Mark D

Poor / no acceleration. No compression at 5&6 Fouled plugs at 5&6 Engine roll at idle Heavy exhaust smoke Vacuum guage results... What else do you suggest I look for to help eliminate potential other results? I am all ears.

And with each challenge learn something new thankfully. Stopped at the garage and found the temp sensor is in fact where stated by Greg. Just haven't had a need to notice it before I guess. Thanks for the weight tip drillmaster. I would never have guessed 40#...

I'm searching for a local shop that can take a look at the head while I have it off, but I had planned to pull the engine this fall and do a refresh when I get to wherever I am going to store her next fall. Depending on timing and cost, I might consider a mild shave while the heads in my hands, .030 over seems to be what a majority of the folks are doing according to my search results here. Is there a datum point on the head where measurements are typically taken to see if the head is OEM thickness? I recall this briefly being discussed in a thread, but don't recall an exact answer. I'm scratching my head now as I reread your thoughts on the temp sensor... for the life of me I can't recall this being threaded into the head. Pretty sure its lower on the rear of the block? Gotta stop at the garage on the way home from the office tonight, will investigate when I grab my manuals from the shelf.

Just called Gary Roberts and he's got a head gasket in stock. Planned a half work-day tomorrow so I'm driving up to his place to grab it and head back home to start my first ever head gasket replacement. I read up on the torque sequence in the manual last night, picked up a new torque wrench and some copper gasket spray, any other pointers I should know about before I tackle this job? I'm going to reuse the head bolts for the time being, and source new for the engine rebuild I've got planned for next winter.

Here's the chart I have been using. Top right image is what I was thinking matched closest. Just ordered my replacement head gasket. Searching now to see if I can find a local shop to shave the head while its off the deck. Vacuum Gauge Chart.pdf

Nice work, been thinking about being prepared for this task myself in the future. Good to see it all opened up like that. By the way, I like your attitude. I'm about ten years older than you, but my grandparents instilled an ethic in me that lasts to this day. The old addage "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do without", still rings true to my ear today. It's something I truly believe america needs to re-learn to make the current situation better.

Jeez that wasnt on my radar at all. I have been looking at getting a spare head gasket. Looks like I need to accelerate that plan.

So took the car out to my club meet on Monday night. Had a decent ride out, but noticed on the way back some rough idle at the first stop light. Pulled over to give a visual under the hood, found nothing glaring at me, so I jumped back in a got a progressively worse ride on the way home. Lack of power on acceleration was most noticeable, also engine shake. Tonight I got time to stop down the garage and run a couple tests. Here's a vid of the engine running and a shot of my vacuum guage hooked up to the carb. Got my compression guage out and did a test on all 6 cylinders. Here's what I got: 1+2 = high 80's, 3+4 = high 70's, 5+6 = 0. Plugs in cylinders 1-4 are clean and dry, 5+6 where muddy and fouled. She gave my wife and I a great ride this past weekend and we did a good 80 mile round trip. Wife says she noticed something but I really don't recall anything out of the ordinary. I am guessing I might have a stuck valve? But I am only a year into this and would like to hear your thoughts & suggestions. Have I given enough info?

When I bought my p15 it had one installed. I'm not sure if it was OEM or a replacement. It works, but I wouldn't consider it awesome by any means. In my case steady uphill travel means very few wipes of the screen on rainy days. This might indicate I need to rebuild, but I rarely have her out in the rain so its not a high priority to rebuild at this time. When I do get 'round-to-it, theres a place in Mass that sells the rebuild kits.

What'cha got in mind Greg? I'm game... However, when I got home last night from my first "old car club" meet with Ruby in attendance, she wasn't running too well. You're gonna have to give me a couple weeks to figure this situation out. Idle is rough, I'd describe it as almost a lope to the engine... real stady shake at low idle. No power on acceleration. Just when you thought you had the kittens all rounded up, one escapes...

77f here in Central Mass today, the first day of spring. Crocus flowers are all up and blooming, trees are budding. You just cant beat this time of year. Everything just gets better every day!

Looking good Dave! ~ I am jealous. Wife and I have plans to follow in your footsteps in about 8 or 9 years. Hoping there's still some rural life left down there by the time we get there.

Hmmm I got a friend in Pittsburgh, I could probably store them at his place... Good reason for a road trip.. Love to see photos...

Fantastic early spring weather here in Central Massachusetts today so I convinced my wife to ride shotgun and we drove out to find the closest covered bridge to our home. We found one located in Ashuelot NH, not sure it was the closest, but its only about a 90 minute easy back road cruise from home. First photo is a behind the wheel shot crossing from Massachusetts heading north into NH on Rt.119, that's the presidential mountain range in the distance. Second and third are the bridge. Wife and I stopped and had a nice pic-nic lunch and talked to a dozen or so locals who stopped to ask about the car. Ruby performed fairly well except I think she's running rich due to the smell of unburnt fuel I kept getting a whiff of. I've been fooling with the timing and advance, guess I still don't have it right. Here's hoping for great weather again next weekend! That way I can avoid the honey-do list by distracting her with a cruise again.

I stand corrected. Greg is right. My book mark for the forum page is set to take me straight to the forum so I had to go back and look.

We'll all be watching and living the trip with every post you make wishing it where us in the saddle. Here's to safe travels and Gods speed when you need it!

Would be nice to have a location where documents could be shared. I belong to a Yahoo group for Kubota tractors, it has a file share site as part of the group. Not sure this site has that feature available to it. By the way your offer is commendable! Thanks for that.

Great looking truck!

Here's to the land of the shamrock so green, Here's to each lad and his darlin colleen, Here's to the ones we love dearest and most. May God bless old Ireland, that's this Irishman's toast!

Took this a few weeks ago just after I installed my new exhaust system. Smoke at the end of the video is cutting oil burning off the new system.

I just replaced my glove box lock with an NOS version from EBay. Cost was about 30$, rediculous, but I wanted a functioning lock. Long story short, said lock arrived at home and i installed the new lock in place of the old. Once completed, i decided what the heck, lets give the new key a try in the old lock... Yup, it worked. So if anyone's looking for a lock/key combo... $30 and it's yours. But remember I've got the other key.

Now that's what I call turning a mountain into a mole hill. Good for you Randy!

Checked the timing and shes pretty close to TDC.

What a lovely old girl you got there! She looks a lot like my p15 sedan. Your video has inspired me to get out my vacuum guage and try it on my car tonight and see what it does. I bought it a few months ago, but haven't gotten around to trying it yet. I'll post a video link for comparison.

She's a beaut! Congrats and good luck with the harness replacement.