ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[zmotorsports]

At this point as the engine bay is going back together I knew the car was only a few hundred miles from being due for an oil change and tire rotation.

While it was in the shop and on the lift I figured I may as well just go ahead and complete the next LOF service items now and then it should be good until after the first of the year.

I removed the battery, battery tray and lower air box to access the transmission filter and replaced it.


Next I reassembled the engine bay, dumped the oil, rotated the tires and drained the transmission fluid. Followed by refilling the transmission and engine oil.


Installed the engine covers and gave them a wipe down with Power House.


Once sitting back down on the ground I torqued all of the wheels to spec. and took her for a test drive.

It's nice to have that checked off the list of maintenance items, but to be honest, it may have been a waste of time as the valves were only off by a thou. I had two that were tight by .002" but all of the others were only tight by .001" from factory spec.

I also went much longer than the factory recommended service interval on this particular service. I generally follow factory recommendations to the letter but I know how this car has been maintained and I know they are all highway miles so it could go with a bit longer interval compared to a car that has a lot of city miles with stop and go traffic.

Thanks for looking.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Awesome job on the wagon Mike!

Were the valves pretty close on the Acura?

Edit...you beat me to it with your last post on the Acura

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike, that wagon is a piece of art. Your Grandson is going to always have a wonderful memory of his Grandfather every time he looks at his Radio Flyer.

jhn9840
John

Thanks John. I hope he enjoys it. Not sure it's a work of art though but thank you. It's just parts and pieces that all seemed to fit together.

 

[Seagoon]

While I still had some daylight remaining I took it outside for a spin around the yard.

Completed pictures of my grandson's Radio Flyer Wagon project.






















Thanks for looking and for continuing to follow along on this fun project. I hope my grandson enjoys it and cherishes it as I had a fun time building it as well as I hope his parents are happy with it and are proud to pull it around.

I'm sorry Mike but it's not completed yet. We haven't seen the 4 wheel alignment

 

[zmotorsports]

Awesome job on the wagon Mike!

Were the valves pretty close on the Acura?

Edit...you beat me to it with your last post on the Acura

Thanks Marc.

Yeah, they were very close, even though I ran quite a bit over the recommended interval. The interval called out in the FSM just seemed a bit too early at the time and I wasn't experiencing any issues of either valvetrain noise (ticking) or cold start misfire so I pushed the interval a bit more than normal. Definitely more than I would have on a client's car that I didn't know.

 

[zmotorsports]

I'm sorry Mike but it's not completed yet. We haven't seen the 4 wheel alignment

Sorry, I didn't show that, but it took place. I used my long aluminum rule and aligned the front tires in relation to the rears before locking the jam nuts down on the tire rods and taking it off the lift table.

 

[Seagoon]

Sorry, I didn't show that, but it took place. I used my long aluminum rule and aligned the front tires in relation to the rears before locking the jam nuts down on the tire rods and taking it off the lift table.

Well most people on here say it didn't happen if there are no pictures but I know how honest you are so I'll believe you

 

[steves_001]

Gorgeous wagon! Really nice thing you did for the wee one.

 

[zmotorsports]

Well most people on here say it didn't happen if there are no pictures but I know how honest you are so I'll believe you

Funny you say that, as I was aligning it with the rule I thought I should take a few pictures. However, I was using both hands to hold the rule and tape measure as I was measuring off the frame rails and didn't have enough hands. Plus I didn't want to scratch anything, so I figured I had better not try to balance all of those at once.

Gorgeous wagon! Really nice thing you did for the wee one.

Thank you. It was a fun project and one I hope he cherishes for many years.

 

[zmotorsports]

Last week my son and DIL asked me to go look at a new car with them. My son had paid off his wife's car shortly after they were married and has been saving up for something a little nicer, something with better aftermarket support as far as parts supply and something that he felt would provide a bit longer life and better comfort & safety for his family.

I was so proud of him for his research and how much thought he put into this decision as he wanted something that he could use and maintain for many years. He tends to be like me in the fact that he holds onto things for a long time and doesn't like buying and selling things just to have different. I was also so very proud of them for being able to save up the funds so that they didn't have to borrow for this purchase. In today's world of borrowing on everything it is such a joy to see them save and not have that debt monkey on their backs.

After his research he went on the hunt a few weeks ago to start looking for "the one" and last week he called me to tell me he thought he found "the one". I have to say he found a real gem for an 8-year-old car. Low miles, very well documented maintenance records, new tires, fluids replaced on schedule and in excellent condition.

It was a bit dirty when we looked at it last week but over the weekend my son did gave it a deep detailed cleaning and it shows like a nearly new car. 2015 Acura RDX with only 78k miles.

 

[MadeByMiller]

Congratulations on finishing the wagon Mike! The result is fantastic, which of course we all expected. I can imagine that the completion of this project hits a bit different given who it's for.

A second congratulations to your son and DIL for their new, debt free family hauler. We were on a very similar hunt a couple of years ago when we found our Expedition. The satisfaction felt by paying for a vehicle with a big stack of hard earned cash sure beats the uneasy feeling of shackling yourself to a vehicle loan.

 

[zmotorsports]

Congratulations on finishing the wagon Mike! The result is fantastic, which of course we all expected. I can imagine that the completion of this project hits a bit different given who it's for.

A second congratulations to your son and DIL for their new, debt free family hauler. We were on a very similar hunt a couple of years ago when we found our Expedition. The satisfaction felt by paying for a vehicle with a big stack of hard earned cash sure beats the uneasy feeling of shackling yourself to a vehicle loan.

Thanks Austin.

I am thankful that somewhere along the road my son was listening to me pertaining to debt, investments and overall finances. I don't claim to be an economist by any stretch but think rather simply in terms of earnings, budgets and finances. Something as simple as don't spend more than you make may seem rather elementary today, however it seems to be a foreign subject to a lot of people these days and I couldn't be more proud of the man, husband and father he has become.

 

[PugetDude]

Thanks Austin.

I am thankful that somewhere along the road my son was listening to me pertaining to debt, investments and overall finances. I don't claim to be an economist by any stretch but think rather simply in terms of earnings, budgets and finances. Something as simple as don't spend more than you make may seem rather elementary today, however it seems to be a foreign subject to a lot of people these days and I couldn't be more proud of the man, husband and father he has become.

LBYM is something every parent should model for their kids, sadly it seems to be lost on the entitlement generation.

 

[zmotorsports]

LBYM is something every parent should model for their kids, sadly it seems to be lost on the entitlement generation.

Unfortunately Scott, LBYM (Live Beyond Your Means) is a behavior trait that is learned all too well these days.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

LBYM is something every parent should model for their kids, sadly it seems to be lost on the entitlement generation.

Scott, my 8yo daughter's solution to everything is "we should just get a butler". I agree, so we're thinking about adding a butler's quarters to my run of the mill track house.....

 

[Ohmthis]

Yeah, that shift fixture/jig was used quite heavily back in the day. I'm not even sure if they still make them or not but sorry, I won't be selling. I hate selling tools once acquired. I have a metric ****-ton of snowmobile tools and doubt I'll ever work on another one of those in my lifetime.

Exactly how much is a metric **** ton, I haven’t learned that conversion yet!

 

[Ohmthis]

While I still had some daylight remaining I took it outside for a spin around the yard.

Completed pictures of my grandson's Radio Flyer Wagon project.






















Thanks for looking and for continuing to follow along on this fun project. I hope my grandson enjoys it and cherishes it as I had a fun time building it as well as I hope his parents are happy with it and are proud to pull it around.

Mike, check the alignment before taking on any long trips! That is so sweet! There will be many memories made with that wagon.

 

[zmotorsports]

Exactly how much is a metric **** ton, I haven’t learned that conversion yet!

It's slightly more than a "****-ton" but not quite as much as a "f**king metric ****-ton".

Mike, check the alignment before taking on any long trips! That is so sweet! There will be many memories made with that wagon.

Thank you.

I'll have to add that to the maintenance schedule before long trips.

 

[SilverJimmy]

That metric system was just invented so that them Your-A-Pee-On’s could sound more grandiose, 19 MM just sounds bigger than “only” 3/4 of an inch!!!

 

[bugnut]

Mike, the grandsons wagon is truly a sweet ride. It should be enjoyed for years! Well Done, especially with all the help from the peanut gallery!

 

[GRN96WS6]

I'm surprised that Acura (and maybe Hondas) still need valve adjustments, is that the case on newer model like 2020 on give or take? I'd also bet more than half the owners never get them adjusted due to cost.

That wagon is nicer and has better lights and suspension that some cars I see on the roads out here!

 

[zmotorsports]

I'm surprised that Acura (and maybe Hondas) still need valve adjustments, is that the case on newer model like 2020 on give or take? I'd also bet more than half the owners never get them adjusted due to cost.

That wagon is nicer and has better lights and suspension that some cars I see on the roads out here!

Thank you.

I don't know about the newer 2020+ models of Honda/Acura but I know everything up to the Fourth Gen TL's, the MDX's, RDX's and most others well into the mid-teens require valve adjustments based on not utilizing hydraulic lifters/followers. Their design consists of the rockers in direct contact with both the cam lobe and the valve with nothing hydraulic in between. Personally, I kind of like the simplicity of it and less parts in the equation, but they do require inspection and/or adjustments at various intervals.

As for most owners not knowing of the required adjustments? I would say that is very accurate, but ignorance is no excuse. If people would read their owner's manuals and understand what form of maintenance their assets require there should be no excuse for missed maintenance items. In my opinion this is research that should be done before the purchase rather than afterwards as it should weigh into the purchase decision.

I feel strongly that if someone is not willing to do the maintenance on various assets, then they shouldn't buy them. Same goes for homes, RV's, vehicles, toys or anything for that matter. One of the reasons I quit working on powersports equipment is because people didn't realize they were finely tuned race machines and needed much more maintenance than a normal asset and then when service was needed or they had a mechanical failure they would beg and plead for me to go easy on them because "they didn't know" and could barely afford the payment. I would tell them that the purchase price is merely the cost of admission. IF they can't afford the maintenance, they shouldn't buy them.

 

[GRN96WS6]

Thank you.

I don't know about the newer 2020+ models of Honda/Acura but I know everything up to the Fourth Gen TL's, the MDX's, RDX's and most others well into the mid-teens require valve adjustments based on not utilizing hydraulic lifters/followers. Their design consists of the rockers in direct contact with both the cam lobe and the valve with nothing hydraulic in between. Personally, I kind of like the simplicity of it and less parts in the equation, but they do require inspection and/or adjustments at various intervals.

As for most owners not knowing of the required adjustments? I would say that is very accurate, but ignorance is no excuse. If people would read their owner's manuals and understand what form of maintenance their assets require there should be no excuse for missed maintenance items. In my opinion this is research that should be done before the purchase rather than afterwards as it should weigh into the purchase decision.

I feel strongly that if someone is not willing to do the maintenance on various assets, then they shouldn't buy them. Same goes for homes, RV's, vehicles, toys or anything for that matter. One of the reasons I quit working on powersports equipment is because people didn't realize they were finely tuned race machines and needed much more maintenance than a normal asset and then when service was needed or they had a mechanical failure they would beg and plead for me to go easy on them because "they didn't know" and could barely afford the payment. I would tell them that the purchase price is merely the cost of admission. IF they can't afford the maintenance, they shouldn't buy them.

RVs is probably the biggest purchase people make and have really NO IDEA how much it truly takes, it's a house driving down the road, and sometimes those roads are terrible. They do not keep up on maintenance or safety checks. Busgreasemonkey on YT shows so many old buses that people had or are converting into an RV and they are rolling wrecks, it's amazing to me.
My father (love him to death) but he's one of those folks, he's not young enough to do the repairs anymore but too cheap to pay to get them done until absolutely needed, it is frustrating to me and it makes me worry when they are out on the road in their RV because I know how he is with it. They have had a leak that he just patched with tape and still have not resolved the proper way, and the generator doesn't work currently. It's in the shop now but I wish he would understand that maintenance is part of the game you have to pay to play. I help when I can but I don't know everything about an RV so my help is limited, plus I still work FT.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Thank you.

I don't know about the newer 2020+ models of Honda/Acura but I know everything up to the Fourth Gen TL's, the MDX's, RDX's and most others well into the mid-teens require valve adjustments based on not utilizing hydraulic lifters/followers. Their design consists of the rockers in direct contact with both the cam lobe and the valve with nothing hydraulic in between. Personally, I kind of like the simplicity of it and less parts in the equation, but they do require inspection and/or adjustments at various intervals.

As for most owners not knowing of the required adjustments? I would say that is very accurate, but ignorance is no excuse. If people would read their owner's manuals and understand what form of maintenance their assets require there should be no excuse for missed maintenance items. In my opinion this is research that should be done before the purchase rather than afterwards as it should weigh into the purchase decision.

I feel strongly that if someone is not willing to do the maintenance on various assets, then they shouldn't buy them. Same goes for homes, RV's, vehicles, toys or anything for that matter. One of the reasons I quit working on powersports equipment is because people didn't realize they were finely tuned race machines and needed much more maintenance than a normal asset and then when service was needed or they had a mechanical failure they would beg and plead for me to go easy on them because "they didn't know" and could barely afford the payment. I would tell them that the purchase price is merely the cost of admission. IF they can't afford the maintenance, they shouldn't buy them.

Well said Mike!

 

[XJSuperman]

With all that temp talk in Justin's thread....regarding the changing of the seasons and thusly leading to the inevitable posts of the "s" word and the associated pics of clearing driveways....have you upgraded your [s-word] removal equipment yet Mike?
I'm getting ready to put the blade on the 318 soon. Need to rehang the weight rack too.

 

[zmotorsports]

With all that temp talk in Justin's thread....regarding the changing of the seasons and thusly leading to the inevitable posts of the "s" word and the associated pics of clearing driveways....have you upgraded your [s-word] removal equipment yet Mike?
I'm getting ready to put the blade on the 318 soon. Need to rehang the weight rack too.

No changes this going into this year's winter season. Last year was definitely an anomaly as far as the amount of snow and number of storms that we had here along the Wasatch Front, so I guess I have sat on my hands in hopes that this year would be a more "normal" year as far as snowfall.

To be frank, I am hesitant to spend money on something that will do the same job as something I already have.

That being said, I would still love to find an older John Deere riding mower with snowblower attachment as a project. I mentioned it to my wife to see what her thoughts would be and she was fine with me doing a frame up restoration on a mower but wanted to make sure I didn't bite off more than I can chew right now. Seeing as how I still have some personal projects needing to be done as well as some promissed side work I have not been actively looking at this time.

Maybe someday I will be caught up and will commence looking for one.

 

[XJSuperman]

I'll keep looking, I figure by January you'll be ready to drive clear to Iowa for one.

 

[zmotorsports]

Friday afternoon I arrived home to edge, trim and mow the lawns.

I finished up just as the sun was going down and it was getting a bit chilly outside but I snapped this picture as the wife was pulling in the driveway and we stood out front admiring the property. Hard to believe in a few weeks it will be 7 years since we took ownership and the real work began to create this.

 

[ctandc72]

I am so ENVIOUS of all that..............CONCRETE. Anything that makes less grass to mow is a win.

 

[zmotorsports]

Saturday I headed to the shop with coffee in hand to start some work on the coach.

Cummins recommends running an overhead @ 150k miles and with our coach now having over 140k I figured now would be as good a time as any to perform this maintenance task while it is also due for an oil and filter service and chassis grease before putting her to bed for a few months.


Protective measure in place in the interior to protect from dirt or grease getting on anything as engine access is through the closet floor.


Engine access reveals the intake tubing and ducts that need to be removed to get to the rocker cover.


Coach raised up and supported with jackstands to gain access for starter motor removal.


The oil fill cap/plug needs to be removed from the cam cover.


Cap unscrews from the cam timing cover.


The markings show that the cam is about 35-40 degrees from cylinder #1 TDC. Cylinder #1 TDC is at 12 o'clock position when the sprocket mark is aligned with the straight up timing mark on the cover.


Next I grabbed my barring tool and headed underneath to remove the starter motor.





Unfortunately, this is where things went to ****. In Cummins' infinite wisdom they installed the lift pump directly over the access port for use of the barring tool. If this were in an OTR truck and I was standing alongside the engine with the hood up it would be an easy task to move the lift pump out of the way to gain access to this port. However, I have replaced the lift pump twice on this engine over the past 17-years of ownership and it is NOT a pleasant task. It is about a 10-12 hour job because it is bolted to the engine block and tightly packed in between the engine and passenger's side framerail. Reaching up about 3' off the ground and access cannot be gained from the inside through the closet floor.


It is so tightly packed in there I couldn't even remove the plug, let alone insert the barring tool.



At this point I had two options, spend several hours removing the lift pump to gain access to the port and then reinstalling the lift pump, or bar the engine over the old-fashioned way a couple of teeth at a time.

Currently I have the inlet, outlet and electrical portions of the OEM lift pump bypassed as I installed the FASS fuel system on my coach a couple of years ago. However, I still require the manifold portion of the pump to be in place as that is where the return lines from the CAPS injection pump return fuel to the tank so completely eliminating the OEM lift pump would not be feasible and it would need to be reinstalled if I did decide to move it out of the way to gain access to the port.

It took a bit more time than cranking a ratchet to bar the engine over but I got there. I had the wife come out and stand guard and let me know when the timing marks were aligned. I will need to bar the engine over 2 full revolutions before the overhead is complete.

 

[zmotorsports]

With the camshaft timing mark for cylinder #1 @ TDC it was time to move back inside the coach to start removing intake tubing and ducts.


Then the rocker cover was removed and brought into the shop.


I was very pleased when I removed the rocker cover to discover just how clean the inside of the engine is. It definitely pays huge dividends to keep a routine planned maintenance schedule going. With over 140k miles the engine looks fantastic.


The Jacobs C-Brake (compression brake) will need to be removed to gain access to the valvetrain.


Just for shits & grins I wanted to check to see how close the Jake Brake was to spec. The factory spec's for the Cummins ISL C-Brake are .090". A special 90-degree feeler gauge is needed to fit down inside the rocker box and between the C-Brake and the exhaust bridge. It was just a little loose but well within the specifications. The C-Brake will be completely readjusted once it goes back onto the engine but I was curious.




Engine covered up before closing up shop for the day.



Thanks for looking.

 

[zmotorsports]

I am so ENVIOUS of all that..............CONCRETE. Anything that makes less grass to mow is a win.

Thanks and while I do enjoy the concrete the majority of the time, it ***** come winter when I have to remove that white **** from all of that concrete. I honestly enjoy having a lot of grass to mow as I enjoy mowing my lawn and seeing the results afterwards. Besides, I do some of my best thinking while mowing the lawn.

 

[zmotorsports]

Before closing up the shop Saturday afternoon so the wife and I could watch our grandson, I pulled the cover off the Camaro and gave it a dusting and wipe down. The wife and I thought we'd take it for a drive Sunday morning for breakfast and then go for an extended drive as it was "supposed" to be a nice day.

Unfortunately, when we awoke yesterday morning it was cloudy with intermittent rain falling. So rather than go out, we opted to have coffee on the deck and enjoy the overcast and rainy Sunday morning looking out over our yard as this would more than likely be one of the last mornings to be able to do so with winter right around the corner.

 

[fouckhest]

Grass looks great, jealous you still have green!

 

[zmotorsports]

Grass looks great, jealous you still have green!

Thanks. Yes, it's holding out quite well this year. Usually within a week of the secondary water being turned off it already starts going brown but this year the color is holding out very well even 3 weeks after the water being shut off for the season.

 

[4 FN 27]

Unfortunately, this is where things went to ****. In Cummins' infinite wisdom they installed the lift pump directly over the access port for use of the barring tool. If this were in an OTR truck and I was standing alongside the engine with the hood up it would be an easy task to move the lift pump out of the way to gain access to this port. However, I have replaced the lift pump twice on this engine over the past 17-years of ownership and it is NOT a pleasant task. It is about a 10-12 hour job because it is bolted to the engine block and tightly packed in between the engine and passenger's side framerail. Reaching up about 3' off the ground and access cannot be gained from the inside through the closet floor.

Mike I feel your pain. This is why the next Motorhome we have will be a Super C. Been on the hunt for a low mile pre-emissions Chassis for the last 12 moths to have a Coach Body added.

 

[ctandc72]

Thanks and while I do enjoy the concrete the majority of the time, it ***** come winter when I have to remove that white **** from all of that concrete. I honestly enjoy having a lot of grass to mow as I enjoy mowing my lawn and seeing the results afterwards. Besides, I do some of my best thinking while mowing the lawn.

Tell you what, anytime you need to think, you can come to VA, hop on my zero turn and go to town. Gas and beer provided.

 

[zmotorsports]

Mike I feel your pain. This is why the next Motorhome we have will be a Super C. Been on the hunt for a low mile pre-emissions Chassis for the last 12 moths to have a Coach Body added.

My wife has been eyeballing the Super C's as we pass them this past year or so as well Pat. I like them for the aspect of engine maintenance and towing capacity but still feel I favor the bus style coach for the majority of traveling aspects. Not sure if I can swing another coach before retirement or not but it may take me another look if the opportunity presents itself. I've also been keen on the early to mid-2000's Wanderlodges as they are some nice rigs but then again, more the bus style vs. the tractor style. I am beginning to think a Prevost chassis conversion is going to be out of reach for us.

Tell you what, anytime you need to think, you can come to VA, hop on my zero turn and go to town. Gas and beer provided.

Thanks for the offer but I feel I get just the amount of "thinking" in with my own property.

 

[OutlawDrifter]

Mike I feel your pain. This is why the next Motorhome we have will be a Super C. Been on the hunt for a low mile pre-emissions Chassis for the last 12 moths to have a Coach Body added.

Pat this is something I have been looking into for the last few years. Find the KW W900 of my choosing and have the coach body built to suit. Wife just rolls her eyes when I discuss that and the stacker I plan to pull behind it.

 

[4 FN 27]

Sorry Mike...minor Hi-Jacking...

Pat this is something I have been looking into for the last few years. Find the KW W900 of my choosing and have the coach body built to suit. Wife just rolls her eyes when I discuss that and the stacker I plan to pull behind it.

LOL...I have to laugh. Back in the day there was no discussion with my wife. The racing years. If we need it we got it.

2005 I enlisted the services of the Engineering and Sales teams at Featherlite to design and quote a Transporter for our team. They were given specific instructions: Never ever send anything to my house. Send it to my office. Featherlite did a fine job and never sent anything to the house. But the Feds didn't. Based on the Transporter design/build there is an FET Tax which has to be paid...well the Feds sent the bill to the house.

I got home from work and as my wife was fixing dinner she brought up the FET bill...with fire in her eyes. After bit of back and forth I thought it was put to bed. Until about 5 minutes later she says "I thought you said your Tractor won't pull a Trailer Like that?" continuing saying "you bought a new Tractor too?".

The cat was out of the bag at that point...the 18 wheels were in motion and there was no turning back. It was a quiet 3 months in our house.

Not the best move on my part I'll admit but I had goals for the Racing Team. Having a Transporter that held 2 complete race cars, a "Bar car", 2 Golf Carts, 3 Engines, 4 Transmissions and 12 3rd Members was the goal...

We discus things now...and it still gets quiet...LOL because I never give up or in. Life is too short. Dream, set goals and bust *** to get it done!!!