What did you do to your other vehicle today?

I installed a hitch mounted tire carrier that I made for my XJ. I still have to complete the fold down table for it and change out a bit of hardware but it's mostly complete and it's functional.

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I tore apart the carb on the DeSoto last night. I have a low speed miss in high gear so I thought there might be a blockage in the low speed circuit, but no, it was pretty clean in there. What I found was that the link rod to the accelerator pump is worn halfway through. I have another Carter B&B carb in the attic, so hopefully the link on that one is good. Otherwise, it's MIG and Dremel time.

Gotta love antique cars.
 
Despite Carter's useless repair instructions, I got it squared away. Carter made something like 50 different versions of the B&B and only provided one general repair sheet for all of them. Half of the system on the EV2 version carb that's on the DeSoto isn't even covered. Between the Carter manual I had to buy and the FSM for the car, we're good.

I should have done this years ago. In fact, my Dad should have asked me to do this a long time ago. Everything in the carb was wonky. I don't know if Dad did the carb last or he paid someone but the float level off by 1/4". I shit you not, 1/4". The worn linkage turned out to be a fairly common issue and the accelerator pump linkage can be tweaked to compensate for it.

So now, the engine starts easier, has a much nicer idle, actually has something that resembles acceleration, no longer misses at low speed in 4th or stalls at a stop sign, and the kickdown now works 100% of the time. That last part I really like. It's kind of frustrating to slow down for a turn, then try to speed up without a downshift. Especially when going uphill.

I'm going to have to go to the Fall Jefferson Swap Meet in September and see if I can score a couple of EV1 or EV2 carbs for spare parts.
 
The old MBZ needed a new battery - the old one was 7 years old, and had been telling me for the last couple of weeks that it was getting ready to die. Hopped in it Thursday nite to go to dance class and that was all she wrote!
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Dragged this little POS home for the grand kids to hurt themselves on.
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No seat or battery, starter shot, no brakes. Brakes were an easy fix, flush and bleed. The missing and fubared parts are on order. The seller was asking $200. I offered $180. The seller said that I was the only one out of five who called that came by when he said he would and that I could have it for $150.

So, with the freaking heat, it's about an hour working on this. Then go sit in the AC for an hour. Go back out in the garage and attempt to remove some more rusty bolts from the LJ(new rad, water pump and timing set) for an hour, then back indoors. Rinse and repeat. That's the nice thing about being retired, I'm in no rush.
 
Continuing with the above POS ATV, I got it running today. Surprisingly, it runs really well and everything on it works. Issues found and dealt with was a spider nest in the ignition switch. Brake light switch doubles as a safety switch, such that if the brake lever isn't pulled while pushing the starter button, you hear the sounds of silence. That switch was boogered internally. I repaired it but bought a new one anyway. Some grounds were disconnected and many things had been repaired(?) by people that had no business touching any wires. I'll be mounting a new brake/taillight tomorrow, along with the right battery(Ordered the wrong one). Then lube and adjust the chain, put the body back on, and take it out for a spin. After Eli tires of it, I'll replace the webbing at the foot rests. Maybe screw the webbing and cut some aluminum plates to fit instead.

As also mentioned above, I was also replacing the radiator, water pump, and timing set on the LJ. The rad started leaking last month and I figured that with 110,000 miles on it and being 17 years old, as long as I was pulling the rad, I may as well change out the other stuff while I was at it. I cut my teeth on the old AMC 232 six, so the engine stuff was a piece of cake. But, I swear to dog, if I ever get my hands on the clown that approved the lower radiator hardware and placements, they will never be able to stand up straight for the rest of their life.
 
Been without my pickup since last October. With a new driveway, decided to stop the oil drips and replace all the original gaskets. Got to the 1996-only EGR tube that runs through the upper/lower intake manifolds and few months went by until I found another one in a salvage yard 125mi away. Took half the motor with me so now I have 2. Got everything back together and decided to replace all of the factory vacuum lines. Factory colors of course so I had to gather those.

Fresh de-grease, wash, wax & shine after everything put back together. Good to have a pickup back!

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Well, hell. One step forward, two steps back on the POS 4 wheeler. This is the new starter after one day.
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I've been working on starters since I was in my teens. I'm pushing seventy now. Never seen one like this. I'm riding the manufacturers ass about it.
 
Believe it or not, the old MBZ *FINALLY* went into the body shop today. They played Hell getting parts, I should have stepped in months ago. When I finally did, it took me all of literally 5 minutes to find the parts, they were looking in the wrong places - their normal supply chain couldn't find them. Once found, even that was a bit of an adventure, the first shipment of parts arrived completely crushed - what was on the car was in better condition. Supplier had to re-ship, these arrived in good shape - I inspected them this morning and they look great!
 
Changed the cabin air filter on the KL and rotated the tires. Rotated the tires on the F150 and changed the oil. Then ordered a magnaflow dual exhaust with the 14" muffler :)
 
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Went and visited it in the body shop where its been for the last 5 weeks. Goddess only knows when I'll get it back. First the parts showed up smashed. Then a wrong version of a part was shipped, and not discovered until after it was mounted on the car. The correct version was supposed to show up on 9/29 - as of today, its in Jackson, Mississippi.
 
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Ordered a Ford-remanufactured long block for my Expedition after deciding to get that vehicle running before starting on my LJ build (see this post). Long story short - don't buy a remanned engine from Fraser Engines out of Fraser, MI. Three strikes and they're out, as far as I'm concerned. I think they sell used engines as remans - the first engine had lifter problems, the second had lifter problems, and the third has oil leaking from one head gasket and coolant from the other.
 
Wife and I drove the 2012 WK2 to Los Alamos to visit kids/grandkids. Stayed for 5 days and drove back. About 14 hours each way. Ran 80 mph most of the way on adaptive cruise control. Stayed off the interstate most of the way. We have about 85k on the GC. It just loves to run on the highway. We don't use it in town for short trips.
BTW, if you are older than 70 and/or have asthma, take oxygen with you. Los Alamos is 7300 ft above MSL with only 38% of the O2 as sea level. I'm still recovering from lack of O2 and dehydration.
 
Ugh! Replaced the starter in the Cherokee.
Seriously considering selling that thing as it's beginning to become unreliable at 250K miles.
Kids need something a little more predictable.
 
Have new shocks waiting at the doorstep. Starting to experience cupping on the rear tires. Stock shocks made it 97k miles