My MJ and future plans...at least I still have future plans!

[SuperWade2]

Now that I more or less decided I'm going to stick out the whole MJ thing, i've been thinking about what I'd like to do with it.

 

I have some immediate things that I need to get finished before I do anything else;

 

1) Replacing Main Vacuum Harness so my EGR Valve works so I pass Smog and can register the MJ

2) Try to somehow patch the rust spot under the dash - I still don't really know how... I don't really want to pull the whole dash if I don't have too. I have some Auto Body Seam Sealer Stuff that I was thinking about getting up under there and see if I can spread it out enough under the dash and up inside the cowl area where it's coming though. I know it's not great, but I surely can't easily cut out the bad area and replace. Luckily we don't have salt and only rainy a few month out of the year, but the spot in that cowl area was about 6"x6" and pretty rotted out.

3) Reinstall Interior once I'm satisfied that the leaks are more or less done

 

Next the Knock in my Engine seems to be getting Much much worse. It's done it since I bought it, assumed it was just lifters rattling around, now I don't really know for sure...maybe I'll try to get a video with some audio and post here once I get it running again. I also get a pretty good clunk/chunk type sound when I'm going into gear and moving, either FW or Rev. Not sure if that's clutch/tranny or what, but that noise is separate from the engine knock/rattle.

 

So I've been sort of on the lookout for a lower mileage (100Kish) XJ that I might be able to pick up and think about getting the guys from my Jeep Club to help me with an engine swap. So far, not looked very seriously, but the though has crossed my mind. I guess a create engine or stroker isn't out of the question if it's something I could buy and just get installed, but unless the money tree starts blooming, I think a <$1000 XJ with a lower milage 4.0 is sure going to be the more economical way to think about going. I'd still swap my AX15 for an Auto in a minute too if I work it into the deal.

 

If I can get the engine running better, I also am considered trying to take the MJ out Wheeling (really for the first time) to either Holister Hills or Pismo Beach. If I go with my club guys, I'll get a ration of Poo if I don't have front and rear tow points. For Fronts, I think I'm just going to go with the Hi Country Ones...

 

http://store.hicountryoffroad.com/Xtrem ... _p_41.html

 

In the Rear, the options are basically new rear bumper or hitch. I hate to spend $300, but the JCROffroad ones seems like a good place to start. I'm guessing I could get someone on here that would be interested in my OEM black one which is in pretty nice shape (that I got from JeepCoMJ a while back), so that would offset at least a little bit of that $.

 

I'd still eventually like to get a "real" lift for it as well... My thought eventually is take the 33" Gambler Rims with Mickey Thompson MTZ's off my TJ (once I can afford 35"s and new Beadlock Rims for the TJ) and install on my MJ. I know I'd need a pretty good bump in my lift size to comfortable get those 33's under there.

 

So I guess long story short, it's good that I at least am thinking about things again. I don't have much extra $$$ right now, so i'll do the cheap/free stuff first, hope the engine/tranny holds up and tuck away a few pennies here and there to see about some upgrades as they come up.

 

Wade (Aka SWII, Aka "The Duece")

[89eliminator]

I'm guessing I could get someone on here that would be interested in my OEM black one which is in pretty nice shape

 

Wade (Aka SWII, Aka "The Duece")

 

:waving: