Not So MightyVac

Time to catch up on the Corollas. They’re finally both registered and safetied, but still neither are running. The FX needs new transaxle output shaft seals, and power steering reinstalled but it’s out in the driveway making working on it difficult with the recent psychotic rains. So working on the AE86. Picked up a reman steering rack and set about removing the old one.

12-01-07

 The rack is bolted to the front crossmember and I decided to take out the whole thing. I’ve heard it’s possible to take out without removing the crossmember, but it was all such a spoogy mess from the leaking p/s and brake fluids that taking it all out to clean would be a good idea. It’s actually a fairly simple ordeal. Disconnect the steering shaft u-joint, unbolt & pop tie rod ends, unbolt steering arms from bottom of shock strut, unbolt lower control arm tension rods, unbolt anti-sway bar ends, remember to drain & disconnect the p/s hoses, unbolt front engine mounts, support engine, then finally unbolt the four main crossmember bolts and drop the assembly. Hopefully not literally. So here it is in all it’s spoogy glory. It really is a gross mess. It does form a protective coating so everything is pretty rust free and unbolts pretty easily. So it’s apart and soaked liberally with some citrus degreaser. Kreening will wait for D and the power washer!

12-02-07

I manually scrape off a bunch of crud waiting for Derek.

Derek shows up with the pressure washer, it’s time to kreen! Yes, we take an almost perverse amount of pleasure using this thing. Not as manly as cut! or weld! but it’s still satisfying to blast away goo with this. Noisy as heck too. Works great, so great that it takes off paint too! But this paint is paint that is waiting for an excuse to come off anyway. Blast away! It’s amazing how little water you actually use. It may look like a whole mess of water is spraying everywhere, but it’s the high pressure doing the work.

The schizoid weather held out nice and sunny today just until it got to late afternoon when some showers rolled in. There was enough of a break in the rain to finish up. Yeah, now that’s kreen! The rains hit in earnest with a pretty torential downpour. Crack open some suds and we cruise in the garage jaw jacking about future plans for the Corolla. Someday, slowly!

12-08-07

Actually the monday after the kreening session, took advantage of the break in the rains to paint the crossmember. No showroom finish here, but it’ll get the job done. So here it is with the rack installed. Haven’t put it all back in, debating what to do about the control arm bushings. I want the TRD bushing set, but they are now discontinued. A shame really, yes, it’s a 20 year old car, but I’m sure Toyota knows there is a loyal following of AE86 performance moding. I guess they figure leave it for the aftermarket. So I leave stuff apart while I debate. No furthur work this weekend as I have the yearly marathon escort thing tomorrow morning.

12-15-07

Decide to put the AE86 back together for now. Need to move it out of garage to work on FX. I figure I can have it all back together and maybe take it out for a spin tonight. I have everything together and the only thing left to do is to bleed the brakes. I start on the first wheel and pump the MightyVac when I’m greeted with a pop! WTF? Did it suck so hard it blew out something? No, the handle failed. Curses! So close yet so far! I could bleed it the old school way, but that needs two people. Oh well, it’ll wait till tomorrow.

12-16-07

Ok, so I go to the store and buy another MightyVac. Yes, you’re supposed to be able to order service parts for these, I found listings, but it doesn’t do me any good when I need it now. I figure I got good use out of the old one, maybe I can rebuild it later and give it to someone. So I get the AE86 brakes bled and its good to go. Yay, now I can move cars around and get the FX into the garage!

I could, except the FX wont start! Double curses! The Sears Platinum AGM battery was just installed a few weeks ago. Lights come on, absolutely no crank. Dammit! I start taking apart the dash and snipping the millions of zip ties holding the alarm system in. I trace the ignition starter wires. Voltage seems a bit low going to starter solenoid. I try running some jumper cables from the AE86 with no change. Sheesh, I’m tired, I’m quiting for the night, I’ve been rained on by the schizoid 3 minute downpours enough tonight.