New Jeep Repair/Build thread

[srpope80]

DanMan,

Do you have pictures of what your coolant looked like? Can you post? I just bought an XJ yesterday and on the ride home the radiator (plastic tanks) cracked and spewed muddy gunk coolant everywhere...

I'm just being paranoid about the head gasket but I'm pretty sure new radiator, thermostat, hoses and WP will do the trick....

 

[DanMan2k06]

I don't have any pictures of what the coolant looked like. But picture mud. Not mirky or dirty water, but pure mud. Like 50% dirt 50% water kind of mud. I've flushed it now about 25 times, and it's still not totally clear. You can see through it and it's astronomically better, but still not perfect. I replaced EVERYTHING in the cooling system minus the heater core.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Update:

Well didn't take long and it's already a whole new jeep... Still have a few things to button up but I think it looks much more presentable how it sits now lol. I did everything at work in about 4 hours, man does it pay to have the right tools. Tomorrow I'm gonna switch the tires onto my stock ecco wheels and see if I like it better.

Before

After

Some during shots. I couldn't believe how sagged out the old suspension was.

 

[stephenspann27]

I've found the the head is where must of that "mud" resides.. My coolant is finally clear after replacing my head.. You can remove the thermostat and shine a flashlight in there and see it..

 

[Boneless-Jeeper]

Update:

OMFG I love that color , do you happen to know the exact name of it ? and great looking jeep by the way ! she needs to see some offroad !

 

[DanMan2k06]

Deep Amethyst Pearl. Aka purple, as everyone calls it. In some lights it's blue, some it's more violet.

 

[stephenspann27]

jeep uses another purple.. that is is actually purple (no hint of blue).. so be careful

 

[CLOISER]

ah man, i was just about to say don't ruin such a nice jeep with same old black steel wheels but oh well hopefully you'll put the others back on and like it....sweet jeep though great color

 

[DanMan2k06]

Yea don't worry I HATE the d windows... and soft 8's.

I'm gonna put the ecco's back on with the MT's for now, but I'm really looking for a set of 17" Moab's and some adapters. But for the price, I really couldn't pass up these 31's.

 

[CLOISER]

ya moabs or other stock wheels would look great, the whole classic look is just solid with the color matched fenders and bumpers, i dont know why people rip all that off, just go find a sport or se to muck up...ok done ranting

 

[DanMan2k06]

The only thing I was thinking of doing would be painting the grille black. But that being said, my sister's 98 grille is black, I'll pop it on and see how it looks so i don't destroy my nice factory paint.

I wish AEV still made the bridger wheels I'd be all over a set of those...

 

[CLOISER]

ya those are nice, that silver rig is what I'd go for if I had a nicer jeep and wanted to lift, just looks classy even with the big rubber

 

[OK Cherokee]

I totally would not wanna pull that boat with a lifted XJ, though....yikes. Those wakeboard boats are friggin' heavy.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Yea screw towing the boat that sounds like a deathtrap. The rear is squatting a ton lol.


I put the ecco's back on today at work. I think it looks a ton better. When dismounting the d windows I also noticed they were rusting heavily where the wheel is welded together. No bueno.

 

[Begster]

I agree, I think the Eccos look much better. Where do you work that it is some crazy clean garage with tons of lifts?

 

[POSJ]

I going to go out on a limb and say Lexus dealer?

 

[DanMan2k06]

That wasn't a very far limb lol. Yea I work at Lexus. That's only half the shop, there's another 30 lifts on the other side to the right, 50 total. 6 tire machines, 6 road force balancers, 2 alignment racks, all fluids in automatic dispensers above each bay etc etc. The floors get cleaned by a mini Zamboni 3 times a day.

Honestly I can't even begin to fathom the overhead of the place...

I re-worked the upper rear shock mount bolts tonight. NEVER AGAIN do I want to touch those things. But I've come to a decision that when these tires are worn, I'm going to get something a little less aggresive. The MT's are definitely a little too loud for my taste, and what I'm going for with this rig.