Weekend Report
I kind of summed up my weekend wrenching in the IH gathering thread... but here is a repost for those who missed it..
No hard core wheeling this weekend, but I did spend some time wrenching.
First task was to stop the tranny fluid leak on the 1310. I swapped in a TF 727 not long ago, to replace the worn out BW that was in there. I put a new o-ring on the dipstick filler tube when I did it, but it still leaked buckets of fluid. It would drain the tranny dry overnight.
So, I pulled the tube and put a new o-ring on it, but it still dumped fluid. I ended up sealing around the base of the tube with Right Stuff. Let it cure overnight, dumped more fluid in and it held. I also pulled the oil filter adaptor on my SSII and planed it smooth so it would quit leaking. No leaks this morning, but the jury is still out.
My last wrenching task was to pull the bolts out of the exhaust manifold on the 1310. The PO told me it *kept blowing exhaust manifold gaskets* and he didn't know why. He said he had replaced the bolts *last year*, so I figured they would not be too hard to get off.
I started by hosing everything down with penetrating oil Friday night, then again Saturday morning, so by the time I got to them on Saturday evening they would be ready to pull. Yeah, right. The outside two bolts took a 9/16" socket just fine. The middle two wouldn't take a 9/16" - too loose, socket just spun with no contact, 1/2" was too small, 13mm too small, 14mm too large, it just spun... I tried tapping a 6 point 1/2" socket on and got one to seat, but then it just spun also. The heads of the bolts were completely round. The angle was wrong to get my vice grips to grab, but after about 20 minutes, I got my *robogrip* pliers, or whatever they are called, with nice sharp teeth on them, to grip and turn the bolts. At first, I was worried that as hard as those bolts were to turn, they were going to shear, but they ended up backing out. Somehow, I don't think these bolts have been replaced recently... Now I need to pick up some manifold gasket sealant, (I already have the gaskets, slip the gasket in, buy some new SS bolts, goober them up with anti sieze, and see if that stops the exhaust leak. Right now, it sounds like open headers driving down the road...
Aside from wrenching, I did a lot of landscaping as well... mowed the lawn, cut the edge of the flower gardens, planted anther lilac bush, played in the pool with the kids (got a nice sunburn too...) I need about 10 yards of bark, but that will have to wait for a week or two..