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Bringing my 404 back to life

kerismo

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Star Date 7/19/2011, Mog blog log
Today we removed the shielded spark plugs to inject a bit of Marvels Mystery oil to lubricate the cylinders. The sheilded plugs are quite a bit different from the civilian ones Im used too. This is a newer style champion plug that has a second hexnut a little higher to facilitate easier removal.

THe wire has a threaded cap that keeps the water and radio waves out. I'll add an extra layer of aluminium foil for those conspiracy theorists, ;D THe previous owner only changed the rear 4 plugs, guess he could not reach all the way to the front to get the other two...I had to use a 1/2" drive deepwell socket to get down the the hexnut on the old style plug with only the lower hex in the usual spot. A 3/8" drive socket was jut shorter than the 1/2" This tip is thanks to a SS search function returned thread. Unfortunately in my rush to turn the wrenches I failed to note who should get the credit, So I'll thank the Site as a whole for another top tip.
The MMO is Old School, but the effects are still just as real.


Injected into the cylinder for pre ignition lube. I used a children's medicine dropper to draw up the oil and dispense it neatly in the cylinder.


Once the plugs were cleaned and back in place, I opened the distributor cap, cleaned the carbon off the contacts and points with a piece of very fine sand paper. Sealed it back up, but noticed that the distributor shaft was rotating 15-20 degrees very freely. I have to assume the old owner unscrewed it in an attempt to adjust the timing ( fingers crossed). so I turned it to somewhere in the middle,

I also freed up the manual choke cable and carburater linkages, popped off the snorkle intake to the carb. and hooked up the 2 new batteries.
Well, Finnally time to Fire this Mother UP!Video removed as link stunk! Sorry

Yes it is a very very brief run, AND on ether. But it at least confirms that the components inside the motor are still doing their jobs. I did a few more with more "canned fuel" but held off any extended running so as not to burn any valves. It was smooth and the MMO smelled so sweet as it burned. Next i'm working my way back through the fuel system,
Try the carb on clean gas from a test tank and new plumbing. fuel filters and lines are a no brainer but these are hard plumbed steel lines that will no doubt be replaced with a more flexible more technologically advanced line. I am however on the fence with reguard to the original tanks, I am sure the are filled with Varnish and rusty crap. Do I ditch the frame mounted steel cans and go with a newer polyplastic tank mounted higher with an electric pump? Or try and keep it original, pull the tanks dump them and epoxy line them. Decisions decisions Both options mean similar dollar outlay so it is purely an asthetic decision. Any ideas?
 

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clinto

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Very well written. I can't wait to read the next installment!
 

tennmogger

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Thanks for the enjoyable story! Glad you are so close to having the old girl running.

With the fuel pump at the front of the engine, it's a long way to suck gas from the tanks. Please excuse me if you know all this but just in case you haven't gotten this far yet:

This system is bad to suck air if there's a leak. Inward leaks occur at the fuel pump (seal on the cover dries out), and at the tank selector valve (again, dry seals). One good way to find an inward leak is to pressurize the fuel lines.

Since you need to drain those tanks to clean them anyway, when you pull the big plugs in the bottoms (BIG plugs, flow fast, have big bucket!) you will find a filter just above each plug (unless lost by some PO). Those pickup tube filters slide straight down and out through the open tank plugs. Then the gas pickup tubes end right above the drains. A 1/2" tube will fit up over them. A little pressure on one then the other will pressurize the fuel lines all the way to the carb and you can check for leaks with soapy water. You might have to disconnect the gas line at the carb to plug it.

Test one tank and it's selector valve position, then the other. One selector valve position might be ok and the other leaky. It's easy to take the valve apart and put in new caskets (but I did that 13 years ago and don't remember details!).

FYI, I'd keep those original tanks, They are lined (red glyptol usually) tanks and probably just dirty. Having the selector valve and two tanks (one acting as reserve) is a good system.

I use the POR 15 paint, and POR 15 tank lining kits with good results. One of my mog tanks had about 50 (yeah, 50) rust perforations and was sealed with the POR 15 paint, and epoxy in bigger holes, and has lasted 11 years so far.

As you said, having an electric pump is a good thing. Today's gasoline to really volatile and vapor lock is no fun.

Bob
 
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