What did you do today?

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Norm.

The planting has been planned by our councils parks department.  I completely understand what you are saying, if its not thought through and the trees managed things can get out of hand pretty quick. The land on which we have been planting was just rough grass and the only trees are self set oaks and hawthorns. Planting more diverse species in a thought out scheme will make the area more useful to wildlife and better than just a grassy hill.

The guys objection was about blocking his view. This is a row of 18 inch tall saplings which we will manage into a four foot tall hedgerow. So no real threat to what he can see. In addition our planning laws do not give a right to a view to any householder. So lawfully he has no rights, despite being consulted about the works when he said "I don't care, I'm not helping, its not my job".

Maybe I need to look at moving his house, not mine lol

[squonk 41,155]

Dang it's cold today! (yes there is a dog under that blanket!)

 

[Stormin 9,981]

15 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

Maybe I need to look at moving his house, not mine lol

 

 Is it built above so old mine workings it could disappear into?

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

I never thought of that! Its an idea. 

My road was the only access to lundhill colliery which was worked in the 1800s. So there is bound to be some tunnels under it.

Watch this space lol.

Just had an email that my package from the US is with the UK courier so my engine kits will be here in a day or so.

 

[Stormin 9,981]

9 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Just had an email that my package from the US is with the UK courier so my engine kits will be here in a day or so.

 

 

  Did you try Meetens at Preston for your engine parts? That's who I use. Kohler and B&S.

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

I did Norm.

But the thought of selling a kidney to pay for it all put me off 🙃 

The kit from USA includes every gasket, seal and part I need and was very reasonable. 

I will post details when it arrives.

Mick 

 

[ebinmaine 67,628]

27 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

selling a kidney

Whattayou care?

You'd still have one left. 

[Mickwhitt 4,642]

Very true Eric, but I'm very fond of both of them, I might need it one day.

[ebinmaine 67,628]

22 minutes ago, Mickwhitt said:

Very true Eric, but I'm very fond of both of them, I might need it one day.

Certainly understandable. I feel the same. 

[Handy Don 12,237]

4 hours ago, Mickwhitt said:

Very true Eric, but I'm very fond of both of them, I might need it one day.

Down to one you would have to halve your consumption at the pub, eh?

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

Finished up phase 2 and 3 of the eMax "snow warrior" whether or not we get any of the white stuff. Details in my other red tractor thread.

Edited January 31, 2021 by WVHillbilly520H

[Horse Newbie 7,075]

3 hours ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

Finished up phase 2 and 3 of the eMax "snow warrior" whether or not we get any of the white stuff. Details in my mother red tractor thread.

You mom has a Red Tractor too ?

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

1 hour ago, Horse Newbie said:

You mom has a Red Tractor too ?

She could, dang predictive text.

[Stormin 9,981]

Spent a couple of hours with the log splitter. Saxon trailer full. Wheel barrow's full. And a nice stack under the kitchen window.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

Tested out the 514  [520 with predator on slushy snow and found out that I need skinny tires on the front. Then I washed the car because it was one degree above freezing. My hands got a bit cold but no big deal.

[ebinmaine 67,628]

48 minutes ago, ohiofarmer said:

Tested out the 514  [520 with predator on slushy snow and found out that I need skinny tires on the front. Then I washed the car because it was one degree above freezing. My hands got a bit cold but no big deal.

Asphalt?

Maybe skinny tires and some extra weight?

 

[ebinmaine 67,628]

Busy day today. 

Martial arts training. 

General putterin'. 

Cleaned out the chicken coop. 

Moved about 10 or 12 loads of wood with the pulk sled. 

Cut down 3 big trees and at least a dozen small ones. Some in prep for next year's firewood. Some for the clearing out of the back yard. 

 

Cleaned up the yard of various items we don't want snow buried. 

Moved the Charger hydro project to the shed. Might get back to it in a week or three. Or summer.....

 

 

Both Pigpen 867 and Cinnamon Horse C160 refused to go. 

Charged them. 

Gassed up both and the snowblower. 

867 is running and happy. Cinnamon will get a new wire and plug tommorow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

On 1/25/2021 at 11:44 AM, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Finally finished.  Took me a week of intermittent work in between actual day job work.  

 

Here are my observations...

 

The loose manifold bolt was just the start of it.  The one directly across from it did not tighten when I went to torque it to 18 lb-ft.  This in spite of the fact that I chased the threads with a new tap before re-assembly that bolt hole was hopelessly stripped.  I got an 'unusual' amount of chips out of that hole when I did so.  Here's what I think happened:

 

The lower intake manifolds on these V6 engines have four vertical bolts in the center, and four diagonal bolts at each corner.  The PROPER sequence that MUST be followed it to first torque the center bolts, first to 62 in-lb, and then to 115 in-lb BEFORE even ATTEMPTING to insert the diagonal bolts into their respective threads.  If you don't follow this procedure you WILL cross thread the diagonal bolts because they won't line up properly.  AND you will have coolant leaks at the corners of the manifold if you do manage to get the bolts in and torque them before the center vertical ones.  You end up 'twisting' the manifold if you do this.

 

How I fixed that problem:  I debated pulling the LIM again and drilling and Heli-Coil the hole.  I woke up the next morning with a dreamt up solution.  I knew from chasing the hole exactly how deep it was threaded into the head.  I knew exactly how long the bolts were.  I could easily measure the thickness of the manifold flange and gasket.  A little ciphering told me that there was almost a full half inch of threads at the bottom of that hole which never touched bolt threads and likely good to go.  My math told me that a 40mm long bolt would reach those threads and not bottom out in the hole.  So I tried it and THANK YOU JESUS! for allowing me to dream up a solution!  I put the new bolt in and was able to torque to spec, thank GOD!  I would have been really pizzed if I had to remove that manifold again to Heli-Coil that hole!

 

Other things I did:

The intake runners in the manifold were choked down to approximately 2/3 the original size with carbon deposits so I cleaned all that stuff out.  I call it the 'poor mans port and polish'.  In fact, I did take the Dremel to a few casting protrusions in the ports to get a wee tad better flow and polished them up just a little from the rough cast original finish.

 

Similar process to the upper manifold / air plenum.  Not nearly as choked with carbon though but did need a good cleaning and wire brushing inside.

 

The throttle body was a MESS!  At least an eighth inch of carbon crud on the back side of the butterfly.  The Idle Air Control mech was completely gunked up too.  Cleaned that all up spiffy shiny new.

 

[Just remembered something else.  I cleaned the injectors with a can of carb cleaner, a piece of 1/2" clear tubing, a rubber stopper in one end of the tubing with a small hole drilled in the stopper for the cleaner straw to go through, a couple small hose claps, two clip leads and a 9V battery, and an empty mustard bottle from the recycle bin.

 

Basically you slip the open end of the tubing over the injector, clamp it, activate the injector solenoid with the clip leads and battery, with the spray end of the injector in the mustard bottle to observe the pattern you blip the cleaner nozzle to force the cleaner through the injector.  All of the patterns improved after a few squirts.  Not my idea, it's all over youtube.  It works!  Be careful!  WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES!  If you don't open the solenoid first, the hose will pop off the injector and the cleaner goes all over the place!   Do not get that stuff in your eyes!]

 

Numerous vacuum leaks were discovered and repaired.

 

Flushed the cooling system 5 times before the crap started to clear.  Looks good now.

[would have been easier if I could have reached the block drains from underneath but I didn't want a shower in anti-freeze!]

 

Anyway, after all this, it's running better than it has in 15 years.  I believe that my improvements have added back at least 1 HP for each of those years.  I could set a wine glass on the manifold it idles so nice.  I bet the fuel mileage improves by a couple MPG too!

 

[oh, I mentioned that I was going to replace the front crank seal... DONE!  and not too difficult.  Easy to access with the tire off and splash shield removed.]

 

Now on to the front suspension, control arms, ball joints, tie rod ends, stabilizer bushings.  On and on it goes...

 

And now for the bad news.

 

After running supremely well for a week, on Friday wifey went out for some groceries and was back in ten minutes with a belching farting limping service engine light FLASHING sulfur dioxide stinking car.

 

Pulled the code, a 305, dead miss on cylinder 5.

 

When I went out to look and started it, it ran really badly for about 30 seconds but then smoothed out and ran OK.  Cleared codes and went for a drive.  Redlined first, took up to about 4000 rpm in second  before i ran  outta road.  Did this a few times and a 'pending' 0305 did appear but no service engine light.  Let it sit for about an hour, cleared code again and went for another drive.  This time all was well with no pending 0305 code.

 

I most strongly suspect my injector cleaning trickery wasn't the magic I thought it was.

 

Not the coil because this should present on cylinders 5 AND 2 since they share a coil in this 'wasted spark' design.

 

Not plug wire, they're new.

 

Maybe a plug.

 

Bottom line is that I'm ripping it apart again,  six NEW injectors,  three new coil packs, new plugs, and for the helluv it, a new fuel filter and pressure regulator.  Not taking any more chances.  Maybe next weekend.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[ebinmaine 67,628]

Your perseverance is admirable. 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

39 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Your perseverance is admirable. 

 

 

At this point it's a matter of principle! I don't want to buy another car!

 

What are we doing up at this hour?

 

I'm thinking about going out and firing up the plow machine, looks like about 4" down.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Jeff-C175

[ebinmaine 67,628]

1 hour ago, Jeff-C175 said:

What are we doing up at this hour?

My ole Bear brain doesn't line up with the clock just right sometimes. 

2 A.M. 

I'm up. 

Ok good must time to go.  

Nope. 

Ah well. 

[meadowfield 2,570]

Pulled a few tons of wood out of the beck...

[ebinmaine 67,628]

2 hours ago, meadowfield said:

wood

Good days work there.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

3 hours ago, meadowfield said:

Pulled a few tons of wood out of the beck...

 

I bet you could pull some artifacts out of that land with a good metal detector too!  Ever try?

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

doesn't line up with the clock

 

Happens to me too...  but this time it was the neighbor running his plow on the road.  Glad he's got his truck running again, less for me to plow!  (and he's got a brand new knee too!)

 

About 4-5 inches of snow overnight, but now it's REALLY snowing HARD!  Looks like another inch or so in the past hour.  Wind maybe 20-30 MPH.  Visibility about 1000'.  Temp hovering around 31 and the snow is getting wetter, starting to suck the warm air from the ocean.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Jeff-C175