mhopton
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Marietta, GA
Now, this might not be a big deal to a lot of you guys that either turn wrenches professionally, or have a lot of experience doing your own work. Me, well, I'm no wrench, I'm a banker. I sit in an office all day and tell business owner's NO, you can't borrow money - despite what Nobama is telling you on the tube. Sure, I have always changed my own oil and I understand the basic concepts of how an engine and related components work but never really got into it for fear of f'in something up.
So, after picking up my new to me, 4x4, daily driver XJ w/90k on the clock, I made the decision to do my own work this time around. I bought it knowing it needed a PS Pump, an exhaust manifold, a fog light switch and a few other assorted common issues.
With help from this site and others, I replaced the PS Pump, put it all back together and found that the gear also needed replacing. So the next day, I took out the pump, gear and replaced it putting it all back together - oh yeah, I did that all w/out jack stands or even a floor jack
...
Meanwhile, I had ordered the APN header from ineedparts, so I knew it would be here last week. I went about reading everything I could find on replacing this thing and by far the best writeup I found was dailydriventj.com. But first, I knew I needed more working space under the vehicle, so I went to Northern Tool and bought a really nice, long body 3-1/2 ton floor jack and a couple of 3 ton jack stands to get it up off the ground - man, wish I had done that sooner. My wife has an Excursion, so this thing will get her truck off the ground too. Someone here also highly recommended swivel head gear-wrenches - I bought a set of metric Gear Wrenches, too from Sears hoping they'd make the job easier.
Anyway, to the install. I had read that some folks had to modify their intake to fit the APN header - I hoped mine wouldn't be the case, so I set off with the best intentions.
After removing the airbox and PS pump, I started taking pics of the intake plumbing and labeling the FIs to make sure not to get them mixed up.
Then I started removing the intake plumbing and found that I could unclip all of the sensors on the TB, unscrew the holder for the throttle/cc cables and lift it straight up w/out disconnecting anything - I hung it from the open hood by a couple of coat hangers.
From here, I went under the car and loosened the header/exhaust connection. I had sprayed w/PB blaster for a few days, so it came loose like butta'..
Next came the FI rail. After unclipping the injectors and unbolting, I wiggled them free from the intake.
From here, I used the gear wrenches to get under the intake and loosen the bolts. They all came off with no problem and off came the intake and header.
I pulled off the old gasket, which came off very clean and then used TB cleaner and a scotch brite pad to clean the head. I did the same thing with the intake manifold.
A close-up shot of the intake/exhaust ports - gaskets still on in this pic.
I used a fel-pro gasket and coated it really well on both sides with Copper gasket spray. New APN header installed loosely.
Took a close look at the old manifold and found that it was cracked all the way around at the collector on one tube and the #4 pipe was cracked up at the head.
From here, I buttoned everything back up using the 14 & 15mm gear wrenches and putting dilectric grease on all electric fittings and thinking that I didn't have a clearance problem between the intake and exhaust manifold. To this point it had only taken me ~3 hours, not bad at all. When I cranked up the Jeep it immediately revv'd to 3k RPM and didn't drop, so I knew I had a big vacuum leak - time to tear it back apart. Funny thing is, it only took 25 minutes to break it back down to the intake manifold now that I knew exactly what to do. I broke out an old tappet gauge and tried to slide a .15 feeler between the #6 runner and exhaust pipe and found the problem. I pulled the intake back off and proceeded to use a bastard file to file down the edge of the intake to fit the APN header. I also found that I had to file down the rib-casting on the #1 side of the intake where that supports one of the PS pump bolts - that too was rubbing.
Several test fits later, I could finally get the intake to sit flush on the block w/out resting on the exhaust pipe. I bolted it all back up, cranked it up and it was quiet as can be - purred like a kitten. Success...:roll:
New header installed
Couple of points...
The swivel-head gearwrenches were invaluable. I can't imagine doing this job w/out them. I was able to get to all of the bolts on the intake and exhaust manifold from the top by reaching under the intake and snaking my arms through.
Next up for this non-mechanic, Rear Main Seal replacement. Time to start reading...
So, after picking up my new to me, 4x4, daily driver XJ w/90k on the clock, I made the decision to do my own work this time around. I bought it knowing it needed a PS Pump, an exhaust manifold, a fog light switch and a few other assorted common issues.
With help from this site and others, I replaced the PS Pump, put it all back together and found that the gear also needed replacing. So the next day, I took out the pump, gear and replaced it putting it all back together - oh yeah, I did that all w/out jack stands or even a floor jack
...Meanwhile, I had ordered the APN header from ineedparts, so I knew it would be here last week. I went about reading everything I could find on replacing this thing and by far the best writeup I found was dailydriventj.com. But first, I knew I needed more working space under the vehicle, so I went to Northern Tool and bought a really nice, long body 3-1/2 ton floor jack and a couple of 3 ton jack stands to get it up off the ground - man, wish I had done that sooner. My wife has an Excursion, so this thing will get her truck off the ground too. Someone here also highly recommended swivel head gear-wrenches - I bought a set of metric Gear Wrenches, too from Sears hoping they'd make the job easier.
Anyway, to the install. I had read that some folks had to modify their intake to fit the APN header - I hoped mine wouldn't be the case, so I set off with the best intentions.
After removing the airbox and PS pump, I started taking pics of the intake plumbing and labeling the FIs to make sure not to get them mixed up.
Then I started removing the intake plumbing and found that I could unclip all of the sensors on the TB, unscrew the holder for the throttle/cc cables and lift it straight up w/out disconnecting anything - I hung it from the open hood by a couple of coat hangers.
From here, I went under the car and loosened the header/exhaust connection. I had sprayed w/PB blaster for a few days, so it came loose like butta'..
Next came the FI rail. After unclipping the injectors and unbolting, I wiggled them free from the intake.
From here, I used the gear wrenches to get under the intake and loosen the bolts. They all came off with no problem and off came the intake and header.
I pulled off the old gasket, which came off very clean and then used TB cleaner and a scotch brite pad to clean the head. I did the same thing with the intake manifold.
A close-up shot of the intake/exhaust ports - gaskets still on in this pic.
I used a fel-pro gasket and coated it really well on both sides with Copper gasket spray. New APN header installed loosely.
Took a close look at the old manifold and found that it was cracked all the way around at the collector on one tube and the #4 pipe was cracked up at the head.
From here, I buttoned everything back up using the 14 & 15mm gear wrenches and putting dilectric grease on all electric fittings and thinking that I didn't have a clearance problem between the intake and exhaust manifold. To this point it had only taken me ~3 hours, not bad at all. When I cranked up the Jeep it immediately revv'd to 3k RPM and didn't drop, so I knew I had a big vacuum leak - time to tear it back apart. Funny thing is, it only took 25 minutes to break it back down to the intake manifold now that I knew exactly what to do. I broke out an old tappet gauge and tried to slide a .15 feeler between the #6 runner and exhaust pipe and found the problem. I pulled the intake back off and proceeded to use a bastard file to file down the edge of the intake to fit the APN header. I also found that I had to file down the rib-casting on the #1 side of the intake where that supports one of the PS pump bolts - that too was rubbing.
Several test fits later, I could finally get the intake to sit flush on the block w/out resting on the exhaust pipe. I bolted it all back up, cranked it up and it was quiet as can be - purred like a kitten. Success...:roll:
New header installed
Couple of points...
The swivel-head gearwrenches were invaluable. I can't imagine doing this job w/out them. I was able to get to all of the bolts on the intake and exhaust manifold from the top by reaching under the intake and snaking my arms through.
Next up for this non-mechanic, Rear Main Seal replacement. Time to start reading...
