[Hatch]

Not really a project. Well, maybe sort of.

Apparently I'm falling short on whatever the magic formula is to make a 4.3 work inside a Sami frame. Or maybe I'm too picky.

In order to fit it in there with the stock exhaust manifolds, I'm going to have to mount the engine higher than I want. I won't stand for the raised CG it will cause. I could rebuild the frame from the firewall-forward and make it wider and it would fit. I suppose I could try building custom headers instead.

Then there's the overall length. The 4.3 motor is almost exactly the same length as my Isuzu 1.8, but the 700R4 is longer than my old TH200 by about 3 inches. I could move the t-case and build new driveshafts and modify the floorboard for the shifter to come through, or move the engine forward. If engine goes 3" forward, I no longer have room for a radiator up front (if I keep my winch). I'd have to remote the radiator.

I could call Novak and see if they could make me a fixed-yoke adapter to come right off the tail of my other 700R4 (4x4 version) and it would buy me some front-to-back room (more than enough), but I'd still have width issues and the Novak one-off wouldn't be cheap.

And ya know what? The whole shootin' match is a pig in a poke; I have no guarantees that the engine and trans are functioning units.

So I guess the 4.3 and 700R4 are going to storage to wait for another project. Reckon I'll be putting the 1.8 and TH200 back in. Oh...all the propane stuff is gone, so I'm finally gonna get to do what I never wanted to do (and what started the propane then TBI conversion to begin with): rebuild my carburetor.

Ain't life funny?

 

[Jeepndav]

Ain't life funny?

It gets interesting at times don't it?

 

[Hardline]

That is why some poeple do tons of research and take alot of time before they do work that will in the long run get them nowhere but nowhere. popcornn

 

[Hatch]

There's lots of 4.3-into-Sami conversions out there. I guess they are either using headers on the exhaust or they're mounting the engine higher than I want (in a rock crawler).

If I knew for a fact the engine and tranny were going to operate good enough for the trail (and they probably do) and if I didn't have a time deadline (I want to make it to Clayton end of May), I would tackle modifying the frame. I've done it before [to make Jeep XJ power steering fit]. Last night I very nearly talked myself into going ahead with frame rebuild.

For now, it's a carb rebuild and put things back as they were (easy enough). Then I think I'll build a good cradle to hold the engine/tranny on the ground and see how a "ground hop" test of everything works out. If that goes well, I have all summer to rebuild the frame at a liesurely pace.

It's not a question of whether or not I can make it work. I can. It's just not going to be as straight forward as I'd hoped.

 

[Hatch]

My fear of [rebuilding] carburetors may turn out to be unfounded in this case. It took me less than 2 hours to disassemble the carb partially, find the trouble spots (float and accel pump seal), clean everything up real well, install new pump seal, needle and seat, float and related gaskets, and reassemble everything. We'll see how it runs (it used to do semi-okay uphill).

The insulator/spacer between the carb and intake disintegrated when I removed the carb for the propane install. That has been one difficult part to track down. No joy with Chevy (Luv motor) or Isuzu parts depts; discontinued part. I was mentally ready to make one out of 1/4" aluminum until I opened up the carb kit. The set-up instructions indicated this same carb came on old Datsuns. I carried the carb over to Trophy Nissan, looked at their exploded views of old carbs and it surely did look like mine. Spacer not in stock, but it's on the way from California and cost me a whole $13. Worth every penny on the (I think) good chance it will fit.

If the weather's not too bad tomorrow, I'm setting the old 1.8 and TH200 back in there. Then: enough with the drivetrain work. I'm gonna do some detailing on my suspension, body, interior, dashboard, and wiring. I've been wheelin' an ugly POS long enough.

 

[fourwheelerjeff]

I Love Going In Circles

at least you are going somewhere

 

[OldGoat]

sami

At least you will be able to get it back on the trail soon!

 

[Hatch]

All this "circle spending' is still way cheaper than hanging out in bars or keeping a girlfriend happy or gambling (and always losing) in Bossier City.

 

[Hatch]

Woo Hoo: I landed me some straight body parts to take care of some ugliness on Slinky.