The Uber Hauler

Ding ding ding we have a winner. Only problem. 137in wheelbase. A flatbed wouldnt be big enough to hold a 12ft long scouty. However. It would effictivly hold many a atv and other things. Im going with a wooden bed. Maybe removable stakes.

But a hoist bed will always come in handy eh.
 
Been working through the weekend on the loadstar. Rough going. 4th oil change with engine detergents. Still jet black and clumpy. Im to the point where pulling the engine is going to be more cost effictive. Ill try one last run with some good stuff in it. Then if it still rolls out disgusting and the ticks rattles and knocks remain I'll have no reservations about pulling the old gasser and breaking it down.

I got the tires aired up....terrifying. Got her moved. Went to pull it in the shop. And found the shop packed with the peterbuilt. The eagle. The transtar. And a john deere....go figure.

So I needed a pit to work in. Badly. Cant do much work safely under a loadstar with it only 12 inches off the ground....so umm...I stole the biggest toy I could find and played ditch digger.

Pulled the loadstar over the pit. And got to work in the underside. Lots of goodies. Crap just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Anyone want a loadstar?

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Ok, now I'm jealous of that pit ya dug out for changing out the underside fluids and other maintenance goodies. Or more like for hiding out in the shade on them not so hot days taking extended naps.
 
Not gonna lie. It was really comfy down there. I was veggin out for a few hours just admiring the belly of the beast when I realized I had stuff to do :icon_eh:
 
Well. This is my epic fail update. Engine was supposed to come out last weekend. Saturday was nasty weather. Sunday was perfect. So crank it out. I needed the bellhousing and engine out. Got everything unbottoned. Ripped shit out. Torched a few things I shouldnt have. And away I go.

And thats where I went wrong.



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Rad in
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Rad out. Taller than the 41in tires too
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Looked like the engine was gonna come out nice and smooth. And then a loud pop and bang. Fearing the worst I threw a wrench at the old man in the skidsteer to get him to stop effing lifting the engine and I slid in to the pit. To find this comical site.
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All that had happened was the bellhousing refuses to come apart from the trans. Pulling the entire drivetrain with it. New meaning to slip yoke I guess. And truly a releif that it was just the seperation of my front and rear drive shafts
 
Old man is much smarter than he looks. Go figure.

Since im gonna have to rebuild the 392 he suggested using the 304 out of the traveler until I get it fixed....doh.
 
More cheery update today. Between much screwing around and swearing the engine finally came out with only 5 or 6 broken things.

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Old geezer thinks hes cool just cause he can run the m better than me. I almost hoped hed tip it. Course then the engine wouldnt have gotten pulled today

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Top off


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Engine pulled


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Engine broken apart from tranny
 
Few more.

IH in all their infinate wisdom put two extra bolts inside the bellhousing into the transmission. Because....well I have no idea why they'd do it. Nutty bastards. But I found em before I broke out the sledge hammer :icon_ninja:

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Clutch is frozen solid
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At least there isnt any rust to deal with...
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And home it goes with me
 
I rarely resort to swearing. But today was one of those days.


First of all....clutch? What clutch. Aint no dammed clutch left. Pile of shit old ass crap.
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Oh did I mention the po virus. Boat style rocker assembly on one side. Welded on the other.

Engine was rebuilt at some point. And 99% of the work looks good....until I saw that. Any one predicting any problems?

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Damn problem is everything so far is clean. It drives me insane. Only have the heads to go but so far no visible damage to anything

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This was actually a washer found in the oil pan doing some damage but negligable in the long run
 
I pulled the clutch on my t'ette this weekend too. While the disk wasn't that bad, one if the rivets did fall out. But omg had the po roasted and toasted it. Major cracks were found in the pp and clutch face. I've had the truck since '99 and the clutch did seem like it was getting a bit tired. Looks like you're running a 12" clutch, wait till you find how much they cost! I upgraded from the 11" to the 12" since a 392 is replacing the old 345.
 
I had just assumed mine was the 13in clutch like other loadstars had. But sinking feeling this was a pickup engine. Oh well. How much did it run you buddy? Arm? Leg? Both?
 
Just a leg and 3 fingers. There wasn't a core because I upgraded from an 11" clutch. Hopefully she'll be running this afternoon.
 
Hey that aint to bad. I have a long way to go before I get to running and driving. Wish it was just a clutch for me
 
I found da f***in problem!!! :icon_rotate:

im so excited. Its only gonna cost me...a shit load. No worries

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Ta da. A nice crispy piston


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Head gasket? What head gasket


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The offender was removed and detained



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Oh good. Im glad it didnt score my cylinder walls or anything.

This stupid engine only has 60 fu**in thousand miles on it since its supposed rebuild.



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Free 392 bored .020 over if any body wants it
 
ouch. That bites. Major po virus.

Why not rebuild it and up the bore size, with. 030 over pistons? And redo the heads using same type of rockers on both. Pricey, indeed. But at least you will know what ya got, instead of unknown po virus whatnot
 
Then im lookin at say 2 grand. Maybe more. IHPA 12 in clutch. 30 over pistons and rings. I have the correct rocker assembly. Machine shop work. Not to mention new bearings. Gaskets.

Sadly on my budget it cant be done by the time rmihr rolls around.

Ill have to do what I can now and drop my 304 in the loadstar until the cash flow picks up. I have .020 over 392 pistons on the shelf at my casa. But I dont think a "hone" would do much for that cylinder.

Not to mention I dont believe in cylinder honing to much as it is for a scored block.

Just hard to decide where to go from here huh buddy. Obviously the correct way to go would be bore it another .010 over and get the correct .030 pistons and rings. It just sucks that one ruddy cylinder has to f*** up a perfectly good engine. Went through this with my 196. All the other cylinders look great. Cam is a newer isky cam. Had newer lifters. Blah. Whoever ran this truck sure knew how to run a sv8 like a chubby small block

darn po virus huh. Hard to justify dumping 2 grand into a 300$ truck
 
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