American Landowners: Starting with Hunting in Alaska

The Ford engine is right there.

That cast iron machine that once powered a one-ton car is now the only source of spare parts.

Su Wei did not hesitate.

The ratchet wrench, covered in black oil, jammed the oil pan screw, and the arm exerted force.

拆。

The movements were rougher and more precise than before.

The abandoned engine doesn't need to be preserved intact; all that's needed is a connecting rod inside.

The oil pan hit the ground, and the murky engine oil dripped out, revealing the crankshaft connecting rod mechanism.

The four connecting rods remain sturdy, their surfaces gleaming with the cool luster characteristic of high-strength alloy steel.

Su Wei reached in and shook the connecting rod of the second cylinder.

It remained completely still, without any movement.

These are materials used in old Ford cars; although they are surplus products of the industrial era, they are now the only hope.

Remove the connecting rod cover.

Remove the piston and connecting rod assembly.

This set feels heavy in your hand, noticeably heavier than the original snowmobile one.

That's where the problem lies.

The dimensions cannot be perfectly matched.

Suwei took the snowmobile linkage that had broken in two and placed it side by side with the Ford linkage on the worktable.

The vernier caliper is pulled out, and the metal jaws engage.

The caliper's LCD screen displays the number: 48mm.

Ford connecting rod: 50mm.

Two millimeters larger.

This means that once installed, it will immediately vibrate, and the engine will smash itself apart the moment it starts.

Suwei rummaged through his toolbox and found a roll of brass sheet with a thickness of 0.5mm.

These are the shim materials left over from when my father repaired old-fashioned farm machinery.

Cutting.

bending.

Two semi-circular brass tiles were formed.

When added, it perfectly fills the two-millimeter gap and can also act as a soft bearing to prevent hard wear.

This is the unorthodox approach.

A reputable repair shop would call it murder, but in Alaska's blizzard-locked areas, it's called survival.

After solving the aperture problem, the thickness problem still needs to be solved.

The thickness of the big end of the Ford connecting rod is 25mm.

The crankshaft of a snowmobile has an opening of only 22mm.

It's 3mm thicker.

It won't fit.

Su Wei looked at the rusty bench vise next to him, and then at the row of alloy files of varying thicknesses on the table.

There is no milling machine.

There is no grinding machine.

You can only rub it hard.

By hand and with a file, they ruthlessly ground off 3mm from one end of this high-strength alloy steel.

This is not only physically demanding, but also an opportunity to gain experience through tedious and repetitive tasks.

The passive ability of 【Mechanical Repair LV2】lights up in the field of vision.

A dotted line appeared on the connecting rod, precisely marking the thickness that needed to be cut.

Su Wei clamped the connecting rod in the bench vise and locked it tightly.

Pick up the coarsest flat file.

push.

Sizzle—!

The piercing sound of metal scraping echoed through the garage, so sharp it made your teeth ache.

The cotton candy hiding on the bar stool suddenly bristled, its ears folded back into airplane ears, and it snorted at Suweiha in dissatisfaction.

He then jumped off the stool and slipped out of the garage in a flash.

It can't stand the noise.

Suwei stared only at the falling metal powder.

The first stroke left only a faint white mark.

This alloy steel has a very high hardness.

Come again.

Sizzle—!

His arm muscles were taut, and he pressed all his weight onto the file.

Push, collect, push, collect.

The rhythm is monotonous, yet full of power.

[Life Skills +1]

[Mechanical Repair Experience +1]

really.

This kind of high-intensity, precision manual processing is a good way to gain experience.

If we can fix this thing, we'll not only get a means of transportation, but we can also take our skills to the next level.

ten minutes.

Su Wei stopped and measured with calipers.

0.2mm was ground off.

It's still 2.8mm short.

Sweat trickled down my forehead and into my eyebrows, stinging my eyes a little.

He didn't wipe it, he continued.

Only the screeching sound of metal scraping against metal and Suwei's increasingly heavy breathing remained in the garage.

This is an extremely time-consuming and patience-testing process.

After every hundred pushes, Suwei would change the side to ensure even grinding on both sides and maintain the dynamic balance of the connecting rod.

If one side is heavier than the other, the crankshaft will break directly at high speeds.

Delicate work is also physically demanding.

An hour passed.

A layer of shiny steel powder had accumulated on the ground.

Su Wei's palms were red from being rubbed by the file handle, and his thumb and forefinger were throbbing with pain.

He dared not stop.

Once I stop, my mind is filled with debt collectors' calls and images of being trapped here by heavy snow.

Only the aches and pains from the file and my arms could temporarily push those thoughts away.

The final 0.1mm.

Suwei switched to a fine-grained polished file.

The movements became gentle, turning into a fine grinding motion.

Sizzle... sizzle...

His voice became low.

The calipers were put back in place.

21.95mm.

Leave a 0.05mm gap for the oil film.

Just right.

Su Weisong opened the vise; the connecting rod, which had just been processed, was scalding hot.

Next is the weight.

Ford's connecting rods are too heavy.

I must lose weight.

While it's impossible to achieve perfect consistency, at least the excess counterweights should be removed.

Another half hour of polishing.

[Mechanical Repair Experience +50]

Current Level: Mechanical Repair LV2 (185/300)

This highly complex manual modification caused the experience bar to jump significantly.

Suwei cleaned the processed connecting rod in kerosene.

The bright silver metallic surface, with its fine texture left by hand polishing, has a more refined feel than industrial polishing.

Start assembling.

This is the most crucial step.

He returned to the ripped-up snowmobile.

Insert the connecting rod big end into the crankshaft open position.

In addition, we added our own brass bearings.

Apply red high-strength threadlocker.

Tighten the connecting rod screws.

This step cannot be done with brute force.

If it's locked too tightly, the crankshaft won't turn; if it's too loose, it will knock.

It all comes down to feel.

Suwei closed his eyes and focused all his attention on his fingertips.

He could clearly feel the tension in every thread of the thread engagement.

It's tight.

Loosen it back a quarter turn.

Move the connecting rod by hand.

It smoothly rotated around the crankshaft once, without any jamming or play.

Even a seasoned mechanic standing here wouldn't be able to find fault with it.

The core component has been successfully replaced.

The next step is repackaging.

Apply sealant.

Close the gearbox cover.

Install the drive belt.

Install the CVT transmission housing.

Suwei tightened each screw in a diagonal sequence, a rule repeatedly emphasized in his father's notes.

Three hours.

I worked from afternoon until evening.

The cold air seeped in through the cracks in the door, and my fingers were a little stiff from the cold, but I didn't slow down.

The last plastic side panel was then attached.

This black and red Polaris snowmobile still looks battered and bruised, with no visible changes.

But at its core, it has been replaced with a robust connecting rod from the automotive industry.

Su Wei straightened up.

The spine emitted a series of popping sounds, like popping beans.

My stomach growled at just the right moment.

do not care.

Test drive it first.

If it doesn't ring, nothing will taste good tonight.

Once the fuel tank cap is unscrewed, most of the old fuel inside has evaporated, making it difficult to ignite.

Suwei picked up a bottle of carburetor cleaner from the side.

Disconnect the air filter tube.

I sprayed it directly into the air intake twice to ignite it with this combustion aid.

Insert the key and turn it to ON.

The dial lit up faintly, the red backlight standing out starkly in the dimly lit garage.

Suwei straddled the cushion.

Hold the handlebars with your left hand and the starter lever with your right hand.

Without electric start, it can only be started manually.

At temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius, engine oil becomes extremely viscous, requiring tremendous force to pull it.

Suwei adjusted his breathing.

White mist was exhaled from the nostrils.

First try.

It's not for starting the engine, but to get the oil flowing and lubricate the newly installed connecting rod.

Pull gently.

The piston moves inside the cylinder, making a "whoosh, whoosh" sucking sound.

The resistance is significant.

Good news, the cylinder pressure is sufficient and there is no air leakage.

Pull it two more times.

The initial astringency has lessened slightly.

almost.

Suwei stood up, stepped on the pedal with his left foot, and used his full body weight.

Wrap the rope tightly around the handle with your right hand.

The icon for "Mechanical Repair" is bouncing at the edge of the field of view.

Whether you can find money in the U-shaped valley depends on this one tremor.

"rise!"

A low growl.

Su Wei suddenly leaned back, releasing his explosive power in an instant.

squeak--!

The flywheel is spinning at high speed.

A muffled popping sound came from inside the engine.

puff!

A plume of black smoke billowed from the exhaust pipe, choking people and bringing tears to their eyes.

No luck.

But there was some movement.

That was the sound of fuel being ignited.

It wants to live.

Su Wei didn't stop; taking advantage of the feeling from before, he immediately started pulling a second time.

We have to be quick.

Otherwise, once that little bit of starter fluid evaporates, it'll be all over.

This time, he used almost all his strength, and his arm muscles ached.

Squeak—putt-putt-putt!

The engine shook violently for a moment, then emitted a series of rapid coughing sounds before falling silent again.

Almost there.

The oil supply has not been completed.

That damn vacuum diaphragm pump hasn't started yet.

Su Wei gritted his teeth, grabbed the carburetor cleaner again, and sprayed it hard into the air intake for three seconds.

This is an overdose.

It will either flood the tank or cause an explosion.

I gambled.

the third time.

The skin on my palms is burning hot.

He poured all his strength into his right hand.

Wake up, you bastard!

Pull it all the way down!

boom--!!!

A deafening roar exploded in the narrow garage.

This time it wasn't a cough.

It was a continuous, violent roar.

The high-frequency whistling sound characteristic of a two-stroke engine instantly filled the entire space.

Blue smoke billowed wildly from the exhaust pipe, instantly engulfing the entire rear wheel.

Become!

The tachometer needle jumped wildly, soaring directly to 3000 RPM.

The hand-polished connecting rod was now reciprocating wildly inside the cylinder at a rate of dozens of times per second.

It held up.

The car body was shaking violently.

The sound made Su Wei feel a sense of relief.

This is the sound of hope.

The cotton candy, hiding behind a snowdrift outside the door, was startled by the loud noise. It sprang forward and plunged into the snow like a frightened ostrich.

It poked its little head out and stared in terror at the monster emitting blue smoke in the garage.

Suwei sat on the vibrating car seat.

His hands were covered in grease, and his face was streaked with black marks from the smoke.

He ignored all of that, gripped the accelerator, and gently applied a little gas.

Om-!

The tracks spun freely, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

The power transmission is perfect.

The machine has come back to life.