What are you doing to your rig - the continuing saga

[md21722]

This one hasn't been updated in a while. Finished replacing the evaporator core, heater core, A/C compressor, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, front cover gasket, front main seal, harmonic balancer, timing chain, and mini-cats in my 01 XJ. First time I've taken the dash out of a vehicle. The evaporator core let go a summer or two ago and the oil pan gasket and rear main have been progressively getting worse so I figured I'd do those and some preventive work while I was in there. I'm curious to see how long before the CEL comes on with the new mini-cats. The CEL came on at 100,000 and burnt out at 260,000. Has 340,000 now. Never had any drivability problems and tailpipe readings on the treadmill were below allowed limits last time I had it tested in Denver in 2011. I think I'll lift it next.

 

[in4aride]

Damn this has been dead for a while. Just picked up my portaband, so gonna start stripping the factory stuff off the 60 and get ready to burn in the 3link stuff.

 

[old_man]

I've spent the last two weekends doing body work and painting my 31 year old XJ. It is really starting to look nice. I will post up some pix in a day or two.

 

[in4aride]

Yeah I caught hint of that. Keep same scheme or do something new??

 

[md21722]

Sure, I'll just pick that up and throw it in the back of the jeep that's burning up.

Is yours a manual or auto? I've heard/read over the years that the manuals wear out the thrust washers/whatever on the crank quicker than an auto and the rear mains will never hold after they do.... if your old engine is still intact I'd be interested to know what the crank play is.

 

[Fred]

It should be coming out soon. Maybe we can figure out how to measure that. It had other issues, ie, two cylinders had low compression, one of which did not come up with oil added to the cylinder. It's blown oil for the last 100k miles. I think it has a slight head gasket leak sucking in coolant that increases the pressure in the block. It did require a quart of coolant every now and then with no leaks that I could discern, noting that it's a 26 year old engine which makes it hard to see the source of any leak, and my eyes have floaties at the center of my vision so my discerning sucks.

The replacement engine is machined, and cammed. Waiting on discovering the proper pushrod length for a final assembly.

 

[jeepfreak1020]

Figured I would post on a pic since I have not posted in Who knows how long lol. Here what I've been up to.








Link to my build thread

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1126429

 

[time2getdirty]

Looks like my TJ with the short ass end!

 

[Gunter]

Cpt Obvious here......just saying.....weatherpak connectors, like on my fuel pump. well make SURE they click when you connect them. i may or may not have had this happen to me in the snow yesterday. shhh!

 

[in4aride]

Alright. Not a bad approach.

 

[xj-grin]

that is pretty close to 0*, no... wicked, drive up walls.

 

[in4aride]

It'll be good. Let me run a decent front bumper when I'm not jeep broke and can afford one.

 

[time2getdirty]

I will build you a bumper like my xj that doesn't stick out more than the 1.5" tube.

 

[in4aride]

I will build you a bumper like my xj that doesn't stick out more than the 1.5" tube.

Whats funny is thats exactly what im wanting. mix between your rig and the ARB. But i have another grand worth of shit to get just to make it drive-able.

 

[md21722]

So I got a Miller factory tool to remove the axle shaft wheel bearings/seal on a 8.25 and the effing thing broke on me. Down to Auto Zone for the cheap Chinese slide hammer / axle bearing set & it had it out in about 10 seconds. Yea China!

 

[ROKRWLR]

It doesn't sound like much, but it's monumental for this project.

This weekend I bled the brakes for the 3rd and last time (with a power bleeder this time), got the last of the air out. Then I took her out on the road for some miles! Got it up to about 45mph comfortably which is good enough for me. She's no speed demon, but with H1 wheels, 1/4" wheel stiffeners, and 38" swampers I don't expect to be thrown back in my seat.

I even stopped off at Ralston Valley High's lot and wound my new winch rope properly off of one of the light bases.

Project done!:yelclap: Time to get her on some dirt and rock!



Almost forgot, I put on a sticker, too!
It looks too clean.

 

[in4aride]

Those wheels and tires have to weigh a ton.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Those wheels and tires have to weigh a ton.

You ain't kidding. It must have been a funny sight seeing me try to get that heavy F'er up on the spare mount by myself! I'd imagine that with the inserts, tires and wheels that they are real close to 170-180 lbs each.

Between those tires and the 2 seriously heavy axles, I'm really steady on a side hill!

 

[in4aride]

:roflmao: it's all about the positives.

 

[eflores]

big booty hoes......wonton problems lol