Waytard22 Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 So I've always been a XJ/MJ have always had one sitting in the yard or on the road driving. So after in regrettable got rid of my baby(1999 two door 5 speed) due to a divorce(it may have been the cause of the divorce) I started the search for the next project. I found this 90 MJ on the Craigslist for 300$ it was about 5 hours away so I acted fast and zipped up there, it had been sitting for 8 years. 2wd short box 4cly 4speed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Of course I was just going to get it running and driving at first... first thing was the previous owner lost the key so I bought a new tumbler assembly, but then I instantly ran into rust and crust my gas tank was shot. So I ordered a tank and a fuel pump But that wasn't all it needed the injector all nasty and rotten so I ordered one of the That's when she alive! Well for about 2 minutes then knock knock, whose there rod number 3, that's when I knew it was time to swap everything out Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 So I went to the junk yard and got a front clip to start, I know I know that was the least of my problems... i needed a parts XJ so I got back on the craigslist. I traded a gun for another 90 MJ Got the little odds and ends off that and put it up for trade that's when I found the donor, a donor needing work of course (blown head gasket) I plan on keeping it 2wd and making it a fun little daily driver maybe even lower it a bit(save your bashing and rude comments about lowering a jeep I'll eventually build another crawler but I need something better on gas than that f150 in the picture above, and i sold my duramax to get rid of a car payment) Here's my last build by the way. Bleed three link, OTK steering, OTA track bar 8.25 with ZJ disk brake conversion she was fun Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Then came the rusty floors, and since I'm going todo the 97+ swap I want todo the bucket seats which require the bucket seat floor brackets so now I have to cut out the old floors.... including the transmission tunnel which I'll have to cut out of my donor since it was also rusted out I went to drill the spot welds out of the donor and found this wonderful mess... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Good progress, what made you get away from the 2-door? I remember your build over from Cherokee forum, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 Good progress, what made you get away from the 2-door? I remember your build over from Cherokee forum, Well honestly I want it back the guy said he'd sell it back to me but mainly money. Being junior enlisted in the Marines I don't make much and now being divorced they stopped paying me for housing even though i still own a home, basically money got tight so it had to go, there's always another one out there. I love building them so I'll have another one before too long! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 Been a slow process waited until Black Friday to get a new engine hoist and engine stand but finally got the old straight 4 out and started working on cleaning up the engine bay Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 The driver side fenderwell was pretty smashed up so I cut it out to put in a new one Started to tack the new one in and it started raining on me to that will have to wait for better weather Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 Got the rest of the fender well tacked in and got the first coat of paint on the engine bay, also got the brake booster in and 4.0 motor mounts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 Next came the axle out of the 97 XJ and the lines and proportioning valve Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted December 19, 2016 Author Share Posted December 19, 2016 I cut a coil and a half out of the stock coils to lower the front, it'll probably ride like crap but I'm trying to find the height I want to be at, of course it'll settle more once I put the motor and trans in it. But it's already sitting a bit lower. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted December 24, 2016 Author Share Posted December 24, 2016 So I finally got to tearing my motor down only to unravel a nightmare. 12qts of sludge came out of what was supposedly a good motor, shame on me for trusting someone. But that was only the beginning, then came all the rust and crud. Now it's time for the decision of rebuild, buy one off Craigslist and clean it up, or stroke this one Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 Disputes the freezing cold weather down here in North Carolina I spent some time in the garage working on the new engine I picked up. Getting it torn down cleaned up, painted and ready for some new goodies. Don't worry that valve covers just resting up there to prevent overspray. I have another that's all cleaned up and getting painted Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 Well as my string of bad luck goes my daily started knocking/ticking guessing it's the lifters so I'm putting the pedal to the metal on Comanche today I ran all the engine bay wiring the rear brake line and fuel line dropped the gas tank to fab the fuel pump. If the weather holds out maybe I'll be able to get the motor in this weekend Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 Well as my string of bad luck goes my daily started knocking/ticking guessing it's the lifters so I'm putting the pedal to the metal on Comanche today I ran all the engine bay wiring the rear brake line and fuel line dropped the gas tank to fab the fuel pump. If the weather holds out maybe I'll be able to get the motor in this weekend Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 22, 2017 Author Share Posted January 22, 2017 Finished putting the motor together today, have to pick up my power steering reservoir from the parts store tomorrow then it'll be completely done minus oil then it's going in finally! If you notice I cut the clutch fan out and I'm going to run a shorter belt and dual electric fans Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 Decided to do away with the A/C along with the clutch fan today, so with that being said I relocated the alternator to the compressor bracket didn't take much but some grinding with a flap disk then I picked up a 75in belt for it. Also started on my gas tank today, for the bolt holes drilled just need to cut out the hole for the fuel pump Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Relocating that HO alternator is way easier than the Renix ones, definitely a worthwhile mod given you're going to electric fans. Who makes that header? Amazon or ebay special? Hows the clearance between it and the intake manifold? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Relocating that HO alternator is way easier than the Renix ones, definitely a worthwhile mod given you're going to electric fans. Who makes that header? Amazon or ebay special? Hows the clearance between it and the intake manifold? It's a speed daddy header from eBay 87$ figured I'd give it a go they had decent reviews. Clearance wise it's not terrible there's one bolt that's it makes hard to get too it's the 3rd one back not counting the nut on the very front, I'll take some pictures from underneath for clearance tomorrow Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Also my daily blew up as I was coming back from the parts store Sunday night. When I tap the oil pan you can hear all the goodies in the bottom of pan, after laying in the rain trying to drop the pan and not having enough axle droop in yard I got frustrated and gave up for the night(my luck lately has been awful) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 Well after a lot of longish night I have the motor and tranny in. My fuel tank have been converted and is in and wired up. Still need to finish the dash and some other things here and there but I have it almost ready to start...well try to start For now it's just a multi colored hot rod the body and paint work will have to wait I have to be moved outta my house by the end of this month. So it's crunch time to just get it driveable again! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 Well with the motor and tranny in I started plumbing all the wiring, I'm pretty good with electrical stuff to I extended the XJ harness all the way to the rear only using the MJ reverse light sockets and carefully taking a file to the MJ tail lights to get the XJ sockets to work. After getting everything in and ran I realized I made one big mistake. I never drilled a hole in the firewall for the AW4 shift linkage so out came the dash again. Now when I try to start it I get the dash and everything coming on Hvac and blower work but I'm not getting any power to my solenoid wire at the starter. I get 12 volts at pin 86 for the starter relay in the PDC when I turn the key but can't get power from there too the solenoid. Anyone have any ideas? In the mean time I took 2000grit then 3000grit and wet sanded the taillights then finished them by using neverdull, probably the best I've ever been able to refinish lights before. Then I taped them off and tinted the trim with taillight tint just to break up the individual lights Also I ordered a 97+radiator hose when I needed one pre 94 with A/c Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Is there power at pin 30? If there isn't, there's probably a fuse feeding it that's missing or blown. Taillights look really good like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 Is there power at pin 30? If there isn't, there's probably a fuse feeding it that's missing or blown. Taillights look really good like that. I will check pin 30 tomorrow when I get home from work. I did manage to snag the NSS off and cleaned it so hopefully that will help as well if that was causing any issues it was pretty nasty in there Also thanks I was pretty impressed how they turned out too Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waytard22 Posted February 23, 2017 Author Share Posted February 23, 2017 Well I finally on my last minute brain storm of tracing wires and trying to test pin 87 on the starter relay from a fella on the Cherokee forum. I found that pin 87 in the PDC for the starter was pushed out there fore not making contact with the relay. Push it back up and in, and the jeep cranks now! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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