My '85 MGM, "Maisa"

[Kodachrome Wolf]

I've always used a gasket on replacement with no RTV. Haven't had any leaks over the years. I hate having to scrape away all that RTV if you have to go in later for service.

85W-140 won't hurt the axle, you just might notice a little extra drivetrain sluggishness on very cold days on an initial start.

[Arquemann]

I've always used a gasket on replacement with no RTV. Haven't had any leaks over the years. I hate having to scrape away all that RTV if you have to go in later for service.

85W-140 won't hurt the axle, you just might notice a little extra drivetrain sluggishness on very cold days on an initial start.

Only summers for Maisa, no worries about anything below freezing or even close!
Dunno if the fibre gasket or RTV is worse to scrape off...

[gadget73]

The only thing I've ever had success doing RTV only on is diff covers. Always the Ultra Black. Good enough for Ford, good enough for me.

mind you I basically never use RTV on things, I don't even put it on gaskets.

[sly]

Check the spider gears as well. I know of one axle that had groaning on decel that ended up being the spider gears in the carrier. I imagine groan on acceleration would be the opposite face to groan on decel with the spider gears.

[Arquemann]

Spider gears seem okay, a bit worn but not too rough. Not that I was planning on replacing them at this time anyways.

Of course the gasket was out of stock, so that trip was a complete bust. (I was that way to check out a Benz which was a total POS)
So I used just RTV to seal the diff cover. Permatex Supra black, put the cover snug and tightened about an hour later. Didn't squirt outside too bad, probably worse to the inside. Gear oil goes in tomorrow evening. MAG1 85W-140 flavor.

You guys are so spoiled with your propellant cans and fancy nozzles, all I've got is a tube of goop and low patience!

[gadget73]

I don't have the Cheez Wiz RTV dispenser, just the squeeze it yourself tube.

[sly]

Ditto... I just have the tube. Too cheap to get the fancy schmoo.

[jaywish]

I am so old I did not know there was anything but the tube.

[gadget73]

I've seen it, I just don't use enough of it to actually go through a can before it goes bad. I've never actually used up a tube of RTV. At best I've gotten through half before it turns solid.

[Arquemann]

I guess I'll update on this a bit... Since putting in the 85W-140 the diff whine has quieted down significantly. It is still audible on heavier throttle somewhere below 80km/h, but not annoying on flat ground. Also at around 100km/h it's not really audible anymore. No leaks, rechecked the level a couple days ago. I'll call this fiasko done for now.

Currently there's no "active" issues. Mainly just the clickyclack from the engine and a rough idle that's been there for years. Also the pass front window likes to smush the run channel due to a bit of misalignment and the run channel being kinda crap. I guess I need to bend the window frame again, but I want to try out another run channel weatherstrip. More on that if and/or when things work out.

Discussing with a friend to 3d-print a proper air cleaner adapter for the CFI air cleaner aswell as plastic fasteners for the rear window bottom trim (I know the correct fasteners are available). Said friend has access to a proper 3D printer at his University and he could do with a fun project.

I thought about trying to make a deal with my dad about selling the MGM and buying his '68 Montego, but after driving it I realize it's way more of a trainwreck I want do deal with currently (also bloody expensive for what it is).

[Arquemann]

Was at a garage party yesterday, met a bunch of new peeps aswell as alot of friends.

Some mumbling old guy approached, we got to talking... Boy is the world small!
He recognised my MGM, he has worked on my car years ago when he was a mechanic in the tiny town nearby where I bought the MGM from. Somehow I happened be at the same small garage party, nearby where the old guy now lives, an hour away from my home and over 2 hours away from where my MGM lived at previously.

A friend of a friend bought a box caprice as an organ donor, accidentally put it in a ditch, flooded the everloving piss out of it as the tailpipe was plugged solid with dirt and local residente tire destructeur did his best to a pair of old bias plies on the driveway with his 1920 Willys-Overland RPU.

[Arquemann]

So, among cursing with the pos window and other things, I did exactly what to do with a clattering engine.
I bought a roller cam! Apparently from a '96 Exploder, it's dated 11/20/95 and stamped TE. So, more torque, more HP, roller cam with the HO firing order and it was 70 euros. You yanks probably find them for free, but it's a good deal here. Even the cheapest Comp Scams bumpsticks are over 300€ and not much less used.

Now I hope that my block is usable without bankruptcy, because roller blocks are hard to find and expensive in Finland.

Dew wipes and run channel should come this week.

[sly]

We can get those for less than you, but not by a whole lot. Depends on who's selling it and how much they know what they got.

[Arquemann]

Did the dew wipe, I used urethane glue to attach it to the window sill. Probably the wrong pick if I need to redo it sooner or later. Or it might remove itself with angular twisting load it gets when in place... It's curing and waiting to get installed. Biggest PITA of the job was removing the rivets from holding the old dew wipe to the sill trim.
Still gotta drill the hole for the front mounting screw and clearance the bottom for the window mechanism.

While waiting for the glue, I removed the old-new run channel and installed the new-new run channel. Seems alright, molded 90 is a bit wonky, upright bit sits deep. Once I get the door back together, driving and using the window will tell how good a choice it is. Needs to work smoothly and be quiet. Will post on the weatherstripping & dew wipe thread if its worth considering.

[Arquemann]

New dew wipe and run channel installed on the pass. front window. Dew wipe definitely eliminated the glass alignment issue and the new run channel helps with the alignment and looks more original than the Metro WC3396.

Since the car had sat for a couple weeks with the doors open for hours, dome lights on and me constantly fucking with the window switch. I got the battery real dead. It was on the charger for 4 hours yesterday, starter would only go "krrrr". It was on the charger overnight an it started alright today. The battery is old and I've never had it die before, so I might've done irreversable damage to it. I let the car run for a while and turned it around in the driveway if it needs a jump next time.


Anyways, next up will probably be removing the engine, I've got an engine stand now, and a friend will borrow me a hoist. No real plan on when, but most likely by end of the month or early in Oct. Don't want to pull an engine in the rain, sleet or cold, plus I want to do odds and ends and clean things up in the engine bay before taking the car to winter storage.