New Pics of My first JEEP PROJECT

[XJ Stryker]

UPDATE!!!


Well today I started ripping apart the Bottom Half of the engine!

What is in store!

1. Oil Pan Gasket
2. Rear Main Seal
3. MOPAR High Flow Oil Pump
4. Front Seal
5. Timing Chain

That is it for right now! If you have been following this thread you should remember what the top of my engine looked like when I pulled the VC. Well since then I have been running what ever I could to clean it out. Tranny Oil, Seafoam, Diesel, Some motor flush gunk. And I have been changing the oil every 1500 miles with Rotella 15/40. I think it has been working although my Oil pressure still sucks.

My oil pan Pretty clean compared to the Valve Cover!

I have some build up on the bearing caps and what not but not nearly as bad as the rocker arms.

Oil sump

Best pic I think

So other than my list is there any other small jobs that are pretty easy to tackle down here that may make my engine life longer?

BigJeepman I am ready for ya to come over lol!

 

[IllianaXJ]

Sounds like you pretty much covered it. Good luck, and enjoy the messy job

BTW - I think you have been hanging out with FlexedXJ too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[XJ Stryker]

BTW - I think you have been hanging out with FlexedXJ too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why do you say that

 

[IllianaXJ]

Bunch of "!!!" in your post :moon:

 

[FlexdXJ]

It was a good time wasnt it! You have got one good looking rig there Stryker. I seen it up close when i was helping you air your tires at the end of the day sat.night. You sure did a good job cleaning that thing up. Keep up the good work.

It performed as good as it looks too. He went everywhere with that little waggy!

 

[FlexdXJ]

Sounds like you pretty much covered it. Good luck, and enjoy the messy job

BTW - I think you have been hanging out with FlexedXJ too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What!!!!!!!!!! Byron!!!!!!!!!Me!!!!!! Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :roflmao:

 

[JS4309]

Hi XJ Stryker,

Looks as though you had two issues with that motor, 1 someone didn't change the oil enough, 2 they got it nice n hot. Not sure if you have done it yet but I'd: 1: check the cooling system thoroughly, including a good fllushing 2: check the oil pressure and coolant and oil temps with some good test guages and make sure they are in line, I never believe the stock stuff.
This engine looks just like mine does. I'm pulling it here in a couple weeks to do a rebuild due to the same buildup. I do know the former owner didn't do oil changes when they should have and I know it overheated twice since I've had it, once when the thermostat stuck and blew the head gasket, second when a freeze plug rotted out. Thing hasn't run cool since so it's time to do a complete overhaul and boil the block. I found that an oil passage is plugged and thats now causing the thing to run hotter than normal.

 

[XJ Stryker]

I have never had an overheating problem with this Jeep. The prior owner said it did. I replaced the Thermostat, hoses and waterpump when I got it. She has been running great since then. Even when wheeling she stays relatively cool . The elec fan cuts on when it is supposed too and everything. The last thing I really want to do is mess with the cooling system at the moment since it is working the best.

 

[89jeepie]

how hard was it to change the oil and water pump??about to do that myself and would like to know what im getting into..thanx

 

[XJ Stryker]

how hard was it to change the oil and water pump??about to do that myself and would like to know what im getting into..thanx

Water pump is really easy!


Oil Pump I am not done with yet but it is a PIA so far. Just time consuming and Dirty!

 

[89jeepie]

thanx..ya wasnt looking forward to the oil pump.

 

[JS4309]

Probably easier and quicker to just yank the engine. It shouldn't take more than an hour to get it out unless you drink a beer between each bolt, then it's a week long job

 

[poorboy87]

had a bit of oil leak on mine not too long ago. and had bad oil psi. the rear seal got hard. and started pukeing... bad...
doing an oil pump in frame wasnt that bad. had to unbolt the shocks and sway bar and jack up the front of the engine. ended up putting rod bearings in mine. they were pretty bad.

 

[bigjeepman]

Changing an oil pump is easy! He is already there. Like he said it is just dirty. Stryker, I Pmed you my phone number if you have questions! i will try to help over the phone and if that doesn't work maybe I can run out that way one day after work to see if I can help.

Let me know either way!

 

[XJ Stryker]

Will do. I pretty much have everything going pretty well. At the moment I was fighting with getting the harmonic balancer off. I have the puller installed but engine started turning over so I will have to get my wife or something to jam a screw drive in the flywheel teeth or something.

If you want to come out, you are welcome to I only got something going on Tuesday evening. I will give ya a call later.

Thanks.

 

[chpmnsws6]

Is that you on the roof of the group picture? HAHAH!!!


!

 

[bigjeepman]

Stryker, if everything goes as planned I should be on full-widths by next weekend with bald 35's that we might try to run to see what I have right or wrong. I am waiting on my buddies J-10 project to leave his garage so I can bend my exocage and then I will be back to working on the thing every chance I get.

By the way, anyone in the louisville area. Metal Supermarkets has about the best price on DOM I have found anywhere. They are located in Sheperhedsville. We have bought over 300 feet recently and they have been real helpful with the cost. We got 1 1/4, 1 1/2, 1 5/8, 1 3/4 from .120 wall to .250 wall.

 

[RAM-ROD]

Stryker: Your woddy and the post is great. I am very excited after reading and re-reading this thread. My RE 3.5 and a bunch of other parts are going on my 2000 sport this weekend. I am going to have to try to take a bunch of pics to show how my progress went.Hope i do not have as many rusty bolts as you did.
Can not wait to wheel with all of you guys.

 

[XJ Stryker]

Got a lil more work done on the XJ this past week.

Replacing the timing chain had a few troubles. Found a good write up to help anyone else looking to do it here

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=903937&highlight=camshaft+sprocket

This is the new one installed. I still need to tighten it up to the 80ft lbs but it is on and lined up at the moment.

New oil pump I still have to get the pick up installed. I gonna start looking for a place to machine press it on since it doesn't seem to want to mate with just brute force.

Cleaned up the Oil pan and repainted it. Cleaned up the Harmonic balancer also (nice having a solvent tank at work). Debating on Painting it.

Also noticed my engine in on its last leg hence horrible oil pressure so it won't be long before I have to replace the engine.

I have 3 of the connecting rods with a lil play and 3 of them are tight as all hell. Hopefully this engine will make it till I can save up for either a reman one or maybe buy a crate stroker. I don't have enough engine knowledge to create a stroker.

 

[JS4309]

We can build you one cheaper, and it just so happens I have a spare motor sitting here. I'm about to yank the one in my DD so I can get it going again, sticking the spare in it while I rebuild the other one so once the spare comes out it's available for rebuild. I had an old Chevy 350 that was known as "thumper" for over a year it had a rod knock and still took it offroad.....it just wouldn't die! I finally killed it on a highway in Pa and when it blew it went bigtime...... a state trooper even spun in the oil & water it dumped :shhh:

JS

Got a lil more work done on the XJ this past week.

Replacing the timing chain had a few troubles. Found a good write up to help anyone else looking to do it here

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=903937&highlight=camshaft+sprocket

This is the new one installed. I still need to tighten it up to the 80ft lbs but it is on and lined up at the moment.

New oil pump I still have to get the pick up installed. I gonna start looking for a place to machine press it on since it doesn't seem to want to mate with just brute force.

Cleaned up the Oil pan and repainted it. Cleaned up the Harmonic balancer also (nice having a solvent tank at work). Debating on Painting it.

Also noticed my engine in on its last leg hence horrible oil pressure so it won't be long before I have to replace the engine.

I have 3 of the connecting rods with a lil play and 3 of them are tight as all hell. Hopefully this engine will make it till I can save up for either a reman one or maybe buy a crate stroker. I don't have enough engine knowledge to create a stroker.