86 XJ Project

[Greenjeans]

20 more miles logged today..  the good news today is I finally opened the drivers door with the inside door handle, first time since owning this XJ.  And the new drivers side lock cylinder works with the same key as the passenger side and hatch.  Small victory but this drivers door has been a lot of drama..also, the “JEEP” marked key blanks are cut for the doors and ignition and work!  I bought a bulk pack of these key blanks so I’ll put the left over blanks on the For Sale page once I figure out how many I don’t need (not looking to get rich, just don’t need the rest).

 

I greased the dog snot out of both window regulators so both windows work like they should!

 

Also replaced the shift shaft seal yesterday so no transmission fluid puddle under the Jeep this morning..

 

We are slowly getting somewhere..  

 

Next up:  figure out how to put the minty friction reels for the seat belts in after I remove some interior plastic panels.  They came from some Chevy truck at the junk yard and the buckle will work with the female end on the Chevy Sonic seats I have..  And I still need to beef up the spare tire mount for the larger spare..

 

Stay tuned!  

[Greenjeans]

I bought this old China winch at the u-pull-it for $25.  Well $22.50 with the discount 👍.  Scrapped the line and busted solenoid box. Made up some new 2awg wires. I ordered a new solenoid, synthetic line etc on Amazon (do Jeeps come from the Amazon now?  Half of mine has 🤔).  Cleaned, inspected, lubed, spray painted etc.  bench test is good.  Just need to mount it and run the hot cable.  

[Greenjeans]

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 🤷🏼

[Greenjeans]

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.  
 

 

[Greenjeans]

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.  🤔

[Pete M]

what about fabbing an old-school lookin' brush guard to go on the bumper?

[Greenjeans]

56 minutes ago, Pete M said:

what about fabbing an old-school lookin' brush guard to go on the bumper?

You got me thinking..🤔

[motownXJdad]

looking good Greenjeans👍 

[motownXJdad]

the seats are really nice what are they out of originally?

[Greenjeans]

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!

[Greenjeans]

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..

 

[Greenjeans]

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…

[Pete M]

oh my!  lots of good parts there!!! 

[Greenjeans]

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!

[Greenjeans]

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 👍

 

 

 

[Greenjeans]

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…

[Greenjeans]

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.

 

 

 

[Greenjeans]

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 😁

[Greenjeans]

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!  
 

[Pete M]

  sounds great! 

[Greenjeans]

I thought that I had added this info to the notes a few weeks ago but I don’t see it so here goes..

 

I checked my fuel economy and I’m sure this isn’t exact but it looks like I’m getting 11.25 mpg.  This is 80% small town/city driving and 20% country highway maybe at 40-50 mph.  That’s a 29.5” tire, 4:10 gears and a 700r4 (lower first gear).  Spirited driving most of the time trying to break stuff 👍  I have yet to install the front drive shaft.  I don’t know how that may change the mpg.  My use of 4wd will be rare in this vehicle and I’m still shaking it out before I install that (soon).

 

I did recently pick up a retired utility truck that needs a good bit of love.  2007 C2500 with 6.0 and 4l80e (2wd).  285k miles…I sold the bed off of it and I may tinker with it some but I’m trying not to jump in too deep until the XJ’s interior is “sorta almost” finished.  
 

 

[Greenjeans]

I haven’t posted much lately, but I do work on the Jeep almost every day even if it’s just for a little bit. Today I painted the floor after treating some rust speckles with Ospho. There are a few pin holes but I will fill them with rtv.  The paint used was Rustoleum black hammered metal.  I’m real happy with it.  When I removed the interior last winter, The original rubber mat developed some tears coming out. I about cried, because it looks so good and was in great shape (I thought).   It’s just so old and an archaic rubber compound probably that it got brittle over time.  The jute padding that was under it from the factory was waterlogged. And so I am not sure what I will do about all that at this moment. I think my plan is to save the portion that goes around the shifter under the console down the transmission tunnel. And just use rubber mats where your feet go. If I could buy a brand new factory rubber mat, I would do it in a heartbeat. I do have a slight water leak occasionally in the passenger foot well. Only after a heavy rain when the jeep is parked “nose down”.  It never happens unless it rains good. So I think it’s one of those seals in the cowl area and I’m not going to work on that right now. So rubber mats and metal floor at this time. I don’t think I would ever put carpet in here, but who knows. 
 

I have some very tiny sheet metal cracks in the striker post area. I don’t know if it’s because of the design, or the fact this door had so many problems (see my previous door repairs) and a previous owner was just slamming the crap out of it. Or maybe a little both. but I have read somewhere that the earlier two doors did not have good reinforcement behind the door jam. And the later models were updated to add reinforcement to help support the striker post area. I do not have any pictures or access to a later model two door to see what they might have done at Chrysler. So I made a bracket to connect this support and this other sport. I have no idea if this is gonna help at all. But while I have it open and the seatbelt is out is the time to do it. By the way, I bought the reproduction seatbelts  and they look OK not awesome and especially not awesome for $300 but what are you gonna do? 

 

I also finally modified a threaded bolt that holds the spare tire in.  The original bolt was not designed for a tire and wheel this tall, so it was barely holding the spare in and allowing it to move around, etc.  I did not have a bolt that was long enough, but I cut, bent and welded a long one that I had.  I also added a little extra length and it works very well and is long enough that if another wheel was put in here with the different offset, there’s plenty of thread.

 

lastly, I got a decent jack at u-pull-it that was in a big 1979 Ford van.  You can run it up and down with a long rod or lazy man way with a Milwaukee impact.  With a piece of 4x6 wood it’ll lift the Jeep and fits where the factory jack was (no back seat).  It’s super beefy and has no hydraulics to worry about.  Oh and it was only $7.  👍

 

 

[Greenjeans]

Headliner day.  Not a project I was looking forward to.  There was a hole in the roof where they had a wire run through for a light bar.  It had a badly deteriorated rubber plug in it and was seeping water for who knows how long..  I used JB Weld to glue an aluminum plate to both sides of the hole.  the cardboard “backer” was in bad shape but dry and I worked with it..  I made a few repairs to that cardboard backer and applied gray felt with 3M “90” adhesive.  Felt came from Joannes Fabric store, about $22.  As usual I did it all by myself and did a ok job I think.  It’s not a perfect job but I worked with it as best as I could.  Picture is of the original material..  and the redid headliner.  Next task is to put all of the plastic parts back in.  One day at a time..

[Greenjeans]

Took a day to work on the seats (again?!?).  No just squaring away the heaters.  May as well before I put them back in since winter is about 2 months long here and I won’t need them after that.  I basically wired them to run on full power any time they’re on, and one switch for each seat.  Just flick them on and wait for your butt to catch fire, switch them off.  My asvab score was too low to get into any electrician ratings so y’all pray for my wire work.  As always “use lots of fuse”.  Now on to the interior plastics as it hits a high of 47 tomorrow ☹️

[Greenjeans]

I got exactly one piece of plastic installed and realized that I’m going to have to make decisions on this flooring situation.  I wanted to salvage the old factory rubber mat but it’s got a good bit of tears in the wear areas mainly from removal.  The area over the tunnel wasn’t too bad and that’s actually what I wanted most to reuse just to hide the mechanicals.  The foot wells, I really wasn’t worried about, I’m just going with floor mats for now.  The jute padding on the back side of the original mat is disgusting from moisture exposure.  I’m going to work on getting it off and see what I can salvage of the original mat.  I did score some jute padding from the 2016 Chevy Sonic when I got the seats.  I cut what I had into a section to cover the tunnel and pass footwell (water does leak in there occasionally…).  Alittle trim here and there and this is what we have so far…

 

second thing I have to deal with is these repro seat belts have the hole slightly off enough that the bolt won’t go in.  I’ll have to modify the hole a little.  The guy told me straight up that these were coming from a vendor in FL and his company wasn’t actually making these.  Seatbelt Planet was the website I got them from.  I would recommend against this product but options for these are pretty limited 🤷🏼.