Optimist's build and picture thread

That is the worst.

Good luck in LA. Hopefully you can still get out and explore!

 

What does one do with a degree in brewing (serious question)?
What is the job market for that like?

 

Mostly work for breweries and such. The job market is pretty brutal. There are "classes" you can take to become certified, so technically you don't need to go to school for it. I originally took a class at my university because it sounded fun, and I met the pre-reqs(organic chemistry, microbiology). The problem is people are willing to live out of their vans, down by the river, to work for any brewery. Makes it hard if you have expensive hobbies. If you want to work for bud/coors you have to have a masters in chemical engineering or similar. So there is a wide range too...

 

Nice... I've done 1 14er... Handie's peak. actually did it twice(well... 1.5 times as we didn't summit the first time), one of my co-workers/friends retired from the AF in 2014 and we held his retirement ceremony at 13,011' (had to turn around due to weather)... but his last name is Handy... so it was fitting. we started at the first camp ground (grizzly gulch)... at around 0500... at 11 we turned around (had his 60 y/o father with us)
The man himself




the next time we started at American Basin camp ground and started about 0500... summited at 09...

6 months out of the military and he's a mountain man lol

 

I didn't see the notification that you left a message. Sorry!!!

Those pictures are epic man, it will be hard to beat that peak. That whole area is gorgeous! I am going to try to go back and finish the others later this year.

 

Powder coated some of my awning hardware today, learned a lot.



Put the awning up with the ARB room I got today. I am excited to go camping in this thing. I can almost stand up all the way. Great place to get away from to bugs or the sun for a little bit. Lots of cool little features!

 

Love it! how much did it run you?

 

I paid $350 for both. Autoanything had a 20% off sale. I think normally the room is $135 which honestly is a steal...

Edit: both ARB

 

Nice! I have the 4" awning from ARB that I'm putting over my tailgate. but was thinking about a bigger one on the other side. $350 isn't bad at all.

 

They are still on sale right now!

I am going to have to get coil packs and a valve cover gasket today.

 

I wish I had the $, I'm moving next weekend so have to pay double rent. Ray is building me a rack for my RTT and 4' awning so I've got that to pay for as well. I'm also 90% sure I'm going to need to install a add-a-leaf to my Dakars for the extra weight... so can't really justify it right now.

still gotta pick up some EAF gear lol Camping Stove, gear bags/boxes, kaki pants... lol

 

They have sales all the time. Don't worry.

Gotta have the EAF gear. I have been thinking of getting a propane stove. I have a buddy heater I love and am already carry the 20 pound tank may as well use it. I love my white gas stove though.

 

Tackled the passenger valve cover gasket yesterday. Also trying to diagnose a super annoying new auto shutoff my engine has decided to have. 100% my fault, water etc. One of my spark plug tube seals was gone, and after installing new ones I can see how they get messed up.


I got 2 new gaskets, 6 spark plug tube seals, 16 washers, a pcv grommet, a coil, and some copper RTV
Coil:

$63 Denso- 6731201 DIRECT IGNITION COIL

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002Y39NFY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Gasket Set:

Ishino Valve Cover Gasket Set

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G6GY8Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01


Not bad for 202k!


So here you can see the half moon plug on the front. There is a matching one on the back.



Grab a pair of pliers and pull straight up.


Clean and apply RTV. I used a ton, I don't want this shit leaking!


Push back in and clean the excess.



The full plug is the last set of bolts on top. Comes off pretty easy. Tighten back to 12ft-lbs


The old one with the bracket. Could have reused the plug, but I had a new one.



All sealed back up. Took about 3 hours. The worst parts were getting the spark plug seals in and out. That alone probably Took an hour. Nearly impossible to get lined up without screing it up and dropping bolts in places you can't reach! I tightened the VC bolts to 54in-lbs.

 

you forgot a bolt ;-)

 

I know! I dropped one of the VC bolts and it went into the black hole. The bolts that are on the coils are the same as the VC. I eventually found it sitting on top of the steering rack. All good now!

 

So there is four half moon plugs? one on each side?

Also, that full plug comes out when removing that bracket, or does the bracket come out first, then the full plug?

is it just ONE full plug?

 

Each head has 2 half moon, and one full circle plug.

The half moon is held in with RTV from the factory.

The full moon has a bracket. I put RTV on the edges to have a better seal.

The engine has 2 full plugs, and 4 half moon plugs.

Better?

I will try to take more and better pictures of the other side. I still have to drive to work every day so I have to take this project in chunks.

 

got it!

Pictures are always good!

Makes me wonder if my wife's escape has these half moons also. I replaced the valve cover gaskets last weekend.

Same thing with my 2003 Camry. It is a 4 cylinder and i swapped out the gaskets about two months ago. Makes me wonder if the half moons are there also...

 

I have to figure out when I can do the other side. I will probably start Thursday Afternoon. I am going to try to play musical coils and see if 1 is bad today.

I talked to my dad about it, he used to be a Toyota tech, and he thought it had to do with milling of the head for the camshafts. I would assume that any engine with a similar head set up would have to potential for the plugs. I had an early 90s corolla, no half moons. Man, I miss working on a 4cyl!

 

damn... Now ill have to go check for plugs on my Camry... fawk..

I am not too worried about my wife's escape because the leak was at the spark plug gaskets.. ..