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F-D Zernia

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Everything posted by F-D Zernia

  1. As Patrick stated timing is not the most convenient with the flywheel marks. I eventually did something different. I located the mark and painted lines with a paint stick. That helped some. The best was to index the mark centered on the pointer being sure it is top dead center. I used the camera on my phone for a better view. I only took the picture to verify location. Otherwise just look on the screen rather than use a mirror. Then with a marker I put a line on the pulley and another on the timing cover so they form a straight line. Now play with timing. No more bending over and looking in that difficult to see mark on the flywheel. Now I don’t mind adjusting timing. Fredas you can see from the picture I first marked with a V. Later I replaced it with a line. It shows up better.
  2. Hi Darryl, I also had a sound near the front of the engine. My front fan pulley was not tight enough. After tightening the adjustable ring on the water pump pulley and tightening the set screw better the sound went away. The set screw was not tight enough and it moved in the grove and created a chatter. After 10 minutes of initial run we checked compression. It was 60 psi on all six cylinders. I think when the rings seat it may improve. I also had a time the starter solenoid would click and chatter. I moved the ground wire on the solenoid from the voltage regulator post to a chassis ground and it improved. One of the small wires on the solenoid is the trigger and the other is a ground. As far as priming the oil system and pump. I pumped oil into the line for the oil pressure gauge. While the oil was moving we turned the engine very slowly about two revolutions by hand. That seemed to do the trick. Double check the distributor rotation and plug firing order. My manual showed the distributor rotation direction on car engine. On the weasel with the 90 degree distributor adapter the rotation is reversed. Fred
  3. Welcome on board. Looks like you have a good project. Fred
  4. I was able to find an aluminum timing gear from StudebakerParts.com and just checked the website. It is still available. Russ is very knowledgeable and willing to talk. He has a little Weasel knowledge too.
  5. I looked in the parts manual ORD 9 SNL G-179 page 41. Part A307776 Elbow, flair……………….0.063 restriction….. the restriction is on the male thread side. To find out if this is the problem you may replace the elbow with a plug and run the engine. My engine had no oil filter when purchased. I took the filter off another engine and then noticed the difference in parts. Some Studebaker car owners don’t use a filter. They change oil very often and feel it isn’t needed. And since some of these cars were delivered without a filter they feel it is authentic if left off.
  6. When we primed the oil system the oil entered through a tee fitting in the oil pressure line right under the gauge. While pushing the oil in I slowly turned the crankshaft. While priming, oil pressure showed on the gauge. The brass fitting in the oil gallery to the oil filter is not full diameter. There is a restriction. The oil filter fitting is full size. The proper size part is listed in the parts book. I paid close attention to which fitting went where. If you did not have the restrictive fitting with the engine I learned it can be difficult to find the right one. It may be possible the oil is flowing through the filter too fast. Next I learned from speaking to members of the Studebaker club that a restrictor is required before the oil pressure gauge. My gauge happened to have the proper restriction built into it but I added a restriction fitting regardless after being told extra will not hurt. I hope this helps and possibly some one else has more information.
  7. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!! thanks for posting the ideas on how to make the weasels work Fred
  8. This is the product I used along with the recommended primer, to fix the coolant leaks on the head bolts and timing cover. I did replace the head gasket as well. The manual calls for white lead which is not a readily available product any more. The machine shop that rebuilt the engine recommends the Permatex. After this change the leaks seem to be under control. I hope this can help someone else so a head gasket or timing cover will be sealed on the first try. Fred
  9. these are the belts my vendor found for me. There were belts on my engine and a spare set tucked away. The Mitsubushi belts were a perfect match. It is tight getting the generator belt on but no different than the original. Fred
  10. Sorry for the double videos. I didn’t know how to edit it out. this works well. I used a paint stick to highlight the timing marks. Then on the front pulley made two marks that correspond with the flywheel marks. I use the pulley marks most for timing and only verify the setting with the original.
  11. I fixed leaks and had the starter freshened. There was a water leak on a head bolt and timing cover bolt. Of coarse plenty had to be removed to fix them. Removed the head and re did everything I used a Permatex liquid paste high temp Teflon product to fix water leaks. One valve cover had a small dent and could not seal so there was an oil leak too. That I straightened. I’m still learning about the carburetor adjustments. We bought a new universal carburetor that I think will be good for starting out. IMG_3274.mov IMG_3274.mov IMG_3276.mov All is good now. In the next few weeks we should be installing after I get a little more wiring figured out. For a radiator I bought a new one that is made for an International farm tractor. My original is not good enough to use and pricey to fix proper. The tractor radiator is very close in dimension and mounting brackets could be welded to the sides. I expect this one to be less trouble for now. Fred
  12. Please understand my set up has not been tested yet as I’m still working on the engine. When I picked up my LAR tracks the advice repeated was bogie wheel alignment. There was no mention of how many shims to use only the end result. I imagine like an automobile alignment the shims used are not uniform from vehicle to vehicle. Not all frames are perfect only close. 1. Mike’s main instruction was to set the Weasel on the ground before track installation. I set mine on boards. 2. Use a 1” square bar to slide between the bogies where the track guide will be. This bar should be long enough to engage all bogies and move freely from bow to stern. At first it did not fit at all. I did both sides a little different but the alignment was the same. I must warn in advance you will probably be on you knees for a long time so be prepared for that. I found 2 bogie sets that were not straight to begin with. Check each set of bogie with a good straight edge and be sure the steel rims all touch the straight edge on 4 points when checking across both bogie wheels. If you find one just a little off it didn’t seem to matter. I put Jack stands under the hull but not to support the weight when resting on the bogie’s. Then used a plumb bob on the inside of the slot of the drive sprocket and put a long screw in the board to use later. Then did the same with the return wheel. I use this as a straight line from front to back. Now lift all the bogies and support them with blocks like the manual explains for track work. The hull now is resting on the jack stands. Place the steel bar on the board and use 2 more screws to keep the bar on the center line of the drive and return wheels. One at a time lower the bogie set and adjust it to fit over the 1” bar. It worked best to fit the front and rear bogeys first. This helped to keep the bar on center. Every time a bogie set is lowered have the mounting plate with the shims loose. The assembly will rock from left to right and then find the sweet spot. Shim according. Keep doing this until all the bogies are resting on the ground supporting the weight and the bar moves freely. Sometimes to get alignment the mounting pivot bolt holding the assembly needed to be removed and inserted catching the thread differently to move the entire thing about 1/8” in one jump. I did check when finished and another steel bar pressed against all the bogie steel rims touched all of the rim surfaces . This will be my quick check when the track is on. Or if I do a field repair. As I stated my Weasel is not moving under power yet. When that day comes I will post. What I have learned the bogies can be aligned with each other. It takes a lot of patience and time. Another observation, it didn’t change with or without engine weight. I aligned without engine then placed 500 pounds of bag water softener salt in the engine bay. The suspension squatted and the bar still moved freely. I hope some of this helps Fred
  13. Looks like good fun. That is a great outing. Thanks for sharing. Fred
  14. Another thing we did was purchase a new drain plug for the oil pan. This I found in stock at a vendor called; Studebaker Intl. in Indiana. I was able to drill it on center and use hot melt glue to secure the magnet in the hole. Originally I tried to drill the magnet but it was extremely hard and eventually split in two pieces. That is when I decided to glue them in the drilled hole. Now it is similar to the drain plug on the final drive and transmission. It is a powerful magnet and difficult to keep on center when installing. It tried to stick to the sides of the drain hole. I think it might be difficult to line it up through the access hole in the bottom of the hull during maintenance. It may be less work to change oil through the fill pipe with a suction device. Visible in one picture the magnet is coated with oil that includes small steel particles from the original break in. I expect this to be from the tappets and cylinder walls. No big pieces were found as of yet. Fred
  15. John, thanks for the heads up on the dip stick for a car. You are correct. I bought a gently used dip stick and as you said the marks are not the same. I did not realize that was the case. I bought it because the breather cap is so good. Things from the Studebaker vendors that I have purchased new I will share. Some I believe to be a good find. Shown here are replacement parts for the exhaust manifold. On the left is the often troublesome exhaust heat riser parts. In the Studebaker car world this seems to be a concern. I see people testing if it is working or not. It can be the cause of an ill running engine. On the right is the stud kit for the exhaust header. Note the brass fine thread nuts rather than steel. Also available are the brass nuts to fasten the exhaust manifold to the block. These can also double as carburetor bolts in some places. These are from; StudebakerParts.Com Other parts I purchased from this vendor would be, intake / exhaust manifold gasket, the original style. The lock bolts for the piston wrist pins, there are 2 different ones to choose from. The NOS connecting rods for shell bearings. If you check the website and look at the listing for engine parts there are quite a number of helpful items. Keep in mind there will be more than one family of straight six engines. Be specific. Ours is the Champion flat head. There is also a big six and 1960’s Champion overhead valve. Fred
  16. this was a great find. Dave Yamulla is marketing a new exhaust pipe. It is a good fit. I only adjusted for one bolt on the oil pump housing. It barely touched. My old pipe was dented to clear that bolt too. Now the indentation is not as great. Fred
  17. For Everyone, I started my Weasel engine two weeks ago and would like to share the process. A few things went wrong but nothing catastrophic. The distributor and starter were tested on the bench with fresh points, cap and coil. ( I’m still working on the best coil to use ) I found an excellent explanation on points ignitions on YouTube. The site is Uncle Tony’s Garage. He is a vintage Mopar drag race guy but very entertaining. And the information is spot on. I did break in on a run stand that we built to simulate frame dimensions of the hull. Engine is a fresh rebuild .30 over and mounted with radiator, transmission and I only wired the ignition and starter. This way nothing in the wiring can cause trouble. The engine builder sent a seasoned employee to complete the initial start and tappet break in. The oil gallery’s were primed with 2 quarts of break in oil with ZDP. This was injected in the oil pressure gauge line with a can that used compressed air to move the oil through the hose. As the oil was being pushed through I slowly turned the crankshaft by hand using the driveshaft yoke on the transmission. This primed everything including the oil pump. Then another 3 quarts were poured in the crankcase. The engine turned over good but would not light. We did get it started but it ran with a miss. Ran 10 minutes turned it off and address a leak on the valve cover. Got the 20 minutes at 2000 RPM for cam break in but it wasn’t right. Later I found the problem. The firing order in the TM9-772 page 160 is incorrect. This order works for a Studebaker car but the car rotor rotation is counterclockwise. With the addition of the Weasel distributor support my rotation changed to clockwise. I moved the wires and it runs properly. The correct firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4 with distributor rotation clockwise. Something’s I did differently. My carburetor is a new universal carb from a vendor in Daytona, Florida. The customer service is outstanding and everything was explained before I purchased. The wrong throttle arm was sent and when I called to say my linkage didn’t fit well the new part was immediately sent. I will send more information after driving the Weasel before completely endorsing it. I have pictures to send but they keep loading inverted. I will post them later. I will post more as time goes on. I did find more vendors for parts in the Studebaker community. When this started for us we joined the Studebaker Drivers Club and this Forum. The Studebaker members are a wealth of information and curious of Weasels. It has been beneficial and I will pass information on from this group too. I have learned the Studebaker cars are all 6 volt and the distributor points are not the same. Plug wires are longer. And we are aware of water pumps and carburetors. Good night all Fred
  18. I will be starting my engine for the first time soon. I found vendors for plug wires, coils, alternate style new carburetor and ignition parts. These things in my minds eye should work. I can list what didn’t work too. When I test these products I will post. Not everything that is Studebaker Champion engine works with a Weasel. Plug wires, coils, distributors, starters and generators are unique to us. The cars of the day were 6 volt systems and nothing is interchangeable. All is not lost though. The parts do exist, I just have not tested my ideas yet. Also I have joined the local Studebaker club chapter. One of the authority’s on engines is in my chapter and I use him as a reference too. When I have a running engine on test stand I will share the results. Fred
  19. Looks great Mike. The snow tractors are a clever machine. Fred
  20. Encouraging words. I like it. I have another set of wires for after the engine is successfully broke in and adjusted. I will use a guide ring then to finish it off. There was a little arching on the distributor cap coil and spark plug terminal. Seems some rubber boots are too snug and I have noticed some splitting. Two steps forward and one step back but we will get there. Fred
  21. John, Thank you for the information on the distributor mount. It all went together properly. Now I will work on the other side of the engine. It’s all of the little details that seem to take the most effort. Fred
  22. I have been in engine mode lately and have a question that I’ve yet to see asked. This pertains to the distributor bore. Inside the engine block is a small seal at the base of the bore for the shaft that fits into the oil pump tang to drive the distributor gear. I have sourced a seal but would like to know how much oil it holds back. This should keep oil in the chamber for the distributor gears or does it. The small tin cover doesn’t seem that strong to hold oil pressure. Do we grease the distributor gears or depend on oil pressure to lubricate them. This may be some kind of a splash system to spray oil on the shaft and gears. I cannot find an explanation for its purpose. The Studebaker cars are not the same so not much to compare to there. I ask because I have learned it is important where restrictors need to be placed in the oil system to prevent low oil pressure to the cam and bearings. This may be one of those important restrictions. Thank you Fred
  23. Hi All, The picture shows what I carry to tie down on the trailer. I was wrong before with the winch capacity. This winch is 2000 pounds. It gets the job done with ease. I recommend more capacity though for harsh conditions. I used this because it was available. These items are not only for the Weasel but things in general. All of the larger straps are used to tie down the Weasel though. I also have enough chain to accomplish the same tasks. Also. If you buy used shackles from tool sales or swap meets. Be certain the threaded ends are flush with the body when tightened fully. If the tread extends past the shackle face it was stretched and should not be trusted. Fred
  24. Hi Pips, Transporting is different for everyone. It depends what you have access to. Ordinarily I like chain, but they can scratch or dent things. lately I have been working with ratchet straps they work well and do not weigh as much. The down side of straps is cutting into the fibers where it goes over a sharp or right angle corner. The fix is what we call a softer over the edge so it takes the abuse and not the strap. This recently ruined one of my new straps because I forgot to bring rubber for the softer. I have payed attention to how tracked construction equipment is tied down. Cross the straps or chains to avoid shifting and pull away from the center front and rear. I’m concerned that these tracks can slide from side to side but that has not happened yet. Notice the below picture. The company that transported my Weasel tied to the sides. This roller broke off probably from shifting. He couldn’t pull away from the front and back for lack of space since the trailer was full. I understand why it was loaded like this and just accept it but will learn from it. As far as a winch goes, I bolted a 2 Ton unit to the front of the trailer. Just because it was available. It did the job easily, but I intend to get a 3 or 4 Ton to use permanent. If anything rolls freely you shouldn’t need anything big. Trouble is you will need it most when something is broke or damaged. And if you are actively using your machine or having winter fun there will be more stress on everything. Also I keep my rigging in plastic milk crates. It’s handy and convenient. I will contribute more at another time. Regards. Fred
  25. I have that same fuel tank. I read the ingredients for a hole repair and it all sounds very toxic. many years ago I know someone that had a metal gas tank repair done for his pickup truck. At that time an internal liner was fabricated for the tank. Maybe something like that is still available. I’m not sure I want to trust the rubber tank for myself. For now I intend to use something else and get to this rubber unit later. I would hate for the rubber to melt or dissolve and plug the filters and carburetor. I have considered cutting away the front of the fuel tank to put a smaller one inside. Then mend the outside rubber to make it look right. And you probably know by now how difficult it is to remove the self sealing tank. Not an easy one to do a second time. All kinds of ideas but I’m on step M and that one is about X. Good luck Fred
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