Ruby Scoo’s epic build, ten years and counting...

[steptoe]

and taking longer than I expected!

I think most of us can relate to that and just waiting for the ' it cost about double what I though it would' comment

[El_Freddo]

just waiting for the ' it cost about double what I though it would' comment

I'm not sure you'll hear that in this conversion - I've been very lucky to have received some subi "hand-me-downs" and some really cheap parts due to a half price pick-a-part day

This conversion has been governed by the purse strings and although I have a goal of when it is to be in by I've never had that aim to get it in ASAP as I want to get it right the first time

No other news on the EJ conversion atm - but I have found an AWD gearbox, just need to pull it out from the wreckers and pay (full price ) for it before it ends up on the workbench for some frankenstien fun...
And I've been working on my sister's L "Baz" who was subject to a roo last week.

Cheers

Bennie

[steptoe]

oh yeah? what model is the box comin' out of ?

[AlpineRaven]

oh yeah? what model is the box comin' out of ?

I think its coming out from Liberty.
Cheers
AP

[El_Freddo]

oh yeah? what model is the box comin' out of ?

Dad said it was a 91 liberty... I can't wait to get down there, just waiting for thursday to roll around so a mate can come with/provide a ride down, either way he's coming to see the "glory" that is centre rd wreckers - one of my favourite parts places.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Wow its been a while! That post above: We didn't find the AWD gearbox at PAP - but we did find one at centre road wreckers - they were asking a crazy price that I wasn't prepared to pay. I was going to pull it and argue them down until I found that they don't have any hoists to pull/drop boxes. The guy there suggested to me that I drop it onto a pile of backseats. GET REAL!!

So after that disappointment I've been to PAP a few times without any luck. Last weekend they had a 50% off engine and gearboxes day and had two 'new' libertys in the yard at Campbellfield. I got there before anyone else did (stayed in melbs) and found me the two libertys. The first one I found was an auto - "Bugger" is what I thought as I couldn't see the second one. After some scouting around it was 3 cars down from the first I saw, I'd walked right past it. Both had front end damage.

Now I've got an AWD EJ gearbox in my L - albeit in the back. This weekend will see the two boxes split and internals swapped, I'll be sure to get photos. The next two weeks will see work on getting the EJ going to see what needs to be done, this will govern wether or not I get the engine and gearbox into Ruby Scoo before the end of the holidays.

I have about 80km's to go before I hit the 400,000km mark and a dying bearing in the alternator that scares the shit outta you if you're not ready for it!

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

G'day all!

Yesterday I continued working on the EJ wiring - followed all the pinout sheets and was finally starting to get my head around it all. Here's the wiring I need on the right with everything else it came with on the left that I don't need:



I got home later than I wanted today. I've previously setup the EJ on a frame to do a test run. I had to get a starter motor before any of that could occur. This came on the gearbox I got two weekends ago (sounds so primary school saying it that way).

So I got that sorted, hooked up a radiator, got the fuel sorted, dug up and connected the AFM then got my wiring I cut down and tagged yesterday to hook up... The wiring looked very messy. I primed the fuel lines manully first up. Then I connected the wiring to the battery and cranked it over. Nothing happened and realised something was up as the fuel pump had not primed for a few seconds. So a bit of a hunt around the wiring before I figured out what I had missed - now I (think I) fully understand the wiring and what I need to do when I shove it in Ruby Scoo (neatly). I had the ignition wire connected to the dash ("ign" terminal) in hope that I'd have some guages to look at. Well that wire was meant to turn the whole system on by connecting to the positive. I protected everything with a fusable link - did get me wondering if it would protect anything, those fusable links are a bit dodge I reckon.

The weather all day was passing storms! Something a little un-expected and gave a Dr Frankenstein like atmosphere. This is what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUjKbPrZDLM

Very stoked! Tomorrow I hope to work out how to hook up the guages so I can run it for longer and check out any problems. As it 'subi beats' in the back ground I'm going to pull a box apart to start that swap...

Cheers

Bennie

[AlpineRaven]

awesome awesome.... that is looking good there hey... I laughed at you with the miner's light on your head, fair enough mate... looking good hey... at least its running now! keep it up mate.
Cheers
AP

[AlpineRaven]

Was it smokey when you started it up for the first time?
Cheers
AP

[El_Freddo]

Was it smokey when you started it up for the first time?

Dunno - the exhaust is hooked up to an L series pipe (a bit of fun but it fits now ) and it pokes out the back door into the wind and rain. I did go out and have a look at it - there was the usual vapour you'd expect in this weather, that's all I could see in my head torch...

I can't wait to fire it up again tomorrow and get the guages working too - I might have to rip some wiring from the parts bomb out the back and see what I can do with it.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Just been back out to show my gf what I've managed to do... While out there I noticed that I now have a tacho working

Still can't work out the temp guage which is the one I really want to watch atm.

I've got two wires that I apparently need but don't know what they are. I'm guessing one is oil light and the other something else

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

I have just started a thread with some wiring questions about the alternator, the two random wires and the two power wires. That thread can be found here.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Update:

Last friday AlpineRaven dropped into the shed to have a look-see at what I was up to. He managed to find his way out of the shed in the end which was good, you really have to pack a lunch if you don't know your way around

While he was there we sorted out the two random wires, now I have a temp guage Thanks heaps AP! The only thing I need to work out now is the oil warning light.

Before AP came over I hooked up a mechanical temp guage. It was good to see how things were looking while the engine was running - and I was able to run it for longer before I decided I was done with testing. Result was a leaking water pump. I am yet to strip it down but I'll probabily be replacing the water pump and the timing belt while I'm there - I am guessing that the previous owner did not replace the timing belt at the 100k km interval as you'd think they would do the water pump at the same time - the odometre had 127,000km on the clock, the motor had a fried clutch and some residue around the water pump area so I took the gamble that it was a good engine. It runs really well so I'm sure I've come up trumps there I've also got no codes showing which I'm happy about too.

The two gearboxes are still apart - its a straight swap as the input shaft bearing housing is the same between the two boxes. What AP experienced with the difference in this is the result of the use of a later model gearbox, post '98 I think... So I'm up to the bit where I need to clean the casing to keep other bits clean as I work out the diff backlash before final reassembly. Work load has increase and as a result has slowed down the EJ conversion work Now hoping for the end of the month - Ruby Scoo will hit 401,000km before I see the week out.

That's all for now.

Cheers

Bennie

[AlpineRaven]

Update:

Last friday AlpineRaven dropped into the shed to have a look-see at what I was up to. He managed to find his way out of the shed in the end which was good, you really have to pack a lunch if you don't know your way around

While he was there we sorted out the two random wires, now I have a temp guage Thanks heaps AP! The only thing I need to work out now is the oil warning light.

Before AP came over I hooked up a mechanical temp guage. It was good to see how things were looking while the engine was running - and I was able to run it for longer before I decided I was done with testing. Result was a leaking water pump. I am yet to strip it down but I'll probabily be replacing the water pump and the timing belt while I'm there - I am guessing that the previous owner did not replace the timing belt at the 100k km interval as you'd think they would do the water pump at the same time - the odometre had 127,000km on the clock, the motor had a fried clutch and some residue around the water pump area so I took the gamble that it was a good engine. It runs really well so I'm sure I've come up trumps there I've also got no codes showing which I'm happy about too.

The two gearboxes are still apart - its a straight swap as the input shaft bearing housing is the same between the two boxes. What AP experienced with the difference in this is the result of the use of a later model gearbox, post '98 I think... So I'm up to the bit where I need to clean the casing to keep other bits clean as I work out the diff backlash before final reassembly. Work load has increase and as a result has slowed down the EJ conversion work Now hoping for the end of the month - Ruby Scoo will hit 401,000km before I see the week out.

That's all for now.

Cheers

Bennie

:DIts a pleasure mate, anytime!
Cheers
AP

[El_Freddo]

Note for everyone: Don't leave gearbox cases in a solution of degreaser - mine have started to come up with white salt like spots over the casings. I've cleaned the interior of the gearbox with some WD40. Hopefully tomorrow after work I'll get time to wash them with some kerosene.

I also stuffed up the gear selectors, one of the little dedent balls came out cos I moved the shaft too far out. Now they're all out so I could get the one that came out back in. Fun fun. At least it will make it easier to clean out...

I pulled the water pump after getting a new one. I don't need to use the new one, just re-seal the original one I have a clutch plate on order to pick up later in the week and am thinking of replacing the ball joints and tie rod ends when the EJ goes in. This will literally give me a new front end, the only thing that would need replacing from there are the suspension bushes, which wouldn't be hard to do, just a few more $$$...

I hope to be in the shed every day this week plugging a way at it - I'm really keen to get this EJ in! And I'll have access to a second L to drive while I have Ruby Scoo off the road doing the swap...

Cheers

Bennie

[ScubyRoo]

Great work bennie! Awesome reading your progress, good stuff! What are your exhaust plans, and when is the lift coming?!?!!

[El_Freddo]

What are your exhaust plans, and when is the lift coming?!?!!

Thanks Owen. Exhaust will be EJ Y pipe bolted to the smaller diametre rear L series exhaust for now. This will be changed after the lift is sorted so I can go a larger pipe and tuck it close to the underbody at the same time, which brings me to the next answer...

The lift will come after I have the EJ in and running without problems. Hopefully by then I'll have some coin to jump online with an engineer to approve a 3 inch lift and 27 inch tyres. I'd like to make the lift myself (with the help of my uncle's mig welder) - its just time and money.

Cheers

Bennie

[AlpineRaven]

awesome! looking good hey... It happens - we all learn from the hard way (such as ball bearings etc)

yeah we learn from our mistakes what should/shouldn't do etc... eg. rubber in thinners is a big no!... cant wait to the end result!

When is the engine going in?
Cheers
AP

[El_Freddo]

When is the engine going in?

Once the gearbox is sorted... and the engine has been sealed up in the areas of concern... and when I get the radiator modded, which will be during the mechanical and wiring swap. As this happens the interior will come out for a proper clean out too. I'd like to get a new floor lining but knowing me I'd just get it wet again.

The swap will happen once I get hold of Baz as a second car so I can still get around while Ruby Scoo is off the road for a week or so (hopefully not that long but who knows with me). I'm hoping to have this done before we head up to the snow in late august, its not that far away. I'd love to have the EJ under the bonnet to do the climb up to the snow

So it basically hinges off a few factors at the moment...

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Today I washed the gearbox cases with some kerosene. They came up tops:





This is the corrosion that had started while in the bath of degreaser:



I got the engine up onto an engine stand, this made things easier to do with the added bonus of being able to turn the motor around 360 degrees.



Since the gearbox casings were still wet and I had the stuff out to clean, I decided to start cleaning up the engine. This is what it looked like before I started, I don't have a finished photo yet (cos its not finished):



I've got the cam cover off with the seal area cleaned up ready for some high temp silicone to seal it back up again, hopefully this time without any oil leaks - this side had quite a leak when the engine was tested...

Tomorrow I'll grab new oil seals for the crank and cams, a tube of high temp silicone and get stuck into the gearbox rebuild (hopefully without any problems doing it) if I'm not working.

Cheers

Bennie