How can you not, it is the peak-utility vehicles of vehicular utilization. I am low key in love with it from all your pictures!
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The mule has been having issues today. Misfiring, running really hot on one cylinder, pulled the plug out and its running super lean. So I’m going to have to do some carb work this winter i think.
The guy i bought it from said the whole thing had been gone through top to bottom. I knew this was a bit of bull… but i never worry about other peoples maintenance until I’ve been through it myself.
She runs HOT. So that needs sorting. I basically field stripped it this afternoon with 3 borrowed spanners and a hammer (the crowds were pretty impressed at the show, it was quite amusing) so I’m guessing it won’t be beyond my capabilities to sort out at home 
with my awesome toolbox.
I got it running well enough that it could do its arena run with els driving it again, amazingly…shes quite into it. She finds it quite fun to drive so it looks like her and Obi are gonna bully me into keeping it for next summer.
It needs an alternator, lights, and a horn. A big horn. Plus I’m going to strip it down and “ace” it.
I like broken things.
Humvee, has performed like an absolute champ this season. Never complaining, never breaking and just taking it all in it’s stride. Cementing itself as my baby. Its such a bloody good truck.
I toyed on and off with getting something new and letting it go. But i can’t. Its my truck that one. I love it. I don’t think id ever forgive myself if i sold it. So it stays.
Its been a fun year at the shows. A great season. Met some great friends, helped fix tanks, arsed about in military vehicles, normally hammered. Got peoples trucks fixed for them and had the help of strangers for things we needed. The kids love it, the wife is involved and I’m having a blast.
Oshkosh m1070 for 2027 is the goal.
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I looked that monster up. That is a lot of truck. I bet you could make that thing work for its upkeep with its unique capability. Do you need a special permit to drive outsize and stupidly heavy loads?
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Its a bit more complicated unfortunately.
She would have to be registered as for “recovery use” rather than haulage. Its a fairly long story why.
But i could wing it as a recovery motor
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So, as mentioned the Mule has an oil leak somewhere on the top end of cylinder 1.
It has a persistent misfire.
Its gets red hot on cylinder 1
Its also apparent its running lean on cylinder 1.
So. Winter maintenance starts today.
Engine cowls had to come off, top one, easy. Rear one, easy. Front one, absolute ■■■■■■■.
It became clear very quickly that there was a reason for the cooling issue at least.
It needs actually washing but you get the idea of how its supposed to be
Now, I’m assuming that the rocker cover gasket is leaking at the bottom, so I’ll make a new one to eliminate that. But the oil on the exhaust manifold takes a different route from there, so ive no idea where its coming from, I’m 99 percent sure its the rocker cover, but logic suggest it isnt. See the darkening at the bottom of the gasket, showing oil has at least found its way through a bit
Was kind of hoping there would be a broken spring in the rocker housing, explaining the noise in there. But they seem fine, i am a little drunk though so I’ve added to the list to check again tomorrow as i may have missed something.
I’ve taken off loads of bits, none of which are the issue but it just cements the fact, this thing needs a through going over.
Its not going to be a 5 minute job to be fair.
Fun mind. Really fun.
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you mad lad, I envy you your skills with the wrench. It is a joy to read a machine so well, isn’t it?
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Yeah. Its my happy place. I feel clarity when i do this stuff.
This is super simple stuff as well. Air cooled, 1960s tech, no electrics worth mentioning.
It doesn’t get better.
Bring on project 2027
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Yeah good stuff! Isn’t there perhaps some blow-by from the plug? Hot air can also cause such discolorations. Are you sure it is all oil? Might want to check compression leakage and the piston rings as well, I am going to see that that thing needs a overhaul… Poor little engine.
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When it first happened, i pulled the plug and it was loose ish, So i assumed the same thing. I’m going to put it back together tonight with the shrouds off and see if i can see a bit better where the leak is coming from and the tapping noise.
Personally, i think its eaten a ring but need to check first now i can actually see. Gonna blast it all of with the airline as well
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Poor little engine has won a lottery ticket ending up in the hands of a tinkerer such as @Victork2 . It’s going to go just like that big ol’ hummer; be better than ever before when he’s had his way with it 
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I know right? He’s literally the engine-whisperer!
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Do you have a compression gauge? They have saved me hours of work, not having to remove a head or knowing exactly what cylinder on a V8 was the problem…
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Yeah I’ll have a proper look and some testing later.
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Yeah sounds likely given the external signs. I wanna bet these engines eat oil anyway.
I fixed it.
I am the big green bag of crap whisperer
And cake day apparently https://youtu.be/CbR48RPzU5c?si=sN3ADdz1_-amUN_A
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Well, what was it?! You can’t leave me hanging like this!
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So, the crankcase breather was blocked. I sorted that out and opened the valve (which was closed)
I tightened one of the oil pickups.
I stripped the fuel filter housing and found the ■■■■■■■ filter was sat at the bottom of the bowl instead of clicked in. Which I’m 99 percent sure was the cause of the miss.
I stripped the carb and set it up per the manual. The idle circuit was set up way wrong. Wankers.
The head is still weeping oil, but very very slowly now, i think its cracked. But I’m gonna source one before i take it off and check. There is an oil return that has probably been overtightened and cracked it.
I set the tappets up and the tapping knocking is much better. I think the ex valve is sticking at bit.
5 lorry tyres, 3 breakdowns, 2 car tyres, 4 cans of beer and I’m calling it a successful Saturday.
I’ll sort the head out over winter. Its not worth worrying about
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Yeah sounds good, they really screwed you over when they said it had been checked and maintained(overhauled even IIRC?). How the heck did they screw up the fuel filter that badly anyway?
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Trust. But verify.
I did the first part, but not the 2nd on this occasion.
This was on me. Never break your own rules.
Idiocy I’d imagine.
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Sooo
Head gasket gone,
No biggie. Found a company in the states that is sending me a LOAD of spares, i confess to being rather inebriated when i was shopping,
New piston, rod set 9 bucks
New barrel, 30 bucks
New head! 25 bucks
Spare head gasket set £25 bucks.
Load of cable connectors, vietnam era stock 25 bucks. I only need one, but they are cool.
Complete engine gasket set 40 bucks.
Some other bits and pieces.
I very much enjoy having stuff on the shelf, it calms me greatly so this is fine.
Got obi to work stripping the head off. I’ll get it skimmed and keep as a spare. He will be doing this as its probably the simplest head gasket he could ever do and a great learning exercise as frankly, i could probably do it with my feet. So if he fails, I’ll beat him with the hosepipe.
I’ve also bought an alternator, not mule specific but enough that i can build a bracket (Obi can, didi mau!)
And have proper charging
Humvee.
Rear hubs need oil changing
Temperature sensor needs ripping out and replacing (on the shelf 
) and rewiring
The trailer brake lights have packed up. No idea why but its american so probably a bad earth.
Need to tidy up the wiring and maybe tear the hydraulic fan out and fit an electric one.
The new trailer is annoying me, i can’t really see what to do with it and everyone keeps trying to rob me over prices for boxes to fit in in, I’m not playing that game, fed up of it lately to be honest. Its actually really ■■■■■■■ me off. So I’ll sit pretty on it for now.
Need to do all the service bits and have a good look over it as its been faultless all year and I’ve been preoccupied with the mule a bit.
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