Kawasaki Mule 3010 project

[Rat]

Should have boiled it with a thermometer BEFORE I ordered a new one... it's an 82°C and opens slowly at 82.5°C fully open by 85°C

It turned out the coolant system was air locked with a bigazz bubble... I figured it out by dropping the rear end into a ditch, with the rad cap off I pinched a line shut to trap some pressure. When I let go, it let off an obnoxious loud snort/slurp and started flowing normally. Thankfully this thing has a little sight bubble filter thing so it's easy to tell if things are flowing or not.

Now that that's figured out I really need to drain it and put actual coolant in seeing as I diluted the hell out of it chasing myself in circles

 

[Rat]

Found a shop manual PDF for the engine... turns out getting a thermostat was actually a smart call.
Apparently it supposed to begin opening at 63-65°C (145-150°F) and reach 7mm full open at 80°C (176°F)

Gonna grab a gallon of coolant tomorrow to have on hand.

 

[Rat]

Fresh recap

•Replace the gas cap
•Replace the fuel gauge
•Replace fuel pump
•Replace radiator fan switch
•Replace thermostat
•Rebuild or replace carburetor rebuilt
•Replace all hydraulic brake lines
•Replace drivers floor panel support between main and side rail
•Resheet the cab floor (24x24 panels x2)
•Replace a few bed braces
•Resheet the bed floor (53×47 panel)
•Replace 1 tire
•Replace the rear shocks
•Replace the front struts
•Replace R/R (passengers) parking brake cable
•Replace both rear light assemblies
•Replace the intake air filter hoses between the filter and carb, and the filter/roll bar connection
•Modify exhaust or spend $300 on OE muffler
(most likely modify) Modified
•Replace CVT Belt
•Rebuild CVT Primary
•Replace or find a way to seal 2 wheels (rims leak air) sealed

Runs better than it ever has in the time I've had it.

 

[Rat]

The water pump blew

I was looking at the engine bay space and started thinking it would be kinda fun to stick a small 4 banger in there... an old air-cooled VW F4 would simplify things but cost me the 4wd.

Then I thought... 80's Subaru Brat I4 would fit AND support 4wd.
In either case I'd be looking at making clutch linkage, shifter linkage, and the mystery 3rd pedal.
Not really worth the effort, to do that level of swap.

Upgrading the manual hydraulic brakes to POWER brakes would be nice... not that the brakes don't work well, they could just work better.

Maybe I'll just go around all 4 corners and knock the drums off for a wellness check, scour the brake surfaces and what not.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Just gotta keep finding the weakest link.
I'd fix the water pump b4 the brakes. Can't stop if you aint going.

 

[Rat]

Just gotta keep finding the weakest link.
I'd fix the water pump b4 the brakes. Can't stop if you aint going.

Again the brakes work fine, had you actually read that would have been obvious.

What is annoying is that essentially it's a motorcycle rear hydraulic brake system (reservoir and master) that drives all 4 wheel cylinders/drum brakes. I would like to simply make them more sensetive/powerful in response to mechanical input.

Thankfully the waterpump is rebuildable, the plastic spur gear opposite the impeller sheared at the shaft pin face that makes it turn the impeller shaft. It's a $12 plastic gear versus an $80 waterpump assembly, and either one means buying or making gaskets separately.

 

[Jacka$$withawrench]

What is annoying is that essentially it's a motorcycle rear hydraulic brake system (reservoir and master) that drives all 4 wheel cylinders/drum brakes. I would like to simply make them more sensetive/powerful in response to mechanical input.

Increase brake lever length? or use a booster?

 

[Rat]

Pump spur gear and gasket set ordered.

 

[Rat]

Got the water pump spur in and coolant burped. Then decided to tone down the exhaust... it's not as nice sounding but it's quieter than 90% of the farm trucks around here now.

 

[Rat]

She put in dome work today. The ol gal seemed just as happy as a pig in sh★t.

that's after turning the hose on er

 

[Rat]

For every two things I fix, one fails... at this point I've conceded to the fact I am going to have no choice but to pull the engine completely out and overhaul it.

Replacing the water pump spur gear and replacing it's gaskets lead to blowing a third water pump gasket that requires the primary clutch to be off and who the hell knows what else to get at.

Since it's only attached to the gearbox via the CVT belt, and a single brace/bracket, it shouldn't be too difficult to get out, just heavy (105lbs)

I've got a DIY 6 pulley block and tackle rigged up and lag bolted into the ceiling beam so once I pull the bed off I'll have access to chery pick it that way pretty easily.

When I'm done the engine will no doubt outlast everything it's attached to.

 

[BaconBitRacing]

Since it's only attached to the gearbox via the CVT belt, and a single brace/bracket, it shouldn't be too difficult to get out, just heavy (105lbs)

I hope you've been doing your deadlifts!

 

[Rat]

I hope you've been doing your deadlifts!

I'm good. 105 isn't that serious, even easier with a 6 pulley block

 

[Rat]

Got the clutch puller and gaskets ordered so I'll be hoisting the 105lb Vtwin out soon.
Since I'm doing all the gaskets I'm going to go ahead and do the rings too.

 

[Rat]

Changed my mind, I'm not bothering with the rings at this time.

I intend to toss a pair of flat top performance pistons in when ever I can squirrel enough cash away for the pair.

It would be nice to be able to crank swap it to make it a 620cc stroker though. FD620D is only 617cc

 

[Rat]

Should I ever manage to frag the engine I think a Vangaurd 993cc could be fun; seems they are a fairly easy swap as well.