The Frog Blog

[100K XJ]

Since it would be weird if we both had Hawaiian ladies with leis and grass skirts that sway on our dash, I call dibbs hehe. Hood ornaments would be cool lol

 

[rocknxj]

You can have the lady with the leis and I think that would be a good look for the GM. I have something else in mind for a hood ornament. I'll post a pic when I get it.

 

[rocknxj]

Hardly a day goes without spending some quality time in, on, or under my XJ. I got Sunday started off with the installation of my exhaust manifold (for the third time). Saturday was spent tearing the dash apart and scraping corrosion from my instrument cluster electrical connector pins in an effort to get my horn and airbag working. No luck with that, but it was worth a try (my second).

After fiddling with the wiring for an hour, I decided to put it back together and once again remove my intake manifold. (I can now remove that in about 45 minutes and can do it in my sleep, now that I've fabbed up a 14mm Gear Wrench for the lower manifold bolts). After removing it, I studied it carefully to find out why it was not sealing on the manifold gasket. I found one contact point on the rear exhaust tube and began removing metal on the intake manifold to allow it to seat properly on the right engine block guide pin. 100K XJ helped me determine exactly what and how much to remove.

I finally got the intake manifold ground down enough and started the re-install. I finished the install this morning (Sunday) and cranked it up and took it for a test drive. Alas, the intake has a proper seal and I have absolutely no vacuum leaks. The Frog runs and sounds great, with the exception of the loud whistle at high RPM that I have been trying to eliminate.

Listening carefully at the flex tube suggests the sound is coming from that area, so my next move is to have the flex tube and down pipe cut out and and rebuilt by a qualified exhaust mechanic. As long as I don't get too heavy on the skinny pedal. the sound is not bad and it will certainly work until I can get the work done.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Hardly a day goes without spending some quality time in, on, or under my XJ. I got Sunday started off with the installation of my exhaust manifold (for the third time). Saturday was spent tearing the dash apart and scraping corrosion from my instrument cluster electrical connector pins in an effort to get my horn and airbag working. No luck with that, but it was worth a try (my second).

After fiddling with the wiring for an hour, I decided to put it back together and once again remove my intake manifold. (I can now remove that in about 45 minutes and can do it in my sleep, now that I've fabbed up a 14mm Gear Wrench for the lower manifold bolts). After removing it, I studied it carefully to find out why it was not sealing on the manifold gasket. I found one contact point on the rear exhaust tube and began removing metal on the intake manifold to allow it to seat properly on the right engine block guide pin. 100K XJ helped me determine exactly what and how much to remove.

I finally got the intake manifold ground down enough and started the re-install. I finished the install this morning (Sunday) and cranked it up and took it for a test drive. Alas, the intake has a proper seal and I have absolutely no vacuum leaks. The Frog runs and sounds great, with the exception of the loud whistle at high RPM that I have been trying to eliminate.

Listening carefully at the flex tube suggests the sound is coming from that area, so my next move is to have the flex tube and down pipe cut out and and rebuilt by a qualified exhaust mechanic. As long as I don't get too heavy on the skinny pedal. the sound is not bad and it will certainly work until I can get the work done.

At least you're getting somewhere now. I am no awaiting JCR upper Quarter Guards! Going to the MWC trail Clean up at Redbird SRA. Our trail is, of course, the tightest one there! Since I crushed a rear quarter there on the old Jeep I figure I'll get some before then. :doh:

 

[rocknxj]

FIXED! Exhaust whistle finally fixed...well...75% fixed at least. Long story, but essentially I took a few hours off work and went back to the exhaust shop. Had the guy rebuild the down pipe and weld on a new flex pipe. The parts he put on first were so badly welded and full of internal obstructions that they caused the whistle during acceleration.

New parts = no whistle. I still have a slight hole in the weld, but I'll return soon for a quick spot weld. Pics to come later.

 

[FlexdXJ]

FIXED! Exhaust whistle finally fixed...well...75% fixed at least. Long story, but essentially I took a few hours off work and went back to the exhaust shop. Had the guy rebuild the down pipe and weld on a new flex pipe. The parts he put on first were so badly welded and full of internal obstructions that they caused the whistle during acceleration.

New parts = no whistle. I still have a slight hole in the weld, but I'll return soon for a quick spot weld. Pics to come later.

Alright man, thats awesome. Did he make you pay for this again?

 

[rocknxj]

Alright man, thats awesome. Did he make you pay for this again?

No, that subject never came up. I was amused when he tried to hide the down pipe and the flex pipe from me after he cut them off. The joints and welds were so horrible that it was painfully obvious why it whistled so badly. Plus, he knew how much time and money I spent trying to get the manifold sealed, so paying extra was never an issue.

I'll still probably swing by and fling him a case of beer this week. He's not a bad dude, and his shop is pretty reputable. I just think some of his airflow philosophies are flawed. Of course...that IS his job and all so you'd think he would know better.

 

[american_zero]

Good to hear. I was becoming frustrated for you after reading all your work to fix it. So how does it run with the new pipe?

 

[FlexdXJ]

No, that subject never came up. I was amused when he tried to hide the down pipe and the flex pipe from me after he cut them off. The joints and welds were so horrible that it was painfully obvious why it whistled so badly. Plus, he knew how much time and money I spent trying to get the manifold sealed, so paying extra was never an issue.

I'll still probably swing by and fling him a case of beer this week. He's not a bad dude, and his shop is pretty reputable. I just think some of his airflow philosophies are flawed. Of course...that IS his job and all so you'd think he would know better.

A case of beer is very reasonable and way better than paying again. Sucks you had to go through it though. Hopefully, he learned a lesson even though exhaust is what he does for a living.

 

[rocknxj]

Good to hear. I was becoming frustrated for you after reading all your work to fix it. So how does it run with the new pipe?

I think it runs very well now, but perhaps this is a good time for an update on some of my earlier comments. After this ordeal, I may have a different set of opinions for the APN header, et al. Here is a summary:

1. APN Header. I initially reported it as a very good, and inexpensive upgrade. I believe it is but beware of how you must trim your intake manifold (relative to my '99"). To get the header to fit perfectly, I had to take an uncomfortable amount of aluminum from the underside of the right-most intake tube where it contacted the exhaust tube. Removing metal on the mounting surface between the tubes is not a big deal and does not come with the risk of compromising the thin wall of the manifold.

Edit: Funny thing. My '99 Sport (Old Blue) sounded and ran so much better than the Frog but it only had the OE intake and exhaust with the Magnaflow muffler. Go figure.

2. Installation of the header/intake manifold. Tear down and installation is very easy and I have learned many tricks through my three installations this month. Reaching the lower manifold bolts was solved by cutting the "fixed" end off a swivel-head 14 mm Gear Wrench and placing the handle in a deep socket and using a long 3/8-drive extension. Other essential tools include a 13 mm Gear Wrench for the PS pump bolts and a good grinder capable of removing soft aluminum from the intake manifold.

3. Factory crimp removal in the down pipe. I actually paid an exhaust guy to remove my factory crimp in an effort to improve exhaust flow. His careless skill made the exhaust flow WORSE, as it turned out. In retrospect, I would have retained the factory crimp in the down pipe for the time being, and ran with just an added flex pipe to go along with the Magnaflow muffler.

4. Flex pipe. As per opinions on this forum, I had a braided steel flex pipe (approx 6") added to prevent cracking the new header. A believe this is a good practice and the flex pipe is an inexpensive insurance policy. Make sure it is welded properly (i.e. butt weld) and check throughly for exhaust leaks, as this can be located in a hard to reach spot, making it a prime culprit for failure. I spent hours attempting to fix the exhaust whistle when I knew the flex pipe was the source.

5. Run of the mill exhaust shops. Do your research and know what you are buying before you commit to the work. Get the parts you need and push the shop to install everything correctly. Although I was under the XJ the entire time the system was being worked, they purposely prevented me from looking at their shoddy work the first time when they were installing the flex pipe and down pipe (I never would have allowed the restrictive pipes to be installed if I had a chance to look inside their connections). My second trip was amusing, if not horribly frustrating, however. In other words, don't let them try to convince you of something that you are uncomfortable with.

6. Final words. In retrospect, I would have had a much better exhaust system if I went with a name brand (Banks, Magnaflow, or Borla???) header and cat-back system. The money I saved on the APN went directly into the OE intake manifold replacement and I still feel as constricted as the day after a 24-hour cheese fest. I also lost a few weekends to this, which were not a total loss as I can now R&R a '99 header/manifold in under 2 hours ha ha ha.

7. Future plans. A less restrictive down pipe and post-muffler 2.5" tail pipe is high on the list for the 2011 calendar year and will be in place before the next Sierra Fest. I'll run with what I now have, but I'll bitch and gripe about this scenario every chance I get. I won't be happy until my XJ is breathing fresh air and pooping emissions like a finely tuned machine.

 

[FlexdXJ]

My new JCR goodies arrived today. I will post up pics of the install after the weekend.

 

[american_zero]

That's some good feedback on this whole experience. I've been pushed around by a few exhaust shops myself and will only go to someone I really trust now. You have to find a place that enjoys working on something custom/quality and are willing to take their time. I think most of them just want to hack and install cheap mufflers all day as this is probably where they make most of their money.

When I installed an APN header on my old XJ -- 94 with stock intake and exhaust, I didn't notice any difference from stock except it was a little quieter without the crack. I know there are better options for power (longer tubes), but they are generally much more expensive and easily spotted by the smog police. When I get around to it I'll be installing an APN header, '99 intake manifold, mandrel bent down pipe w/flex, and probably an adjustable FPR to compensate for the changes. I am hoping that increasing the fuel will help the mods make the power they should. At the same time, the upgrades should improve overall fuel economy and power.

Of course if I had more time and wanted more power, I would do some porting, use a thinner head gasket, and add a mild camshaft to the mix. Much better bang for the buck except for all the work that it takes.

Guess I'm sort of rambling on. . .now back to the regularly scheduled Frog Blog.

 

[rocknxj]

I appreciate the comments on the FB, rambling or not :O If you want to mess with my original '99 intake manifold, I'll sell it to you cheap. Recall I snapped the alignment pin hole a few weeks ago, but I really believe it can be installed without it. Or...find a guy to do some welding that is strong enough to hold during initial installation. Beats paying 300 for a new one like I did. Ha.

Here's my down pipe/flex pipe assy getting reworked. I like the lamp.

Flex pipe segment cut out in front of the bubble cat.

New flex pipe tacked in.

 

[american_zero]

I appreciate the offer for the manifold and would normally take you up on it, but I actually picked up a manifold a few months ago and it's waiting in storage for when I get the header and time. The real key is the time.

Apparently I also need to scrounge up a 96+ power steering pump and bracket to make it all work on my '93.

 

[rocknxj]

I appreciate the offer for the manifold and would normally take you up on it, but I actually picked up a manifold a few months ago and it's waiting in storage for when I get the header and time. The real key is the time.

Apparently I also need to scrounge up a 96+ power steering pump and bracket to make it all work on my '93.

I can look for a PS pump in my local P&P this Saturday if you want. They tend to stock a few pre-96 XJs (only) and I can certainly look for you.

When you get ready for the install, I will send you some helpful hints at the lower manifold bolts. Really makes it easy.

 

[american_zero]

I actually just checked online (Pick and Pull now has an inventory checker) and it looks like I have a few late model XJ's in the yards around here. Maybe I will just take a look this weekend. I think I can get some time in on Saturday morning. Again, thanks for the offer. If nothing else, at least it motivates me a bit to get working on this.

When I do get around to the install, I'll shoot you a PM about the lower bolts. When I did this before on my '94, it took me 3 hours to r&r the whole thing. I didn't really have any problems but maybe the larger intake manifold will make things a little more tricky.

I am not familiar with the newer PS pump setup. Do you know if I will need anything besides the pump and bracket? I'll snag the bolts too. Seems like a plug and play effort with the new manifold.

 

[rocknxj]

Let's see....bracket is held on by three bolts and the pump is connected to the manifold by three long fine thread 13mm bolts. Take a 13mm Gear Wrench with you and you can have that bad boy off in 2-3 minutes. I think the bracket bolts are 15 mm if I remember correctly. Could be 9/16.

Of course, you also want to remove the serp belt, so you'll need to loosen the tensioner and belt adjustment pulley bolt, or just cut the old one (faster).

If I have time, I'll head out to our P&P just for fun. Never know what you can find out there. Might look for a spare tie rod and another set of louvers for somebody in the chapter. Might also snag some manifold and rear hitch bolts while I'm there. You know you drive an XJ when...your favorite past time is an hour at Pick and Pull.

 

[rocknxj]

Mr. Beam...meet my liver. Liver, meet Mr. Beam.

Hump day. Yeehaw.

 

[rocknxj]

Next minor upgrade: Tie rod flip. I'll buy the insert tonight from motionoffroad, unless somebody can suggest something cheaper. http://motionoffroad.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=306

 

[playwithit]

http://www.goferitoffroad.com/products.htm