Day of fun and disasters

[x.l.r.8]

So I guess this is how 6x6ing goes, my bazoo head gasket arrived today, so I dropped everything to get it done. Headgasket done I went to fire it up and in ran real bad, I changed the points and condenser so I thought maybe there was something up there but I was convinced it was fueling as it ran perfect on idle. So some mixture adjusting later and it just quit on me. Stripping the engine down I found the woodrough key broken. Yay I thought and put it back together and the same thing with lots of backfireing. So a quick trip to the manual revealed my timong mark is no where near the place it is in the manual. I guesed where it was and retimed it to that mark and whew, it runs great, I should say in the mean time I had also discovered the choke spindle was broken and the choke was free to do what it wanted.
Well I now had full throttle and a hatered for the thing, I keep threatening to change the engine, that I decided it was time for a maiden dunk in the pond. Well it floats and goes.........backward, I guess I need to swap the wheels over to the other side, would this also make it better in the snow?
Well as I was going backwards and the other end of the pond was much steeper, half way out I started taking on water and loosing grip, there is a vent on the front of the bazoo and it decided it would like to be lower than the level of the water, nothing left to do but head back in with enough power to turn it as it really does not go forwards at all. So back on dry land I decided to pull the plugs only to find out one of them was stuck in with filler and id fell off in my hand so I need to find something better before heading back put into water. On the way back to the house the exhaust gasket went, it's been blowing for a while but I never have gotten around to it. So I pull up and have a look at tightening the exhaust only to find that one of the studs has snapped and I need to try and drill it out (if I can get a drill in the gap!) so my day is over, the bazoo runs like a dream, it needs the choke, exhaust and the drain plugs.
But I learned the whole engine covers do not need to be removed to pull the flywheel as is just fits through the hole. And I need to really think about working out what way to put the tires on.
At least I didn't need the rope I was packing just in case

[jpswift1]

Oh wow, what an adventure. I have experienced so many times like this with 6 wheelers. I give you a lot of credit for being so persistant. It takes a true 6x6 nut to give it that "stick to it attitude." I know a lot of people give up on the machine when it acts up like that and then they let it sit out in a field for many years until some 6x6 collecter/restorer/racer/builder or what ever you want to call it comes along and offers them $75 to get it out of their yard.

[Mike]

That was a great story. That's how it goes sometimes but I'm sure the excitement of actually having it in the water gives you a little bit of encouragement to get it finished now.

I've got a good story from Wednesday about a tire that won't seat on the bead, a removed valve stem, a can of Ether and my temporary hearing loss.

And watch out for those 6x6 collecter/restorer/racer/builder's. They swarm like buzzards around you until you are at your peak of frustration and then they move in for the kill saying things like "Really I just need a left headlight but I will take the whole machine off for you too since it's worthless". I know these guys' tricks!

[x.l.r.8]

Racing in a Bazoo that I would love to see. I would give up but unfortunatly I have a craving to learn how things tick so I just see it as a learing excersize, I have always been like that, if something goes wrong next time I will jsut be quicker to diagnose the problem........hopefully, the exhaust was a real bummer, I could do without having to drill the broken stud out, however I only put the stud in a month ago so it may come out easy. I freally want to finish the frame off so I can paint it and call it done so I can start on the Jiger.

[Beeman]

"Really I just need a left headlight but I will take the whole machine off for you too since it's worthless".

Ahh... a true salesman quote. Bring ya down, then give you a way out to lift yourself up again. I've often used the "I'll give ya ten bucks and a pack of smokes!", but haven't really gotten results of that one yet.

[x.l.r.8]

So today I thought I'd have some fun as I finished my chores and needed a well earned break. I thought I'd go for a spin out in the wetlands, half way around I lost drive on the right side, I had good drive on the left so I struggled back on what should have taken 3 minutes actually took 15 with a lot of reversing and aiming. One of the collars came loose so I tightened it as did the other side at the same time, now everything is a bit stiff so I need to do some re-aligning and adjusting to get both sides equal.
Changed the tires around gave no perceptable difference in traction so next week I'll tackle the pond again. The engine however after a tune up and a lot of playing about now runs like a dream. the choke spindle has snapped and I braized and filed it back to it's original shape but I think it's only band-aid solution, the choke cable does not allow the choke to open again. One of my early problems was it would start then cut out and fail to restart (flooding) and it was variable on tickover, (choke flapping about due to broke spindle)
The clutch on the engine has seen better days and does not run true, it works fine but due to it being unbalanced it shakes everything. i think that this is the contributing factor to every nut and bolt working loose. It now wheelies but feels like it needs more power to get around, this has prompted me to definatly go with the 440 in the Jiger unless a good 4stroke turns up.
So a few small problems but I'm finally getting everything dialed in and enjoying the machine for what it is. The tires are rotten but once I finish all the other little jobs I won't mind spending some money on some decient tires later, for the moment they get me where I need to go.

[Mike]

Man, I have been there before where you lose power to one side out in the woods. I was a couple of miles from home and the brake band went in my T20 so I was like you reversing a lot and doing a lot of 360's to get home. It was tough in some of the mud holes. No fun! At least you are beginning to get to enjoy your machine though even if it is just for a little bit at a time.