shelbyluvv Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 I have 97+ doors with the tweeters by the mirrors, 5" speakers in the doors and stock speakers behind the b pillar panels. Jay, once I get done storing my crap from the interior in the tool box we'll see what we can work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattwheels Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Love having all your pictures for references, I just picked up a 98xj and hope to start the full swap here in the spring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted December 19, 2014 Author Share Posted December 19, 2014 If you find some dead pics let me know and I'll try to reload them as I get time. I absolutely love having a 97 MJ. The ZJ seats are amazing. I barely drive my 07 Dodge diesel at all now that I have my MJ back. Once you get the conversion finished you will be in heaven! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Well she finally died. I knew it was coming eventually. I've been daily driving her since July with no oil pressure and a nasty rattle. I got a little spirited on the way home from work tonight and kept her at about 75 mph for a few miles. When I pulled in the driveway she was missing and the rattle was now a full blown knock. Oh well I will order new lifters and gaskets for my $20 engine and she'll be running like a dream again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Stroker time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Strokers just don't make financial sense to me. If I'm going to spend $2000 on a engine it is going to be a V8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted March 30, 2015 Author Share Posted March 30, 2015 Here are the remains of the rod bearings All the pretty parts in the pan. That lead me to this. Image Not Found Well that lead to this... My $20 engine with a "lifter tick" wasn't what it was advertised as. It knocked worse than my original engine. I spent about an hour trying to diagnose the rattle and it started to miss. When I shut it off it was spraying coolant out between cylinders 4 and 5. YAY! Cracked block. I am picking up another engine tomorrow that is guaranteed not to be DOA. This one better be good or I'm junking the truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillithium Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Don't junk it! This truck is up there with Ryan's and Earl's for me( and I'm sure for most of us on here ). I know how frustrating old trucks can be, but think of it as your family. You finally got it back, don't let it go now. Let us know how it goes, I hope the second engine works out better for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 Newest engine was picked up. It is a 93 engine. I had to change the intake for my 97 one and my APN header. I need to put the XJ oil filter adapter on it. The oil pressure sender was replaced also because it was bad. Once the engine was in I fired it up and she started to overheat and had a serious case of blowby. I was about to light it on fire and roast marshmallows over it's burning carcass. My little girl talked me out of the "Onyx bon fire" and we left it for the night. I went out this morning and pulled the temp sender in the back of the head and burped the air out of it. I also pulled the plugs and sprayed WD40 into the holes. Thinking maybe the rings were stuck from sitting. I also swapped in the 97 distributor while I was letting the rings soak. I put the plugs back in it and she fired right up and the blowby and overheating was gone. Either the 93 distributor was pulling timing or the WD40 loosened the rings. I don't really know what fixed it? I took her for a test ride and got the dreaded CEL. Pulled the code and the o2 sensor died. Replaced it and all was well again. On the return trip she started pulling hard to the left. The caliper is sticking on that side. It has done it before but I forgot about it. I'll fix that next week. All in all I am very happy to have my baby back on the road! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Great work and good job keeping your cool. Sometimes I just want to take a bfh to a project that is not going the way I wanted it to. Buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Thanks Buck. This fiasco really tested my patience. I'm glad it worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 I remember gutting our bathroom at our old house and I was at my wits end and kept catching my foot on a short baby gate going in and out of the hall and something snapped and that baby gate ended up totally destroyed in the driveway and I went to work in the afternoon and my wife didn't even say anything that night when I got home, she knew it had been a bad day. I felt good that I hadn't destroyed any of the tile we had spent some good money on. I always try to take my frustrations out on something that is inexpensive to replace or needs to go away anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 That reminds me... I need to go find my 19mm wrench that took a ride into the yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Today I decided to tackle the axle joints and my sticking caliper. I knew the drivers side was my problem child but didn't know to what extent. I pulled the brakes and hub to get to the joint. When I finally got it out it actually scared the piss out of me. I've been driving this truck for months on this u-joint! How it didn't cause any damage to the stub or axle is beyond me. I then started digging into the sticking caliper. First I found the retaining bolts were seized in the sleeves. Then I found these nasty grooves in the knuckle. I whipped out the grinder and smoothed out the knuckle and ended up with this. I bought new sleeves and bolts but it would seem that the knuckle had stripped the bolt holes at one point ant the stock bolts would not work. I grabbed a drill and drilled the new sleeve to allow a bigger bolt to slide through it. I moved on to the passenger side and it was nothing like the other side. The u-joint was good and the knuckle was in good shape. I replaced the u-joint and cleaned up the knuckle and put her back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Then I washed her up and took some glamor shots. She's no model but she does look good from a distance. and a few interior shots because the 97 interior looks so sweet. That's all for now. I'm saving up to get her painted this summer. It won't be a high dollar job. I plan to wheel the truck so a big money paint job doesn't make sense to me. I am also going to put the factory Eliminator decals back on it... Maybe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kickinmule Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 ooh man that is scary. Just saw a (well don't remember which one) show on velocity chnl where instead of grinding the notches out, they just filled in with weld and then smoothed it out. Lookin Good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted April 5, 2015 Author Share Posted April 5, 2015 She was running good but had a hesitation at part throttle and the CEL kept popping on. I checked the code and it was 51. I replaced the o2 sensor and all was well. A day later CEL and code 51 returned. I knew there had to be other issues. I checked the wiring to the sensor and it was good. I then checked the wiring on the top of the engine and we had a problem. The exhaust manifold flange had melted the injector harness. I pulled off all the melted plastic and tape. I discovered the o2 sensor wires and an injector wire were fused together. I repaired the wires and taped everything back up and wrapped the harness in heavy duty Reynolds Wrap. Fired her up and took her for a spin. The hesitation was gone and no more CEL. My daughter and I took a test ride to the Alabama state line and back and the truck performed flawlessly. She was even pulling down 21 mpg at 60 mph. it averaged 16.8mpg in mixed city/hwy driving. Today I decided to steal the 28MM sway bar from Betty. I have been driving Onyx for months without one. All I can say is WOW! What a drastic improvement in handling a sway bar makes. I'll never run without one again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 About a month ago my son came by and took the TJ Moabs off my truck and left me with some 33s and 15x10 wheels. I trimmed the front fenders and installed some rear flares on the front to keep them away from the fenders. Try as I may I would still need 6" of bumpstops to be able to turn when the front tire is stuffed. I cut a deal with my ex wife and traded her some really, really nice XK Hulks for her JK Moabs. I set out to make them something special. This was the final design I went with. I still have to sand the bed liner off the rear flare and paint it gloss black. I also need to put the bumper caps back on. I'll get to it this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Looking good, Bo! :thumbsup: There's just something so right about Moabs on an MJ. I'd really like to put a set of TJ Moabs under my Eliminator at some point. Can't wait to see this truck all cleaned up nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks Ben. I really appreciate it. Your rigs are amazing. I have plans to matte black the body with all gloss black accents. It'll all be spray bomb for easy touch ups after wheeling. Go with the JK Moabs. A lot easier to find and tires are way cheaper for 17" wheels now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks dude! I wouldn't have the Jeeps I do without inspiration threads like this for fun little details. :cheers: Yeah... The JK Moabs are easier to find and run about a dime a dozen. The TJ Moabs have a little deeper face on them. I like that... not quite as flat looking. From the side, I could really go either way, but in profile I really prefer the TJs. Really diggin the black/silver look on yours! Noted if I find a set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 I don't think I would ever get custom wheels for my mj but what you did with those moabs makes me want to pick some up and costomize to my liking (really just steal your design!), great look and a hell of a lot cheaper than brand new wheels. Also I like the look of the flat black truck with gloss black accents, that is really cool, and like you said, easy to touch up. Great ideas all around, as always. Buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted May 13, 2015 Author Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thanks Buck. I'm really humbled. She isn't a beauty queen but I like it. I have to let the Bronson take credit for the paint idea. He started it and I am just improving on it. He had a great idea with the flat paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share Posted May 22, 2015 I am not a fan of black wheels. While they looked cool I just could not get used to them. I found a set of 16" Moabs and 1.5" spacers and I bought them. I also ordered some 265/75R16 Cooper ATPs to wrap around them. I think she looks 100% better now. I had to trim the front bumper caps just a hair for them to clear. I will take it out tonight and flex it out to see what hits where and trim until they fit. I will also measure for bump stops and new shocks. Anyone want to buy some 17" black Moabs and 1.5" adapters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando87mj Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 Love how it looks man ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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