5/28/2022
I'm planning to keep a work log and my thoughts here. Want to make sure I record all the things I'll be cringing at when I have a little more experience.
Did a compression test and created my ToDo of priority items before I do much cruising in it. Made a rookie mistake and my compression numbers are "throttle mostly closed" not "throttle wide open." I'll do it again in the near future along with a wet test to compare rings vs. valves. The lowest reading was #5 at 115psi and the highest was #7 at 130. The rest were all 120-125.
There's some shake and roughness at idle, carbon deposits on all the plugs (except #2, which is notably cleaner and dry) a bit of dark smoke and a smelly exhaust. That all seems to point at running rich. It does smooth out quite a bit at higher RPMs.
Things to fix ASAP:
1. Wiper blades. (done)
2. Left turn signal/brake lights. (tail lights, right turn signal work)
3. Drivers window badly cracked. (ordered)
4. Driver's door latch. (striker plate ordered)
5. Repair license plate frame.
Things to do soon:
1. Remove and strip cargo area cover to deal with decaying rubber(?) and corrosion.
2. Work on engine tune.
3. Wash, buff and add patina preservative
4. Speedometer - see if it's just a cable or something else.
5. Replace fan belt, adjust tension, and check new alternator bracket for alignment to fix squeaky belt when cold.
Upgrades to investigate:
1. Power front disc brake conversion.
2. A decent set of extended engine gauges that aren't too obtrusive.