Where'd my change go?

One thing that I really, nay, truly enjoy about writing this blog is that it keeps me honest. I have to ask myself, every weekend, what the hell did I do to keep this project going. I've got to have something to update. 

Last weekend, I was smoked. My slow-to-motivate hindquarters pulled the motor last weekend, which involved renting a cherry picker, along with a pressure sprayer (for the house, thanks honey for doing the work on the house), using said cherry picker, then returning it the next day - for heaven's sake! I had to hook up my cheap trailer to the Forester to haul around my rented equipment. Any other person would've been able to keep up the pace, keep working, keep cleaning up equipment, keep the candle burning. Nay, yes twice now I've used the word, I was able to clean up the garage, but this week... this week has been an clean up week - translation: I didn't do anything, well mostly nothing. 

I pulled the carpet today, which took me all of 20 minutes of getting my hands grimy. No greasy, half-chewed finger nails, no antifreeze-induced headaches, no oily footprints around the garage. I pulled the carpet in the front and back seat areas.

Dirt, not just dusty dirt, I mean there was enough that I considered putting it in my garden. 

Holy geez people, let my floor board be a lesson to you - maintain your possessions! The way I see it, most people spend a ton of money on 3 things in their lives - education, house, and car, I refuse to allow parents' costs into my 3 investment triangle theory. Likely, you will earn more money in your lifetime thanks to your college degree. Likely, your house will be worth more when you sell it than when you bought it. You car, on the other hand, will likely not be worth more money or earn you money, so it depreciates. To make matters even more dire, most people spend money on a new, or at least new to them, car on a regular 3-4 year basis and each time you spend more money than you did the time before. For most people, your car will cost you money to own and maintain and when you're sick of it, if you're lucky you won't owe more than it's worth. So for the sake of everything holy, maintain your most frequently depreciating investment! Spend time washing your car. Spend time vacuuming your car. Spend time appreciating your depreciating investment.

Organic-rich soil, not dirt, soil.

I know my truck is 28 years old. I know it has seen two hundred, thirty-six thousand miles, but there is really no reason for there to be standing dirt under my carpet. The standing dirt was really more bog-like. I'm surprised I didn't find a squirrel under my carpet padding or at least a gnome tending his garden. I found golf tees, styrofoam peanuts, carmel corn (that Wally, my dog, found and quickly disposed), quarters, nickels, dimes, corroded pennies, and spent .22 shells. 

Spend .22 rounds and beer bottle cap - nice

Golf anyone? 

This week I will continue along my let's-not-get-hands-too-dirty and continue stripping the interior. I am seeing my project come together, which just reinforces, to me, the need to keep your pulled parts/equipment in an orderly manner. I have pulled so much little screws and parts that if they weren't diligently labeled everything I would be freaking out right now. 

I have an iron in the fire for an engine that I'll leave for another time. I'm seeing that as this project progresses, I see potential for other avenues for the build to go so it's difficult for me to completely know exactly what motor I want in it. Ah, it's part of the fun I suppose. 

The LC Diet

The LC lost a dramatic amount of weight this weekend - no Sleeping Beauty, Tapeworm, or Fletcherizing diets needed. What a weekend. I am exhausted, period. I truly don't know how guys do this job without having the entire front end off like mine. I pulled the ancient, tractor motor out of the engine bay!

Sizing up the clearance

I say I, but really it was we. I had help. You may remember this person from my "Getting by w/ a little help from friends", or something along those lines, title blog. I like to do things to the best of my ability by myself, get the work site ready, pull the parts that I can pull, you know basically do it myself until I need a hand. Just like last time I got a hand when I needed it and who can really ask for more? Not this guy. This time I wasn't wearing slippers either. I had on the steel toes for the motor pulling and so did she. A little side note before progressing to the next paragraph, I said she. Yes, my wife was outside taking a break from power spraying the house (no kidding), put on her pink cowboy boot, steel toes (yep, I just called you out honey), gloves, and helped me pull the motor - awesome.

It started on Friday. I called a local tool rental joint to inquire about an engine hoist and while I was at it we might as well get a commercial grade power washer to clean up the house for spring. I was really just wanting to keep the project going, so I need to do some research on the engine hoist. As much as I would like to have my own, I know it would just end up as something that crowds my limited garage space, so buying is not a option for this guy. A research call turned into an appointment for Saturday. It's on, oh it's so on.

I thought I had the motor ready to pull out. I had the driveshafts removed. I had everything connecting the motor to the frame or other components removed. I had bits of the interior removed, so I could pull the carpet to gain access to the stick shifts. I figured I had about 30 minutes of set up time then 30 minutes of actual engine pulling (cue the storm clouds...)

This is going to be sooo easy... 

We set out first thing for the hoist and pressure washer. No problems at the rental joint. Get home and she gets the washer figured out and gets working on cleaning up our siding, soffits, gutters, side walks, patios, and the like. No problems. I get the hoist assembled and holy geez that thing is heavy even in pieces. Fortunately for me, the rental joint rents hoists that are collapsable for easy transport, so I had to put it together and holy geez that thing is heavy.

First thing I am satisfied that I turned the truck around before I started really tearing into it, so that the front of the truck faced out of the garage - score one for the planner, me! I positioned the hoist and assumed the position under the truck to assess the situation. I'm good right, I think. Oh yea, you're good just remove the transmission support, drop the back end of the transmission to make room for the shifters to drop beneath the floorboard and pull it out - easy. Yep easy. The engine went out in 30 minutes just like I thought it would. I had everything removed beforehand just like I thought I did. Yep easy (storm clouds arrival... now!)

Did I get that exhaust hanger??

I had to cut up the carpet around the shifters, which I thought I had a good handle on just being able to remove it. Nope, I had to use my buddy the utility knife, so much for orderly removal of stuff. I am not taking an hour to pull out the carpet, out comes the knife. I had to cut the carpet to get access to the shifter boot mounts, pull the mounts then the shifters should be a synch to get out. Nope.

Fast forward an hour and it's still in the truck. I've got the hoist secured to the cylinder head that I haven't yet sold. Trusty Patrick is resurrected to secure the engine hoist lifting chain. Removing the motor mounts was pretty easy enough, but could've been easier with better designed mounts - thanks again fired Toyota engineer. The front of the engine is now completely supported by the engine hoist. Okay, now on to removing the transmission support - not fun, many obscenities were heard by the cheap tools surrounding me.

Okay, judgement day and this motor is coming out. I have everything disconnected. I have everything removed. Lift up the hoist, engine should pull up, then pull out, place on 1000lbs rolling cart, have a beer, end of day.

Oh, I had everything disconnected, except the speedometer cable and an exhaust hanger and some other hanger I have no idea what it supported and the shifters. Fortunately for all the young cheap tools, my wife came around to help save my sanity. All the hangers and miscellaneous items were removed, even the shifter was removed - thanks to my 4.5inch angle grinder, take that you selfish shifter cable I wanted to keep you, but nooo you wanted to dent up my floorboard as I tried to thoughtfully make you presentable for a new home well your new home is going to be my trash can you ungrateful piece of ... young cheap tools in earshot.

What is that???

Well we got it out of the truck. The storm clouds are gone. We spend the rest of the day power spraying out house and had some beers to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I celebrated another Patrick as well. It was Patrick the head bolt who offered his last selfless service to my engine. It was he who allowed me to secure the engine to the engine hoist. Thank you my good Sir.

Where did my right foot go?

The Head Bolt Conspiracy

I can see them conspiring against me. Head bolts. Their smirky threads whispering about me and my cheap tools. I will have these tools long enough to cheater-bar you out or in other words long enough to remove any history of your sorry-ass, tractor-like power band, tractor-like efficiency, and tractor-like weight from my 28yr old Toyota frame - thank you very much you jackass. Yea, it's getting personal.

I had a great day this week. My wife woke up, decided to work from home and thought that I should do the same. Oh, I stayed home, but I didn't work. I took the day off - much like Ferris, but without the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California. No mysterious, non-specific, illness where I lick my palms needed. I called in the day off by text.

My task for the day was the intake/exhaust manifold and head. The intake/exhaust manifold were essentially joined at birth, so they've got to come off together. All bolts off and true to fashion it damn thing doesn't move. I flashed back to the oil pan incident. Damn not again, I think, damn. I do not want to have to use the torch-motivator again to heat this thing up. Next best thing, let's pry if off, yea that seems like the thing to do. I get my pry bar, Craftsman incase you were wondering you freakin head bolt, but I digress. I get the pry bar, find a place to apply some leverage and ... it moves, so I know it isn't seized to the block, thank you Lord. Something's holding this thing up. Ah, the EGR Cooler is still attached to the back side of the intake (?, I forget) manifold and the damn exhaust manifold is still attached to the exhaust downpipe.

My buddy Dewalt took care of the exhaust downpipe - take that head bolt - did you see that? Did you see me pull out the sawzall and cut the downpipe? I do not need you anymore little head bolt, so fear not if you give me trouble I will... who am I kidding here you, my worthy adversary, have the upper hand.

The casualties - exhaust downpipe and air rail. The air rail didn't make it
past the first volley. 

Alright, now the EGR Cooler is out of the way and the exhaust downpipe lay slain at my feet. A bit of a pry here, ok it still wants to move, but it's still on the block. What the hell? Off with the cloudy safety glasses - those things are so jacked up by now I can't see a thing. Oh there it is - one lone exhaust manifold bolt snuggled up next to the firewall. You did this didn't you Patrick! Who's Patrick? Yea, I named my nemesis the head bolt.  

I first got to know Patrick when I was removing the head bolts. Patrick was hiding under the rocker arm assembly. I saw him, oh I saw him, but I was more concerned with his buddy in the driver side corner against the firewall, hidden in the lift anchor.

The Toyota engineer, my friend from a couple blogs back, before he was fired, lost his house, wife, and dreams insisted on designing an anchor by which the engine can be lifted from the frame. The anchor would be connected to the engine via head bolts, so in order to remove all the head bolts, and therefore then the head itself, I had to figure out how to get the one head bolt hidden behind anchor. Little did I know this head bolt was the Second in Command - we'll call him Gerald. Let the laughing and trash talk begin from the head bolt army.

Damn you head bolts. Gerald was protected because I could not get my socket to bite as a result from the anchor. Well done unknown Toyota engineer. I'm glad you were fired, no more loyalty from this guy. The intake and exhaust manifolds must come off first to gain access to Gerald.

The head bolts, organized by Patrick, directed by Gerald, telepathically communicated with the last exhaust bolt foot soldier to keep the fight coming to me. Safety glasses off, now I can see you little soldier in your fox hole. The last hold out removed, the manifold resistance folds. The manifold system is now sacked. Gerald you are next, but little did I know his mission was not over once he was removed.

Gerald's fall back position - the anchor 

Update: Gerald gone, anchor gone, manifold system destroyed. Battle lines are now drawn at the block. I am on the offensive. The head, now should simply lift off... I repeat, the head should now simply... lift ... off ... the block... what the hell?

The oil pan seizure is still in my head. I am a magician, I remember. The damn oil pan remained connected directly to the block even though all the bolts were removed. I had to torch the block and pan  then beat it like a mule to get the pan off the block. The head is now doing the same. I am not going to torch this thing. I need a dead blow hammer to beat this thing like it took my basketball. No dead blow, okay bfh + 2x4. Okay, still no progress. What the hell?

Alright, perhaps I can pry it off with a scraper. Allow me to bring the fight directly to the engine block with my trusty scraper + bfh. The scraper seems to work, but it's taking forever. I am in the process of retreat right now. What the hell am I going to do to get this thing off? Okay, take off the cloudy safety glasses and look. Look around. Look around the head. Surely I got all the bolts off. Look. Look...

Patrick in his rocker arm assembly bunker 

Patrick, defenseless 

Damnit - Patrick. Patrick was holding out under his rocker arm assembly bunker. The last line of defense for the head was the rocker arm assembly. Boom. Shock and Awe. Boom. Rocker arm assembly gone. F-you Patrick. Much like finding Sadam in a rabbit hole I find you, Patrick, unshaven, disheveled, hungry, and scare. Fear no more Patrick, my worthy adversary. I am Bill the Butcher to your Priest. I will finish you quickly and with respect. I will honor my victory over you every year for you were the last honorable head bolt worth removing.

Head Bolt, Patrick: 1984-2012

What a Mess!

Much more room with that off. 

All the cleanup work I could've saved if I would have just put a tarp

under it before I started. 

What a mess. What a ridiculous mess. My hands are dirty. I have oily grime in the lines of my dried fingers. Usually I'm happy to have 'working hands', but I cannot get the grease out of my bitten nails. I knew that was a bad habit and now I have permanently greasy skin beneath my nails. I know the grime will eventually clean out, but in the mean time they'll serve as calling cards to all like minded people - kinda like the bat symbol cast in the night sky. How did Batman see the bat-light anyways - wasn't there street, office, and building lights in Gotham? Bat-vision, I suppose... 

Up until this point, I'm quite proud of the job I've made by keeping up with everything. One part comes off - any hoses or electrical connections get taped, the tape gets labeled, the part gets cleaned, bolts get cleaned and accounted, then on to next part. Easy. Orderly. You don't have to know how to work on cars to take off parts, you just have to be purposed and focused.

This week, things changed. My whole one part for one part got changed. The focus of this week was getting parts off to sell them. The only problem was when I had a guy asking me about a part that I wasn't ready to pull - the power steering pump - cue dark ominous tones. I had to pull the water pump to get better access to the power steering mounting bracket. I had to pull the thermostat housing to gain better access to the water pump. One thing leads to another and more antifreeze gets deposited on the floor.

I enjoy getting to run this selling thing - Paypal, Excel, photos, and confirmation numbers. I've created a spreadsheet with username, name, address, parts sold, date sold, and confirmation number. I know it's really nothing, but I think it's important to know where parts go, for how much, and when. I don't know how many posts I've read with buyers posting hateful comments about the seller and the seller claiming complete ignorance. I have an opportunity to do this right and it's exciting.

A bit dramatic perhaps, but selling my parts does make me feel like Sally Field, oh how I love, nay intensely love, Ms. Sally Field. You love me! You really love me! 

Label, label 

I'm still attempting to pull one part then clean, but now everything seems to have either antifreeze, oil, or gas in it and it goes all over. Oh yea, I had oil pans underneath and a pad of carpet under the truck, but it still goes everywhere. It's the nature of the beast, I suppose, but now it's going to be grimy until I get that motor out, body off, and frame rolled away to the blaster.                                    

 

To add to the mess that's beginning to imprint in my garage floor I can't seem to find anything now. Initially, my goal was to clean my tools and put them up each night. Best laid plans I suppose don't necessarily dictate progress or access to the tool I need for that matter. The tools are now staying at the truck. It's funny, really. I have a two car garage. My tools are located on the opposite wall. I can make the trek from truck to tool without having to stop to hydrate along the way, but it's entirely too far. 

A few things I've learned thus far - keep your bolts ordered, count them; use painter's grade masking tape; use black magic markers any other color is for a high school art project; your hands will get grimy even with gloves; presentation, presentation - sell your parts by cleaning them and taking good photos (says the person who has sold 3 parts); oh and you need more space. 

Reheated Spaghetti

Strange title for this one, but holy geez is it accurate. My buddy Jarred said it best that cars of the '84 vintage were held together by vacuum lines and check valves. My response to that text was that I hate vacuum lines and their families. Those damn things were everywhere. I think I saw vacuum lines hidden in the tailgate - come-on!

I don't know what the hell to do with those things. Do I tape/label them? Do I just expect that whoever buys the parts will reference the Haynes or Chiltons? Do I simply pull the hoses off the hard lines, put them all in a bucket, light them on fire then pee on them as the fire gets too big? I think, after today, I'm leaning towards the latter.

Are you serious? 

I did try to keep them all together, but some of them just had to be zip tied to each other and pulled off the hard line to make room for a wrench.

My goal was to pull off the carburetor today, but yea, that didn't happen. I just didn't have to room with the radiator support being so close and all. In a round about way, one thing lead to another and the radiator support, radiator, and all emission-related nonsense had to come off to give me room around the carburetor.

Dad, firmly thrown under the bus, is quick to proclaim his loathsome, discontent for engineers. They never think about the guy who has to work in it, he would say. I have engineers in my family and while I understand the need for their neurotic-way of considering every minor, seemingly completely useless, detail I can respect his point of view. I now firmly believe that when Toyota designed the 2F in my truck, they first thought, 'let's figure out where we want the 2 barrel carburetor first then build the motor around it and let's put every vacuum line, every hard line, every heater and power steering hose around the carburetor after we mount it to the yet-to-be-determined engine block'. A newly hired production engineer stood up from the back of the 2F design conference room and objected to the designing of the motor around the carburetor and he was fired, his house was repossessed, he lost his newly bought car, and his wife left him. I thank you, unknown engineer who must've considered the person who would attempt to remove the carburetor some 28 years after the build date, thank you for your recognition of future builders - sorry about the loss of the house, car, and wife btw.

Radiator support off and mess cleaned up. 

I was dreading pulling the radiator support, because I did not want to drain the damn thing. Another feat in designing on the radiator drain. It would be nice if there was a hose connected to the drain plug. It would be nice if the drain plug didn't point directly at a frame support. I don't even know why I tried to catch the antifreeze. Once I got the drain plug out, yea, I made a mess.

I'm not going into it, but I made a mess. Thankfully, I was able to position a drain pan under most of the flow, but most of it was lost to the concrete. Out came the kitty litter. I had antifreeze going everywhere under the truck, underneath the garage door - open the door! Make a kitty litter dam! It's flowing around the dam! Damn! Out of kitty litter! I had a rolled up bit of carpet padding nearby I'd been using for dirty parts. Unroll the padding! The padding doesn't soak up the antifreeze! Step on it to try and smash the padding into the puddling, flowing antifreeze. Geez, I hope Angie doesn't come out right now! My head hurts, antifreeze always gives me a headache, it's only been a couple minutes. How much antifreeze is in this thing? Alright, I am done. I am done. We are done for today. I am done, but I'm not done.

I've got to clean this all up. We've got dogs. Neighbors have dogs. And I've got a sweetly, toxic liquid all over my driveway and inside my garage. I had some pressure washer Special Green detergent, a pressure washer would be good right about now, too bad the thing didn't work when I bought the detergent. Garden hose out, it's about 35F by the way oh and it's ridiculously windy too. Water down, detergent down, shop brush making the detergent soapy. Lots of water. It's cold. You know, my TSX is filthy. I'm filthy. My hands are cold. Yup, I washed it.

Getting by with a little help from my friends

I've been picking a bit since the last update.

In order for me to pull the fenders, first I had to remove the hood. Not fun. Not fun because I hate calling my wife to help me. No I wasn't wearing steel toes. No I wasn't wearing even shoes. I was wearing slippers. I was off work, still in my semi-nice cloths. I slipped off my work shoes and slipped on my slippers. I did not want to call my wife to help me. She didn't know that I did not put on solid soled shoes. I know for most slippers isn't that big a deal, but we're talking about my wife. We are both in health and safety, mind you, and she's better than me. I knew that she would spot my slippers so fast. Not so fast, though because I figured a way to use my extensive automotive experience to prop up the hood.

I opened the hood and assessed the bolts that would have to be removed. I had 4 bolts on each side - 2 for the coiled spring which assists the lifting and 2 for the hinge. The hood propped open and removed 2 bolts. Okay, easy part done now on to the other 2 bolts.

I slide a 2x4 across the open bay. A 1x6 goes on top of the 2x4. Of course I don't secure the boards together or secure them to the engine bay. In hindsight, I could've used a series of zip ties to keep them together and in place. Naw, takes too long. On top of the 1x6 I place a couple 2 ton jack stands, fully extended. I removed the hood prop then lowered the hood on the jack stands. Oh yea, those stands were secure., they weren't going anywhere.

Alright, one side completely removed with no problems. At this point I'm thinking how in the hell am I going to remove the last 2 bolts without the hood shifting off the jack stands and slamming onto my sturdy boards and potentially crushing my hand which was not attempting to hold the hood steady. Oh and the fact that I'm wearing slippers is starting to seem like a bad idea. I start removing the first of the two remaining bolts and the hood shifts. No, in case you were wondering, now was not the time to call the wife to help hold the other side to balance the load. My Popeye-like, strong arm was not enough to steady the hood and a jack stand falls to the concrete ground.

I repositioned it to face the garage to give the
cherry picker some room.

That ringing sound wasn't the stand hitting the concrete it was my diminished manhood. Each time that stand bounced on the concrete I could feel my barrel chested, busted knuckle pride ring away. Oh and I was wearing slippers. Lucky for me, I pulled the grill, bumper, and headlight trim, so the jack didn't break anything, but it did call my wife from her ignorant, tv-watching slumber. The door cracked. I think she opened the door so slowly on purpose.

Yup, she helped out. Nope, the hood wasn't too heavy for her to steady as I removed the last bolt. Yup, she noticed the slippers. She held the door for me as I sheepishly carried the hood to the basement.

The lighting was horrible even with the flash,
so I went black/white.

On Sunday, I had a buddy drop by to help me wrench for a bit. I got off the driver side fender off before he got to the house. It was nice having someone help out. I was, admittedly, a bit concerned that he would mess up my labeling and bolt bagging method. Thankfully, I was wrong. If anything, he merely reassured me that I was doing a good job keeping track of everything. We ended up getting off the passenger side fender and inner fender before we knocked off for the day.

I got the motor and transmission posted on the forum that I frequent. I'm afraid that I'm asking too much. I put as much information as I could in the post. I posted photos and a few video links with it running. After 2 days I have yet to even get one question about it. I think I'm asking too much, which I absolutely hate. I think it's worth more to get it sold quickly, so I can keep the project going and perhaps not get top dollar than hanging on to it for months and getting a bit more. I priced it based off my mechanic's recommendation, but I think he was propping up my ego.

My plan is to keep the motor/transmission/radiator in the truck until I get it sold. I've got some space in the garage, but not enough to pull everything out and I don't want to have to keep everything straight. We'll see how it goes, but as of now my plan is to leave it in until it's sold. Geez, I hope I set the price right.

It has begun

Well today was the day that I've been thinking about for a long time. As a graduate student I felt so close to being able to afford a project truck that I was more distracted than focused, go figure. I have always been conservative with my money, so I would not buy something until I felt we could afford it. My other obstacle was getting over my wife's permission. Are you kidding me? I actually get to get one now?

That was back in September '10. I've had dreams and distractions with this thing and now, today, I started turning wrenches. I've got buddies who have projects and I think they're going about the build all wrong. They get parts/equipment/materials and install completely out of order. I understand getting excited and wanting to wrench on it, but not at the expense of having to remove it later when you're rebuilding it.

This is my third vehicle, so I have the luxury of doing it right. I did some minor gasket changing and carb cleaning. I got compression numbers on it, so I can list it for sale on the forum I frequent. I'm really trying to do this right. I cleaned it up alright, but I didn't put any lipstick on the pig though. I don't see any reason to rattle can something with 235k on it. I degreased it. I'll let the next guy spend time on a rebuild and to make it pretty. I'm happy with my progress thus far cleaning it up.

So, back to the progress!

Today, I pulled the front bumper, valence, head light washers, head light buckets, head light trim, parking lights, grill, and horns. I got some cloth baggies for Christmas '10 and finally put them to use. I used a black marker to label the contents and whether the bolts/screws needed to be replaced or if any were missing. It's a pretty good system I think.

I think it's so important to keep track as you go. I know it's fun and it's exciting pulling off parts, but if you just go hog wild you're gonna hit a wall when you lose a part. We've got some space in the basement with some wooden shelves that I already plan to take down in the summer, so it won't matter if they get a bit gummed up. I'm zip-tying things together and labeling each part with driver vs. passenger side with painters masking tape. I'm going to have to get a new grill. The passenger side mounts are busted.

No busted fingers, hands, or knuckles.

The next step will be removing the hood, outer fender, inner fender, and anything else bolted to either one. I sprayed every bolt I could find with PB Blaster. I hate busting bolts that I'll need later.