Rod's AZ A-108

So I finally had some free time when it wasn't blazing hot. I decided to freshen up the engine area on the 108.
It needed cleaning, some stuff fixed and the wiring is scary!

So here's the start... Good thing I didn't have to open this at the shows!!!
Passenger side


Driver side



After scraping and brushing with some engine cleaner, it's a bit better.



Manifolds off, more crud

Cleand and some paint - went with Hemi orange...


Here's a tip, use aluminum foil to mask off stuff you don't want painted but don't remove.

About this point, you are wondering why I didn't prep and paint the valve cover. It was so I could do all this without taping off the top of the engine.


I had this waiting for me to get going!


Parts cleaned up a bit and installed. I didn't do a super job, just knocked of most of it and wiped stuff down.


One of the things I wanted to fix was the fuel line and long hose.
Here's the old and new, with a bender.


A few bends and some adjusting, and it's much better. Too bad it's still short. I'll figure that out when the new manifolds/carb are in place. NO foot long hose!!

I still have to prep the manifolds/carb, and drill out a broken stud, swap out the thermostat and prep and paint all the black stuff, then install it all. Gotta fix up the wiring and paint the back and bottom too, but progres has been made!

That's coming along nicely Rod. Chrome valve cover looks sharp.

Very nice. Going to be touching up my engine while I replace my timing and pan gaskets here soon.

nice lookin' van , killer graphics! Great formation in the engine bay!

very cool................

Nice choice with the plain chrome valve cover man. Everythings looking killer from what I can see!
-GothY-

Nice engine chores / detailing / upgrading!

Okay, so I didn't want to just clean and paint the manifolds. It had a broken stud and exhaust leak, and you can't really paint them nice in place.
So, here's some more of the story. I also had a 2 bbl assembly I was planning on mounting, but after finally looking at them both, it would be a lot of fussing to get it working right. The 108 is linkage and the throttle is along the van's center. The 2 bbl is cable and the throttle is along the front axle.
ONE BARREL

TWO BARREL

SPECIAL WASHERS AND NUTS (some missing)

ONE BARREL separated after 3 days of soaking the bolts.

If you have a lack of power and fuel boiling, make sure to check the heat riser valve. It diverts exhaust to the bottom of the intake when cold and SHOULD flap open to keep the heat from the intake when warm. Yes, mine was stuck!
This is looking down from the intake's opening, note the flapper arm position here. You can also see another broken bolt! Darn! I must do the one in the head, but may have a machine shop do this one.
COLD POSITION

HOT POSITION

I love the direction you have gone with your van !!!! Bill

Spent last evening and this morning on the carb and parts.
These are before disassembly. It looks a lot cleaner in the pics!


Dipping the washers, nuts and other parts.
Evaporust is GOOD!

Always lay out the parts in order! I could probably do this carb blindfolded, but it's just smart to keep things tidy.
The metering plate, float bowl and triagle top cover have all been soaked then wiped down in carb dip.
Also note the clip puller at the right (may not show here).
One of the most useful tools when doing carbs!

Here the bolts and main body are cleaned. Still have to put the choke pull-off in the evaporust. You can't put anything with rubber or plastic in the dip.

I'll post pics of the finished evaporust parts tomorrow.

Is that fuel bowl that out of shape or is it just the picture? If it is i can send you my old carb.

Engine looks great! What intake gasket are you going to use?

The bowl is kinda warped, but I think it's just the way it's cast. I think they did them that way to prevent over-tightening. Thanks for the offer though!
Still soaking the rusty stuff. I got the special washers out and they look a lot better. I need to find the others I grabbed in the JY a while back. I've got stuff tucked away all over the place.
I may fix the dajiban today. It needs the fuel pump module replaced. It was darn hot yesterday, and it's shaping up to do it again today.
I soaked the triangle top part in evaporust, hoping it would come out nicer. It looks the same, so I won't bother with the main body and bowl.
Carb kit is supposed to be here Tuesday, so I'll just keep at the small stuff until then.

I took my carb off the shelf and the bowl is almost flat.

I think it was 82* at 7am here. Crazy

On that carb bowl it looks like someone used multiple gaskets to seal a eak and just tigtened it to wtf specs.
Ive never seen one that badly shaped. -GothY-

Well, go the manifolds blasted, welded, etched and painted. Still have 3 broken bolts to drill out. I keep putting that off.
Anyway, here's the manifolds and rebuilt carb just sitting together before chasing threads, fixing the broken ones, painting the washers and bolting it all back together.
Then there is the wiring and insulation to bring back from the dead.

That's looking real nice Rod.

Thanks! It's no big thing, just grunt clean, fix and paint, but I feel better about it and it should run better.

I have kinda started on the clean up a bit....carb is in the shop for a rebuild. Idles @1100 RPM without throttle linkage hooked up, and idle screw not even touching the throttle. and the warmer the motor gets the higher the idle...lol. but can't do to much untill I am done welding up that dog house. But on a good note...no carb meens I can't drive it, so I have to work on it...lol.

On the broken bolts, something I have had some luck with is to take a strip of 12 or 14ga 4-6" long, drill a hole slightly smaller than the bolt dead center and mig it to the bolt if it isnt broken down inside the hole. then work it back and forth with a small hammer to loosen it up.Sometimes it works slick ,sometimes not so much.

yep that is the one thing i've never had much luck with..

We've been having a good moonsoon season here.
Finally getting some much needed rain.
Here's a pic of it still sitting waiting for me to remove the broken boltrs and finish assembly with a neat cloud overhead.

Well, got most of the doghouse insulation done, as explained in this thread...
https://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/t30370-doghouse-insulation

Got some of the wiring cleaned up and replaced.
Loosly mounted the rear doghouse and wired stuff with new ground cables, relay and ballast.
Still need to repair the engine harnesses and install the manifolds and hoses.
Oh, and fab a bunch of the washers for the doghouse tabs...

Wow, spent the day pulling an engine for a friend and while driving home I found out my 108 was published in an Arizona enthusiast paper in the coverage of the local Mopar dealer show (page 7, post 99 and 100).
The paper is called Roddin' & Racin'. The website is not showing the Oct. issue yet, but I will post a link as soon as it's available online (currently Sept. is showing).
It's on the cover in full color! Guess the bright color and wild graphics were the right choice! Woooo Hoooo!

very cool, con grats....................