Today was not a good day...

[btoscano]

... but that may be okay because I got lucky last night.



Now today I had 2 problems with the truck... both probably related to lack of sleep



1. Timing pin. I tried using it and sheared half the tip off. I can still feel part of it (maybe the entire half that sheared off) in the gear. I am thinking of what to do. Possibly try to "vacuum" it out? Or maybe remove the oil filler cap and try to push it out with an L shaped tool and catch it in a hose? Or forget about it because it won't cause any problems??? OR, try to vacuum or push it out but don't worry if I lose it because it won't cause any problems??



2. I was trying to find the top of cylinder travel so I used a 1/8" metal rod stuck in the injector hole. I didn't have a wooden dowel. Yesterday I didn't have any trouble at all. But today the end of the rod somehow got caught and the rod started to bend. I noticed when the engine was harder to turn and started to look why. If I look into the injector hole I can see a small mark or two in the top of the piston. Or maybe that's just where the carbon wore off. Any chance I bent something other than the thin metal rod??? I would think the parts are beefy enough that they didn't feel it.



The current position of the pump is right at/below the original index mark with the timing set at 1. 65 mm. I approximated TDC using the timing pin and the metal rod to check piston travel. Its possible the pin might be a little off. I tried to use a dial indicator to determine piston travel but my mount and rod extension weren't cooperating. I'll try again.



Thanks for your answers in advance.

 

[bgilbert]

First off quit tinkering with your truck, diggin up bone- doing things thats better left alone. Second, I hope too that all you did was knock some carbon off the piston. I'm not sure how a gouge in the piston bowl would affect performance/economy. If you did damage something bad, then this diggin up bone experiment just got expensive.



Not too sure about the timing pin/rubber tip. Actually I think I took mine off the other day as well. I'm not gonna worry about it, unless someone says otherwise. I just figured its rubber, and by me continuing to turn the engine over by hand many times, worked the tip to the bottom into the oil pan- hopefully. Of course I could've remove the pin and confirmed, but nah.

 

[Bob4x4]

You can usually remove the broken plastic tip with a sharp pick through it's mounting hole.



Bob

 

[btoscano]

the shop vac with a custom nozzle sucked it right out