Touching Base (Post #523) 1/23/2015

I felt like I should touch base with my readers.

The Big White Bus has been idling a little rough lately. I will look in to that a little more as we get closer to S.C.A.R.R. This year I plan to swap my spark plugs, wires, and my distributor cap. Getting the correct cap is 99% of the maintenance. Some of the pattern parts are not very well made.

I also still have the torque converter issue. I’m not sure what I’m going to do about that yet. It will be a very expensive repair.

I need to correct the oil leaking from the engine. I will order a gasket set for the oil sump (pan) and for the tappet covers in the coming week. I bought a set of ramps so I can clean off the bottom of the BWB at a car wash.

I also have what is possibly a bad tie rod end. I hit a seam on the highway and the shaking from the front tires was very, very bad. I had to slow down and get off the highway to get the truck back under control. I will be looking in to that this weekend for sure. I’ll need to get Mr. Fisher to assist while I investigate under the Rover.

I’ve gotten a lot of emails and messages this and last week. I really love to help when I can. Unfortunately sometimes I don’t have the answer. That really bothers me because I like to know as much as I can. So if you’ve contacted me, and I couldn’t help, please send me an email back so I can learn how you got it fixed.

I want you to plan on going to SCARR if you are able. I promise you will have fun.

That’s all I got for now.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

Flatbed of Shame…again (Post #517) 11/18/2014


Well it happened again. The Big White Bus came home on the back of a wrecker. Sorry, no pictures this time…I just didn’t have it in me.

The 5:00 rush hour had me turning off the highway to take the back roads. I had just started down North Kelley in OKC. I was talking to my wife about the neighborhood I was in. I will be kind and say this is a “rough” area in Oklahoma City. Shootings after dark are not uncommon.

I no more said I’d be out of the bad part in a mile when I heard “BING” and a lovely grinding sound. Of course there was a lot of traffic on this side road just when this happened. I put it in PARK and then back into gear. Nothing but grinding. I put it in PARK and got out to see if anything was obvious underneath. She was rolling down the street as I got out.

I set the emergency brake and climbed under. Nothing obvious. A nice gentleman stopped to help immediately. He directed traffic while I coasted back to the side street and off the main artery I was on. He was very helpful. I was very aware of my surroundings and this is not a place I should be after dark. That was confirmed when the gentleman said to me, “You got dem doctor clothes on so you should be alright.” Continue reading “Flatbed of Shame…again (Post #517) 11/18/2014”

Now That’s a D Ring (Post #512) 9/21/2014

image

I ran up to O’Reilly’s to get oil and a Wix filter for an oil change. In the parking lot I saw this D ring on a Dodge Cummings truck. Silly I know, but fun.

I am switching to 10w40. I know, I know,  you always used Castrol 20w50. 20 50 is probably too heavy. Winter is coming so I’m gonna add run lighter oil and see how that goes.

Richard our Web programmer for RedDirtRovers.com recently had to part with his Range Rover. He just happened to find an original set of carpets in his garage. There was even a set of rubber mats.

image

image

The mats are much nicer than my old set. Thanks so much Richard.

I picked up a Taurus from a friend. It needs some work but will make a good daily driver for someone. I’ll be sorting out the parts I need this week.

It looks like Charlie Blankenship’s Sports and Classics will get the transmission rebuild. He gave me a good price for the total job. I need to get the funds together. The Taurus will be my transport while the Big White Bus is in the shoppe.

Thanks for reading and Happy  Rovering

International Yeah, We Got That (Post #511) 9/6/2014

image

So my copy of Land Rover Owner International arrived in the post this week. And right there on page 3,621, actually it is page 252, is the Big White Bus. My mug is there too standing next to one of my idols Bill Burke.

Russ Brown contacted the good folks at SCARR and they in turn pointed him to me for a write up of the 2014 event. Russ and the editors of the magazine adeptly pared my 4 part series to the svelte 300 words you see there.

If I had studied Journalism in college I’m sure I could have crafted a lighter version of my behemoth posts. I’ll work on that for next time and maybe I’ll get a byline.

There is not much going on repair wise.  We are getting some rain this weekend and the wiper motor seems to be struggling to cross the windshield.  That’s going to be a fun project. /sarcasm. The cowl is not going to be fun to remove. And the transmission is definitely slipping.  That is going to be an expensive repair. I’ll be vetting the repair shoppes these next few weeks.

Have a good weekend.
Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

Unplanned Problems (Post #466) 3/16/2014

image

Yesterday did not go as planned. Broken bolt, and a missing exhaust gasket caused a halt in my projects. Today I’m headed out to find a bolt. Funny that a Grade 8.8 would snap like that.

It figures that the weather would not hold. I guess I’ll be chilly in the garage finishing up. I still need to get the transmission pan on, cross member in, exhaust re-hung, transfer case fluid swapped, transmission fluid topped off, and road tested.

Still a lot left.

Update: Unplanned Problems Solved

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.