Topic: What did you do to your non-motorcycle vehicle today?

[Kelly E]

That's the purpose of deep cycle batteries.

[grcamna2]

That's the purpose of deep cycle batteries.

How low can I discharge a good 12vt. deep cycle battery before damaging it ?

[Kelly E]

I don't know

[dave500]

noticed a little chunk out of my cars alternator belt so got a new one,the alternator has had a stripped thread in the tensioning lock lug for years and ive had a nut n bolt through it for years,bit of a pain to get to so i went the extra mile and helicoiled it.

[Don R]

That's the purpose of deep cycle batteries.

How low can I discharge a good 12vt. deep cycle battery before damaging it ?

 I read they may go down 80% but for maximum life 45% is best.

[grcamna2]

That's the purpose of deep cycle batteries.

How low can I discharge a good 12vt. deep cycle battery before damaging it ?

 I read they may go down 80% but for maximum life 45% is best.

Does that work-out to like 10vts. minimum ?
What's been your experience Don ?

[Terry in Australia]

So Spotty and I soldiered on with the Subaru H6 engine on the weekend. We had 4 stupid countersunk screws that didn't want to come out of the oil pump before we could remove the rear timing cover, and finally attack the heads. We drilled them and got them out with my screw extractor set, got the timing cover off, removed all of the electrical gubbins, plugs, injectors, various hoses and pipes, cam cover, cams, and (using my biggest breaker bar) finally got to the head bolts, with a degree of difficulty that ranged from "Almost impossible" to "Fcuk me, who was the clown who tightened these?" Anyway, got the heads off, and today I took the heads over to the engineering shop to get the heads skimmed. Should have them back in a few days, which is fine, the gasket set hasn't arrived from the US yet.

Subaru Sunday 24 Sep 2023 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Subaru Sunday 24 Sep 2023 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I gave each combustion chamber a good clean with Spotty's drill and wire brush, but was careful not to deeply scratch the gasket surfaces.

Subaru Sunday 24 Sep 2023 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Subaru Sunday 24 Sep 2023 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

The "Variable cam timing" is fascinating, and smart. I'm surprised that cars/bikes didn't have this 50 years ago.

Subaru Sunday 24 Sep 2023 5 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Anyhoo, still going great, haven't broken anything yet, and haven't even looked at a workshop manual. Looking forward to putting it back together and driving it, with the temp gauge needle sitting down low, where it needs to be.

[C317414]

That's the purpose of deep cycle batteries.

How low can I discharge a good 12vt. deep cycle battery before damaging it ?

Flooded lead acid, AGM, and gel-cell deep cycle batteries should not be discharged less than 50% State of Charge (SOC).  It varies a bit, but 50% is 12.1-12.15 volt, no load.  Discharging them more than 50% will radically cut their life.

For example, my boat's house bank had six, 6 volt golf cart batteries (flooded lead acid) wired in series (2ea) and in parallel for 12 volts.  I never discharged them to less than 50% SOC.  They were still going strong after 7 years, when I sold the boat.

[grcamna2]

That's the purpose of deep cycle batteries.

How low can I discharge a good 12vt. deep cycle battery before damaging it ?

Flooded lead acid, AGM, and gel-cell deep cycle batteries should not be discharged less than 50% State of Charge (SOC).  It varies a bit, but 50% is 12.1-12.15 volt, no load.  Discharging them more than 50% will radically cut their life.

For example, my boat's house bank had six, 6 volt golf cart batteries (flooded lead acid) wired in series (2ea) and in parallel for 12 volts.  I never discharged them to less than 50% SOC.  They were still going strong after 7 years, when I sold the boat.

 

[Gurp]

Day before yesterday my GMC wouldn't start.
Started just made a awful racket. Took it down and up to the parts store yesterday.
Failed voltage test and rear bushing was GONE. Disintegrated into tiny bits of copper that were scattered throughout the starter. Luckily I had another early small block Chevy starter which has the same body and a very similar armature so I ended up just switching nose cones. After inspecting it I realize that it seemed to have a bit bigger windings and bigger magnets in that body as well.

It hasn't turned over this well since I've owned it.

May have found where I'm losing prime while sitting as well. At work now I'll know in about 3.5 for hours.

Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk

[Terry in Australia]

I picked my Subaru heads up from the engineer on Saturday morning, he’s done a great job skimming them before Spotty and I reassemble it. My gasket set (containing only US or Japanese parts, according to the sticker on the box) arrived yesterday so we’ll probably start to put it back together this weekend. I gave him a CB750 head to skim and will take a spare Z1 head over today.

Being the glutton for punishment that I am I’m also replacing the primary turbo on another of my Subaru’s because the one that was in it until I yanked it out wasn’t spooling up. Being a typical Japanese car with a crowded engine bay it’s a MF to remove and replace, not helped by the fact that turbos produce so much heat that two of the mounting studs on the exhaust side have welded themselves into the flange, and no amount of heat, penetration fluid and foul language has helped to remove it. It’s so fcuking hard that sharp new HSS drlls have melted trying to drill one stud out, so I’ve bought not one, but 3 Cobalt drill kits, as the only drill bit that works is a cobalt bit.

Because I really am a glutton for punishment, I’ve bought a new T4 turbo to install on my Triumph Rocket III. A guy I chat to one state over installed the same turbo and showed me the Dyno charts with over 300 BHP and 280 foot pounds of torque, at the back wheel. Should be a fun project…..

[Don R]

Day before yesterday my GMC wouldn't start.
Started just made a awful racket. Took it down and up to the parts store yesterday.
Failed voltage test and rear bushing was GONE. Disintegrated into tiny bits of copper that were scattered throughout the starter. Luckily I had another early small block Chevy starter which has the same body and a very similar armature so I ended up just switching nose cones. After inspecting it I realize that it seemed to have a bit bigger windings and bigger magnets in that body as well.

It hasn't turned over this well since I've owned it.

May have found where I'm losing prime while sitting as well. At work now I'll know in about 3.5 for hours.

Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk

 My 40 Chevy's small block starter was just clicking, the battery was really a really old Optima so I just bought a new DieHard for it. It still just clicked, I replaced just the solenoid and that fixed it but first looked at the starters I had here. One is the long body high torque one, I checked the numbers and it's for a big block Chevelle. WooHoo$$. I decided to save it for someone who really needs it rather than put it on my mongrel hot rod.

[Terry in Australia]

I saw a good inexpensive hack to replace the $600 Triumph Rocket III starter with one from a Toyota, which is almost identical and a quarter of the price. I haven’t had a starter go out on either of my Triumph’s but if I do, I’ll buy one for a Toyota.

[grcamna2]

I saw a good inexpensive hack to replace the $600 Triumph Rocket III starter with one from a Toyota, which is almost identical and a quarter of the price. I haven’t had a starter go out on either of my Triumph’s but if I do, I’ll buy one for a Toyota.

I like it 

[Gurp]

Day before yesterday my GMC wouldn't start.
Started just made a awful racket. Took it down and up to the parts store yesterday.
Failed voltage test and rear bushing was GONE. Disintegrated into tiny bits of copper that were scattered throughout the starter. Luckily I had another early small block Chevy starter which has the same body and a very similar armature so I ended up just switching nose cones. After inspecting it I realize that it seemed to have a bit bigger windings and bigger magnets in that body as well.

It hasn't turned over this well since I've owned it.

May have found where I'm losing prime while sitting as well. At work now I'll know in about 3.5 for hours.

Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk

 My 40 Chevy's small block starter was just clicking, the battery was really a really old Optima so I just bought a new DieHard for it. It still just clicked, I replaced just the solenoid and that fixed it but first looked at the starters I had here. One is the long body high torque one, I checked the numbers and it's for a big block Chevelle. WooHoo$$. I decided to save it for someone who really needs it rather than put it on my mongrel hot rod.

I think I'm going to order a rebuild kit for the starter it was just the end cap bushing that was out of it. Just so I have another good starter body for my GMC in case I need it down the road. Over the weekend I had a mobile mechanic come by and put a flywheel and starter in my 93 Chevy diesel truck. He installed the flywheel backwards and now has to come back middle of this week to put it back in right.

Sent from my LE2127 using Tapatalk

[Don R]

 I have to admit stopping to read the "this side towards engine" multiple times on our race car. I learned from a friend's bad example not to bind it up bad enough to damage the pump. He didn't get the converter seated once and pulled it up tight with the bellhousing bolts.

 I remember the farm stores selling alternator and starter rebuild kits for the popular engines. I've used them myself a couple times.

[Don R]

 I took the 40 chevy to a muffler shop to get new mufflers, I would have been good with a full exhaust but he was able to do just the mufflers. It hasn't been this quiet since 1958 when they took the inline 6 out of it and put in a j2 olds in front of a Packard transmission. Maybe we should have talked a little about tone, but this will do until I get the block hugger headers test fitted and build a new system.
 I built this 355 cid small block around 1980, 4 bolt mains, steel chevy crank, pink rods and forged pistons with an L79 350hp replacement cam. Right now it has a 600 Holley, sometimes I run a Carter AVS carb.
  When the rubber parts of the fuel lines melted down, I found the Holley easier to service. Now, that's all fixed so I may clean out the Carter and put it back on. It has an older Edelbrock performer intake.

[grcamna2]

I took the 40 chevy to a muffler shop to get new mufflers, I would have been good with a full exhaust but he was able to do just the mufflers. It hasn't been this quiet since 1958 when they took the inline 6 out of it and put in a j2 olds in front of a Packard transmission. Maybe we should have talked a little about tone, but this will do until I get the block hugger headers test fitted and build a new system.
 I built this 355 cid small block around 1980, 4 bolt mains, steel chevy crank, pink rods and forged pistons with an L79 350hp replacement cam. Right now it has a 600 Holley, sometimes I run a Carter AVS carb.
  When the rubber parts of the fuel lines melted down, I found the Holley easier to service. Now, that's all fixed so I may clean out the Carter and put it back on. It has an older Edelbrock performer intake.

That's a nice hotrod Don.

[Stev-o]

I took the 40 chevy...

Need a pic, cant remember the last time I saw a '40!

[grcamna2]

I took the 40 chevy...

Need a pic, cant remember the last time I saw a '40!

+1

[Don R]

 Needs a little body work and a lot of cleanup. I'm swapping out the lower steering column bushing today. This is when I was in the process of realizing all of the rubber in the fuel system was rotten. After today it's my daily driver until the snow comes.

 In 1958 a guy that was in our car club owned it and put a 303" olds motor in it. Later it got a 348" chevy / 4 speed and after that a 392" Hemi / Torqueflite. I got it delivered for free in 1973, gutted and on 3 wheels. It sat until my plumbing apprenticeship advanced to decent pay. I got it running in 1983 and that's when it was painted. A year later it got the interior done.
 The paint has an issue with incorrect materials and previous bodywork. I gas welded some of the metalwork when I was in my 20's, it's difficult to believe that was nearly 50 years ago.

[Kelly E]

Nice car Don!

Today I put a new oil pressure sending unit in my 85' GMC S-15. I tried 3 different sending units and 2 of them read 80psi at idle. The other reads 70psi at idle, it normally idles at 50psi hot and 35psi after a thrash run. It comes back up to 50psi in a couple of minutes of idling. I guess I will get a mechanical oil pressure gauge so I know for sure.
I drive it like it's a getaway vehicle, it's got 42k hard miles on the motor since I built it. In 06' I built the original 2.8L V6 motor from 110hp stock to 240hp. It's really fun to drive and it just looks like an old beat up S truck. Nobody notices the 2"/3" suspension drop so nobody suspects a thing until I down shift to 3rd and leave.
I am getting ready to do more suspension work to improve the handling. New sway bars front and rear. A new steering box with less turns lock to lock, currently it's 4 1/4 turns lock to lock. Hey it's a truck.
The upside is the front suspension is GM G body so I can get what I need to make it handle like a late model Camaro. I can get a 4 link with coil overs kit to replace the rear leaf springs.
I've been training my kids to be rally navigators, they can read their phones no matter how hard I drive without getting sick.

[BenelliSEI]

Don….. I wish I had something I built 50 years ago! Hang onto it. Sweet ride!

[grcamna2]

Don,the car looks good sitting there.

[RAFster122s]

Very nice car Don! Kelly, that's funny!
I would play around in an empty snow covered parking lot after the first snowfall to reacclimate myself to winter driving. Wife would protest but kids usually liked it.
Hopefully they continue the tradition as you get rusty after a spring through fall of driving in good traction conditions...