[RickP]

This is a continuation of my intro post seen here http://www.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=85395

I picked up an 88 Trooper with a 4cyl. auto that had been sitting for a couple of years.

I picked the Trooper up today. It was fun loading it up by myself. I couldn't find my darn come along, so I used a chain hoist to get it on the dolly.

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I gave it a much needed bath.



I'll be installing the new engine at the shop at my work and getting in the shop was fun by myself, also. I used a winch we have on a cradle.


I'm picking up a wrecked one in the morning that the engine was just rebuilt a few thousand miles ago.

 

[RickP]

I picked up the wrecked Trooper this morning. I had to use my wheels and tires to get it to the shop. It's in pretty bad shape, but the guy supposedly did a bunch of work to the engine, transmission and axles before it was wrecked. I hope to get a little work down this weekend. However, I have to leave next week to work in MN for possibly 2-4 weeks, so progress will be slow.

 

[DSUZU]

You're off to a good (or bad - addiction) start. Good looking LS you picked up Dennis

 

[wmorrisiii]

The new one looks great, the parts one not so much. Looks like it got whacked good. Once you get done with the parts Troop you should be able to part out whats left. A few extra bucks always helps on these projects. At least it looks like you have good access to the engine

 

[RickP]

You're off to a good (or bad - addiction) start. Good looking LS you picked up Dennis

I hope it doesn't turn into a Trooper addiction. The problem I have, while others look for the best example of a vehicle with the lowest miles, I seem to search out derelicts. I've revived a few over the years. My favorite was an IH Metro that was sitting for 10 years and I bought for $700. Owner thought it needed a new engine, but I had the carb rebuilt and put new points in it and it started right up. I wish I would have kept it. It's the one vehicle I regret selling
Before


After

The new one looks great, the parts one not so much. Looks like it got whacked good. Once you get done with the parts Troop you should be able to part out whats left. A few extra bucks always helps on these projects. At least it looks like you have good access to the engine

I'm going to have to do some surgery to get the engine out of the wrecked one. The sheet metal is mangled up next to it on the right side.

I steam cleaned the engine on the wrecked one and pulled it into the shop. Luckily, two of our trucks our out of state on jobs for a month or so, so I have some extra room.

 

[DSUZU]

Love that old walk-through. Don't hardly see any of those down this way. Hope you got a killer price for it. Dennis

 

[RickP]

Love that old walk-through. Don't hardly see any of those down this way. Hope you got a killer price for it. Dennis

I sold it a few years ago and got $4,200 for it and thought I did good. However, nowadays they go for about that much in non running and rusty condition.

I got the engine, transmission and transfer case out of the wrecked rig. (I need a new phone. The camera sucks)

 

[DSUZU]

You did okay on the walk through. Yeah, you could have done better (as my buddies father used to say "you left money on the table"), but you did okay and as long as you came out okay, who can complain. I give people good deals all the time. People say "you could have gotten more". I say "I did good enough". Good progress on the Trooper. Dennis
P.S. forgot to mention. Your pictures of loading with the chain comealong reminded me of using one to load a SWB Landrover many years ago. It's frame was badly rusted and it was sitting on the ground with no wheels and I had to winch it up onto a flatbed trailer that was about a foot too short for it. Came almost all the way and wouldn't budge. Couldn't figure out why, so I kept cranking and suddenly POW! it leapt forward. One of the rusty spring leaves had caught on the edge of the trailer ans then snapped off. Memories. Dennis

 

[RickP]

Not much more to report. I was out of town for work for 3 weeks and took a few days off. It's been a while since I've pulled and replaced an engine and I'm trying to get the motivation to work on it. I'm reading some of the other builds to try to get me going, but the shop isn't heated and it's about 45 degrees out there and not much of a desire to go out there. I have removed the transmission from the "new" engine and trying to get the starter off the old one so I can remove the transmission out of the good Trooper, but the lower bolt won't budge. Letting some PB Blaster soak.

 

[wmorrisiii]

Laughing, letting PB Blaster or Break Free soak is one of my favorite forms of procrastination. Especially when it's cold.

 

[RickP]

Laughing, letting PB Blaster or Break Free soak is one of my favorite forms of procrastination. Especially when it's cold.

:lol: Well, it did do the trick. I got the starter off the old engine, so I can start removing the auto trans out of the Trooper. I did get the "new" engine on the stand and remove some of the brackets that were broke from the accident. I found out my daily driver Festiva has a cracked block, so that will get my full attention until it's up and running.

 

[BornToHula]

Looks like a solid project. I know what you mean on selling that Van. I've had way too many excellent projects i sold off too early. Regret a few. But it's definitely a feeling that gets old! good luck with the project.

 

[RickP]

Well, the guy I'm going to buy the used engine from for my Festiva is out of town for a few days, so I decided to work on the Trooper some more. I finally got the trans and engine out. I have to admit, I thought since the Trooper is a bigger vehicle it would be easier to work on, but it has been the exact opposite. Practically every bolt was a fight to remove and I have broken 2 socket u joints. I could remove the engine, trans and transfer case as one unit from my old Eagle in about 2 hours or less. Well, Monday I have to go back to MN for work for a few days and drive a truck back, so it will be another week or so before I can do anymore work to it. I'm taking the weekend off from mechanical crap and pondering on whether I should just scrap all my junk cars and buy a decent running one. :?

 

[hessmess]

You are half way through, don't stop now! Set back are the norm on these. But when it fires up you will be thinking that you are glad you finished. I had a hell of a time with my last engine project but now I drive it daily and could not be happier with it.

 

[wmorrisiii]

What Hess said, they can be bitchy at times (and a lot where you are at right now) but like a good woman (or a new puppy) they are worth the time and trouble. You hit the point when it all starts to come together and you realize how well put together they are. Pulling anything apart this old can be a pain, unless you get lucky. I haven't yet. Little hands would help too. Don't have those either.

 

[RickP]

I was just venting.I have lots of plans for my Trooper. Unfortunately, work is getting in the way.I'm in MN again for work for a few more days and will probably be going straight from here to MO for another job for a week or so.

 

[RickP]

Not much progress. Last week I steam cleaned the "new" engine and pulled the cam out. I'm currently working in the atlanta area, so I made a visit to Jerry Lemond's a picked up a box a parts including one of his cams. He's a terrific guy. I hope get back working on it in a few days when I get back home.

 

[wmorrisiii]

At least it is getting warmer, I cleaned and primed some parts outside this week in 70 degree weather. Really nice to be able to feel your hands and feet when you're done, not to mention not having to clean the shop afterwards.

 

[RickP]

I'm slowly making some progress. I installed Jerry's cam, new timing belt and tensioner, water pump, intake manifold gasket, and misc. hoses. I also, "cleaned" and installed new o-rings on the fuel injectors. The old ones were quite hard and brittle and glad I checked them. I wanted to make sure the fuel injectors weren't clogged from old ethanol fuel, so I made a little rig with 3/8" ID tubing and a brass plug that I drilled a small hole in the plug and inserted the straw from a can of brake cleaner. I powered them briefly on and off with 12v and saw a nice pattern and no leaks.

 

[RickP]

I've got a little bit done in the last few days. I plugged the fittings for the air pump. I cut the tubing short so the flared end will still be in the fitting and tapped the top of the fitting for an 1/8" NPT plug. The ID of the fitting is a hair bigger than what you would normally want for a NPT thread, but it worked out perfect. I tapped them without about 7/8 of the tap and that allowed the plug to thread almost all the way into the fitting so there wasn't alot of the plug sticking up. I would have rather used a socket head plug, but I already had these.




I've got the engine and transmission sitting in the Trooper. That was fun. I've still got a lot wires, hoses, etc. to hook up and figure out where some of them go. I know I have a horrible memory but refuse to do a better job of cataloging stuff when I take it apart. Does anyone know where this L bracket goes? I can't remember where I took it off from. It had a bellhousing bolt in one of the holes, but not sure that bolt came out with it and I couldn't figure out a place for it.