Type 4 engine rebuild: take 3

[orwell84]

My heat exchanger restoration came from 3 different sets to make one good one. The ones I didn’t use could be repaired if required, but I picked the parts that needed the least work. It was still a lot of work.

[orwell84]

So I installed the alternator and it seems to work. Idiot light went right out after starting the engine and back on again when I turned it off. Probably not the most convincing test but I’ll take it for now. Spins very quietly.

Fingers crossed.

[SGKent]

[orwell84]

Next thing is the steering box. I guess I will keep everything in the same thread. There is a lot of play in the steering. I have checked for play elsewhere so it’s probably the box. It’s also leaking. It’s a 73.

From what I understand the 73 on boxes are not rebuildable and replacements are around but hard to find and some are just terrible.

[SGKent]

the seals are available. Use Curil on the o-ring and plate seal. If the worm is worn or the ball bearings damage the races it is no good. Someone found replacement races in a thread. Seal sizes are in some other threads.

[orwell84]

Thank you.

Sounds like it will be a lot like the alternator story. Buy and install “new” box. Count on maybe 3-5,000 good miles. While waiting for new box to go to shit, take apart the old one, clean it all up and replace seals. Put it back in. It won’t be perfect, but way better than the new box. I am still running original cv joints. A couple were from junkyards from the 90’s. They have wear in them that books would tell you to throw them away. They work fine. I clean and repack them when the new boots tear, so every few years. It’s a messy job, but it’s not hard work.

I also have a couple of torn ball joint boots, but the joints are good. Newest one was installed in 1997. They are getting the bicycle inner tube and zip tie treatment. Plus lots of grease. It’s not because I’m a cheap ass.

These reconditioned items…seem to get just enough work and parts to get them out the door even if you spend for better. The alternator for example. The rotor shaft was clearly worn. No micrometer action required. It took more than the 5k miles I put on it. It was rebuilt like that. Glad I kept the old one. The end result was not bad work. It is better than the reconditioned one I bought. Good bearings and rotor shaft close to spec. Filing the slip rings might seem like barnyard shenanigans, but they came out good. Only thing would have been to renew the electrical varnish. Next brush change.

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that every town had a radiator shop and auto electric shop…grubby and smelled like coffee and old motor oil, but friendly, face to face interactions and pride in the work when the repaired item was handed back. Pen and paper receipts and handshakes. Montréal still had places like that when I lived there in the late 90’s. First world cuisine but third world infrastructure. Every neighborhood had a used appliance store where you could buy a cheap stove or fridge. Everything got painted white. I still have a dryer from one of those places still going strong. At least the bearing supplier is still around. Same woman at the counter who answered the phone. Totally knew her shit.

[SGKent]

It is an afternoon's work to go thru it. In the meantime just set the adjustment screw then turn it lock to lock to be sure there is no binding.

9.2 in Bentley

_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[orwell84]

[orwell84]

A couple left over odds and ends from the alternator repair.

Made a new harness…

One of the terminals was broken on the starter solenoid so welded a stud to a scooter wheel lug nut and screwed it onto what was left of the old one with red loctite. Getting the cap off requires unsoldering the connections on the cap, so this was easier.

Bent the wiring terminals that go to the solenoid so they would fit better and zip tied them to take the weight of dangling wires off the terminal. All that stuff hanging off is a recipe for eventual bad connections.

Stripped alternator adjustment nut…no problem…

[orwell84]

[SGKent]

I missed this. It is on top. Usually a red plastic plug.

72-73 and 73 -> boxes

_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[orwell84]

[orwell84]

I had a good bus friend look over my steering box and give it a test drive. He said the amount of play was normal. The box has been leaking so I topped it up with hypoid oil. Leaks quite a bit, so I’m going to try to the corn head grease, at least to get me through the driving season. I should replace the seal at some point.

Also having an issue with the brakes. If I give the brakes a second pump, the pedal is higher the second time. I did rear brakes and lines in 2021. I bled them with a hand pump, ran a whole bottle of brake fluid through but seemed like there was still air in the lines…I was getting fluid, but bubbly fluid. I ended up doing it the old way by having my son pump the brakes.

I recently went through all the vacuum lines to the brake booster but haven’t tested it yet. Rear drums need adjustment too.