Leaf sprung = 2.6l I-4

Coil sprung = 3.0l V-6

John B.

Ah, thanks for the heads up. I didn't see any "V6" badges on it, so it's probably the 2.6L. But if it's there again, I'll take a look to see if it has springs or coils in the back!

I'm old and blind, but even I can see the leaf springs in the pics...

2.6's are better than a Heep, but 3.0's are much better than that. It's worth saving and fixing. I'll kick in instructions, too. I think it's actually easier than doing the single head on the 2.6, but then, I'm weird. In any case, it's straight forward, and if you correctly fix the cooling system (NO aftermarket new radiator - only a rodout of the original, or a recore on factory tanks - any other route is a mistake, factory thermostat, new hoses throughout, new water pump and a reseal on the steel pipe to the back of the water pump.

The rest of it is just careful simple mechanics. If you stop and consider some of the folks on here who have pulled this off, you'll see you have nothing to fear, and your daughter will have the priceless memory of helping her daddy rebuild the engine in her unbelievably cool suv, AND she'll be as safe in that thing as she would be in an Abrams M1...

I took another look at the pics, and the pic showing the right rear I think I see some leaf spring between the wheel and mud flap. Haven't heard back from that person, so it's probably not for sale, but couldn't hurt to ask.

Found this '87 Raider on the local Craig's List:
http://ventura.craigslist.org/cto/2436790902.html

Might be worth a phone call to get the miles, how many owners, address, etc. The red one had 30's on the stock 5-spoke steel wheels, and this one looks like it has the same wheels, but bigger tires, maybe 31's.

I'm still waiting to get an estimate back from the shop on what they would charge to replace the bad head gasket. Cheapest shipping quote I've gotten so far is $600.

Just a quick warning on the 2.6 Carbed smog nightmares. Cali is REALLY after carbed vehicles. I have a 2.6 and it barely made it.

Seems like everyone is saying save the LWB! I would feel bad leaving my LWB sitting all alone in a strange place with mechanics who may or may not know about the particulars of its injured powerplant... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" /> I really think if you bought any 4cyl Gen1 you would be angry with yourself after the fact because of the loss in power and lack of anything resembling balls (Sorry 4cyl guys, just my observations). I drove 4 different 4cyl Gen1s and all but the turbo model didn't really impress me...

Also, like Ive read on the boards, prepare to pay the smog piper as much as would cost to ship the truck just to get a 4cyl to pass in Cali. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

How much is a car trailer from hurtz rental and a buddies pickup or fs suv and you and daughter go get it? Just another road trip, and trust me, the time with her is worth any price. I got a daddyday card from my daughter that said some of her best memories were going somewhere with daddy in the truck, just us and the dog(s), and looking at stuff and talking, just us... I cried. I feel the same way as ehe does. Priceless times...

I also sent this as a PM...
Did they check the oil? Did coolant get to bottom end? If not have them do the heads- Or put gasket on it and limp home? Or do as other guys said go tow it home. If you try to slap gasket on it to drive/limp home- Every so often stop-every 150-200miles and pour coolant back into radiator. it gets pushed into res-tank (Trust me I know) My last road trip to PA before my head blew (240k) I was doing this the whole trip-mine blew after I got home tho <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />ugh. if the bottom did not get coolant in it which most the time these blow they don't-Then all that needs done is the heads-radiator and probly T-belt and pump. My truck has 270k on it and my daughter is taking it over THIS WEEK -gets her actual license tomorrow. There is NO other car she wants (That's my girl!) Your AC if it starts cold then gets warm after a while usually means slt low on freon-ices up. BTW! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" /> GOOD LUCK!!!!

I think the bottom end is okay. They pulled the dipstick after it was pumping coolant out of the radiator, and from what I remember seeing, nothing but oil was on it, plus they didn't say anything about coolant being in the oil now as well.

I thought there was a whole lot of nothing on the I-40 going thru OK, TX, and NM. But there REALLY is a whole lot of nothing on the I-40 once you get to CA, before the I-15. That's not a drive I want to make anytime soon, if at all, so hauling it back myself isn't an option. The cheapest shipping quote I've been sent is $599, and I'm sure it would cost more than that for me to haul it back myself.

I'd hate to see that LWB go to the salvage yard, without first removing those Gen II wheels and 31" MTs and shipping them back to VA so I can have them for my SWB. At least that way, it wouldn't be a total loss.

Gonna try and talk to a mechanic friend, and get his objective opinion on this whole mess...

My daughter and her boy friend drove a Subaru Outback I got for her at a car auction in Chesapeake (VA), and the only issue they had was they had to replace the thermostat when they were in OH, because it was running hot (sounds familiar!). The car had 150K+ miles, one owner, VERY well taken care of, and I had the coolant changed at a Subie dealer before they left on their trip.

When I was at a smog place here in CA, getting an emissions certificate for the Outback, the technician and I got to talking about trying to get carbed out of state vehicles to pass emissions. He told me that he won't automatically fail a car just because it has a different carburetor on it. But he will fail it if it doesn't have the major emissions hoses hooked up, which I know on my Weber on the SWB I don't. There's at least two hoses I can think of that need to be hooked up to something, in order to pass this visual inspection. There's that large diameter hose that went from the air cleaner to some gizmo on the exhaust side, and the valve cover breather hose (I have a small pleated filter element sitting on top of the valve cover vent now).

There was a thread on here about someone who made a template to match up a Weber carb top with the stock air cleaner base, so those hoses could be hooked back up. Another option I was thinking of was getting one of those snorkel kits, that has the adapter plate as part of the kit, running the air hose like stock to the front fender, and maybe tapping a couple of fittings into the snorkel on top of the carb to attach those hoses.

But with my luck, I'll go thru all that effort and my SWB won't pass. I'm thinking of leaving the SWB in VA for me to drive when I get back there, and if I do end up heading back to Cali for good, just selling it and looking for something that's already passed smog in CA.

But at least my SWB runs...only problem is the horn has a habit of going off when you turn the wheel almost to full lock in either direction, so that would be a good excuse to get a new steering wheel and adapter kit installed, and maybe even one of those WoLo Bad Boy one-piece air horns.