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Lockleafs 720 Shenanigans!


Lockleaf

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  • 9 months later...
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  • 4 months later...

I think I broke my truck today. One of my rods sounds like it wishes it were free of it's iron cage. So now I have a decision to make.

 

1. I have a spare z24 with a blown head gasket. I could staple that back together and run that.

 

2. I could dig up a junkyard ka and swap that in.

 

3. I could abandon getting it running again, and cut my cab apart and use that for the parts I need to finish my quad cab build.

 

I have no idea what I'm going to do.

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I was thinking about your quad cab earlier today so my vote is in for that!!! Ka would end up being more work, and you've already been driving it with a z24. Plus imagine the quad cab with those wheels!

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Defining NEED is a large part of my inner turmoil. I've owned crappie cars for so long, I always have a spare just in case. But my R50 pathfinder is totally reliable and so is my wife's car. I just don't like being without my security blanket. I was driving the truck to work just for fun, cuz I love it, when it died.

 

And I often loan out my spare vehicle when family has car trouble, so I kind of dislike being able to help them.

 

But damn me if I don't want to cut her up and go for broke on that quad cab!

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If you loved it before, why not just fix it? A bad rod means swapping out the engine, which isn‘t that hard, I discovered. And if you are going to go that route, why not start with a fresh motor, all  machined up and ready to go? Gawdamn, it is a fine thing to run one of these guys when they are all fresh and happy! And it is not that big a number to get there, either. If you had a rod going out before, you were not even close to this feeling of having it hit strong on all fours. I would go the rebuild route, if I were you.

 

I have always thought that the engine was the easiest thing to deal with. Rust is the deal breaker for me. But I can‘t weld (yet), so...

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Because this truck was always destined to become part of my quad cab. And there is absolutely no way I'm spending $1000+ on a z24. They don't ring my bells enough. And I don't have the money. I've put 3 engines in this truck in various conditions, and now I'm done.

 

Besides, I have a nearly identical 86 fuel injected ST with sunroof and power windows waiting in the wings for a future day.

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Tires and rims installed. The tread is covered by the flares up front, but pokes in the back. Looks good though. But now it rubs on the body when turning again... Gonna have to fix that.

 

IMG_20151106_173923483_zpsiunrarse.jpg

 

Front

 

IMG_20151106_173953367_zps0miikzoh.jpg

 

Rear

 

IMG_20151106_174006743_zps9tpjaeh8.jpg

I love this truck
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  • 3 years later...

I did this all last may but apparently never uploaded anything.

 

I finally, after 2+ years, redid my head gasket.  When I pulled the engine apart I found this.

 

large.20190515_110437.jpg.764a21bd035fb2

 

large.20190515_153816.jpg.b4f256cb577c01

 

Massively blown between 3 and 4, though there was not a significant amount of damage to block or head.  I have long wanted to try decking a head by hand, so I decided this was a perfect opportunity to do so.  Heres the supplies. Glue, wd40, sandpaper, and mirrors.

 

large.20190515_152533.jpg.f0cbd3cbdde310

 

pulled the rockers off the head so all the valves would be closed.

 

large.20190515_153639.jpg.4ba342d01ec252

 

Ready to rock.  Glued the sandpaper to the glass, using the "temporary" instructions.

small.20190515_155352_HDR.jpg.0b7cd4f32d

 

Heres the results as I passed the head slowly back and forth with plenty of lube on the sandpaper.  This process was long and slow, but you can see how it progress.

 

large.20190515_160839.jpg.d76770b58a7af7

 

large.20190515_161228.jpg.f1adc876bd08af

 

large.20190515_162658_HDR.jpg.acfb7f53b3

 

large.20190515_164739.jpg.3f8559ea725ec3

 

The last pic shows that I got it pretty smooth and clean finally.  Reassemble the engine and it ran great.  Unfortunately, due to other things, I have only put like 1 mile on it since the rebuild.  I did the job on my birthday because I wanted to play with a car.  Haven't done jack since, and very little in the months before that.  I'm REALLY hoping I can get back to my toys in another 2 months max.

Edited by Lockleaf
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I did mine with 80 grit and dry. Dresses it down faster and produces a fine granular dust that you can just blow off about every 20? passes. Any more and the build up acts like a layer of marbles and the head just rolls on them and it doesn't cut. I just gripped the cam sprocket opening and push/pulled it lengthwise without any downward pressure. I did use an industrial straight edge and measured 0.015"!!! at the start. Almost 4 times allowable. When done I finished with 150 grit and a 0.002" feeler gauge wouldn't fit under it. Cost only for the sand paper.

 

  8LxmuPG.jpg

 

HFcW6VC.jpg

 

Highest spot was in the center, more of a pucker than the head was warped. If the head was bent the cam would be hard to turn. I think most all 'warped' heads are just a high spot or pucker.

 

58T2nP2.jpg

 

Yours came out really nice.

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Stoff, yes i straight edged it and it seemed good.  There is some serious room for argument about the straightness of my straight egde, but i think it was good.  I measured across the center of the head long, and in an x across the head and it all seemed really tight.  So I'm going to say yes, it was straight.

 

Thanks Mike.  I was not anywhere near as aggressive as 80 grit.  It did take me quite some time to sand.  Hour, maybe 90 minutes of just that. 

Edited by Lockleaf
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