Took a little trip this weekend:

[zluster]

google map:
http://tinyurl.com/3nzl3va

To get this:

On the way out running at 80mph the mileage was between 24.9 and 25.8MPG. On the way back when running 55-70 the mileage was around 18.5, when the roads improved a little bit and I was able to get some more speed (70-75) it was between 16.8 and 17.7MPG. The little diesel pulled nicely and I was able to keep up 80mph on the hills if I wanted to, gotta love the torque of a diesel!

Left 12noon on saturday from north colorado springs, arrived at 3pm colorado time in New Jersey on sunday, got the uhaul tow dolly, loaded it up, and by 5:30 was going back through Philly towing the Jeep.

(on a side note it was free to get into New Jersey, but cost me $17.50 to get out, I'm pretty sure they overcharged me, $5 for a car, and I got charged $17.50 for 4 axles? I never had a reason to dislike new jersey before, but I don't think I like new jersey now)

Got back to Fort Collins 3am tuesday, so 60 hours for 3544 miles(average 60mph). Not too bad all things considered, a large pee jug helps keep your average speed up.

So I bought this Jeep knowing it had engine troubles, I figured I would throw in one of my spare engines and call it good, but after getting it home yesterday and playing with it a little bit I think maybe it might have skipped a few teeth on the timing belt(116k on the vehicle and I don't know if the belt was replaced at 100k or not). If I'm really lucky it just needs a timing belt changed and valve-train retimed, if I am less lucky then the belt skipped and broke some rockers, and if I'm really not lucky the whole thing needs replaced, which is kinda what I thought from the get go so it won't be a surprise.

Here's a little video of what it sounds like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95x7NiozPB0

This is what it is suppose to sound like
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdgkHqejox8

So I guess next I'm gonna pull the injectors and do a compression test, see if that tells me anything, then probably pull the front cover off and get out the cam locking pins and check the timing.

So much fun!

 

[.40CalPatriot]

Damn sounds like my grandmothers sewing machine!

 

[zluster]

Damn sounds like my grandmothers sewing machine!

She must have one torquey sewing machine!

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Must have been a real good deal to justify the time and expense to go get it from New Jersey......

My wife thought I was a 'tard for running out to Flagstaff, AZ to grab an XJ on the cheap.....

 

[zluster]

The vehicle was 2k, I think the tow dolly and diesel to go get it put me up to the 3k mark so far. Its still a fairly new vehicle with a fair amount of value, so even if I have to use my spare engine I stand to make a nice bit of money on it.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Road trips are always a nice benefit to doing long distance purchases..... especially when the profit margin helps to justify doing so... :thumbup:

 

[.40CalPatriot]

My wife thought I was a 'tard for running out to Flagstaff, AZ to grab an XJ on the cheap.....

No, she thought you were a tard when you told her that you ran out of fuel on the way out there in the middle of no where.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

No, she thought you were a tard when you told her that you ran out of fuel on the way out there in the middle of no where.

LOL...... no, I told myself I was a 'tard for that happening plenty of times as I sat there wondering how I was gonna get to a gas station and find a gas can that I could bring enough diesel back in.

God bless our independant OTR truckers..... that guy saved my bacon. :thumbup:

 

[zluster]

Wow.....you managed to run out of diesel huh?

My dad has done that in his van several times, but it also has a 15 gallon tank and gets less than 20 mpg, so it has less than a 300 miles range.

And flagstaff is practically next door man, its half a days drive from here.

 

[zluster]

That is to say, its half a days drive so I don't know why your wife thought you were crazy.

 

[zluster]

After starting to play around with I checked the timing thinking that the timing belt may have skipped a tooth or so, it did not, the cam timing to crankshaft was correct.

Then I noticed that when running it was making a helluva popping sound with the intercooler to intake boost hose off, placing your hand in front of the intake you felt a helluva poof of air, so I pulled the injector connectors one by one, when I got to #3 the behavor changed and was a more constant poof and quieter, so I think one or two of the intake valves are sticking open on the #3 cylinder.

Spent some hours today but I got the intake off, nothing obvious in the valvetrain is wrong, can't see the valves/valve seats from here, so since I can't see anything wrong tomorrow I guess I get to pull the head off and see what the bottom of the head looks like. I'm wondering if part of a glow plug broke off and fubared a valve or valve seat.

I'm really wishing I had a fiber optic camera right now, I saw one for sale at costco for like $180 or so last week, pricey little bugger, but it could come in handy at times like this.

You can see how the intake/valve cover/cam seats are all rolled into one unit, I've never worked on anything with that design before.