earl*t

When is the unveil?

Greetings Young Jeeper. The Eliminator has seen a few miles added to the odometer this summer. It's been a busy year. I check in on the "Club" periodically. My nephew's JK occupied a bay in the garage for several weeks for a engine swap. It moved out this past week. Prior to the OC event, a few preventive maintenance tasks were completed. Having no AC equipment, a professional shop serviced the AC system. One of the valves on the was leaking and seized shut. The mechanic was trying, unsuccessfully, to locate a replacement. Guess who had one on the shelf? She now blows ice cold once again making the August beach trip very comfortable. I discovered, while servicing the auto trans, that 150 in. lbs. torque spec stated in the Chilton repair manual is incorrect. After shearing the first bolt, I consulted the torque values from a contributor on this site. I keep a laminated copy in my tool box. By the way, it's 65 in. lbs. Chilton missed by a mile. Summit provided the Wix filter, Royal Purple synthetic ATF, and Fel-pro gasket. Using DUI components, I also replaced the distributor cap, rotor button, and wires. Replacement spark plugs completed the job. On the day of the show and shine, the starter would not respond when it was time to leave. A tap of the hammer provided enough persuasion to start. It was an embarrassment I would endure only once. I picked up a replacement on the way back to camp for a quick resolution. There are two projects I plan to take care of now that I have garage space. More later.

Sorry for the delay in posting OC pics. Our residence for this trip was the National Park on Assateague Island, home of the wild ponies, as evidenced in the foreground of this picture. From my location in this shot, the Atlantic Ocean is less than one hundred yards behind me. Ocean City bayside, Seacrets hosted the event's meet & greet. Julio's ride at Seacrets. Beach Crawl paralleling the Boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean. City restrictions limit the number of Jeeps in the parade, participation is determined by lottery.

:popcorn:

I can't believe summer is almost over. I'm making preparations for the final show we're attending this year, Ocean City Jeep Week, Aug. 22 - 25. The AC on the Eliminator is undergoing repair and should be completed tomorrow, followed by the install of a new trans filter and fluid. I'll post pics from the show next week.

Nice progress on the building. I was going to pm you yesterday for an update. A quick visit to CC satisfied my curiosity.

Nice job Kid! Inspector bumped my Eliminator to the Modified Cherokee/Comanche class. I scored an unexpected third in class.

Any Comanche Club members planning to attend the show in York, PA this weekend?

Is anyone in the mid Atlantic region planning to attend the event this weekend in Butler County PA.?

Welcome back...Livestrong! Congrats on the little blessing, Avery. Sweet rides.

Thanks for sharing the back story Young Jeeper! Fate or consequence, the odds of being at the right place at precisely the right time are astronomical. It does seem that some things are just meant to be. Your story put an ear to ear grin on my face. I believe our community is privileged to have a fine young man as part of the Comanche family.

It has been an incredibly busy Spring. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to further investigate and presumably alleviate the leaking coolant issue. Suspecting the leak to be from the water pump, the air cleaner box, power steering assembly, and bracket were removed for additional access. The leak was not the pump but instead the thermostat housing which was removed, cleaned, and resealed with a new gasket and sealant. In the process, I discovered another potentially dangerous situation. A quick trip to Advanced Auto to purchase DEI heat shielding products followed by a simple installation averted further damage or possible fire.

It's good to see the progress. :thumbsup: Good lookin pooches too!

It's all good. I did a little more investigating this afternoon. The leak is a weeper. It may be difficult to see but the discoloration on the block is antifreeze. Early on in this project, I replaced the pump and rad. I'm guessing a poor seal, my bad. The truck sat for months with no leak until I started running it.

Hi Bob. I was really expecting good news. It's regrettable that such an unscrupulous individual can legally conduct business. Many of us know how exciting it is when our projects are nearing completion. A bad situation like this has to be psychologically draining. I know it's not much consolation, but the CC family is sharing in your disappointment. On the flip side, we'll share in your pleasure when your Comanche is as shiny as a new penny. :thumbsup:

O dark thirty rendezvous results?

Very attractive family you have there.

Rear of oil pan, driver's side.

My most pressing issue now is to locate the origin of this little bugger. I suspect the water pump, we'll see. :wrench:

I tried to pm you. Unsuccessful. Could you return the favor please?

Perfect garage space. :thumbsup:

Looks like you're well on your way. :wrench: That sure is a shinny wheel, does it have mates?

Wrapped up more detail work. Ta daaa! A firm rap of the fist and the drip rail molding snapped into place. Probably not the professional way, but it worked. Also reinstalled the secondary door seals using plastic blind rivets. As usual, I learned a few lessons on the what should be a simple project. The first rivets I used were cheap. Yet another recurring theme, remember the adage "you get what you pay for", don't buy the cheap rivets. The shank kept breaking before the ribs engaged the button cap. I resorted to a primitive method that partially worked. Quality rivets and a professional rivet gun proved much more successful and also reliable. While driving the truck last Saturday, there was a rattling sound emanating from under the Eliminator. Upon investigation, I found two minor issues. The first was something loose inside the muffler. Another trip to the muffler shop is in store. The other item was the front section of the gas tank guard had broken plastic at the mounting points and was barely hanging on. Fortunately, Project Guilty sitting along side provided the needed replacement part.

I hate to break it to you, but that will be a recurring theme through life. Seems like it never fails, scrimp and save for a project and too often something else will arise. Don't let it stress you. Reliable mechanicals trump cosmetics every time. :thumbsup: Keep up the good work.

Sounds like terrific progress!!! Keep the pics coming on the details.