SubRonLA meet in July

[jefftytoo]

Skippers,

It has come to my attention that our Northern brothers from SubComMI will not be able to join us for our planned two-day run in July (28/29) as they had previously intended. As such, I’m now wondering if it’s necessary to go ahead with running both days that weekend after all. I will pose this question in a group email to the entire squadron roster too, but what do you say? One day or two? And if just one, the usual Saturday, or switch to Sunday for July? Please weigh in with your responses, but remember: majority rules. What works best for you guys?

Green board,
Jeff

[jefftytoo]

Okay, guys, I think I’ve heard from everybody I’m going to, and the consensus is that we’re back to a single-day event for July: Saturday the 28th. This is not to prevent anyone from returning the next day if they want to, of course—far from it—but the SanFran skippers won’t be joining us this year so that Sunday will not be “official.” I know I myself can’t make it that day, for instance, and may even be boatless again on Saturday, since both by subs are on downtime again. Anyway, we can start to discuss August or September dates when we’re together then.

See you on the 28th!
JeffP

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I have been distracted from working on boats.
Still have more to do.
Carburetor replacement on truck.
(I got a message that sounds like it's at the post office. A week early!)
My Fridge burned up last Friday and new one is coming tomorrow afternoon. (yippy)
A few other small things but he over 110F has kept me inside most of the time.
Like from 9am on.

Anyway.
I have three boats in my living room.
The GW is just looking good because the insides are out in the shop.
The Skipjack and Akula II are looking good as well.

I had some time so I checked out the Skipjack.
I did the Akula last week.
Anyway, powered all up and the ballast pump starts running full speed.
None of the controls on the Tx work.
Turn everything off.

Well, that just showed me how absent minded I am.
The Tx is shared with the GW and was set for the GW.
So, I changed the Tx setting to the Skipjack.
Turned it all on and again the pump runs away.
Turn it all off.
Look at the Tx menu and it seems to be right..?
Stopped for lunch.
Brick on head.
I forgot to select the correct channel on the Tx. (has a module with all channels on it)
Okay, find a small screw driver and select channel on module.

That's it, everything works correctly now.
But I have now that sound of windshield wipers in my head.
Dumb guy, Dumb Guy, Dumb Guy.

The good news is, I only have to charge batteries for the next gathering on July 28th.

[jefftytoo]

Hi guys! Just a reminder here that our next SubRonLA squadron run is this Saturday, the 28th, at the usual time and place; I’ll send out an email reminder notice too, as usual. I shall be boatless once again this time—can’t be helped—but will look forward to seeing you all there regardless.

Green board,
JeffP

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I plan to be there Saturday.
Boats are ready to go.
=======
I have been working on the truck since Friday.
With the heat here in the desert, I get from about 5:30am to about 9am before I can not handle the heat outside.
The old carburetor was taken off and the New one installed.
I got the engine running but there is something not right.
Did a lot of research and I think I have the adjustments correct but the engine will not stay running at an idle.
The idle up when the A/C is turned on does not happen.

I worked on the carburetor move.
Talked to local mechanics and got no where.
Then a friend who just happens to build custom engines which most are big horse power type said his first thought would be a couple vacuum hoses are in the wrong place.
Well, that could very well be.
This engine has more than a dozen vacuum lines which over half go to the carburetor.
I have a factory drawing of the vacuum system but there where three or four different system for this model truck.

There is one saving grace.
On the under side of the hood are several metallic stickers put there by the factory.
One has all the tuneup specs.
One has most of the fluid quantities.
And I think there is a vacuum diagram.
Only thing is, I can not read it under the hood.
I can't turn my head and I can not get positioned to see it.

Major thought.
Tomorrow morning, I will take a photo of the sticker and bring it in here and print it out large enough to ready it.
Maybe this will solve the problems.

Back up plan.
I have another truck but I can not drive it back up Cajon Pass. Why?
That truck runs really warm and going up hill is get down right hot.
Second reason, that truck has always been my winter truck because it does not have A/C and is always warm in the cab.

Other back up plan is to put the old carburetor back in.
It was fine for years but runs a bit rich about 2000 rpm.
Been driving it that way for years but this time it did not pass smog. (I still have a month to fix it)

I have Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday to get it running right to go to this gathering.
If I am lucky, I won't have to put the old carburetor back on.
The problem will be a simple two hoses side by side are reversed.
I am hoping!

[salmon]

Ralph, use your digital camera and take a photo of your vacuum diagram. I use my cell phone's camera in the server room when I need a serial number and it is hard to get to.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Tom, I use my camera for everything when disassembling.

Took photo of sticker under hood on both trucks.
The truck I am working on is an 86 and the other is an 88.
All the hoses are the same except the 88 has one more.
All hoses go to the same places.
I compared the two trucks and I can not find anything different.

Even used the old carburetor in hand to see if I missed something on the underside or back side.
Nope.

I am at the point of removing the new one and reinstalling the old and make sure I can get it running right.
Only thing wrong with it is it runs a little rich and didn't pass smog.
Other than that, it has always ran well.

The change out will take about 45 minutes.
That will give me tomorrow to see what I can do.
=====================
I use my camera for serial numbers and instructions on bottle and boxes that have small letters.
Make them bigger on the computer.

I have another issue I have found I have to contend with.
Last year I got really sick from a centipede bit.
34 with 101 to 104 fever.
Now, my glasses are not right.
My eyes actually got better.
I thought I was getting a cataract in my right eye.
Everything was blurry then while driving I looked over the top of the glasses and realized I could see clearly and read some big letters and numbers.
Even car license plates.
The blurry is because my glasses are old and scratched up really bad.
Yep, getting old.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I swapped the carburetors.
Double checked all hose placement.
Truck started after 3 cranks.
Drove it out on the paved road.
Now have smooth acceleration. (full range, didn't do that before)
Checked A/C and it works.
Slow idle is a bit fast.
Got home, lifted hood and adjusted slow idle down to a reasonable speed.

Going to drive it a few days. (At least I got to make it to the sub gathering Saturday)

I may have found the reason for the running rich at speed.
There are two gaskets under the card and plate.
One had a slot that was not in the new gaskets.
The slot was not a factory slot but more like a gas ate through slot.
I need to drive the truck for a while to see if the smell of gas is still there.
If not then maybe I will go re pretest and see if this was the problem.

But for now, I have my truck back.
Still have to Aug 31 to pass smog.

Got places to go beside the sub gathering but I plan to start charging batteries, Thursday.
==============
Jeff, you said you don't have a boat to run but are coming anyway.
Are you thinking about bringing your Nautilus to show off?

Several of us would like to see it up close.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Friday. not a good day for me and my truck.

8am started over to re test the smog.
Got about 9 miles and the dash turned red with lights.
I slowed down and looked over the lights t see what was happening.

Looks like the alternator is not charging.
Turned around and went back to the auto parts store.
Had them check it.
Yep, alternator is dead. Output 3 v.
Got a new rebuilt one.
Got home.
Out the truck up in the air in the front.
Alternator comes out the bottom.

Anyway, got the old on out.
Put the new one in.
Had 1 bolt to put in that tightened the belt bracket.
What...no threads? I spent 40 minutes trying to get the bolt to work.
Decide to get longer bolt and use a not on the back side.
Crap. There is no room for a nut on the back side.

Remove the alternator.
Checked the tab where the bolt goes.
No threads at all left in there.
Cleaned it up and put tools in shed.

It is now about 11:30am and about 106F.
Gt in the house and stood in cold shower for 30 minutes.
Now understand a cold shower here is about 85 degrees.
Sat in from of cooler for about 1 hour+.

Returned to town to swap alternators.
Did not have a second one.
Could have one here by 7pm.
Okay where is it coming from.
Another store about 10 miles away.
Made arrangements and off I go to the other store.
Check the threads and other needs stuff.

Home I go.

I am going to sit in the cool office until about 5:30pm.
The truck will be in the shade by then and it should cool off to about 100 then.
Should be 3 hours of day light left at that time.

Good thing I charge all my sub batteries Wednesday.

I still plan to be at tomorrows gathering.
Even if I am a little late.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

I am worried.
It's 5pm and I just looked at the temperature outside.
106 F.

It has got to cool off out there! ! ! ! !

I am still worn out from earlier today.

At least I have had a full practice run at putting this thing in.
I know what tools are needed and in what order everything goes to fit.
I have the scratches and blisters to show for it.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

5:30pm to 6:45pm.

Installed alternator in my 1986 Toyota pickup. (second time today)
Truck is off the stands.
Drove it 200 feet,.
All the red lights on the dash are out.
The alternator light was on for about a second or two then went out.
Started on it's own battery without having to charge it.

In about 30 minutes it will be my turn to wash up.
When I was in high school and just after getting out, I worked at a sign company, greasing, oiling and tuning company vehicles.
3 cranes, a dump truck, a hole auger truck, 2 service trucks and the owner's 2 pickup trucks.

Then I got in to rebuilding 1948 Chrysler Windsors.
Built 3 hot rod cars.
Few others along the way.
I got over wanting to work on cars and get this greasy.

Truck currently parked so I can wash it down and make sure I get the water in the radiator full.

I can see me sleeping by 8:30pm. yawn.......!

[jefftytoo]

Not a whole lot to report on yesterday's SubRonLA run. Participants: Will, Mike D., Ralph, Neil and yours truly (boatless—the whole fleet is currently in the yards). A workmate of Neil's, Bryan, stopped by to check out our boats as well. Will, as always, was kind enough to let me run his two piston boats in attendance, and it was great to get in more practice toward eventual Nautilus running. To thank him I quite kindly snapped off a periscope from his Moebius Skipjack in an unseen submerged collision with Mike's Engel Akula quite some distance out. It seems I somehow manage to lose a 'scope nearly every outing these days—too bad for Will it wasn't another of my own. I'm now in the process of acquiring replacement(s) for him from Moebius. (I never learn; sorry again, Will!)

Other than that disappointing mishap, it was a good day. Mild, balmy weather (at least until afternoon, when things really heated up) and our usual clear water. All on hand enjoyed long, successful patrols. Broke up fairly early to evade the heat. Oh, one interesting thing: a large branch from what we determined was a diseased tree suddenly broke off and fell to earth in the precise spot where we'd been standing earlier that morning. We took it as another sign it was time to pack up and go.

Our next SubRonLA run will take place in the same spot—minus the tree branch—on Saturday, Sept. 8th. Hope to see you there. Will start another thread announcing this date as well.

Green board,
JeffP