[hessmess]

Thanks for the input guys. I also am doubtful that I can extract the bolt, but the engine is shot if I can't anyway. It was running solid but I wanted to do some maintenance and opened another can of worms when the bolt broke. Believe me I tried the bump trick several times and it would not break loose. I have a feeling it has some locktite on it. The block has 195K on it so it has had a long life. So I am planning on pulling the engine as I don't think I could do a proper stab at the easy out while in the truck. If it works, great, if it doesn't work then the engine is out and then put the other engine in. One thing I want to do before I pull it is to do a compression test. I have never done that on this little truck. I know the head is good. It has only about 25K on it and has the 260 delta cam. The head is an AMC. And I have done the valve adjustments at least 2 times since I put it on.
The potential replacement engine is supposed to have about 150K on it and they had recently done a valve job on it and had replaced the clutch. Then it got torched. Completely gutted the cab but did not melt the heater hoses.
In the back of my mind I keep thinking to just get the Spacer back running and then take the short block and bore it and drop the AMC head on with the Jerry cam and I think I would have a great running Spacecab.
OR, Bart is adverting his rebuilt engine on Ebay for $1550 OBO. I have seen the engine in person, it is a beautiful thing to see. He only lives about 300 miles from me. I bought a bunch of his stuff already.
1st step is to pull the screwed up engine......

 

[hessmess]

The saga continues.... I did a compression test first thing this morning. Numbers are not what I had hoped for. 127,130, 137, and 143.
The plugs all look good, nice and clean with good colors. I has really hoping for about 150. So the engine is coming out and the standby stock engine will go in. I pulled it out of the shed today and looked it over. The head had been done, I can't tell on the timing belt yet but I know they did not do the water pump, it is not covered in crud so that is encouraging. I plan on pulling the original engine tomorrow. I have it loosened up, just those top bell housing bolts to go. There is more room on this Spacer than the Troopers so I don't think I will have trouble pulling it. If the timing belt does not appear to of been replaced then I will do that while it is on the stand. I have the parts sitting here and it will take some time to rebuild the original so it has to be reliable.

 

[bradzuzu]

Man that's a bummer , I wish you where closer to me , removing bolts is one of my specialties !! If it was indeed locktighted then you'd need to heat it with a torch and burn out the material ... I wonder if it was cross threaded and ended up jammed in there to the point of it breaking and here you are ...

Be careful pulling it out so you don't hurt your Purdy little self

 

[hessmess]

I got the engine out a week ago with no damage to myself. I then went into the front of the replacement engine. They had replaced the timing belt but nothing else. So I went ahead and pulled the vibration dampner, (came right off) and went in and did the tensioner and the water pump. The water pump was bad, the front crank seal and the seal on the shaft of the oil pump. It was just starting to leak. I don't have a replacement O ring for the back of the oil pump, so that is where it sits for now. I am hoping to get it stabbed this next weekend. Just have to come up with a replacement O ring for the oil pump.

 

[bradzuzu]

I think felpro has that kit , and it was good quality ... I'm sure Jerry has it too..

Glad you had a successful and safe engine removal !! Still sucks that it's because of one broken bolt ..

 

[hessmess]

I was planning on using this truck more than in the past as I sold my F150. That is what started this whole mess. I had no idea on the timing belt so I thought I would do the proper maintenance on it. What a mess I have now. I had not thought of Jerry for the oil pump O ring. Should of, I have used him several times in the past. I will send him an email.

 

[hessmess]

Time for an update I guess. I have the replacement engine in and bolted up. Still have to put some of the front stuff on. I am replacing hoses and vacuum lines also. Found some bad ones. I am suffering from lack of ambition today. And the Seahawks are playing. Might wander out there after the game.
Jerry has been a great source for these hoses and the oil pump seals.

 

[hessmess]

Nothing like a drawn out process.... But it is alive once again. Got the engine in a few weeks ago and have been trying to finish it up since then. Yesterday I got it fired up and realized that I had the dizzy one tooth off. But by then it was too hot, and I was tired. So I went out today and got that done, finished up putting the hood on and the tires, etc etc. And took it for a test run. It ran pretty good and there are no leaks as of yet. Tomorrow I am going to fill it up and run some injector cleaner and get ready for next week. It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow so we will see how it goes. I have been wanting to get the canopy down that I had it under. So that is done also. I put the old motor on the stand, wrapped it up and put it back in the shed. Done for now!

 

[chuffer]

We are moving at about the same speed. However, any progress is still progress.

 

[hessmess]

Thought I would put up a couple of the only pictures I took of the engine swap process. I am pleased on how it runs. I think it runs better that the other engine and it had a Delta 260 cam and AMC head. This new one is completely stock. I put the little shell back on last week and now I believe I am ready for the winter. I better be, supposed to snow for the next few days.

 

[bradzuzu]

I always like to see pictures , doesn't matter if it's just engines being a gear head and all

 

[hessmess]

Thanks Brad,
I really thought I had taken more pictures but nope!

 

[squatch]

Glad to see you have it back under it's own power!

 

[hessmess]

I have put about 1200 miles on this new engine and am still pleased. The wipers quit during a bad rainstorm the other morning (should of been snow), so I had to make my way back home and get the Trooper fired up. Always something. I haven't investigated yet but I bet it is the darn linkage again. Did it a few years ago.

 

[92zu]

NICE spacecab!

 

[hessmess]

Thank you!

 

[hessmess]

Got to the wiper problem today. It was -13 last night and the Trooper would not start. The pickup did so I went over to the other house and moved the car out of the garage and put the pickup in. Fired up a space heater and got to work. As I suspected it was the linkage connection in the middle of the cowl area. But to get to it I had to pull the hood to get access to it. Put it all back together and it worked good. As it is below 0 again right now, I half to have a vehicle that would start up. The V6 Trooper just does not like to start once it gets very far below 0. And the cab on the Spacer is smaller and warms up faster. Did get the Trooper started up with a little quick charge of the battery and waited for the weather to warm up to 10 or so. And the water at my moms place was frozen up too. Had a contractor re-plumb her modular home this fall and the fool forgot to plug in the heat tape. Only took about an hour and that was up also.

 

[hessmess]

Haven't posted on this for awhile, it is still running, but was parked for the past few months. The speedometer went out and it has developed a small coolant leak in the lower radiator. I tried putting several old speedo's together but no luck. It is not howling anymore but is about 30 MPH slow. I have reached out to Jerry to see what he can come up.

 

[gruff54]

Dick,
Any chance a Trooper speedo would work?

Mike

 

[hessmess]

No, they won't work, I have a couple of them. One from an old Rodeo might work but I am leaving for a week and I chatted with Jerry. He is going to check the first of next week when he gets home to see what he has.