deankdx

i checked my youtube subscriptions.. no new video yet  

11 minutes ago, Otodat said:

Good read thanks!

Cheers,

I enjoyed re reading it as i was transferring it to here. not sure when i'll get back into it, but soon i hope.

and in case you missed it on the first post, 

discuss here if interested.

6 Months after that cold start video.. and we are up to date .. 

lots of "life got in the way" issues. 

it's still parked up with either a broken gearbox or diff, or both. 

plans are to pull the diff out first, or maybe drop the torque tube off just in case it's that simple initially. 

box is still stuffed, needs to come out, I'm not doing that without the engine coming with it(too hard.. engine out is 3hrs ish with box attached with an engine crane i need to borrow)
 

I sold the diesel gemini sedan i was using as a daily as it was getting too rusty to stay on the road and i didn't see any time to weld 50 patches in. (went to a good home, buyer reckoned he'd have it back on the road with no rust in 6 months which is about now ish)

i replaced it with an N15 SSS pulsar auto(traffic reasons) that decided to have a dead transmission soon after servicing it.. (suspect i emptied all the stop slip goop out? ) tempted to sell this as broken, not set up for big jobs here. replace it with a working anything or buy another pulsar and use this one for parts(kind of over them after this issue though)

Gemini wagon May end up a daily driver when fixed even. 

originally the delay in fixing it, was due to planning to put together the big port, big cam reco 2 litre engine first and just swapping that in when i did the gearbox. but now i'm leaning towards wanting a reco 5 speed for that engine, it will have more power and i'll likey use it, so 2nd hand boxes may not last either. 

i did look at that $100 engine on the stand and think.. i still haven't started that up yet.. so that may get half a day rounding up bits to assemble for an old start also.

and almost a year later of NOTHING happening 

17 June 2021

started the wagon up yesterday, took ages to get the fuel up to it for some reason.. 
 

did another cold start today fired up instantly as expected. 

10 July 2020

almost 2 years Later and i FINALLY found out this HOT CAM,  is a CROW (not listed on their cam catalogue) 

it's a lower lift, almost same lift as the mild cam currently in it( part number 782507) and same LSA but duration is slightly more than the second biggest on their chart 

page 22 on the crow cam catalogue for gemini cams if anyone wants to give their opinion https://www.crowcams.com.au/Portals/0/Crow2020/CrowCams2020.pdf?ver=2019-12-18-095023-240

not sure how that relates to drivability? 
what's likely the difference between a cam with longer duration but lower lift, to a higher lift shorter duration?

will it rev like a HOT CAM (3000-7000) due to duration? or is that a characteristic of lift?  
I've asked that question also to Crow, see if they reply or not and i'll update if so. 

PART NUMBER 78670ohc Date 10-JULY-20
Cam type: Asysmetrical profile Read in Head
Advance Ground on Cam: 1 Lobe separation: 107
.075 VALVE TIMING ( Measured at the valve with no lash )
Inlet opens: 11 BTDC Closes: 43 ABDC .075 Duration: 235
Exhaust Opens: 45 BBDC Closes: 9 ATDC .075 Duration: 235
ADVERTISED VALVE TIMING
Inlet opens: 39 BTDC Closes: 71 ABDC ADV Duration: 290
Exhaust Opens: 73 BBDC Closes: 37 ATDC ADV Duration: 290
Inlet lobe lift at TDC on the over lap:
Valve lift Inlet: .4225 Inlet Rocker Ratio: 1.00
Valve lift Exhaust: .4248 Exhaust Rocker Ratio: 1.00
Valve Lash Inlet:.008 Valve Lash Exhaust: .010
RECOMENDED VALVE TRAIN COMPONENTS Kit Number:
Valve Springs: Spring height: Collets:
Retainers: Pushrod: Lifters:
H/D Timing Set:
These HIGH PERFORMANCE components should be checked for suitabilty by the
person installing them as engines of the same group can vary in
valve length spring installed height and collet grooves
IT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILTY OFF THE INSTALLER TO CHECK SUITABILTY
ALL ENGINES
To ensure your camshaft is the correct model for your application place
new cam next to old cam and check the following points
Do the lobes all point the same way
Are the holes or grooves in bearing journals the same
Is the distributor gear the same size and angle and position on camshaft.
Is the fuel pump lobe in the same place on the camshaft
ALL OHC ENGINES
The valve timing on overhead camshaft engines is severely affected by
factors such as head thickness, block heightand chain stretch. Therefore
it is critical for optimum performance to check the valve timing when
fitting a new camshaft, even on standard engines.
EP 78 Isuzu 1600,1800,2000
It is important to check the valve timing in these engines as timing varies
between models. OHC engines suffer from retarded valve timing if the head
and/or block has been surfaced

27 June 2020

used the no masking ... paint everywhere.. wipe off with thinners on a rag.

27 June 2020

depends how shit the wheels are to begin with.. the nylon wheel pictured below I used first.. it's taken out a lot of pitting and scratches and the marks it leaves are easy to sand off with 340 grit wet and dry..  they could be polished with the buffing wheel from that i reckon, but it makes a big difference polishing up from 1000 grit.. and no doubt 2000 even(not sure what grit the steel wool equates to, but it does definitely clean up the scratches to some degree also).

so the method going forward is, 340 after the nylon wheel (ish.. if i run out of 340, and find i only have 400 or even 240 i'll use that first. )  

maybe 800/1000  then steel wool.. 

i'm going to flap disk the rim edge to clean it up..  I MAY file it if i can clamp the tyre out of the way.  (i decided i'm not paying for tyre stripping separate to strip and fit of the new tyres.. will do it all in one go)
i'll ask the condition of the beads before they fit the tyres though, as that's where ALL 4 of the current tyres leak.  might ALL need sealant there.

26 June 2020

not sure if you'll be able to see the difference in this photo. 
but there's 3 or 4 sections different in this wheel..
 

sanded with 340, then, 600 then 1000. then steel wool. (i think i'd like to get 2000 paper or similar actually, it sands easy if not trying to remove every mark) 

another spoke is just  340 then steel wool.

the rest of the wheel is just steel wool after the nylon wheel.. (can definitely see swirly scratches in it from this) 

i'm going to buzz the lip with the flap disc i reckon

13 May 2020

stickers arrived today..

and.. here they are fitted to the caps

i'll get back to cleaning the wheels up soon i hope. got 1000 odd jobs to do here

6 May 2020
 

Pick a Part had a sale on $12 per tyre on Steel Wheels (any tyre, even if it was a brand new yokohama 17" etc.. if they had one) naturally going after a weekend leaves the selection very very slim.. but lucky for what i want.. 13" tyres are not a big seller especially in brands no one's heard of.

i originally was looking at them thinking, looks like a good tyre/tread pattern and NEAR BRAND NEW.. but Viking, sounds Cheap.. when i looked them up, they are made By Continental.. Woo!, DECENT..

SO, these will find there way onto the magnums sooner or later.. cheap starting point. need fitting and balancing done at some point, if only i knew someone that could so without costing a fortune or taking 6months or longer

SEE THE MADE BY CONTINENTAL IN THIS PIC

28 April 2020

went a bit nuts on this wheel today,  i sanded the other and it came up well quite easily .. this one has pitting, and sanding was painful.. so out came the strip wheel..

did a fairly good job of getting rid of the larger scale and cleaning out the pitted section.  next episode will be the 400 wet and dry again and see how it comes up.  not ever going to be perfect without getting stuck in a lathe(not happening on My watch)

this attachment from supercheap might also be handy for your wheels in some spots hard to hand sand(around the wheel balance lip etc. it's not super aggressive, but definitely puts scratches in that will want sanding out.. but it might take some stubborn marks off (i'm using it to remove/clean some badly pitted areas on these mags.

spent a few hours searching for center cap decals.. NON EXISTENT in My opinion. 

but, the option of sticking some other brand(like US RACING, or SPEEDY or some Chinesium branding.. nah, not feeling it) 

i came across sticker dude on ebay, and asked if he could replicate a sticker.. same day he came up with "close enough" in Vinyl for $6  made My day..

this will give Me more motivation to make the wheels shine i think.   

best cap decal i could find wasn't a full face, but it's pretty awesome if it comes out as pictured.

27 April 2020

found some genuine caps

steel wooled the weels.. needs MUCH MORE

Sanded

1 April 2020

it's finally fixed.. Noooo, not the gemini..(check the date)

  but i did buy something today due to bargain and cool factor (old skool cool)

a set of 13" x 5.5" magnum wheels.  amazingly light and look a LOT easier to polish than the bathurst globes i also have and like..(currently fitted with semi slicks)

these i suspect will find their way onto the wagon, with the 205/60/13 Federal 595 that Ando76 suggested to run on his cortina (for sticky street tyres) when i'm rich.. i have half a feeling i'll be down the wreckers buying a set of 175/65/13s off some Hyundai to slap on them first.

need to find a couple of cheap centre caps and give them the polish up (black outs and at min a steel wool shine up)

ad photo for now

i want that center cap logo now..  or something that's suitable, saw a Holden logo that might even suit.

found and bought NOS caps for these mags, they arrived today.
i'll need to drill out the broken screws and find some fancy cap screws (button head maybe even if i tap a thread in them)

BEFORE...

16 December 2019

 checked the log book on the wagon before.. wondered if i did drive it since paying the club rego 3rd Jan 2019.. NOPE, zero days..  

not fixed yet.

1 September 2019

DONE! 
front stainless steel just had to dig out the plastic clips for the self tappers to screw into(like XD/XE/XF dash screw things)
not even polished 

1 September 2019

lots of nothing for more months

i decided i'd rather not spend all day sanding and painting the bonnet for this car if possible, so put a wanted ad on facebook,  $100 offer for non blistered maranello red bonnet within 100km if possible. 

one was offered about 50km away so i went and got it.. better condition rust wise also. 

paint is better than on My roof, but still not perfect. definitely good enough for Me though

pics of the IMPROVEMENT. should polish up well when i get time soon(daylight savings)

 BEFORE

24 March 2019

nothing happened for a long time, got busy with life and stuff.

sold some excess parts to raise some money and make some space

i don't remember when/if i mentioned throttle body injection in this thread.. on the standard manifold.. 

but someone turned up to buy some bits off Me with the 2 barrel Holley Sniper 

 didn't think about the clearance it might need to the master cylinder, wonder if spacing up the manifold adaptor plate area would mean it could fit with standard reservoir? i have a remote reservoir on the diesel gemini anyway

said He is going to blow through turbo it and wanted it easily reversible to stock if need be. and is planning to take it to Calder park as it is to see what it runs.

the inlet manifold has been ported, and holley adaptor welded to the manifold. 
he got it running last night and drove it 50km each way to My place (bought some hub caps off me for the sleeper look)

i think i'd choose the EFI manifold, it's got to be better for flow and probably make more torque due to the runner design, but it's cool and i could make it fit under a stock air cleaner if needed. (would be interesting running boost into a stock air cleaner  for stealth)

15 December 2018

on todays episode of car parts for nothing and a fuel bill to offset any gain.... 

Grab a beverage for this one. big adventure story.. or look at the pretty pictures and make your own interpretation?

a couple of weeks back i picked up a stuffed gemini head for Free of a generous person just saving something from ending up in the tip.. it could be repaired, but probably not worth it.( i'll use it to experiment on for efi manifold bung etc) also with it came some engine bay loom that's always handy for long runs of coloured wires.

i was telling this bloke i had a diesel gemini also, and needed a gearbox..(i seem to be telling anyone who'll listen i need a gearbox pretty much...)

He replied, i know a bloke that had a few diesels and still has bits laying around you can probably have for Free.. DID HE MENTION FREE? Woo! My favourite price.

so, i got onto John, the 60ish year old truck driver who daily drove diesel geminis until he ended up with an old 300D diesel merc (probably because gemini's became extinct? i forgot to ask him) lived in an old town 90 minutes from My place aka bumfuck nowhere.. 

had a chat to him to see what he's got, and he says, there's a roll out front end with engine and box on it been under cover for years and a rooted diff(been in the rain) .. now in the way. (been in the way for years..) 

i didn't feel it was polite to take photos of the place,  but i did snap a photo of the crusty 4x4 deutz tractor that had a makeshift boom attached that lifted the engine,box and cross member with wheels attached on one chain looped through the cross member. 

Seeing My mate with ute,  usually doesn't mind a cruise and was due to catch up and help Me out, we headed up in the XH ute and trailer, got rained on a bit while the archaeology dig was under way(had a tarp on it tied on with rope and ivy vine growing through things also.. brought a bunch of tools i didn't need, but planned ahead but didn't expect to be there that long.. was lots of junk in the way, and junk in the shed with other gemini parts. 

i'd been missing a brake spring for the spare diff i had, a blue one. and sure enough in the dirt, Mark finds one for Me HA!. gold. i will now have complete diesel brakes spare. (wanted this option for the diesel diff into wagon if the one i got is ok?)

after he loaded the engine assy into the 6x4 trailer, and a rubbish mower that was going to the tip(because i wanted to play with a redback infested  chinese Honda Copy mower)  and some other things lost in the shed, 2 sets of hub caps, and some other bits(spare starter maybe?)  2 sump guards(i call them drip trays) 

then he said, oh, there's some other bits over at the "other yard" .. what is this other yard? just an industrial block with various wrecks scattered around for spares for his merc and stuff. got some later model TG headlights and grille and radiator that is specific to diesel, but can be used in petrol, slightly wider/bigger capacity. could be handy later if i can justify a recore but it was fine before it was removed, definitely on it's last legs fins wise though.

so, 90 min drive back to My place to unload most of it, and Mark is taking the engine assy to store for now/ learn a bit about diesels if i can find enough bits to complete it. (missing fuel pipes, rockers, rocker shaft.. stuff i may have here.) 
it had broken a head bolt and blew the head gasket, was driven gently home and was going to be repaired but ended up finding another engine to plonk in. his car from another wreck. (that got written off and scrapped just before he bought the mercedes 300d)

pic doesn't really show the boom properly, but it's just a big chunk of chanel iron wedged in with a chain keeping it from tipping out. 

7 December 2018

there was a meet that was half way between Dave's and My place, at the regular kebab joint. so i figured i'd make the drive there in the wagon via the back way(80kmh less risk of the gearbox breaking perhaps on the freeway?)

good turn out, better than a lot of ford falcon meets i'd been to in the past. my car was the worst presented(i didn't even wash or vac it, but it had a lot of interest still, and offers of a gearbox. for money that i don't have.. another story to follow regarding gearboxes...)

these are just pics i sent via facebook so quality is a bit crap(i may get them from My phone and resize/crop them better later)

all cars had interesting storeys, the ferrari/fiat looking thing was designed by the same dude as ferrari/fiat etc, but it's an Isusu something haha, i didn't spend enough time learning about it, but it's one of 9 in Oz, 6 were brought in by holden and crushed apparently (no idea why)
it runs the twin cam isuzu engine, has power steering even and basically a gemini under that. . 

the CDT is genuine series 3 with turbo system designed by the same mob who did the sigma and falcon and holden draw through turbo setups, has a hobbs switch(5 psi pressure switch) that turns on water/methanol for intercooling into the carby. scheel look Viking seats as factory

the coupe had rare CDT series 2 intake setup 45mm webers, 

couple of the FWD RB gemini's both grandma cars one has air con and elec mirrors being SL/E version, the white one is SL/X 

got there early because i got the time wrong, but were playing fix Dave's hoist in the stinking hot sun prior so was good timing to come back to later. not sure if the issue was an O ring or just low on oil but it seems fixed now.

not the best angle for the manifold, but it's similar to the grand prix falcon turbo setup

2 December 2018

get the other $100 engine (rusty 4 speed purchase) out of the van

so.. how do you get a long gemini engine out of a mazda van?(without a crane or chain block)

last time i walked the engine out on a stack of wheels, but this one i wanted on My engine stand, i plan to assemble it again, run it and then pull the head off (big port big valve one again for My wagons stock 2 litre)

anyway.. i guessed by the time i hook up the stand cradle to the back of the engine it would be similar height to the stand frame.. was close, i just had to raise the engine on some bits of wood.

figuring the engine on the stand could be a bit sketchy with my spaced out bolts(to clear the flywheel and clutch dowels even) i thought i'd make a stabilizer leg, out of a gemini panhard rod 
(hard to see in pic maybe, but that is a spare wheel bolt off something with the same thread as the alternator bracket.. served as a big washer also)

24 November 2018

This is a post i came across today on facebook, i screen printed the text.. probably should have copy/pasted it to add notes as i need to?

pic of his angles before and after

Parts Needed

and fitted
these needed 15" wheels to clear, but i suspect i can get away with less spacing and keep the 14s or maybe still fit the 13s with even less? and adjust the rack height?

either that or one day i'll raise the car to LOWS .

24 November 2018

haven't looked at the engine yet.. it's on the list. 

did drive it a bit and have decided this 5 speed is going to be sacrificed (not changing it unless it goes bang.) can't be bothered changing it to a 4 speed that i suspect is good(that one i got for free) 

something that's annoyed me since i lowered this car is bump steer.  

i'd been asking about a fix for a while, there's probably a slight ability to raise the steering rack a bit(bit of mucking around) and i just came across a post where someone caused similar by lowering their steering rack to fit the 2.6 rodeo engine in.  pics to follow.

this is the standard steering angle of the diesel gemini at standard height

this is superlow springs in the wagon

5 November 2018

providing the head is good, it would be worth the $100 alone i think. cant really tell without taking it off the engine, and that makes it a non runner.. (assuming it would run)
i'll check it over next episode of doing stuff not related to fixing the car.. 

it has "150 ALL" written on rocker cover.. i assume this is compression, if i check it and it's same, i'll assume the head is fine. 

has dizzy, starter and alternator and clutch.. all things i'd like to have spare .. with this engine i'd have enough bits for 2 complete spare engines.. i wondered if i could swap one or a decent gear box

4 November 2018

the below story annoyed Me today.. i could have spent the day working on My broken car.. 
at least this gearbox being worth practically zero means i can pull it apart to see what it's like and if i feel confident fixing a 5 speed. 

sent this message earlier... "HI, hoping you wouldn't mind giving back half the $100 i paid for the junk i bought today. For one the gear box is a 4speed and second its probably stuffed was half mixed with water and rusty inside. I haven't checked the engine but I only bought it for the gearbox being a 5speed and said to be all good"
(they were moving out today and wanted it gone asap also) (MESSAGE Been Seen... No Reply naturally...not expecting one to be honest.)

these are the photos..