Greenjeans

If your carb is good, I can’t recommend a 3.4 out of a 94-96 Camaro highly enough. You don’t have to go crazy like I did. Just swap over your accessories and add an electric fuel pump. My motor was $250 at a u-pull-it yard. There is some risk involved with a used motor but if you look around you may be able to find one with reasonable miles on it. Those cars have analog speedos so you can see the actual miles on the car before you pull it. Just another option for you and it’s a whole lot more motor..

Dry grass dyno testing. Slight dead spot off idle when I floored it but the Weber and timing is tuned about as good as my zero Weber experience can get it done. Two wheel grass burner! IMG_0241.mov

I dug out my old vacuum pump when I got into this project (30 year old tool probably) and it was nasty so unfortunately I had to make a trip down to Harbor You Know Where.. one of several trips down there I’m afraid..

For what it’s worth, 2.8 distributor requires 10 inches of vacuum to pull the vacuum advance canister arm all the way in. IMG_0215.mov

Another note for anyone using a 241c transfer case. I don’t remember what metric bolt I welded to the XJ transfer case shifter, but a 2018 or thereabouts Dodge T-case shift knob has the correct pattern and happened to screw right onto it. I haven’t really done any interior work yet so don’t judge 😁

Someone on FB asked about the parts I used for the 3.4 swap. I will post my shopping list from Rock Auto here. This isn’t nearly everything but is most of the important stuff. *I ended up sending the timing chain back because mine was like new. 2.8 parts I reused: Intake (hogged out primary hole) pulleys and accessory brackets timing cover & oil pan valve covers distributor (rebuilt) 3.4 parts from Camaro: long block exhaust manifolds & heat shields flex plate & starter parts thrown away: smog parts (from 2.8) O2 sensors (from Camaro exhaust manifolds) There was one oring that was difficult to find a part number (don’t have that part #) and I got it from a GM dealer. I believe it was for the oil filter mount bolt.

Still logging miles. About 850-900 now. I realigned the front end and it’s about as good as I think it’s going to get. The original ‘86 steering box may be the last big piece that needs to be replaced, it’s just got a tiny amount of slop in the middle. The rest of the front end is all new so it’s the only thing to complain about. It looks like the quick ratio Camaro Cutlass Transam boxes will fit so I’m looking out for one. I did originally put a Dakota box in, still have it but I never drive it with that box installed. The internet said the turning radius was different and it had a leak so I went back to my original box. The one sort of big project I did was to move the electric fuel pump to the rear by the tank. No more sputtering under a load due to loss of fuel pressure. I should have put it there to start with 🙄 and looking to order new seat belts next…

Still just logging miles to shake it out more. This weekend should allow some time to do another front end retorque just to check all this home made and junkyard parts collection under this Jeep. Something is very noisy and I have a feeling it may be the Rough Country control arms. $15 each at u-pull-it, so I knew they were a risk. The ride is decent but it sounds like cracking knuckles once in a while. I’m going to pull the lowers I think and do an inspection. The hurricane (cat 1in my area) left a little water in the passenger footwell but I think all the rubber in this thing needs replacing. I’ll probably just drill a drain hole in the floor 👍

As of 8/31 it was still there..

I took the 10 slot grille for a spare. It is marked AMC on the back so I know it’s an original, not a replacement and no damage. Makes me feel sort of bad for spray painting the chrome one that I have on the XJ 🤷🏼. But I never thought I’d find a black one.. the chrome sill moulding was missing off the driver side, I still need one of those.. I also got a Chevy Sonic headrest I needed, and a spare starter relay, overall good day at the yard!

And then the local yard had this on their website 🙄 ding dong dang I had to go down there in the Sahara desert heat to check it out…

Cartoon picture of “Mountain Dew”, name changed slightly to avoid the copyright issues although the drink people will probably still come after me 😁. Some random Chinese guy contacted me on one of the FB groups and offered to do a cartoon for $30. No Hella lights, I may or may not keep them.. anyway I think it’s pretty cool. And a “clean” version..

Sorry I misunderstood. I thought you had purchased a set from the seatbelt website that was posted.

Were you happy with the quality of the seatbelts? Retract hood and all that? I need some (2 door XJ) and I’m looking at the options.

I had this YJ back in ‘99. I put Mustang wheels on it that I painted black. It needed a slave cyl. (Inside the bellhousing) and so was only $3k, a good deal at the time…it was a fancy Sahara model. I kind of wish I’d kept it but it was from up north and had frame rot. They do seem to be getting cheap around here but they all need a lot of love.. it looks like you got a nice one..

Spotted behind a random car garage in Cleveland GA ..

2016 Chevy Sonic. I picked them because the dimensions were good, they aren’t electric (aside from the heat function which I haven’t fooled with yet). They also have a driver side fold down arm rest. I welded the original seat tracks from the XJ to the bottom of the seat frames, which was a pretty substantial project. But I couldn’t be happier with them!

Belay my last..he’s actually got a video or two on that car.

One of my new favorite you tube channels…. Fast forward to 19:00 and look in the back ground.

You got me thinking..🤔

I know, it takes away from the retro-80’s look of the vehicle to put a bunch of junk on the front of an XJ…. The intent and purpose of this vehicle build was for use on an unimproved mountain property…. so form does truly follow function. And pulling the winch and lights off later is always an option. I haven’t powered up the winch or put the synthetic winch line on yet. camber looks off on my front tires. 🤔

Did a little off roading this morning. 😁 first picture with the headlights on. I had thought that the wipers wouldn’t self park when I tested them before, but you just can’t stop the switch in intermittent setting of or they stop. They do self park when turned off, so that’s good. Anyone know if just adding an intermittent controller module under the dash somewhere will give me the intermittent function? Anyway, we got some miles in the rain today… still missing the front winch and I have a couple driving lights for the front also. Big Hellas.. we will see if I like it with them or not.

Inching along slowly on the XJ, it’s just too hot to do much on projects outside. I’m still driving 10-12 miles in it every morning to keep shaking it down. I’ll do a proper nut and bolt retorque on it after 800 miles or so. It’ll be cooler outside then. And work on the interior more.. I have been working on my China winch, about ready to mount it. New cables, solenoid box etc. new bolts and rattle-can rebuild. I had to go to the JY Saturday and there was a TJ with this Warn M6000 on it. Steel cable was toast. Pictures next to my China winch. I’ll freshen it up and hold it for a spare. It was $45 at LKQ. The dang remote will cost more than the winch cost 🤷🏼

I’d get some eBay parts off that one and just grab that front clip for fun if it was 15 degrees cooler. The yard was about empty of customers due to the desert conditions…

Ok first off…. I can’t pull any parts. It was 97 degrees today. May hit 100 tomorrow. I would love to do it for you but I can’t. I spent one hour there today looking for a few things and it about killed me. But if you are built for the heat. These are at Cash-n-Carry in Savannah. An ‘88 XJ model with low original miles. It had a 2016 tag on it, so probably accurate.. first unbroken console lid I have ever seen in a yard. and a 2000 XJ with a very nice front clip. 2wd…