neohic Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 ... and done. Not crazy about the underside of the hood, but they were really only intended to cover some ugly cuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc. Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 For some reason I really like that photo. Get this, went to take it off the trailer and it fired right up no problem. I messed around with it for a while out back and next thing you know it's running like crap again. So, the issue must some how be heat related. Going to be fun trying to figure it out. :hmm: Good to wheel with you, sorry we had such a odd/sucky time of it. Not really a "bad' day of wheeling, just not as good as what it could have been. If we meet up again out there, we'll have to show you a few more fun areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 the best stories come from something going wrong :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Overall first impressions? She's needs some lovin'... Wow! Can't believe I've had the ol' Ape for one year already! :shake: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I'd say she got that lovin' :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 I'd say she got that lovin' :D I'd say that it still needs a little more! Not sure how much time that clattering engine has left. Let it get up to temperature and it clacks like a diesel. I know that it's on its second engine already as the first one was firing on five cylinders (for one reason or another) and the replacement is about one oil change behind the rest of the chassis... about 255k hard and neglected miles. I can't help but think I'll be out on some wheeling trip in the future and have another episode like the trans going out. We'll see, I guess. The floor and the roof is another concern of mine. The floor will be an easy fix come spring time (along with rear u joints and rear diff seals), but the corners of the roof are getting some serious rust. It'd be easy enough to treat it like the Kleenex it is and just throw it away and get another XJ, but I can't help but feel committed to this chassis after the cutting, plating, and modifications that its gone through. I wouldn't turn down grafting on another roof, but I sorta like the idea of using it an as excuse for the start of a simple exo cage. I dunno... with more and more talks of picking up and moving, I'm sure it'll just get what it needs for this year. As far as the engine? Maybe everyone can just keep their fingers crossed for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 wheelers should never have a perfect body. you're probably just going to mess it up anyways, right? :yes: go all out! at least a cage would be a fun project! the best part of a newer engine is that you can transplant it into future jeeps. :thumbsup: (though if you haven't already checked, pop the valve cover and make sure everything is tightened down properly inside) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjrev10 Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Those engines are all over the place. Shouldn't be too bad to get your paws on one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted April 24, 2016 Author Share Posted April 24, 2016 Colorado emissions compliance, here I come! I cut up the exhaust when I first got it to clean it up some. The Flow Master something-or-other muffler that was on it was a bit obnoxious to say the least. Not too bad on the trail, but hit a hill on the road or pass someone and it was nothing short of Fast and Furious! :bs: That needed to change and being that I needed to add a catalytic, I figured it was a well enough time to remedy everything. Old, busted, dented, and noisy. Old and noisy next to a dumpster score. They're both 2.5" and the dumpster freebie had tons of bends to work with. Giveth to the scrap, and the scrap sometimes giveth back! :D I'll admit that the new pipe has way more welded joints than I'd like to have, but free is free. Some of them along with the short piece of straight is now three or four times recycled from other Jeeps! :rotf: All hung and tucked up as high as it would comfortably could be. Threw in a new O2 sensor while I was in there. The main reason for all the bends is that I wanted to put the fart pipe out to the bumper rather than just dumping out under the back seat. Makes for a huge difference as far as interior noise! The muffler I went with is a cheap Cherry Bomb turbo. I've used them in the past and they last okay. For about $20 a piece, they're cheap enough to not feel bad about banging it around on the rocks. Overall, I'm happy enough with it even though my Jeep season will probably be non existent this year. Next on the list is new u-joints in the rear driveshaft. Major vibrations when letting off the gas. There's a laundry list that it could get, but we'll see what happens and what I have time for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 4, 2016 Author Share Posted July 4, 2016 Big weekend for the ol' Ape... sort of. Things started off with wanting to loosen up the leaf springs. I took them apart again with the intent of slightly lowering the rear and to soften them up some. Got them apart... took out one leaf... reassembled... then it sat with the nose way high. Okay... :shake: Got them apart again... put that leaf back in and removed another... reassembled... then it sat even worse. Ugh... :fs2: Got them apart one last time... broke a couple bolts in the process... put all the leafs back where they were... now it sits exactly how it sat before after three hours of fiddling around only to accomplish nothing but a couple broken bolts. :wall: How about moving on to the front? The valve cover came off to investigate the top end ticking. Couple rockers are were loose so that wasn't all that big of a deal. Everything got torqued to spec and a fancy new valve cover gasket went on. It sounds a whole lot better now!... albeit still has that same tired old engine feel to it, but the knock is just about gone. I'm going to call that one a win. :roll: Then there's the front axle. The open diff has really been the difference in this Jeep between being an amazing trail rig to a pretty good one. I found a brand new in the box Aussie on a local forum for a real swell price that the guy was nice enough to deliver to my door. Everything got taken apart while I waited for him to show which gave me time to replace a couple of torn tie rod end boots and to clean up the axle which was still wearing last season's caked on mud and other such nature debris. Turns out that the guy ended up running later than originally planned so the install got tabled until this morning... so I planned, anyhow. The differential was sitting on my bench with the spider gears still in it as I didn't want to have anything out of place. The pin came out just fine as did the spider gears... but, wait... something is missing here... ONLY ONE THRUST WASHER?!?! :rant: Obviously someone has been in this axle in the past as the long side has been sleeved, the seals look fairly new, and (again, obviously) the 4.56 gears. Why in the hell wouldn't they put all of the thrust washers back in?! None under the internal spiders?... fine. Only one washer on the outside spiders?... that's just a slap in the face this morning. Nope... no locker install today. As it sits... Now I'm dead in the water over a $2 thrust washer. The one that was there looked to be in fine shape. I should have the replacement sometime this week. In the mean time, at least I've got a fancy new sticker on the window. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 that sucks indeed. maybe they accidentally left it out? I mean, there can't possibly be a good reason for skipping that, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 4, 2016 Author Share Posted July 4, 2016 I would assume they were overlooked when transferring them to the 4.56 carrier. In any case, they're not there now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted July 12, 2016 Author Share Posted July 12, 2016 New thrust washer came in the mail today. One hour later and the Ape was back on the road. ... poser shot, I know. In the past, the Jeep wouldn't climb up on those parking lot rocks. Didn't hardly have to give it any throttle this time! Too bad I probably won't have any time to enjoy it this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 12, 2016 Share Posted July 12, 2016 you say that, but once it's in CO and you're easy driving from some of the best trails out there, you might be able to find a stray weekend here or there and make up for lost time :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 What? What?! WHAT?!?! Doors in the apartment bedroom? Well... that can only mean one thing! Yes, the ol' Ape found a new forest to swing around in today. Been working at an offroad shop since a couple weeks ago after moving out to Colorado. Today was the day to join a new crowd! ... almost. The crank position sensor decided that it had enough of life on the way to the trail. Fortunately, one of the guys I work with was gracious enough to drive back into town to pick up a new one. On with the trails!!! Sure was strange being the "little guy" in the group. I had the smallest tire and the least amount of gearing (even with my 4.56s). That being said, I also was the only one without an actual frame and I had the most bodywork to swing around. Still, the wife and I had a great time! Sure was nice to be doing some of the stuff we came out here to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Looking good! I'm glad you got your way into an off-road shop, more Wheeling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 ... more Wheeling! Yessir! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 great stuff! :D show those guys what a unibody can do! . :MJ 1: . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 10, 2016 Author Share Posted October 10, 2016 Oof... can't help but think that the ol' Ape's days are numbered. :( Had an awesome day running up into the mountains today to Buena Vista. Beautiful scenery and some good trails! Same group as the last time out so I was the little guy again... and it sure showed. All day long it was "clack, clack, clack, clack, BANG!!!, clack, clack, clack, CLANK!!!, BANG!!!, clack, clack..." from the Ape. Sure glad I cut out what was left of the rockers and replaced with tube a while back as they sure got their battle scars today. The tank skid, trans cross member, lower control arms... everything got beat up big time today. On the trails, the Jeep ran fine(ish). The fuel pump is operating fine however the check valve has gotten much worse. I used to be able to cycle the key a few times and not have any issues. Now if it sits for a few minutes and gets started again it'll pop and burp and backfire until it's done throwing its fit. The engine ("clack, clack, clack...") is making due. On the road is another story. That poor trans tries desperately to keep up and downshift but it really comes down to the fact that the engine is just clapped out and is loosing compression fast. Pretty sure the heater core is beginning to leak too. Nothing dripping on the floor or anything, but its been smelling like coolant lately and that's the last component of the system that hasn't been upgraded. Anyhow... enough with the sob story... pictures! :redX: So then, what to do?... what to do?... Kind of feels like when you've made the decision to put down a pet but you don't want to say it out loud just yet. I think its wheeling days might be over as I just don't think it has much left in it. Maybe I'll just keep it going through winter and then make a decision later?... I really don't know. :dunno: Figuring by the time I swap out the engine, fuel pump, other such odds and ends that it needs, and then end up with a few more years on borrowed time. Doesn't add up in my head and that's a real bummer. I hate to say it, but this ugly little XJ has really grown on me. We'll see, I guess. Not making any decisions tonight. As for today? Today was a good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 Looks like your happy out there Ben. That's a good thing. :cheers: Miss MN at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 10, 2016 Author Share Posted October 10, 2016 I am very happy out here, Don. As much as I say that we should've done this years ago, I don't think things would've worked out as well as they have. Over the past month there have been more than a few "right time, right place" type of deals that really have taken the sun, stars, and the moon to be aligned for us. As far as missing MN, I've missed the things we had... not necessarily MN itself. I miss having a house, my shop, and just being closer to my family. After winter we'll be looking for property or a house, I'll have a shop again, and people are mobile. Pretty sure we'll be staying for a while. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 all wheelin' rigs are on borrowed time. :( a minor roll can easily take out the a-pillar or worse. fix what needs fixin' and keep on jeepin' :D what will a new XJ bring you? maybe it will have fewer broken parts, but they are all just as old and it won't have any of the cool parts yet. it's a trade off of your hours fixing this one vs. your hours rebuilding another one. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 11, 2016 Author Share Posted October 11, 2016 Heard a clunk this morning backing out of a parking spot. Then I heard another when I put it in drive. Then another at a stop light... and another... and another... :hmm: Pulled the cover off the rear cover off after work today to find the welded spider gears all cracked apart. Very happy there weren't any teen floating around in there, but the drip pan full of gear oil still looked like I was panning for gold. That sure sealed the deal for me... no more wheeling this year. Right now the plan is to pick up some used gears from a local used parts supplier, cut out the destroyed spiders (fortunately whoever welded them didn't weld them to the carrier), and rock an open diff through winter. Could've been worse. Could've been MUCH worse. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 daaaaaaamn... :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 New locker... new sticker! Just a few more pieces than the four gears that should've been in there. Oof. :laughin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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