Project 2000 XJ (Daily Driver)

[dieselenthusiast]

After looking at many steering manufacturers, I ended up choosing Currie. Their kits are 100% bolt-on and designed to work with the OE pitman arm.

Currie Currectlync Heavy Duty Tie Rod and Drag Link System
Part #: CE-9701

Description: "The Currie Currectlync® heavy duty tie rod and drag link system for TJ, LJ, XJ, and MJ vehicles features, a 1 ¼" diameter forged alloy drag link, and 1 ¼" solid alloy steel tie rod bar that is bored and threaded on the ends. All 7/8" thread tie rod ends with boots are included as well as the Currie heavy duty steering stabilizer bracket. This unit is a direct replacement for the stock parts. No modifications or machining to any part of the vehicle is necessary. This unit is rated at 200% stronger than the stock components. NOTE: This unit is designed to be used on vehicles with 4" of lift. It can be used on vehicles with less lift, but the vehicle must have a minimum of a 2" bump stop (over stock). Also, on vehicles with no lift, 2 of the tie rod ends may need be trimmed to achieve proper adjustment."

 

[GregGA]

Have you changed out the Wix coolant filter and if not how long are you going to leave it in for the initial run? My system is not as dirty as yours, but I wanted to get your opinion on how long to go before switching over to the Donaldson.

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Have you changed out the Wix coolant filter and if not how long are you going to leave it in for the initial run? My system is not as dirty as yours, but I wanted to get your opinion on how long to go before switching over to the Donaldson.

That’s a good question. I added the coolant filter at the same time I added new antifreeze/coolant and installed new hoses and a new radiator. I also cleaned the overflow bottle and drained the engine block to the best of my ability; therefore my system “should” be fairly clean. I am planning to change the coolant filter at one year, which will be approximately 4,000 miles of driving; however, I will be checking the filter every few months for flow.

Now, if I had just added a coolant filter to my old system, then I would probably change the filter at 1-2 months or 300 – 500 miles of driving. Before changing the coolant, I could see particles floating around, and all those easily visible particles would eventually become trapped in the filter media. The hazy slim that lingered at the surface would also start collecting in the filter media. One method for checking a coolant filter for filter loading (clogging) is by touching the filter with your hand. If the coolant filter starts to become cooler to touch, then that is a sign that the filter media is starting to load (clog) and should be replaced. If you are unsure when to change the coolant filter, then I would adopt the philosophy that filters are pretty cheap, therefore I would rather change a filter prematurely than wait too long.

 

[GregGA]

Thank you. I think I will add a system cleaner, then the filter, and run a couple of months. Then, flush and fill, add a new filter and run for a year.
I'll cut open the first one and post it up.

 

[CobraMarty]

Swaybar Disco Cables and Leaf Bushings

Where do you get the sway bar disco cables?

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Where do you get the sway bar disco cables?

I got them from Dirk at DPG Off-Road.

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Thank you. I think I will add a system cleaner, then the filter, and run a couple of months. Then, flush and fill, add a new filter and run for a year.
I'll cut open the first one and post it up.

It sounds like you have a good plan. In general, Baldwin makes very good filters and they typically have a lower micron rating than Wix. But giving Wix the benefit of doubt, let’s say they are equal to the Baldwin. We know that the Baldwin B5134 is rated at 20um at 50% efficiency and 45um absolute at 100% efficiency. The Donaldson ECF4085 coolant filter is rated at 14um absolute at 100% efficiency. So, let’s compare:

Baldwin: 45 micron
Donaldson: 14 micron

As you can see, there is a big difference in filter media. You are getting more than triple the protection by going with the Donaldson. It would be interesting to know how many premature water pump failures have occurred due to contaminates in the coolant. I found this small tidbit of information: “Field tests returns have noted that 40% of used water filters evaluated contained moderate amounts of contaminant and greater than 10% contained heavy amounts. In addition, a survey of over 11,600 engines operating with and without water filters noted a 3 to 1 reduction in water pump seal leakage between fleets using filters and those which do not (SAE Technical Paper Series 881270).”

 

[dieselenthusiast]

I’m in the market for brakes, rotors, and a brake rebuild kit, if there is such a thing. With 180,000 miles on my Jeep, I think it’s time for new brake hardware.

I decided on my front pads, rotors and calipers.

http://www.blackmagicbrakes.com/
XJ 4WD 00-01 Front Black Magic Brake Pad, Calipers, Rotors
KIT: Jeep XJ 4WD 2000 – 2001
Cost: $290

Includes parts for both Passenger and Driver sides
•Front - Black Magic Brake Pads
•Front - Stock Replacement Premium Zinc Plated Calipers
•Front - Centric Premium Rotors

The front pads, calipers and rotors came in.

 

[dieselenthusiast]

The Donaldson ECF4085 coolant filter is rated at 14um absolute at 100% efficiency.

 

[GregGA]

Have you cut open the Napa filter yet?

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Have you cut open the Napa filter yet?

Not yet. I just fired up the Jeep for the first time in three weeks, so I haven’t driven it much since I added the coolant filter. I think I have less than 170 miles on the Jeep since installing it.

 

[GregGA]

10-4. I saw the Donaldson filter and thought you were ready to change. Just getting prepared are you!

 

[dieselenthusiast]

10-4. I saw the Donaldson filter and thought you were ready to change. Just getting prepared are you!

Yeah, I’m stocking up on oil, filters, and other vehicle parts.

 

[Jeepguy03]

Excellent build and attention to detail!

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Excellent build and attention to detail!

Thanks jeepkid03. Owning a vehicle is either a chore or a passion. For me, it's a passion and building it allows me to feel good about owning it, driving it, and most of all, depending on it.



.

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Now that I have upgraded the wiring, I’m ready to upgrade the alternator. My 2000 XJ came factory with the 117 amp alternator. Unfortunately, there are no aftermarket bolt-in alternator upgrades without doing some minor modification to the aluminum mounting bracket. After some research, I decided to upgrade to a 136 amp that came factory in a 2000 Dodge Ram with the 5.9 V8. Due to the oversized 130 amp alternator, the install will be bolt-on but will require some trimming to the mounting bracket. I chose this particular alternator because the plug and stud connections on the back of the alternator matched the same plug and stud connections on the OE alternator.

There are a few things to remember before you upgrade an alternator. First, you MUST upgrade the battery and alternator cables in order to get the most performance from your alternator. You will also need to add the proper fuse to handle the amperage of the upgraded alternator.

The other thing that you need to consider is keeping the OE sized pulley. The OE pulley is formulated to work with the other pulley sizes to ensure proper functioning of the water pump, power steering, A/C compressor, etc. Running a pulley that is smaller than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin faster which causes the alternator to charge quicker. A quicker charge can cause the battery to overcharge. Running a pulley that is larger than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin slower which causes the alternator to charge slower. In the situation of a slow charge, the engine would need to run at a higher RPM in order to charge the system adequately.

 

[BotakBeng]

Now that I have upgraded the wiring, I’m ready to upgrade the alternator. My 2000 XJ came factory with the 117 amp alternator. Unfortunately, there are no aftermarket bolt-in alternator upgrades without doing some minor modification to the aluminum mounting bracket. After some research, I decided to upgrade to a 136 amp that came factory in a 2000 Dodge Ram with the 5.9 V8. Due to the oversized 130 amp alternator, the install will be bolt-on but will require some trimming to the mounting bracket. I chose this particular alternator because the plug and stud connections on the back of the alternator matched the same plug and stud connections on the OE alternator.

There are a few things to remember before you upgrade an alternator. First, you MUST upgrade the battery and alternator cables in order to get the most performance from your alternator. You will also need to add the proper fuse to handle the amperage of the upgraded alternator.

The other thing that you need to consider is keeping the OE sized pulley. The OE pulley is formulated to work with the other pulley sizes to ensure proper functioning of the water pump, power steering, A/C compressor, etc. Running a pulley that is smaller than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin faster which causes the alternator to charge quicker. A quicker charge can cause the battery to overcharge. Running a pulley that is larger than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin slower which causes the alternator to charge slower. In the situation of a slow charge, the engine would need to run at a higher RPM in order to charge the system adequately.

Definitely looking forward to this upgrade.

 

[the_heep]

Just curious... what's your oil pressure at idle after Jeep reaches operating temperature?

 

[sidewaysstarion]

The other thing that you need to consider is keeping the OE sized pulley. The OE pulley is formulated to work with the other pulley sizes to ensure proper functioning of the water pump, power steering, A/C compressor, etc. Running a pulley that is smaller than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin faster which causes the alternator to charge quicker. A quicker charge can cause the battery to overcharge. Running a pulley that is larger than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin slower which causes the alternator to charge slower. In the situation of a slow charge, the engine would need to run at a higher RPM in order to charge the system adequately.

This is not true as the PCM on your jeep controls the alternator output to the battery, unless you have a bad PCM there is no way for the alternator to overcharge your battery.:dunno:

 

[dieselenthusiast]

This is not true as the PCM on your jeep controls the alternator output to the battery, unless you have a bad PCM there is no way for the alternator to overcharge your battery.:dunno:

You are correct. The key is to have a proper functioning PCM. Thanks for pointing that out. Here's my question: Will a quicker charge have any ill-effects?