After almost 8 years or so, I decided it was time to change my Renix coolant bottle. That went well.
Completed installing the last of the valve cover bolts, ran it, drove it, gave a full heat up sealing test and operating temp test, and she seems to be good to go. The new bottle was doing quite well, no signs of shape change or swelling. Not sure my infra-red gauge was working perfectly, I think the battery is on its last legs, but it looked like with the AC maxed out, heat load wise, at idle after running it at 2500 rpm in park for 4-5 mins, to try and over heat it, then letting it set at idle for minutes the T-stat housing temp was about 210 yesterday around 3 pm (It was hot and humid as hell, not sure what the ambient temp was) and the radiator return was reading 175 to 192 F depending on the spot I tested. The very top was the hottest, between the Transmission connector and the Temp-fan switch was cooler. I will recheck with a new battery, but I am planning to start making local trips as a DD in her now. Before I turned on the AC the T-Stat housing temp stayed at 180 F (I use a 180 F t-stat on her) and radiator return was 160 F
After getting ip up to 210, I let it idle for 10 mins and the T-Stat temp dropped to about 200 F.
Still need to weld or replace the one BAD knuckle with the brake pad rail GROVE, and she needs a paint job bad!!! I coated the entire roof this week with a rust conversion coating (Loctite brand) to buy me some time, but the brand I used did not work on my 85 Jeep hood like it should have, as it is now toast, with rust rot and holes in just 6-12 months
. I have two spare hoods, wrong color, but that can be fixed.
I think NOT having the battery disconnected for 12-18 months (had not found the short that was killing the battery in 2-3 days) on it accelerated the rust. For some reason having the battery connected to vehicles seems to keep them from rusting???
Ordered a rear leaf spring for the rear of the white 87 4x4 I bought 4 years ago and have yet to use,
, but it is running, with good brakes and engine and AW4 working fine.
The passenger side has a sheered main spring right at the axle. Not sure how in the hell that could even happen, with out any other signs of damage? Bad shock??? We will see. Not looking forward to fighting with the rusted bolts on it.
It is going to get an entirely new heater hose and coolant bottle set up shortly (got one hose leaking at the bottle and the hoses are old). Got everything but the heater core hoses. I am seeing $48 prices for them online
for a 6" long heater core hose???? WTF??? But I suspect they are two different IDs on each side, like 3/4 X 5/8" maybe? Thus they are made of Unubtanium.
But I do not recall using special hose there 10 years ago on my Wagoneer???
I bought several hoses including those, from a Jeep online vendor ($4 each, nor $48 each) that is a Naxja sponsor but they were rock hard from China, might as well have been PVC pipe they were so hard, I returned them and the vendor sent their entire inventory back to China
when they saw what I showed them. A clamp would have busted before being able to clamp and seal them....Most of the suppliers do not have any of the Renix heater hoses at all.
My 87 Wagoneer now has 292,000 miles and counting, and with the new indexed dizzy using Cruizer54s indexing procedure (cutting the ears off the Dizzy and adjusting the rotor location about 10 degrees) solved the engine shake and backfire problems that had me thinking I needed to replace the engine :clap:. Runs better than it ever has since I bought it 12 years ago.
I am super worried about the roof
Time to get a pro-paint job and part with $$$$s I fear, to save her.