeah buddy this one's the junker.  

No worries.   

 

Definitely a "two set screw" hub set going on. 

It's all we use.  

 

 

 

[oliver2-44 9,743]

On 12/24/2022 at 12:16 PM, ebinmaine said:

Not much time today with storm cleanup and other stuff going on. 

I did start the process of stripping the paint from the cylinder head yesterday. 

Started with citristrip spray. I think it would work... Eventually. 

This morning we tried scraping a little on it. 

It's working but, barely.  

 

We changed over to the gel form of the same brand and put the head in an aluminum cooking pan.  

Started out setting top side up. Gave a good covering of gel on the painted side and left it be. 

Checked on it a couple hours later. Found the gel was settled down in between all the fins no longer covering them. 

Ok fine. 

I flipped the head and added more citristrip. 

It's paint side down and completely submerged up to the edges.  

 

And now we wait......... ⏰

 

 

 

 

Most Chemical reactions increase with warmth.  May I suggest. 
1 Cover the pan with 1-2. Layers of clear plastic wrap to seal in the vapors which help do the work. 

2.  Put the pan in a (safe) warm area. 
 I can’t say I remember a lot from chemistry class, but I do recall many chemical reactions double with each 10 deg C. Increase in temperature. 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

8 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Most Chemical reactions increase with warmth.

This is true.  

Perhaps that whole pan can go in the oven on "warm". 

That's about 200⁰.  

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

@oliver2-44 

I ran this by the local Person In Charge Of Oven Usage.  

She agreed with the notion.  

 

Our electric toaster oven has a low of 150⁰. 

We'll try that out in there.  

 

 

[oliver2-44 9,743]

@ebinmaine I would not put that in the oven in the house. Maybe the toaster oven in the basement on 150. Or just set in front of a portable electric space heater in the basement. 
We used to use as citrus based electrical cleaner on the hydro generator windings back at the dams. When the generator went on line after the outage the powerhouse smelled like oranges for a week. So , put it in the house oven and that citrus paint remover will have you smelling oranges for a month

[ebinmaine 67,467]

Fair amount more done today.  

Trina sanded the hood with 600 grit sandpaper. Hit it again with gray primer. Waited a bit and started to lay on the white 2X primer.  

 

Likely she'll spray 2 or 3 more coats. Sand it. Then start with the Red... 

 

 

I reorganized the transmission workbench from disassembly and axle shaft experimentation phase to reassembly duty. 

I started cutting in the keyway in an axle I'm gonna use. 

 

Got the narrow half of the transmission back up on the bench. Brake lever shaft seal and wheel seal out. 

Year or so ago I found some NOS Chicago Rawhide seals. 

Got one o them in place. 

 

 

The two of us finished removal of the engine from the 1975 C160-8 temporary donor.  

 

 

Got that engine in on the bench. 

 

 

We pulled the PTO carb coil starter and this interesting fuel pump off.  

 

 

 

The crankshaft end has this ((bolt??)) Sticking out of it.  

 

I'm not gonna mess with it because this tractor won't have a PTO and I have no reason to remove it. 

 

 

 

Drained the black oil. 

 

 

Whilst I were fiddlin' around with the transuhmasshion Trina commenced to degunkifyin the engine outside. 

 

 

 

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

The crankshaft end has this ((bolt??)) Sticking out of it.  

 

Bruva... I ain't much... not 1 iota concered with the broke off bolt in the end of the crank... but looking at the crank seal... it looks a little boogered... could just be the picture... but just wanted to mention what I see JUST in case.

 

Don

[ebinmaine 67,467]

3 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said:

 

Bruva... I ain't much... not 1 iota concered with the broke off bolt in the end of the crank... but looking at the crank seal... it looks a little boogered... could just be the picture... but just wanted to mention what I see JUST in case.

 

Don

 

ALL seals and gaskets will be replaced.  

 

 

Also going to VERY carefully inspect the balance gears. Likely pull them.  

 

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

ALL seals and gaskets will be replaced.

 

We are not worthy

 

 

 

Don

[ebinmaine 67,467]

46 minutes ago, Snoopy11 said:

crank sea

Just occurred to me. I assume you're thinking the crank seal is leaking because of all the oil there. 

That's penetrating oil from me removing the 2 set screws holding the pulley in place. 

The engine hasn't been run in several years. It was bone dry outside.  

 

Irregardless... All new gaskets.  

[ebinmaine 67,467]

Okay folks.

We got us a FAR better candidate for a rear seat pan.

I'm borrowing this one off of a 1974 C160-8 Tecumseh tractor. 

 

 

Couple of smaller dings at the back but nothing unmanageable.

 

 

 

The cracked areas around the forward bolt holes will get sandwiched for now with flat steel.

 

 

I don't have the best skills to repair sheet metal and I'm not going to take the time to do it at this point.

Maybe we'll fix it later. Maybe we won't. It'll be fine.

 

 

 

[kpinnc 12,017]

On 12/26/2022 at 8:37 AM, ebinmaine said:

Person In Charge Of 

 

PICO?

 

I'm using that one.... 

[ebinmaine 67,467]

6 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

I'm using that one.

Please do feel free to use any of acronyms. 

If the "acronym-ee" isn't appreciative of the designation... I don't know nuthin!

🙂