MD17C in A25

[DesertAlbin736]

Hey!!! It's Christmas morning!! What are you doing posting on Christmas! Get a life! I think maybe we all need to look into joining a 12 Step program for Albin addicts. (Albins Anonymous?). Just kidding, enjoy the festivities & Christmas dinner. Eat, drink, & be merry, for tomorrow we diet!

[WillieC]

Though I am reading this Christmas morning, I am not going to respond thereby cementing your opinion of me as a total loser having no life whatsoever apart from posting on AOG. Sheesh! Would that make me a shallow person?

Merry Christmas back at you, Steve. Sun is shining on the Canal, a lovely Hood Canal Christmas. Probably rain tomorrow through June or July, even August like last year!

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Don, thanks for the confirmation on the pumps. KISS, right?

[Beta Don]

If u consider 3 or 4 pumps, 8 or 10 valves and a quarter mile of hose to be KISS . . . . then I need to see what you consider complicated

Don

[kerrye]

Yes, that is the kind of pump I had in mind and I use myself, although mine is clearly labeled for diesel fuel. I don't know what the difference is between the gasoline and diesel versions though, apart from the diesel ones being more expensive.

[DesertAlbin736]

I hope you know I was teasing about posting on Christmas morning, as I assume your reply was tongue in cheek too. Regardless of what the winter weather is like up there, I envy you living right on the water. I must be a total Albin geek too, otherwise what was I doing checking AOG on Christmas morning? So we all survived Christmas & ready to celebrate New Years Eve. OMG, 2017 already! Happy New Year!

[WillieC]

All in good fun, Steve. I appreciate your poking jests. On to 2017, and the rebuilt engine. Family Christmas this weekend since the Real Christmas weekend is for the spouses' families. Then on to serious restoration. Installed the removed-for-cleaning expansion plugs in the heads and the exhaust manifold yesterday. Also cleaned and reassembled the oil pump, all in spec, but had to reuse the original shim/gasket as the new one was too thick. Miscellaneous cleaning/painting ongoing. Diesel fuel lines are now individually polished, prepped, primed and painted on all sides except the inside. Final clear coat and three layers of carnauba wax to follow.

I have to get this thing back together soon before my mind goes. I couldn't find the small banjo bolt for fuel return from the injectors. Found it stashed in a special container so I wouldn't lose it. I think I may be losing it anyway. The Commander of the Pacific Fleet still thinks I know what I am doing. I'll show her!

Happy New Year to all!

[DesertAlbin736]

I hate those banjo bolt things. Yanmar uses them on the low pressure side of the fuel system too & I'm constantly having to check & re-tighten them to stop drip-drip fuel leaks down into the engine bed. I replaced the copper washers with new ones from Tri County Diesel in Bellingham that have little rubber inserts in the center hole, but I still have to keep checking & re-tightening the connections. I'm afraid to torque them down too much for fear of stripping threads. At least I can reach them through an access hole in the top of the engine box & tighten them without going through the hassles of opening up the engine box, which on the early model A25 like mine means removing the bench seat, swinging open the cabin bulkhead section, & removing the first floor panel directly behind the engine.

[WillieC]

I won't STFU just yet, but I do think a little civility may be in order. Maybe in 2017 we can all be... ah forget it.

Update:

VP requires some exotic tools for setting up the injection pump.
1. A timing mark that does not come with the engine. Very Swedish.
2. A pronged, bent screwdriver for engaging the full throttle disengager ((Say WHAT!!)
3. A special metering tube designed by Mr. Ed of talking horse fame, bet you didn't know he was Swedish, called a WilBAER! tube.

See the manual.

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My budget conscious substitutions:

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[Beta Don]

Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk and cut it with an axe!!

I'll bet it starts and runs first try!

Don

[WillieC]

Funny you should mention that first start, Don. I really have my fingers crossed on that now that I know exactly what makes it happen. I had a heck of a time trying to get the spare engine started. Gummy injector pump was the biggest problem, but it took me a while to figure that out. That and low compression. Yeah, I got my hopes up.

Coastal Marine is getting me a new set of rod bearings. The Commander of the Pacific Fleet took some parts in for return this am and mentioned the scratched bearings. I might have made them work but for $115 for one rod?!? It should look like gold. They have been very helpful, Coastal Marine. VP dealer. Ballard.

[kerrye]

Nice tools.

[WillieC]

Kerry, i'll take that as a compliment though I smell what you've been smoking.

Progress!

Put pistons back on the rods and found a loose gudgeon pin, so with dozens lying around, I swapped the rod out. Installed rings without breaking any, very nice at $140 a cylinder and no they do not sell individual rings. Valves went with mechanic neighbor who is working on his own vehicles right now, so they will be ground when he swings by the shop. He will bring hard seat grinder with him when he returns. Simple.

Installed the cylinders today and two pistons, still holding on third set of rod bearings. One of the bearings fell off the rod when I was tapping it down out of the ring compressor. Fortunately I was able to re-install it without removing the piston. Oil the crap out of everything as I go. Here's a trick. Motor oil on piston skirt, ATF at rings. (This from my mechanic.) Oil will gum up the rings in a hurry and they may not seat, ATF flashes off quickly while providing lubrication until fuel is flowing. What do I know? I'll go with his 30 years of experience.

Would have more pictures but battery died in the cell phone. It is still chilly here. 20-30s. For us, that is cold enough.

Installed two heads with old gasket to check the compression smush zone. The older MD3B manual describes using solder stuffed down the injector hole. I just put two small chunks on top of the pistons before installing the heads. Pretty close to spec and I am not going to fool with milling or finding thinner gaskets. VP only sells two sizes and I am as close as I plan to get.

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[WillieC]

Working on bunged stud threads. I kind of ignored them and hoped they would just go away, but, alas. Now I need to deal with it. I can screw the head nuts with force but don't want to affect the resulting torque values. Chasing down thread file and die nuts this am. I invented in my mind last night some kind of hinged die nut and then found out some Russian hacker/time traveler read my mind, stole my idea and already took it to market! And then won't even give me a break on the price! Thread file and regular die nut...dang

[WillieC]

Two calls to local auto parts stores and one to Tacoma Screw, Bremerton. TS had exactly what I needed on the shelf, so I bought some more stuff. I take back everything bad I said about TS in the past. Nice people, very helpful, quick trip.

Stud threads are whistle clean, fortunately there was enough good thread to start die nut without crossing. Practically cleaned up without need of die handle. Sharp tools and the proper cutting oil. Made my day, since I was already prepared to rob the spare, spare engine studs with good threads.

Mechanic neighbor brought the valves back today. Oh my!

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[kerrye]

Nice. What was the purpose of the solder you referred to?