1989 Saltare - My god Spock, what have I done???

[cadunkle]

If that's a PCV you're running (which I recommend, helps to keep the crankcase clean), you should run a breather on the other side. A good sealing engine (rings) will pull vacuum out the opposite valve cover from the PCV. You should have this connected to open air so you get fresh air flowing through the crankcase.

[sybrmike]

Originally, the valve covers had a total of four holes - one fill plug each, one PCV valve with hose run to carb base, and one open hose ran up to a bracket at the spark arrestor screen. Can't I just run the the PCV-to-carb and hose to spark arrestor and fill from either when needed?

[cadunkle]

Yes, that is a good way to set it up and will keep any blowby at WOT from making a mess of your valve covers, since it will be sucked through the air cleaner and burned.

[sybrmike]

Well, I got the valve cover vent hoses properly routed (thanks, cad), and a piece of 5/8 water hose with a molded 90 to reach from the new water pump to elevated intake. But no luck with a longer J-hose - gonna have to cut & splice. I found a muffler shop that thinks they have some 1-3/4" s/s pipe laying around somewhere & they'll cut me a section for a few bucks once they find it. My ebay special Pertronix electronic distributor showed up without a rotor (no wonder it was so cheap). Seller was non-responsive, but local auto parts store was able to match it up to an early 90's chevy truck.

Finally started on the wiring. The gauges were pretty easy since they're out of a 05 Outback & had part of a harness still attached. I'll just cut & splice on the back side of the harness connectors so the new gauge and speedo panels will pull out by just unplugging a few connectors each. The switch panel was a little more challenging. I'm adding "stuff", so had to start from scratch there. Lots of jumpers, but able to reuse a 9 pin connector from the gauge harness - so I'll have the 9 pin and spades for the 12v and ground to disconnect to make the panel plug & play. Oh, and I'll have direct 12v & ground feeds from the second battery direct to the "stereo" switch (the naked one on the bottom left) so that all the sound gear is on the second battery only (to help with any noise).

Keeping with the modular wiring theme, I'm using terminal strips for the transom wiring. I didn't want to make a custom harness so I ran some 6 conductor (signal, led, blowers, etc), 4 conductor (trim actuators), and a 10 ga ground (plus speaker and courtesy lights) wire before I sat the cap down. Still have a few wires to add at the back as I add components (fuel sender, 2nd bilge pump, etc.), but I think I counted correctly & have a few extra lugs just in case. I was gonna solder & heatshrink everything, but I'm running out of time & patience - so just using heat shrink crimp-ons & will wire tie everything once I'm done.

[Okie Boarder]

Looking good. I'm closely watching what you're doing on the wiring and switches...that is something I would love to do. Keep posting lots of pictures.

[sybrmike]

Wiring is 80-90% done. I have nav lights, gauge lights, & blowers. Still need to install bilge pumps in wire them in and finish wiring the trim tab switch. I've held off on installing the paddlewheel, depth transducer, ballast intake, & bilge pumps until the engine was in to know how much room I had to work with. Same with the battery cables since I also relocated/added batteries. Reusing the connectors from the Moomba harness is working out good. Each of the panels I fabbed are easily removed with just a few connectors - I just swapped out my "black light" gauge backlight LEDs for red (didn't like the look, plus the depth finder backlight is red & can't get into it to change). Since I changed the dash up & added some load on the switches (extra bilge, trim tabs, etc), I'm just running the gauges & ignition off of the original harness from the engine. Everything on the switch panel will run on separate feed from the battery (except the stereo will have it's own connections to the added second battery.

The engine is in! The bay with the chain lift became available, so ditched work early & sweated my arse off in the 100 degree Houston heat. The engine still needs a few hoses (finally got a piece of s/s exhaust pipe so I can splice my J hose), distributor & wires installed, connect fuel lines, & such. The exhaust hose from the riser to the pipes is gonna be a beeeatch - not much room for two hose sections and a 4-3" reducer. I've got the original hoses for reference, but don't know how they ever made the angles work with that stiff hose???

I had measured the shaft location in the strut prior to tearing things apart, so used that as a reference for engine location. Held my breath as I lowered the engine down onto the new mounts, but couplings lined up within 1/4" - yea! Got em eyeballed close now, so time to dig up that alignment thread...

[sybrmike]

Also, since she finally left the confines of the garage for the first time in a while - I snapped a few quick photo's for Haugy...

[wotan2525]

Also, since she finally left the confines of the garage for the first time in a while - I snapped a few quick photo's for Haugy...

Ooooh.... looking nice! Everything looks great! The only thing I notice right off is that it seems like that trailer should have a bow roller, right?

[mapleleaf]

Everything looks amazing, how 'bout we focus in on that there steering cable and the alignment of the steering wheel while its in that position... I"ve got a rudder install this weekend is all
Gawd I want that trailer...not to mention that 22 carat ring you'll have under your doghouse....

[haugy]

Looks good man, I'm so jealous of your gelcoat. Damn paint.