ETI4K

@jonathanrussell @zKars My concern with Rivnuts is that drilling a hole in the sheetmetal exposes bare steel to the elements, and since Rivnuts don't form a gas-tight seal (AFIK), there's a chance you would get some rusting around that hole. I love the idea of using Rivnuts. I've always sealed any sheetmetal screws or similar by smooging silicone into the hole and onto the screw before threading it in. So I am just wondering, have you ever seen rusting around the Rivnut?

@AK260Did you have trouble with the tubing collapsing on tight bends? I've formed copper tubes for different types of heat exchangers and always had to pack the tube with salt (easily dissolvable in water) to keep the proper form.

At least the problem with the leaking hose gave way to discovery of a time bomb problem. Imagine if you'd found out while taking a nice Sunday afternoon cruise and your fuel filter got clogged. 😬

Wow, the month of Aug has certainly blown by. Just got back from CO and Z-Con. Lots of very nice cars, and I met some great folks. Absolutely will be planning the Birmingham trip next year. Maybe next time I'll register for the closing banquet. 🙄 There was one car in particular that I was drawn to because the (original) owner, Robin Bolz, had taken so much care to build his car in a way I don't think I've ever seen before. The build team found some great hardware and made some interesting changes that turned out really well. I love how modifications were made primarily to clean up unused mounting points, hide/mask certain elements that he didn't want to see, and to use design elements to draw the observer's eye. I think I spent about two hours talking with him and his "general contractor" on the build - both really friendly and helpful. The top of the valve cover was cut out and a flat piece was welded in. The "L28 Turbo" and grooves were machined in by CNC. Note the oil filler. The cap has an o-ring seal on its mating face with the welded-in plate. He modified the OEM cap to make it a tool for operating the new one: Nice firewall bulkhead: Custom-made injector retainers: The heater supply hose was changed to a rigid pipe that was routed behind the coil mounting plate. This required a custom fitting for the lower radiator hose: With few exceptions, every hose/tube clamp used these fittings. According to Robin, when they found them, the company was going out of business, so he bought all they had. I plan to reach out to him to see if he'd temporarily part with one so I can utilize "prior art" to make some more. He wanted the fuel rail to run parallel with the valve cover, but the intake body runs at an angle to it which he thought detracted from his design intent. So they made a cover for the entire intake to mask its "angle" then mounted the fuel rail on top of it. Note the battery cable treatment: No one could recall if the new location for the valve cover vent hose was baffled internally as the work was completed about 10 years ago. The consensus was that it was not - since there's no room for anything behind the last cam tower. The hose runs to a catch can and there's no way to determine the can's fluid volume, so they just open a drain valve periodically. The car is NOT a daily driver - big surprise there, right?

Not as fun as driving it, but I had a blast from the passenger seat!

So glad to hear you're okay and though really bad, it wasn't as bad as it could've been, I guess. A good friend of mine is 4 weeks into his delta gift. He's a farmer and still can't be on his feet for longer than 30 minutes. Can't operate any machinery, feed the cows, fix anything. Interestingly, he told me he had the J&J vax. His wife told mine he hasn't been vaxed. I'm staying out of that one. So here's to a quick complete recovery for you 🍻

Oh yeah, now I remember. No great way to do a workaround, I guess. Mine are still buried deep in boxes, but I recall they were in good shape. Thanks for link.

Yikes! I forget what they look like. Where did you see them for sale?

Awesome! Always a great moment. I sure those love new/rebuilt motor starts. If that thing started that easily, you'll get it dialed in lickity split. Feels good doesn't it?

Finally nailed down the last detail. We are getting in Friday afternoon (hopefully in time for cocktails 🍸). Looking forward to meeting folks and seeing a lot of great cars.

I thought every simple task took several hours. 😁

Thanks!

Any chance you could post the original content? PDFs are a pain to edit, sort, etc.

I would absolutely try sanding it. Always in favor of a $5 solution that works. Not sure why I wrote that last post to sound like not to - probably foggy headed and way past my bedtime.

Yep, the hot spots are hard to cut on a lathe. The cutting tool has to dig in hard to cut the hardened areas and then readily cuts into the softer areas. Grinding takes it all down evenly in a very controlled manner. A clutch disc will never conform to the distorted surface of a flywheel and pressure plate with those raised hot spots, so the disc will rapidly wear until its new shape conforms to the pressure plate and flywheel. Not worth it in my mind to skip the flywheel flattening process

If it were me, have it ground. Those hot spots look to be enough to cause premature failure. I've learned the hard way.

Nice to have help like that. Starting that motor will be a wonderful moment when all goes well. Fingers crossed.

That's funny. It's exactly what I said, but with some serious extra emphasis on the no %$##ing way part. 😁 At some point you start thinking about reliability and the cost of a tow truck and the next thing you know you are ordering from BHJ. Go with @S30Driver If he doesn't have what you need, I have one but will need to be rebuilt.

The quick-connect terminals (Fastons in AMP parlance) were crimped in a less than optimal fashion. I would strongly recommend to anyone needing to replace such style terminals to buy the very best available - AMP, Panduit, Molex, etc. Absolutely pass on the Amazon/EBAY Chinese versions that are reliably unreliable! Also, buy a first-rate ratcheting crimper that crimps the wire AND the wire insulation. It'll absolutely pay you in the end.

I had the same problem, but also needed one that could run up to 7500 rpm. The only one I could find was from BHJ. Very painful decision, but after looking for more than year, I pulled the trigger. https://harmonicdampers.com/

Hot parts washer, toothbrush/paint brush, and vapor honing works wonders. I use OilEater heated to 125F. Works like magic, as long as you ignore the fact that you still have to use a brush. I avoid getting grease/oil in the blast cabinet whenever possible so I always clean first. I've soaked parts like that in mineral spirits for days - nothing. I've used OilEater cold (50F) - nothing. Hot OilEater goes right through it and makes it quick and easy.

Have you bought one from them, or know anyone who has? Sorry to sidetrack your thread @Wally.

Was afraid of that. Maybe a bath in PPG DX products, if it can still be found. I have used these before, but it has been a long, long time. DX579: Metal Cleaner DX579 is a multi-purpose phosphoric acid based cleaner and prepaint conditioner for most metals. It can be used to deep clean a metal surface prior to paint or to prepare a surface for a subsequent chemical conversion coating (when followed by DX520 or DX501). DX579 is blue in color and could lighten over time. DX520: Metal Conditioner DX520 is a phosphoric acid based conditioner that will deposit a uniform layer of zinc phosphate on properly prepared galvanized and steel surfaces. DX520 is intended as the second step in a two step process, following DX579 application. DX520 is pale green in color and may turn darker over time.

Does anyone have a timing cover they'd love to part with? I am looking for one.

Has anyone zinc-plated hood hinges, or anything similar with "inseparable" components? I need to know if the plating action occurs in the spaces under loose rivet heads, between close plates, etc. I am given to believe it will not work as hoped. Ultimately, the goal is to protect such assemblies from rusting at the joins, but for example, re-riveting the hood hinges sounds like a tough haul.