[T3] Back from my trip, bad news (long)

[Hal Sullivan <tristessa@pon.net>]

Well, *I'm* back in Santa Rosa, CA after a weekend trip to the Portland area.  
The Fasty, on the other hand, is in Portland in Toby's side-yard.  Damn GEX 
engines.

She started to lose power and run badly past Eugene.  I limped to a truck stop, 
called Toby and spent a couple of hours tinkering with the car.  It was 
definately on the 3/4 side -- fuel standoff above the carb (PDSITs), a bit of
popping up the intake, and running on two or three cylinders.  It ran decently 
after adjusting the valves on that side, but since it'd cooled down by then it
was probably just coincidence.

I hate GEX engines.

Got as far as Woodburn before it acted up again, so I "limped" it to Toby's 
house and crashed on the couch for the night. (Thank you Toby)  Got up the
next day, he and I swung past Martin's house and picked up another head (and
an offer of a loaner engine (Thank you Martin) ), then started the autopsy.

I hate GEX engines.

Cracks between the #4 intake valve and spark plug, the #4 exhaust valve and
spark plug, the #3 intake valve and plug.  Chip in the edge of the #3 
piston crown.  Also, one of the nuts for the main bearing saddles had 
backed off and fallen off, and I'm assuming that the stud is pulling from 
the case.  With that, we put everything mostly back together so that it'll
be a "runner" and parked it.   Despite the car problems, I did manage to do 
most of what I went to Portland to do, thankfully.

..have I mentioned that I hate GEX engines?

I want to (again) thank Martin for the donor head, even if did turn out to 
be cracked almost as bad as mine . I want to thank Brian, both for the
long-distance diagnostic help and the crash space at Casa De Fye on Monday
Night.  I want thank Toby for letting me crash at his house at short notice
and stash the car there.  And I *ESPECIALLY* want to thank Toby and Antionette 
for making a spur-of-the-moment road trip and driving my butt back down here, 
all 750 miles of it (one way).  That was *WAY* cool of you, and a lot more 
fun than Greyhound. 

Martin, keep your sawzall AWAY from my car.  And Brian .. I hate you.  **I** 
don't get to keep crankshafts in the dining room, what makes *you* so special
like that? =)






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