Why is it one project always turns into five?

All I had on my schedule yesterday was to tear into the 670cfm Truck Avenger carburetor I run on my '68 M-715 to see why it would hardly run on the dyno. I'm heading back to Westech Performance next week and needed to have the carb fully-functional so I could wrap up my 400hp/400lb-ft dyno thrashes.

However, to get to my work bench I first had to move both my mountain bikes, then my motorcycle, then my engine hoist. That allows me to fire up the flattie and pull it out of the garage. As I looked up, I notice a definite trail of liquid following me from the garage floor and down the driveway. Given that strong stench of fuel I was smelling, I immediately shut down the engine and investigated. Turns out after 7 years of service, the Earl's braided fuel line that runs from the high-pressure pump to the fuel rail on the engine had finally sprung a few leaks. And since it wasn't close to a fitting so I could just cut a bit off and rebuild the line, that meant a trip to the Earl's lady at VW Paradise in San Marcos, California for $50 worth of -6 AN line. I rebuilt the new line, snaked it down the framerail alongside the old return line, refastened it in the grommets, and after an hour or so the flattie was good to go.

Then, I hop in my YJ to move it and remember as I turn the key that the gauges weren't working. No biggie for me, but it stresses the wife out when she drives it, so I tore into the crappy French-built Renault fuse box. The terminals the fuse for the gauges (and my electric lockers) connects to had completely corroded away. I pulled out the box, removed the wires, and crimped some new terminals on it and just threw a 20-amp fuse on it sticking out from the bottom of the fuse box. Butch, but I'm not sure how much longer the wiring in this pile is gonna hang around anyway. Damn French.

Then, while I was on the YJ, I remembered how the front diff was puking gear lube out the passenger-side tube. Not a lot, but enough to get my attention. I checked the fluid level, which was still exactly where it should be, so that will be a project for another time.

Finally make it to the workbench and then, oh, hey - isn't that the new momentary ignition switch for the M-715 I got to replace the old one that sticks and causes the starter to hang up on the flywheel? Wire that sucker in.

By the time I actually got around to pulling the Holley apart it was nearly time for  the nanny to take off for the day, so I couldn't get to the autoparts store for some carb cleaner (apparently I'm all out). But check it out. No wonder this carb was falling on its face. Despite using two inline fuel filters, there's still a honkin' pile of dirt, sand, rust, or all of the above in the fuel bowls. The sediment had worked its way into the jets and was probably messing up the needle and seat assemblies. So, today I'll grab some carb cleaner and finish hosing out the Truck Avenger so it'll actually pull past 3,200rpm. At least that's the plan. We'll see what gets thrown in my path this time.