bushnut Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 first the good stuff... Managed to fix the radio, but I think I'll have to re-do all of the POs connections. Changed the front diff oil. it was probably 12years old. Crawled around under the Pathy and did a rust inspection. ALL GOOD! Reorganized my recovery gear/tools and Bug Out stuff. Did NOT manage to replace #5 and #6 spark plugs...they wouldn't budge. #5 would back out about 3-4 turns and then stop. couldn't get #6 to turn at all. didn't want to use to big a breaker bar as I was afraid of stripping the hole. Did Not replace Tcase fluid..seems like the seal at the front shaft is sweating....Has anybody used a "stop leak" type product in a Tcase? I am not looking forward to ripping that apart to change the seal. Realized that both front struts are seeping and will have to be replaced very soon. at which point I may as well do the rear. DOES IT EVER END? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Did NOT manage to replace #5 and #6 spark plugs...they wouldn't budge. #5 would back out about 3-4 turns and then stop. couldn't get #6 to turn at all. didn't want to use to big a breaker bar as I was afraid of stripping the hole. Get some penetrating oil in there pronto!! Next time you move #5, tighten it back in 1 turn, wait a mintue, back out another 1/2, wait a minute, back in 1 turn, wait a minute and so on until it is basically seated again, douse it with PO again, let it sit, then try to back it all the way out, but not in one run if it gets tight (then back in and back out gently). Your threads are galling, partially due to heat build up at the threads due to the friction which just makes it worse. Aluminum heads can have this issue. Try removing the plugs with the engine warm, that might help expand things. The #6 plug will need a bit of encouragement. Make sure to spray and let sit with penetrant and when you do try to break it free, make sure you are properly aligned up (flashlight and mirror). B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushnut Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 thanks Oh exact one! ya I doused it in "break free" and I'll wait a few days to work on it again. I also thought about the warm engine trick. glade to know I'm not barking up the wrong tree. this is some what ironic in that while I grew up in an automotive shop (my old man is The crazy old german VW mechanic) I always swore I'd never fix cars, so I've been a bicycle mechanic for the past 11yrs. This Pathy is the first vehicle I've owned in almost 7yrs. I'd been car free until last August. I just couldn't face another Manitoba winter on my bike. at -30C the grease in the hubs freezes and the rolling resistance of the tires is awful, even when there is no wind you have to pedal downhill! it just don't coast, and sweating while freezing is no fun. no wonder my KPL (MPG) sucks in winter. The twisted part is that I kinda like working on the truck (don't tell my old man). Any ideas on the Tcase? does "stop leak" work? can I ignore this for a while? I just don't have the knowledge or equipment to tear out the Transfer case. from the amount of fluid leaking It doesn't look like its been going on for long. Since the Tcase uses ATF I figure a little Trany stop leak might work for a short time. I know its only a stop gap measure but will it make it though till summer? I use the 4X4 quite often as the city almost never plows my street. Thanks jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushnut Posted March 9, 2013 Author Share Posted March 9, 2013 SUCCESS!!! Finally got around to replacing #5 and 6 spark plugs. did #5 while the engine was still a little warm and it came right out! However #6 took almost 4 hours.....with a mirror and a light I could see that someone in the past had bent the spark plug and some of the porcelain was broken off and laying in the bottom of the hole keeping the socket from engaging. with some wire and an air compressor I was able to dislodge all of the broken bits and fit the socket on. then came the fun part with loosen/ tighten/spray with brake free/ loosen tighten cycle until it came out. It did end up coming out in 2 pieces ( I almost sh*t myself when the top part fell off) but then the rest came out easy needless to say I used high temp anti seize when I put the new ones in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman2989 Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 Congrats!! I remember the pain of #6 well! Glad to hear you got it, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF600 Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 It will get better. After you fix everything it will be better. I have 1 more thing to address. Hopefully it will be fixed for a while after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 SUCCESS!!! Finally got around to replacing #5 and 6 spark plugs. did #5 while the engine was still a little warm and it came right out! However #6 took almost 4 hours.....with a mirror and a light I could see that someone in the past had bent the spark plug and some of the porcelain was broken off and laying in the bottom of the hole keeping the socket from engaging. with some wire and an air compressor I was able to dislodge all of the broken bits and fit the socket on. then came the fun part with loosen/ tighten/spray with brake free/ loosen tighten cycle until it came out. It did end up coming out in 2 pieces ( I almost sh*t myself when the top part fell off) but then the rest came out easy needless to say I used high temp anti seize when I put the new ones in. Hah!! So 'Oh exact one' does have some good advice... Glad you got it out and good job clearing the plug well. When a friend of mine replaced the plugs in his 91, they were basically seized. Every 1/4 turn was accompanied with the sound of metal screeching. We fully expected to break a plug or strip a hole, but to his credit, he got them all out over 6 hours without damaging anything. Definitely not a fun afternoon though! B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushnut Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 I may have invented some new "Bad Words". Took it out for a long highway drive today and did over 300km on just over half a tank! what a difference. before I'd only get about 200km/half tank. and it's quieter to boot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I'll bet she starts easier and has more power. Isn't it nice to feel the difference when you do maintenance projects like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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