|
I went looking at beater Craigslist XJs last weekend, to satisfy my need for mild dirt roads and mechanical suffering. Budget: $2500:
XJ #2: Second choice. Lots of recent maintenance overall but d35 rear XJ #3: terrible reeking smoker's car with bald tires again. Wolverine had thrown a tantrum on the back seat upholstry. d35 rear XJ #4: Had some serious registration fuckery going on/no plates. All of the other sellers brought pinks, this guy had some old registration slip from Illinois five years ago and blahblahblah "it just needs to be smogged". I didn't even bother crawling underneath. I was pretty frustrated at this point, so I went back and did a Dumb Thing. Don't yell at me kastein  I haggled with XJ #2 and walked away with this sucker: 1988 Cherokee Pioneer 4x4. ~186,000 miles, seller claims the 4.0 was "replaced new"  ~50,000 ago but judging by casting code (8933002665) and relatively clean condition, I'd go with reconditioned (this may very well change when I pull off the head and look underneath)   Good: Passed CA SMOG with flying colors Not a spot of rust ( )Interior is nearly perfect (two smallish rips on front seats) New ignition cylinder, alternator, tires, brakes New hoses/belts Modern, well-installed deck/speakers stylish, pre-faded Desert Rose red paint Bad: d35 ("recently serviced" with obvious silicon sealant to prove it) Silly-rear end little aftermarket steering wheel Blinker/wiper shaft needs to be replaced Oil pressure gauge no worky Heard a scary grinding noise when turning full-left this afternoon Leaf springs nearly flat (do I need to even say the A/C is broken?) Want to Do: Swap in Chrysler 8.25 3.55 (judging by my local craigslist prices/availability, this is the way to go?) Either replace leaf springs, install helpers, or have current leafs heated and reformed (???) New shocks??? Address what feels like a mild timing issue at idle/low RPM I already have a coworker asking if he can tag along to the junkyard and learn how to pull parts. This whole thing has probably been a mistake.
|
#
¿
May 15, 2014 06:40
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 10, 2024 03:00 |
|
|
kastein posted:Judging by the list of possible vehicles you went with the right one. Wait till Ecology is running a half price day and grab youself the 8.25 from a 97-01 auto 4.0 xj and the rear driveshaft from a 91-95 with 4x4, 4.0, auto, and an 8.25. Awesome, thanks for the list that's exactly what I was going to ask about. Any special tools (aside from a BFH) I should pick up in anticipation? kastein posted:Yeah, if you're gentle. Yeah, I'm a fan of wheelspin, especially out off of public roads. I'll baby it for a trip or two until I get around to swapping. I'm not planning on bouldering or anything.
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2014 20:20
|
|
|
Going to do a fluid change & seafoam on the 88 XJ 4.0 I picked up. What weight oil do y'all run? I was planning on good old 10w-30. Car has 186,000 but engine was supposedly reman'd ~50,000 ago... Should I be running something high milage or whatever? As to temps I'm in SoCal so, hot. I can get 20w50 for free at work but that seems a bit heavy. Any other suggestions? I've had several people swear to substituting in a quart of LucasOil additive or whatever.
|
|
#
¿
May 21, 2014 22:08
|
|
|
Cool, thanks dudes. I figured it was a "whatever's cheapest at WalMart" sorta job.
|
|
#
¿
May 22, 2014 02:30
|
|
|
In the last couple of weeks since I finally caved to a long-harbored impulse and bought a Craigslist beater 1988 XJ 4x4, I did some basic stuff: seafoam/oil change/new battery/new battery cables (discovered the old ones were rotted bare). I also put on new lug nuts after I did a tightness check and stripped off several of the old-rear end caps with the old-rear end stock lug wrench. This caused me to go buy both a new breaker bar and 3/4" socket, as well as a new bottle jack for under the seat. This weekend I decided to give it a fast test run up a highway into the local mountains (~5000ft gain) to see if anything obvious would explode within AAA towing range. I loaded the poor old thing up with:
Generally I go up there with either a E46 or KTM supermoto, so I ended up jamming the poor AW4 through the familiar corners and up/downgrades. In the process I overtook a Mercedes coupe and learned my temp gauge is functional, as it got pretty hot. She handled it all like a champ. Unfortunately all of the good jeep/4x4 trails are locked up for ~~Forest Service Reasons~~ but I did throw it into 4hi and took a spin through a random deep gravel turnout with obvious stuck vehicle tracks. Ran it up on any high banked road cuts I found as well. Good times - I'm hooked. I definitely need to replace my poor flat leaf springs and probably throw in new shocks all around... might as well lift it a couple of inches while I'm at it  Krakkles hurry up and pull that 8.25 so I can start getting stupid.I attempted a 1980s glamor shot at the campground. Can't wait to take it out somewhere in the middle of nowhere and give it a real opportunity to break down. 
|
|
#
¿
Jun 2, 2014 07:19
|
|
|
Oil pressure gauge in my 88xj is pegged out at max regardless of engine on/off or ignition status. Googling seems to indicate that's a bad "oil pressure switch/oil pressure sender". Yea/nay? Looks like my local auto zone has the correct model for a non-idiot light gauge display for $16.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 4, 2014 22:29
|
|
|
wilfredmerriweathr posted:I love having real, honest to goodness gauges that tell me what is happening. Bought the last oil pressure switch Autozone had and installed it this afternoon. Turns out the previous person to replace the unit didn't want the added $10 of the correct gauge-specific part, instead opting for the cheaper idiot light model. Gauge works nicely now 
|
|
#
¿
Jun 5, 2014 02:45
|
|
|
Looking for creative/functional ideas on replacing the headliner in my XJ, which was torn out leaving the rotty old foam padding. Looks like kits are around $70, but it's just a beater and I'm only looking to make it a bit more aesthetically pleasing. I went by the local upholstery/fabric place but those are prices for women re-doing couches, goddamn. Anything wide enough (~54") is too expensive  I was thinking of just picking up a painter's dropcloth from Home Depot for $15 and a few cans of 3M adhesive.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 13, 2014 02:47
|
|
|
The mismatched screws really make that photo. What's the best manual (Clymer, Haynes, etc?) I should pick up for my 1988 XJ? I went to the junkyard the other day to find a multifunction/blinker column + switch, as well as a steering wheel to replace the lovely little Grant aftermarket on mine. I had borrowed a steering wheel/lock plate puller from O'Reillys so the wheel part was easy, but I ended up going to town on the column shroud and steering wheel lock linkages (?) with various brute-force tools to get the multifunction switch out. I believe I needed to remove the key/cylinder to do it properly, but someone had already pulled out the manual gearbox/shifter and I think the car was like, permanently in gear or whatever because I couldn't get the damned key out to matter what I tried. I realized halfway through that I was definitely going to need a good manual for the installation process. I also prematurely clipped the switch assembly ribbon like an idiot, so I'll have to buttsplice it in. While we're at it, what type of circlip pliers should I buy to get the lockplate clip off/on? Is that the kind of thing I need to just plan on replacing? I mangled that bastard too 
|
|
#
¿
Jun 16, 2014 01:14
|
|
|
Ozmiander posted:Its a bestop dealie that can hold about three six packs or 4 boxes of stolen nitrile gloves. Is there any other kind of nitrile glove?
|
|
#
¿
Jun 20, 2014 02:45
|
|
|
6/29/2014 - Note to self: In the future, avoid making any Rock Auto/etc. orders whose arrival time will coincide with any weekend containing both yr. relationship Anniversary and the arrival of an Old Friend. You will find yourself thinking about thermostat housing gaskets and throttle position sensors at most inopportune yet appropriate moments, and when yr. buddy decides to play every golf course in the city you will curse each swipe of the Additionally, do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, time your shipment/anniversary/friends alongside the arrival of new tires for yr. supermoto.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 30, 2014 03:37
|
|
|
Traced a coolant leak on my recently acquired beater XJ to the thermostat housing gasket - replaced it and put in a new thermostat. I decided to put in a new valve cover gasket at the same time as it seemed to be oozing as well. Scrubbed off a poo poo-ton of ancient caked oil around the edges, but everything seems to be ok underneath: Took the opportunity to scrub off the valve cover:  Going to clean off the valve cover seating (??) tomorrow, and slap it all back together with a new front vacuum harness, since the old one had a taped-up hole and I managed to snap it's brittle rear end while removing the valve cover Warning - newb dumbass questions ahead: So there's those two V-shaped vacuum/emission/sniffer assemblies that sit underneath the valve cover, each held in by three 1/4" bolts. One connects via the aforementioned vacuum harness to the airbox (fresh air inlet?), the other connects to a
|
|
#
¿
Jul 4, 2014 09:39
|
|
|
While my valve cover was off for a new gasket, I got a hot flash to paint it. I figured the old thing was too oily to really do properly, but thought I'd give it a shot and see how it holds up for the gently caress of it. Washed/scrubbed it down with: gasoline, simple green, several applications of engine degreaser, dish soap and water, and finally denatured alcohol and a light sanding:  Three layers of primer:  Three coats of VHT "Chrysler Red" 500deg engine enamel:  180grit followed by 220grit to sand down the fins:    Purdiest craigslist beater you ever saw  
|
|
#
¿
Jul 7, 2014 00:10
|
|
|
mod sassinator posted:That's awesome. I kind of want to do mine in that 60's industrial awful sea green color you see on all kinds of old machinery. AutoZone had several different VHT rattlecan classic colors including Grabber Green
|
|
#
¿
Jul 7, 2014 01:53
|
|
|
Krakkles posted:Just bought one of two "big expenditures" for my Heep (the rear locker). Hurt the wallet a bit, but I can't wait to have it in. The Royal Nonesuch, the 8.8 install is moving along. Nice. I've been busy replacing other small crap throughout my shitheap anyway. Can't wait to tear the bottom apart for the axle and redo suspension bits while I'm at it - camped and did some light 4x4 last weekend in the San Bernardinos, and the rear leafs were negative What locker did you you go with? I'm thinking of springing for a Aussie while I'm at it.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 14, 2014 14:52
|
|
|
Went camping last weekend in the XJ, and flogged it up 3000ft in elevation to a dirt road, and then a further 2400ft up that with a full load of camping gear (on a hot day). Midway up the first 3000ft I noted the temp getting pretty high, so I blasted the heater and kept going/coasting on any downhills. That seemed to keep it in okay range. When I got to the campsite, I popped the hood to check on my new valve cover gasket and thermostat housing gasket. They were both fine but I noticed the coolant tank was essentially empty, despite having checked it before leaving. I topped it off, had a great time hiking and doing a couple of tame 4x4 offshoots and drove home. Checked the level, and the tank had a bare minimum in the bottom. Finally got the time this evening to put it up on ramps and let it run for awhile before giving it a good inspection. I found the issue:  gently caress you, "freeze plugs". I wasn't even aware of of your existence until today. I also found coolant traces around the back end of the oil pan/transmission area and judging by youtube videos there is also a freezeplug back there, meaning I would have to drop the transmission, meaning of course that one is probably bad too. One of my objectives to buying a beat piece of poo poo was to learn more about car mechanics. Hurray!
|
|
#
¿
Jul 18, 2014 03:13
|
|
|
FreelanceSocialist posted:Wrong sender? I think I've seen two part numbers for the XJ. One for the warning light version of the instrument cluster and one for the gage version. Yeah, my unworking pressure gauge turned out to be the incorrect sender. The idiot light version is like $6 ( looks like a little spinning top) and the correct gauge version is $12 (looks like a little tin can), so whoever tried to fix it last was probably being cheap. It's a five minute fix if that's what it is. The Royal Nonesuch fucked around with this message at 22:25 on Jul 24, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Jul 24, 2014 22:22
|
|
|
When I put a 8.25 into my 1988 XJ over the next month or two, I'd like to lift it a bit while I'm at it. I also desperately need new leaf spring packs. This is a total cheapo beater budget build for occasional camping and modetate 4x4, so I am thinking of trying to aquire a used ~3" kit. There's a jeep shop/part out place near me that has a used Rancho 3" kit, including the OEM + AAL packs for $250. Looks like brand new base-level RE/Rancho/etc 3" w/new packs are generally around $500. I'd love to put the difference into a lunchbox locker, but will I hate myself for buying used?
|
|
#
¿
Jul 25, 2014 18:47
|
|
|
Thanks for the offer, that's cool of you  I'll continue to weigh options and let you know.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 25, 2014 22:49
|
|
|
Went looking for a fuel float unit at the junkyard today to fix my gauge not registering below 1/4 tank. Pulled out a pump assembly and the whole thing was nearly brand new; someone had obviously replaced it fairly recently. Snagged the whole thing with hoses for $35, hopefully a new pump will help with my laggy starts from cold. Also got two clean console trim pieces for the shifter and 4WD gear indicators. My P-R-N-D-1/2 slidy indicator thingy was missing the flexible dust protector deal around the stick, and my 4WD lever brushes were all mangled. Got a handful of correct-color corner trim bits for my ceiling handles, since all of mine are missing and showing white plastic. Turd status: polished .Arrived home and found a big RockAuto box waiting. I also finished cleaning the 8.25 I bought last week in preparation for swap, and rattlecanned it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoIgiwEVCUQ
|
|
#
¿
Aug 2, 2014 04:41
|
|
|
Yeah you need a steering wheel puller - I was thinking of buying one and pulling wheels whenever I'm at the yard. Clean ones go for a nice bit on ebay. I borrowed one from AutoZone when I got rid of my old aftermarket wheel. The pump/float assembly came out of a 1990, for my 88. I checked years on my phone before I bought it and it seems 1987-1990 is what I needed. Hopefully whatever mechanic instated it knew that too. The Royal Nonesuch fucked around with this message at 17:09 on Aug 2, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Aug 2, 2014 16:37
|
|
|
Went to install my newish junkyard fuel pump assembly (trying to fix inaccurate fuel gauge) this afternoon. Got the old one out with no issues, and promptly knocked off the strainer into the fuel tank while installing the new one. After 10 minutes of fishing around with a pair of channel locks I had sufficiently scraped my wrists enough say gently caress it and leave it inside. Another 10 minutes later my OCD got the better of me and I decided I'd drop the tank, fish out the strainer, install the pump with ease and take the opportunity to see if the tank was full of crud. Goddamn, (unrusted) XJs are easy to work on. Loosen the tank strap Jbolts, disconnect the filler hoses, tank is out!  Poured out the ~5 gallons left inside, and pulled out the strainer. Then, I pulled out another one. After that, I dragged out a third and felt much better about my fuckup  Pump assembly installed. I looked inside with a flashlight, and the tank is perfectly clean aside from the healthy stock of strainers.  The old J-bolts are bent and have some mangled threads, so I want to replace those. Off to local hardware stores to see what they have, and if that fails my plan is just to buy some threaded rod and bend it appropriately.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 5, 2014 04:59
|
|
|
kastein posted:The bolts are part number j3240023, various places (NOT factorychryslerparts, they are scum) have them for cheap. Just use 3/8-16 unc stainless nylocks and some appropriate washers to put them in. I was in a hurry to get the damned tank back in, and took a tip from one of my friends at work to check out a local bolt specialty place that I had never heard of (When I parked there was some crazy camo painted XJ out front, with the bearded owner buying weird bolts for some cruel-looking homemade double sword... I knew I was in the right place). They didn't have the actual style, but I got a couple of generic Ubolts + nylocks that worked fine:  They're a little short for my liking, but they'll do until I can snag a couple of OEM ones on my next trip to the junkyard. Got the tank back in with some cussing and foot-manipulated jack assistance. I also threw on new hose clamps for the filler/breather necks, and poured back the remaining 3 gallons I drained. Gauge showed nearly empty, which should be right but I was nervous and drove it to the gas station and put 5gallons in. It showed a hair over a quarter tank, so I put in another 5 and it showed a hair over 1/2. I also put a hose clamp on the stupid fuel strainer so it won't fall off inside the tank again. Mission success 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 6, 2014 05:04
|
|
|
Finally got dirty and tore into my '88 XJ to get at the freeze plugs responsible for my somewhat severe coolant loss. This is definitely the most mechanically advanced undertaking I've hosed around with. Originally I planned to also drop out the transmission to get at the back two plugs, but after a bit of testing it seems that all loose coolant is coming from the side of the block. Also, literally five minutes after I started unbolting everything my girlfriend called to book a sudden vacation that's been on the back burner for months... leaving next week (!!!) - I'd kind of like to get this thing at least somewhat back together before I leave for eight days and forget what goes where. Unplugging and labelling all of the little harness/vacuum/fuel lines took quite some time, but I didn't want to lose track of everything. Started pulling out bolts and went with the tried and true cardboard storage method I read somewhere on here awhile ago. Enjoy my patented Penis Manifold design (forgive any mislabeled parts, like I said I'm kinda new to this):  Everything came out most easily, and the intake/exhaust manifold bolts were surprisingly lightly torqued. I had the most issue with this stupid long bolt on the power steering pump (which apparently doubles as a serpentine belt tensioner??), that connects through and seats in the intake manifold. It wouldn't pull all the way out; instead the head of the bolt just barely caught on the mounting/tensioner bracket deal:  Most of the stuff I could find online in a quick search were all about replacing the pump/pully pullers etc, while I only needed to get that one bolt out. Figuring it was just slightly off due to age/vibration/whatever I loosened the other bolts in the slide channels and hosed with the tensioner bolt, all to no avail. I wacked it with a rubber mallet a few times, nope. Then I remembered I bought this stupid car so I could do things and not give a gently caress about it, so I got out the Dremel. Sixty seconds later the issue was solved:  After that, I got the intake manifold off without much issue, although the lower bolts are a pain in the rear end and I'm glad I scored a bunch of random 1/2" extensions at a yard sale recently. The much bigger issue was the two lower exhaust manifold bolts - I had checked them out yesterday, and judging by the look of 'em they have probably never been removed. I soaked them in PB overnight, bought a 9/16 6pt socket and approached them with apprehension today. The first one came off easily after a good bit of initial muscle on my small breaker bar. The second one wouldn't move at all, and due to the awkward angle of my ~18" of extensions one side started to round slightly. I soaked it with PB again, did other things, and came back to more failure. "Fine", I thought, "those rustbelt bastards online always use a Benzomatic for this sort of thing". So I dug one out from a dusty recess, and heated the gently caress out of that bolt. Got the socket back on there, gave it a good turn and sheared the swine right off, at which point the manifold hung free. The rear end in a top hat freeze plugs in question, laid bare at long last:  I ended the day with a sense of accomplishment and trepidation at getting it all back together. Questions: 1: I was planning on removing the sheared bolt from the exhaust along with the good one and replacing them both, but upon close inspection the manifold has some cracks where the tubes meet the main lower part. They're not super bad, but should I try to find a new/whole manifold locally to swap in while I'm doing all this? Or should I get my friend to weld 'em? My main concern is if they widen somewhere down the line and cause issues passing smog. 2: Looking in through the ports it appears some of my valve stems look nice and clean, and some look lovely - did some idiot PO just replace half of them, or is this an issue with some running rich/buildup thing? I figure I can mostly ignore it, because I6 4.0 etc.  
|
|
#
¿
Aug 13, 2014 05:30
|
|
|
EightBit posted:Clean ones are intake, poo poo-crusted are exhaust.  kastein posted:that accessory setup is one of my least favorite things about jeeps, the tensioner is STUPID. Just get someone to MIG over the cracks in the manifold, I have done that on a few cracked ones with no real issues. Worstcase I redo it in 50k miles when it cracks again. There are some available online but they all crack too. The apn ones with bellows in the #1/#6 runners seem to not crack as much but I don't know that they fit RENIX engines. Will do, thanks.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 13, 2014 14:38
|
|
|
Took the manifold into work today & wirewheeled/cleaned up the crack areas (on company time). Later, I took it to see my friend there who ran some nasty booger welds on the cracks (on company time, while his boss took family on a workplace tour [on company time]). After a few smacks with the braided wheel, the welds look... okay. He's learning, and readily admits it but I still gave him poo poo. Luckily, they're not too much worse than Chrysler factory beads so whatever the gently caress ever: (Tijuana Welding on top, ChryCo at bottom)  Took it home and prepared to start bashing out the old freeze plugs. First off, I noted my knock sensor plastic housing was all melted to gently caress. Replacements are $70 , so I plan on hooking it all back together and wrapping the hell out of the bastard with self-fusing silicon tape. The little spade/pin connectors still make good contact, so we'll see how that works. The old plugs came out without much hassle, and are in terrible shape as expected. Also pictured is the pile of metal poo poo that had collected in the coolant jacket beneath each plug - I pulled it all out with a magnet. Between the previous heavy leak and this rotten garbage, I begin to see why I was running hot under any kind of load.  I flushed out the system with a hose for some time after I had them all out, until the grimy water ran clear. Then I shot compressed air through the ports, ran more water, and did some work with a shop vac. Finally, I lightly sanded the plug seats and tapped them in with a socket and some high-temp Permatex.  Big thanks to RockAuto messing up my order, and sending me a non-copper plug kit that was also short a plug/for some other 4.0/etc. Luckily OReilly's had the right size extra plug, and I doubt I will have this thing long enough to worry about them corroding faster than copper. I also pounded out the old exhaust manifold -> exhaust flange bolt I sheared off (picture is of the good one). Neither of the two auto part stores I went to had anything like it, so I'll probably swing by the Jeep dealer tomorrow and see if they have any. If not, I'll find the closest grade 8+ bolt I can find and make it work.  Tomorrow brings new engine mounts, and a new CPS to assuage WITS (While I'm in There Syndrome), which might also help with my laggy starts/turnovers judging by various online info?
|
|
#
¿
Aug 14, 2014 08:13
|
|
|
Sandbagger, make sure the drat freeze plugs aren't leaking like crazy York_M_Chan posted:I am looking at some Cherokees about 6-10 years old but it unnerves me that they are so cheap. Is there some massive problem with the transmission or something I don't know about? Are the Cherokees from the 90s more reliable? I actually like the 90s style better but I worry about age and performance. You mean Grand Cherokee? They're a whole different deal from the 4.0 87-2001 xj Cherokee we usually talk about. I see a lot more Grand Cs in the junkyard for what it's worth, and my friend in high school had one that broke a lot and tried to kill him one night with a stuck WOT.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 14, 2014 18:05
|
|
|
A friend and I were visiting DC/MD and got stuck on a freezing open-plan metro rail stop over a highway when Snowmaggeddon 2010 hit. We sat for four hours watching all train and car traffic come to a halt, huddled against a wall and contemplating starting a trashcan fire to keep warm. We were supposed to be picked up by his friend who lived all of a few miles away. He sat stuck for several hours in traffic until he was able to go home and retrieve his Wrangler. An hour later he came sliding up in front of the station with his heater blasting, and was the most welcome sight in the world. He jammed that sucker home the whole way, passing innumerable stuck/crashed/spun cars. He drifted the fucker around corners and blew over curbs and thru snow drifts when people slid out in front of him. I am a lifetime SoCal kid and have no concept of driving in snow, but as far as I am concerned that wrangler was a beast. I wanted to hug it.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 17, 2014 19:04
|
|
|
Spent most of the day getting super filthy digging in to replace my rear main seal and oil pan gasket. Motherfucker of a job, mostly because I don't think the pan had ever been off since it rolled off the line in 1988. The bolts all came out easily, although some were so caked with oil crud I had to clean them off first. After that the bastard just stayed stuck there - I hosed around for an hour or two, gingerly prying around the edges with thin flatheads and putty knives. I was able to loosen the front end a little, but the back stayed firm. I mashed on it for a bit with a rubber mallet which made excellent gong noises mocking me. Finally I removed the front driver's tire, stuck a wooden axe handle in through the suspension bits and up against the sump, and malleted the gently caress out of it. This was the magic key, and it popped right off. I had to take off the other tire/put a couple of bottle jacks on the axle and push it away from the frame/unbolt the transmission crossmember and lift it a hair to get enough clearance to get the damned pan out. Motherfucker. Of course, that was all easy and logical compared to the next hour+ I spent pretzeling my arms to scrape off the old, petrified (cork? obsidian? it's anyone's guess) gasket remnants on the rail. With that done, I scraped a very thick layer of ancient, caked oil off of the transmission flywheel cover thing. poo poo was thick. No surprise that when I tapped out the upper half of the rear main it was rock hard and cracked. Lower half wasn't in much better shape. Despite my best efforts, I pinched the edge of the new upper seal as it went in and sliced it up. What day wouldn't be complete without a trip to the parts store, right? $17 got me a FelPro set which came with a lovely little plastic shoehorn bit (gently caress you, Victor Reinz) - using that, the seal slid in easily. Cleaned the hell out of the bearing cap/mating surfaces, slipped in the bottom seal and put that swine back on. With great pleasure I lowered the pan into my electrolysis tub, to be electrocuted overnight. gently caress him - I'm glad I'm getting it all done with, but next time the bastard can just leak for all I care 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 30, 2014 04:07
|
|
|
I'm debating whether or not I should put in a new oil pump while I've got the pan off (1988 XJ). There's no issues with it, but I don't know if it's original or not at 188,000k. Assuming it is original, is that one of the bulletproof 4.0 parts you don't have to worry about? Due to tight post-vacation funds, I'm leaning towards ain't broke/don't fix.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 1, 2014 02:59
|
|
|
kastein posted:If there are no bad noises and the normal running oil pressure is at least 35-40 I would leave it right where it is personally. Every 4.0 I've ever owned has had a hot running pressure at around that level and I've never had an issue. And I've never owned one with less than 107k miles on it, and most have been in the 200-250 range. Yeah I'm usually right around 40, so I'll skip the replacement. Thanks.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 1, 2014 06:29
|
|
|
ewiley posted:Please convince me to not make a terrible decision Crawl underneath with a flashlight and read the block casting code (was low-drivers side on mine, might have to shove your phone up there and photograph it), google it on the spot and see if the engine has been swapped? Read up on the I6 and try to spot any differences to see if you have post-2001 model. It looks like a good price to me, depending on what you want to do with it . I'd make sure all of the electronic/dash poo poo works, because that's the least fun to work on. Check which rear axle it has (Don't want the D35). Ask I bought a beat up 1988 a few months ago and have been having a filthy blast going through and replacing all the usual leaky seal poo poo, but I'm kind of a masochist.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 8, 2014 03:08
|
|
|
On Friday I finally swapped in the 8.25 axle and new RE 3.5" leaf packs my jeep has long awaited. It went off fairly smoothly with the help of a buddy, although we hit a couple of snags - mainly the little alignment dowel on the bottom of the pack not fitting into the spring perch hole. We thought it would cinch together when we tightened up the ubolts, but when that didn't happen we had to take it all out again, go buy a good drill bit and wallow out the holes Fit great after that. The swaybar mounts weren't fitting the larger ubolts, so after I did some googling I just tore the whole thing out. Couple of questions... The lovely old Gas-Adjust shocks are definitely too short for the lift. What are some okay budget shocks (<$100/pair)? I see a lot of guys buying cheap take-off JK Rubicon rears, swapping the bar pins and using those on ~3" budget lift. There are several sets on craigslist near me - they've all been up for weeks but none of the sellers will part me just the rears/"i want to keep it as a set", and gently caress paying for coils I cant use. I've encountered some difficulty putting in my new spicer ujoints into the shaft/yoke. I got the exact model# from northern drivetrain that kastein suggested. They tap in just fine and feel good, but as soon as I put in the 2nd snap ring they bind up so tight I can barely rotate them. For giggles, I compared the new spicer to the old ujoint that came with the shaft I'm swapping in - the spicer is like 1mm longer cap-to-cap. Is that the difference or am I loving something up? The old joints look pretty new, so maybe I'll just use em.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 14, 2014 20:30
|
|
|
kastein posted:That's rather odd and shouldn't be happening. Try putting the new one in, get the snapring in, then set one ear of the driveshaft on the anvil at the back of your vise (or a trailer hitch drawbar, or anything else solid) and then use your BFH gently on the other ear between the driveshaft tube and the hole for the ujoint cap. Just give it a couple love taps and try turning the ujoint again. Repeat as necessary. Sometimes it is because you pushed the ujoint in properly but a little too far and the caps are jammed against the trunnions and also not seated correctly against the cap retention clips. Doing this forces them back off the trunnions and back into the clips.  Yer a wizard! That fixed it. Someone listed a set of 2014 Rubicon takeoff shocks last night after I posted - ran out today and grabbed them for $60. Pressed out the metal sleeve from the lower bushing, and it fit right into the XJ. Looks like I can use my old swaybar mounts as a ghetto bar pin eliminator, which also makes the front JK shocks the proper height when I lift that end. Feels good 
|
|
#
¿
Sep 15, 2014 02:40
|
|
|
Over the last few months I replaced my: valve cover/oil pan/oil filter adapter/transmission pan/thermostat housing gaskets, freeze plugs and rear main seal. Rear differential gasket too, when I swapped axles. Oil pressure sender as well, can't forget that. After I got them all done I started parking over a piece of clean cardboard, to see if there were any leaks. Seeing spotless cardboard underneath a 1988 Jeep is very strange. The trees are silent around my house now; no longer do they rustle with the breeze of distant mountains. Just yesterday I watched a young squirrel drop a perfect acorn and lay down to die. His body rotted to dust and blew away in mere seconds, like the fleeting glance of of a wronged lover passing by on the street. A group of white crows stand in line on my lawn and caw desperately, but there is no sound. Something isn't right; something is very wrong.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 18, 2014 01:50
|
|
|
IOwnCalculus posted:Ordered a pair of 5-153X joints and one of those strap kits. Gonna try that Thor method to change them out since I really don't want to go find a press or other way to fix it. I just put two of those into my new driveshaft the other day when I finished up my 8.25 swap, using the Thor method. I think I used a random old 1 1/4" socket and an old ~13mm socket. The hard part for me was getting both caps tapped in without jarring out any of the little pin bearings. You kind of want to get one cap in, slide the Ujoint to the opposite ear, and use it as a guide to tap in the second cap. If you've got one cap/C-clip in and are trying to tap in the 2nd cap deep enough to get the 2nd clip in, and it's not going far enough don't force it. Pull the whole thing apart and make sure the bearing pins are still in place. I got angry with the BFH and actually cracked one of the caps because there was a couple of pins that had dropped into it, preventing the UJoint from seating all the way. Luckily I had a good spare Ujoint to scavenge a cap from, otherwise it would have really sucked. For n00b idiots such as myself, I'd actually suggest using a normal framing hammer instead of a sledge - if you clean up the shaft/yoke ears it should be plenty of force. Or maybe do the hassle of borrowing a U-Joint press from OReilly's/etc, because I think that would eliminate a lot of the hammer-jarring factor that pops out the little pins. Oh, and if you get it all in and the joint is binding like I had, read back to the last page for Kastein's magical tips.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 18, 2014 06:40
|
|
|
IOC I suppose it's a moot point if you raped the joints, but did you clean the yoke ears out real well and tap nicely with a smaller hammer? That's what finally worked for me with regards to popping out pins... Either way I agree that ujoints suck, and next time I'll either rent a press or take the shaft to a mechanic. Some things you have to prove to yourself you can do once, and after that it's pay-to-play. Edit: picked up some 3"lift Skyjacker front coils for my XJ over the weekend. I've read all the NAXJA/etc forum guides and different methods to install... I'd like to avoid pulling off the trac bar/LCA/etc, so I'm either going to rent some strut compressors from the parts store or grab a cheap HF set. Any tips? Got a new set of takeoff Rubicon front shocks to go with it. The Royal Nonesuch fucked around with this message at 05:45 on Sep 22, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Sep 22, 2014 05:35
|
|
|
gileadexile posted:Thanks for lookin out! I've been doing a lot of part ordering lately too, and the best way I found to avoid this: 1: get the exact part# you need using RockAuto's site (pick a big name I.e. Dorman), note the price and compatible years (click part#) 2: using that part number, browse Amazon/local places/etc for best price. 3: Google "part# partname application xj cherokee" to see if forums say it works The guys at O'Reillys love me because I show up with an exact part number and have already checked their site to see if it's in stock, haha. The Royal Nonesuch fucked around with this message at 16:26 on Sep 24, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Sep 24, 2014 16:23
|
|
|
In the midst of installing new 3" lift front coils on my XJ - I have some HF strut compressors, but realized early the futility of trying to jam in the stiffer coils so I disconnected my trac bar, and driver's axle-side LCA bolt. Lowered the front axle and the new spring went in easily, but the drat LCA bolt holes don't want to line up now. I got frustrated and quit for the night to watch football... will tackle it all in the morning with a fresh head and a day off, but tips are welcome. My ratchet strap around the axle to the front bumper was accomplishing jack poo poo - it's real close to lining up, but the axle LCA mount needs to move to the front about 1/4" more than I can force it. I figure I should get the driver's side LCA reconnected before I unhook the passenger side LCA... is that the right order? Do I need to put the compressors back on the coil to shorten it enough to get the LCA in?
|
|
#
¿
Sep 26, 2014 05:54
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 10, 2024 03:00 |
|
|
Philip J Fry posted:3" (plus the isolator pad) is right around the point where you absolutely need spring compressors. My first time I tried undoing the control arms like you, but could never get them lined back up because the coils would keep pushing the caster angle out even at full droop. Yeah, I put in the beefier springs with the compressors and minor tightening... I probably should have reconnected the LCA with the compressors still on, but I got excited and removed them first. New isolator bushing as well, so everything is maxed out. I'll hook 'em back up tomorrow and give it another shot.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 26, 2014 06:33
|
|