LUVTruck.com

The engine that was in this truck when I bought it had an oil pressure gauge that read 0 all of the time. I thought the gauge was broke until I had to change the head gasket and tore the motor apart-there was so much sludge in that motor, you could fill a septic tank with it.

SO, I went to a junkyard and pulled a motor out of a truck there. It ran good until it broke a timing chain, because the vent tube that goes to the air cleaner assembly from the head cover broke and all of the oil leaked out. The timing chain gear was ruined. Metal shavings were everywhere in the motor.

I have a parts truck that supposedly had a new motor that was off one tooth on the timing chain. When I tore into the motor and had the main bearings checked, he was using stock size bearings instead of .025. I bet that motor was knocking like crazy. Plus, it was put together dirty. SO I got new rings for it (The bores were rusted), main bearings, gaskets, and put it together. (I broke one compression ring and in my frustration I put a ring from the old engine in just to get it to run)

This whole time I am riding a moped around, on horribly rocky dirt roads here in the desert. I couldn't ride it anymore, my back hurt so bad-and no truck means people had to bring me food, water, because I live in a remote part of the desert. So I put the motor back in, and the motor mounts didn't want to go together. I was so sick of the whole thing I used a comealong to get them to work. Except, now the whole weight of the motor was on the oil pan, cutting the gasket in half the long way. I leaked out all of my oil pretty fast.

Here I am with a motor that actually runs pretty good, and actually is holding oil in. I believe the oil pan on the parts truck, even though that truck is a 4x4, was out of a 2WD truck. I need to get about $250 to get my driveshafts adjusted so I can get this 5 speed I have for it in my truck so I can get better mileage in this thing. All in all, I have gone through 3 motors, and have mated and separated the engine to this tranny about 7 times, with mistakes and whatnot. All alone, in the middle of the desert!

But it is OK now. I really like this truck. It is a good vehicle.

WOW! Sounds like you've had a lot of problems there...lol

The good news is once you get it all sorted out, these little trucks run and run forever, and they are a real joy to drive. I hope things start improving for you soon, and enjoy your truck!

Man that blows. Good to hear you have the thing going again, and Taz is right these trucks are tough. I think the fact that Taz and myself still have LUVs period anymore is testament to how tough they are

_________________
1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

LMAO! So true...so true. But at least I'm not out relocating any power poles or getting in any "no fault" accidents with mine, and so far I haven't blown up any engines I've put together - I've just had a few minor things go wrong that were relatively easy/cheap to fix.

Mine costs me a bunch of $$ just because I can't seem to purdy it up enough, trick it out enough, or make it go fast enough to make me satified. I think that's why my wife refers to it as my "damn money pit in the garage". I guess she just doesn't understand the "Luv" affair a grown man has with his truck..lol

Hey i havent been in any "no fault" accidents. They have all been the other guys fault. Except for the power pole incedent, but that wasnt with the LUV. If it had been i probly would have been able to drive it away...

_________________
1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

Tundrawolf that is once crazy story wiht your engine woes!
I would have put a "Wanted Luv engine". Sometimes the people that do the V8 conversions have a good stock motor to sell. =-)

Do a post after you get situated and let us know how your gas milage goes.
Thanks!
Zane

_________________
1980 Luv 4x4 with a 5 speed tranny.



"When all else fails, follow the directions".

MEPR...I reckon if your truck aint bright freakin yeller all over, then you aint been in any "no fault" accidents.

BTW...the only "no fault" accidents I've ever heard of was when someone sneezed or coughed and accidently sharted...lol

(Not that anything like that has ever happened to me! Honest...)

That isn't the end of it. I am leaking oil now, because the oil pan gasket has split again, but just in one spot. I have no idea how or why, but I guess I need to pull the motor out again. I will have help this time instead of doing it all myself!

As far as mileage goes, I need a new carb, this one was rebuilt but it's worn out. I heard one of the solenoids buzzing in it and it will stall the motor if I don't rev the engine up high enough to get going (There is a flat spot at 5% pedal, that if I don't back off and give it more gas will stall the motor) I get pretty bad mileage, but I have never been able to tell exactly what because I haven't had enough money to completely fill the tank up twice in a row.

Oh, but I forgot to mention that coolant is leaking out from between the tranny and engine, and I cannot find the leak to save my life. I suspect that it is coming from one of the freeze plugs, I will find out when I pull the motor for the bajillionth time! If anyone wants to pull the motor out of their truck, go ahead and give me a buzz. I can tell you how to do it in 15 minutes! (not really).

Check the freeze plug on the back of the head. It's a mother to get at in the truck, but should be easy to swap when you've got it out.

_________________
"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison