Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

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Bumpty
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Post by Bumpty » Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:53 pm

It looks meant to be!

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Cliff R
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Post by Cliff R » Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:00 pm

El_Freddo wrote:Don't forget the Nissan Navaras of the early nineties too ;)

Cheers

Bennie
Yes, and early 80's to 85 model Nissan Bluebirds, and 80's Mazda 929 (sorry to hijack the topic)

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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:24 pm

Huh, I never even thought about different models having the same bonnet lines - this bar I just saw from a distance and thought "yeah that looks about right" and it was :rolleyes:

Bennie, there will be no side hoops, just the center piece. I've got the full bull bar style thing on the ute and have to say I prefer this nudge bar style for looks. I haven't seen many MY's with this style of bar but I knew they look the best ;) I think littlewhiteute on this forum has one on the ute in his signature pic, I've seen another one on failbook and I think there was one other from a former member on here - a fully restoed and modded metallic green Brumby in QLD?

Gotta buy some ally plate now, so excited to get this together :)
Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:47 pm

Woohoo! :) Got the engine going again today, I put some coolant in it this time so I could run it a bit longer and do some tests properly. Still haven't hooked up the fuel tank yet so it can only run on the fuel I put in the bowls manually. I've found out I definitely need some sort of choke setup to keep the engine running when it is stone cold. Sadly there is no way I can convert these carbs to electric choke, and I haven't allowed for the wiring under the dash to wire up the manual choke (d'oh) Will probably have to tap into IGN power somewhere so I can wire up the manual choke box - it has 4 wires, 3 of which I assume would be 12v, ground and a wire out to the temp sensor on the intake manifold.

I also had the Megajolt ECU hooked up for the first time and had the laptop plugged in as well to see my first ever ignition map working :) And it works! It was good to see the RPM, timing and manifold pressure all changing as it should, means everything is working properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5IMo1W ... e=youtu.be
Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
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Bantum
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Post by Bantum » Sun Sep 04, 2016 1:37 am

Awesome work - It'll run better with proper exhaust too ... :)

Re front bumper - would just go with an all aluminium one + there's plenty of old ones you can cut down and re fashion as well ... ;)

Cheers, Bantum ...

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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Sun Sep 04, 2016 11:45 am

You're right Bantum it would run better with an exhaust, with open cylinder heads it doesn't seem to like idling below 1000 rpm. I'm torn whether to spend days/weeks making my own exhaust from scratch or just put it on a tilt tray and send it somewhere to be done. I'm definitely going to have Willy's patented unequal length headers either way :eek:

By the way for those interested, here is how I plugged up the distributor hole; An ally plug machined to slightly larger OD than the original dizzy. The hole is 27mm, the original dizzy is a nice sliding fit in the hole so must be 26.80mm OD or similar. This plug is more like 26.95mm diameter so was a really nice (tap in with a block of wood) fit in the hole, with a bit of loctite for peace of mind. No damage to the engine block, completely reversible if need be. Should have put a threaded hole in the top side for pulling out with a slide hammer but oh well :rolleyes:

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Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
Image

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El_Freddo
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Post by El_Freddo » Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:43 pm

Neat as plug mate!

A hole and thread would only fill up with crap and look it too :/

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Sat Sep 10, 2016 6:52 pm

Got another new air tool (toy :) ) this week, to help me deal with the job of making a good twin carb air cleaner box.

The twin carb air cleaner box that came with the engine was a bit battered and had some big holes cut in it, so I wasn't going to use it as is. I also had 2 perfectly good stock air boxes lying around so why not make 1 good twin carb air cleaner box out of the parts. The solution was to cut the center section out of the twin carb box (the center section and lid are the only different parts and were in good condition) cut the same section out of a stock box and weld the two together. It would have been very hard to cut out the parts neatly with an angle grinder (impossible) so I got a nice little air reciprocating saw to do the job. This thing moves at 10,000 strokes /minute with a 10mm stroke and cuts through sheet metal like a hot knife through butter :p I've wanted one for a while, nearly bought one back when I was doing the rust repairs. Luckily a family member in the industry means I got this tool at cost price which made it very affordable :)

I haven't welded it yet - I've decided to TIG weld it for more control and a neater weld. I've got the new TIG welder and all the gear ready to go, just waiting on some shielding gas.

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Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
Image

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El_Freddo
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Post by El_Freddo » Sat Sep 10, 2016 10:40 pm

Neat and sweet 8)

Gong to be coloured the factory blue?

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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Silverbullet
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Post by Silverbullet » Sat Sep 24, 2016 5:25 pm

Bennie - yes I will try and get a color matched can of paint for the air box :cool:

This week just gone I bought a bottle of argon for the new TIG machine so today finally had everything I needed to test out the new toy :-P And it wasn't long before I put it to work on its first proper job. The finnicky job of welding the air filter box back together, not for the feint of heart as the steel is so thin. I settled on 45 amps welding current (!) with pulse mode on (pulsing down to 25 amps twice every second) to limit heat input. I was was using 1.2mm mig welding wire as the filler material, 1.6mm tungsten electrode. It went quite well but there were some parts where the fitup wasn't the best and the melting edge got away from me - those parts aren't the prettiest. But all this is on the bottom side of the air filter so nobody will ever see it :rolleyes:


The actual weld is so small it's hard to see in this pic
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I love that factory look! Just needs a lick of paint.
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Will it ever end!?
-EA81 TWIN CARB!!!!
-L series 5 speed
-Custom paint job
-2" lift
-Full custom re-wire
-L series front end
Image

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henpecked
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Post by henpecked » Sat Sep 24, 2016 7:20 pm

Sam, sam sam, all that effort and you overlooked the obvious and perfect solution - Cloth tape.

when will you ever learn ???/ ;)

Silverbullet2
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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by Silverbullet2 » Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:34 pm

My My what a long time between updates, too long. Much has happened in the intervening years, I've tried new pathways in life which have all lead to unhappiness. Taken time to realize I was much happier where I used to be, fixing old Subarus :mrgreen: Maybe I can get the gears turning on this project and get it done once and for all, if I keep myself to regular updates. Enough pontificating.

The most recent work on the old wagon project has been the exhaust, which was made possible after the acquisition of the hens tooth gearbox Hi range indicator light switch. Yes the L series 5 speed has been half dangling under the car for over 3 years while I found that switch. Many thanks to Phizinza for his help in this regard. With the gearbox bolted back up for the last time I could replace the sway bar and get on with the exhaust. Full stainless, 304 pipe TIG welded by yours truly. I re-used the flange plates from the Y pipe that came with the engine, these were mild steel but could be welded to the stainless pipe with the correct filler rod.

I've gotten as far as the collector, before realizing I may have made a mistake. Made the two pipes come together parallel, not angled like every other Y pipe I've seen. Now there is no way to weld the crack between the two pipes when the collector goes on. Haven't mustered the courage to just weld the collector on and "figure it out when I get there"

Being stainless the pipe needs to be purge welded that is, the inside must be full of argon while welding on the outside. This is achieved with a second flow meter set low (~2 lpm) pumped straight into the pipe, ends of the pipe sealed with masking tape and let it purge for a minute before starting a weld. This way the insides come out as clean as the outsides and is absolutely necessary on stainless.

Y pipe stubs
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Snaking its way around
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El_Freddo
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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by El_Freddo » Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:16 am

Geez Sam, that exhaust work is epic. You must be chewing through the argon having to fill the pipe first!

I’d like to get into TIG welding as it *seems* a bit easier from what I’ve seen with Bratgeebah - but he’s done so much TIG welding he makes it look like child’s play!

Good to see the wagon work coming along again. All the best with finding a new, more suitable job.

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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Silverbullet
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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by Silverbullet » Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:09 pm

El_Freddo wrote:
Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:16 am
Geez Sam, that exhaust work is epic. You must be chewing through the argon having to fill the pipe first!
That I am :cry: But it is necessary, you should see stainless when it isn't back-purged, looks like dark grey sugar crystals growing in every direction.

TIG is easier in some ways, harder in others ;) Cleanliness is key, wash everything 3 times with acetone kind of clenliness. That and a steady hand. You can get a decent DC TIG machine these days for very reasonable money, with pulse too. If you ever want advice on which machine to get I can help you out or rather, which machines to avoid :)

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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by Silverbullet » Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:49 pm

Today I worked out how to weld the collector :biggrin: Took me a few weeks of thinking about it, I will detail below in pictorial form...

The Problem: 2 triangular shaped gaps between the pipes and no access to weld the pipes right in the middle of the two
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First make a template, handy handy template tool, no need for cardboard
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Cut a little piece of flat metal, this was the first one and I learned not to leave sharp corners like that, they just melt off instantly with the welding arc.
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Welded the triangle, you can see where I had to build up the melted corners again. No harm done anyway. Also welded the crack down the middle of the pipes
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Grind it to the shape of the collector
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Repeat for the other side, the two pipes now have a figure 8 shape to match the collector.
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Before I put the collector on the Y pipe, I decided to weld on the V band ring while I could still have it flat on the bench. I'm using tool-less style V bands throughout.
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About the best welding I've done yet on the Y pipe :roll:
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Collector fully welded around
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Completed Y pipe next to the old one
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Pretty happy with how it turned out! Annoyingly though the two exhaust flanges moved about 20mm after welding in the two triangle pieces :-x Had to tweak the Y pipe slightly with my body weight to push the pipes closer together for the bolts to line up. This is all I can do for now, I only bought enough material for the Y pipe. I can't decide whether to make the rest of the system 2.5" like the collector is (this matches the collector on the old Y pipe) or weld in a reducer to something like 2.25" or even 2". The collector as it is now, 2.5" looks enormous.

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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by El_Freddo » Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:22 pm

Top effort SB!

When welding Y pipes like ours, it’s a good idea to bolt an appropriate length of rod/pipe between the two exhaust flanges to help keep them in place.

As for exhaust size, I’d be going for 2 inch maximum with an EA81 (or EA82!). I have a 2.25 inch on the EJ22 and I reckon this is a bit big - because I think my exhaust blew out most of the guts of the muffler a long time ago. Engine could be a bit tired with this crap I’ve put it through...

It’ll be interesting to see how the collector being bigger effects the engine performance. Exhaust building is a true science in itself!

With the collector, they way I’ve done mine and the way I saw a professional exhaust builder do it, was to hammer the two edges that meet flat, then run a weld up that flat edge on both pipes so you effectively end up with two “D” shapes welded together back to back. After that, stretch a piece of pipe to go over the two pipes that are welded together. This bit isn’t easy without a machine, so mine will be a “super pretty” (read: brutal) sliced piece of pipe with infills to complete the widened section - once I get around to it.

I’m looking forward to the rest of your exhaust build, especially the bit where you fire it up to hear the note. It will change shortly after a few thousand kms, then slower as the muffler ages etc - it helps to keep water out of them too, but you shouldn’t have any issues with this!

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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Silverbullet
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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by Silverbullet » Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:32 pm

it’s a good idea to bolt an appropriate length of rod/pipe between the two exhaust flanges to help keep them in place.
I thought of this after I'd already welded it, d'oh :oops:
As for exhaust size, I’d be going for 2 inch maximum with an EA81 (or EA82!). I have a 2.25 inch on the EJ22 and I reckon this is a bit big - because I think my exhaust blew out most of the guts of the muffler a long time ago. Engine could be a bit tired with this crap I’ve put it through...
Had a chat online with the supplier I was getting the parts from (they build exhausts too) Super helpful they were too, I told him what the engine was displacement wise, max RPM, expected maximum HP. He thought 2.5" would have been fine but said if it was him he would go no lower than 2.25". So I decided to go with 2.25" for the rest of the system. Ordered another haul of mandrel bends and what not, and with pipe in hand I think 2.25" looks just about right somehow.

Along with that lot I ordered a "hot dog" resonator and spent hours agonizing over which muffler to get. I really wanted a chambered/OEM style of a decent size because I don't want it to be super loud. Seems like when you're buying aftermarket mufflers, chambered/OEM style does not exist because all suppliers just assume you want straight through performance type. There were some options from the USA but super expensive and none in full stainless construction which I wanted. So I decided on an X-force muffler which I was led to believe was straight through but with a chamber in the middle. When it turned up though it was just perforated pipe from one end to the other stuffed with fiberglass, and smaller than I was expecting...so I guess it could turn out loud after all :roll:

Enough text, here's some update pics from the last 2 days work. It's the center section from Y pipe to the muffler. Not quite finished yet, haven't quite worked out how to meet up to the muffler with the pipe I've got left (that thing in the pics below is the hot dog) There will be another V band joiner just before the muffler as well. For this section though it has turned out quite well, better than I expected actually :)

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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by El_Freddo » Sun Jan 31, 2021 8:19 pm

Tidy work mate!

With the rear muffler, throw a V band before it so you can easily swap it out if you need to. And if you don’t like the noise level, do some research on muffler construction then make your own! ;)

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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Silverbullet
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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by Silverbullet » Sat Feb 06, 2021 12:06 pm

Yep have done another V band just before the muffler, I've already needed to take the whole system apart numerous times...bad bad times ahead

I got some gasket material and made some new custom gaskets for the enormous exhaust ports on this engine, went to bolt up the exhaust manifold for what I thought was the last time, got the high temp silicone on there and bolted it up. Was doing the nuts up to spec (25 Nm) got to the last one and...
*SNAP*
:evil:
Took the manifold off again, destroyed my new gaskets, bugger bugger bugger. Stud was snapped off flush with the head so I drilled a 3mm hole through the middle and managed to get the stud out some how. Bad news is the helicoil wire came with it, no chance to re-helicoil the thread as the hole was too damaged/wallered out. Fantastic. Next plan was to drill for M12 thread, use a solid steel threaded bush with an M8 thread through the middle. Went to drill tapping size for M12, drill bounces off a steel set screw that someone had put in from the side, revealing someone had also already repaired this hole with a bushing...of 15mm aluminium round bar and JB weld :evil: :evil:
Managed to dig out what was left of the round bar, the set screw, cleaned out the hole with a wire brush in the Dremel, to find the JB weld was hiding a 15mm hole straight through into the crank case :evil: :evil: :evil:

That is an intake pushrod you can see through the hole. Cylinder head is going to have to come off to fix this. Can't wait to take the entire top of the engine apart :roll: This engine has already been rebuilt twice since the distributor gear broke after the first rebuild.
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El_Freddo
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Re: Silverbullets' resto: Engine, gearbox, suspension

Post by El_Freddo » Sat Feb 06, 2021 7:11 pm

Holy shit Sam! Heart sinking feeling I bet :cry: :cry: :cry:

Before removing the head, what is the planned fix for this? And are you sure that isn’t the coolant jacket (not that a coolant jacket is any better than the oil drain passage).

I’m wondering if you don’t have to pull the head to fix this. Can you make up some weird stud that’s a larger diametre at one end and the normal exhaust stud size at the other end, then helicoil the head for the oversized diametre? Use some loctite glue (the hard non-remove stuff) to hold it all in place good and proper while providing a seal to the inside world of your engine.

No one would have to know about the fix - but if this isn’t up to your standard then best to go with what you’ll be so happy with.

Good idea to check the other studs and possibly do them all the same to avoid more of this later down the track.

Cheers

Bennie
"The lounge room is not a workshop..."
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