Repair and Replace 90's YJ

[dougiet]

The good news, the timing gun picks up the crank pully timing mark, the timing chain has not jumped a tooth. Set timing to 8* BFTDC.

I loaned a compression tester from CT and did all cylinders.

# 1 135 Note: These readings are at 7 to 8 revolutions or when the gage has stoppped moving.
# 2 140
# 3 135
# 4 145
# 5 135
# 6 140

These readings are taken at 4 engine revolutions. (July 30th)
# 1 = 130
2 = 125
3 = 130
4 = 130
5 = 130
6 = 135





The engine has had about 1/2 an hour of idling since starting up after a year or more of not running.

Miracle Oil and Seafoam into each cylinder and oil every day for a couple of weeks before I got the engine started.

Spent some time this week painting the block and parts.

 

[Twinkie]

# 1 135 Note: These readings are at 7 to 8 revolutions or when the gage has stoppped moving.
# 2 140
# 3 135
# 4 145
# 5 135
# 6 140

These readings are taken at 4 engine revolutions. (July 30th)
# 1 = 130
2 = 125
3 = 130
4 = 130
5 = 130
6 = 135



Spent some time this week painting the block and parts.

Those are good numbers. That's some nice looking lipstick (the paint). LoL

 

[dougiet]

Thanks, Twinkie

I can run this engine next year and not tear it down.

The mechanical timing is complete. Now the ignition timing is showing signs of problems, the #6 plug is not firing, the electrical wires to the dizzy are crimped in spots.
The wiring harness is from a 93 or newer 4.0 electronic set up said this Jeep restorer from 2015. I am just drooling to remove all of it and sell it. Way more wires than needed.

​

 

[dougiet]

Waiting for parts........

Carburator.
Thermostat housing and a 195.

 

[dougiet]

Been tasked with looking after my 9lb dog for the past 3 weeks. Sophie a 2 1/2/ yr Brussels Griffon needs hip replacements on both hips and the surgery is on Nov 12th at a vet hospital. Many weeks of recovery are ahead for her and my family and I am ready 24 hours a day for my best friend.
If you have a dog this is easy to understand!

Back to the jeep.
Received a 258 ci carb direct fit From Amazon to try for a season, It has the stepper motor removed. It is installed, waiting for a fuel line adaptor to feed the fuel line to. link.... Jeep 258 Carb

The plan is to get the carb gas and start her up and park inside the garage till the spring.

Received a 2150 Carb from amazon, the ad description was not what I got. The ad claimed a 1.08 venturi with a 49 main jet but this carb is a 1.21 with 51 main jets. I told the wife to complain and Amazon refunded all costs. I have spent months searching for 2150 with a 1.08 and have given up looking and will go with the jeep 258 replacement. The smaller throttle plates on the 258 replacement carb will perform like a steady as she goes engine as the 2150 will be a lot of throttle response.

Thank you for your interest in my jeep, I will plan to resume this repair and replace thread in the spring.

Doug

 

[dougiet]

The Jeep starts right up one turn. This jeep knock-off carb is guud!

Runs in gear smooth, no problems. Engine runs and sounds like the 1990's 80's and 70's 258 should, like going back in time!

Done deal for the motor. FUCKIN GREAT!

 

[Richard]

Good to hear, and keep up the good resto work!

 

[Kunker]

I can only imagine how good that must feel after the work you've put into it. Good job!

 

[dougiet]

Thanks, it's fun.

Drove the Jeep half a dozen times around the neighborhood! The steering tracks straight, a solid feel to the ride, driveline handles the engine power very well, solid package Jeep.

Considering to drive as is and see what it becomes in the summer of 22. Get seat time and size things up.

P.S.
My best little friend has a big recovery ahead at 8 days post O.P. Looking good.

 

[toytech]

Glad the Jeep is running.
Also very happy to hear that your dog's surgery went well and is recovering She'll be a good co-pilot for you

 

[dougiet]

About the springs and shackle height and the need for an S.Y.E. and Carden driveshaft to align the angle between the transfer case and rear axle pinion for a smooth axle rotation. This jeep needs both.
There is a 6-inch shackle in the rear and 4 inches in the front with a spring height that needs to be measured. I can say that the drive alignment is off and axle shims are the wrong size wedge now.

So, I spend a lot of time YouTubing to learn how to fix this $5000.00 Wrongler up and still need years to learn.

How much money is enough? Well, I got a free lesson from Tony Pellegrino at Genright Racing with this link' Tech Talk' in which the guests described their costly start-up cost lessons into 4 wheeling and how to get it right the first time and save money.

Tony says to not install a lift kit first but "Belly Up" the rock guard pan under the tranny and T-case first. link 'Belly Up'. When adding a lift kit you have to lower the rock guard pan to align the driveshaft and install an SYE and Cardon, so why add and take away clearance?`

Also, Tony says to not invest in Dana 35 and 30 axles but sell them and use the money to go up to a 44 or better.
When I add the money to upgrade these 30 and 35's to run a set of 35-inch tires I am into thousands of dana-roos.

I might remove the long shackles and leaf springs and install stock springs with a shorter shackle, bolt up the rock belly pan to the frame to gain an inch from the spacers, forget buying an S.Y.E. and Cardon and run 29-inch tires to match the fuckin useless 3.07 gear ratio in both axles. With this plan, there is no need to invest in the 30 and 35. It is a $5000.00 YJ.
Just a thought.

P.S. Sophie my little friend is improving from her surgeries but will need several weeks more with physiotherapy. Fingers Crossed.

 

[Kunker]

And Tony's advice is great IF, and it's a big if, you plan on pushing yourself in the hobby. Also, trust me, if you keep researching, you will realize you don't want D44's, you want 60's, or Spider9's, or steering 14 bolts with new F350 knuckles and big bell RCVs, or Axletechs. And forget towing with a 1-ton dually - you need a semi and anything under a 10L diesel can't pull a lawnmower.

If you are honest with your goals up front, you can invest appropriately. @2Greys / Chris has a very well sorted TJ, and he's running a D30 up front, and has said, if he had to do it again, he'd run a Super35 vs the Ford 8.8. That's a local wheeler, not a King of the Hammers contender who's business is literally to sell upgrade parts for Jeeps (Genright makes good stuff).

I started down the PBB/webwheeler path, and I have a mess of a project with no clear goals. Swapped in D44's cause D30's/AMC20's suck. Then an LQ4 because carb'ed 350's suck. Now I have a mostly completed rig that, according to the internet, will explode those wimpy D44's at the first crack of the throttle, and I should have invested in 60's up front.

If I had honest goals, I would have talked to my insurance company, found out that engine swaps are a challenge to insure, and bought Andrew's frame/4.2/axles, and just gone wheelin' with the D30/AMC20 combo he had (I had actually blown up my AMC20). I would have been on the trails for the last 7 years instead of on jack stands, making memories vs engine noises as I pretend it runs

 

[Logan]

Also, trust me, if you keep researching, you will realize you don't want D44's,

SAYS YOU!
I like my D44's

 

[dougiet]

Hi Kunker, thanks for your reply.
As with most of the regulars on the OVO forum reading my posts can tell that I am a noob with 4x4's. This YJ is my first Jeep and to be honest, I need a couple of years of social time on the trails to see for myself. watch and learn about all the aftermarket upgrades to get a hardcore build. This also requires tools to install and repair. I don't have a welder, press, air compressor, hoist or master tool tower to stay in the game. I need to do most of the wrenching myself to learn and improve on so I am starting at the grassroots level with interest.

Being in my 60's the Jeep that would suit me best is a basic runner for fun and get to the trail head. This YJ is not the L J Ruby that I should have bought when I had the chance in June this year, on the other side of the coin my face will be in the wind.

Thanks for the interst you are sharing.

 

[Kunker]

SAYS YOU!
I like my D44's

Spend enough time on the internets, and you start to think you need unobtainium axles, with a 10"+ ring gear, just to run 35's

My favourite quote was basically "everyone knows that a Kodiak/Topkick can only haul a lawnmower safely, anything bigger you need a semi" in the bigger is better scheme. And my apologies to Brad for putting him down that track (sorry, not sorry )

 

[Kunker]

Hi Kunker, thanks for your reply.
As with most of the regulars on the OVO forum reading my posts can tell that I am a noob with 4x4's. This YJ is my first Jeep and to be honest, I need a couple of years of social time on the trails to see for myself. watch and learn about all the aftermarket upgrades to get a hardcore build. This also requires tools to install and repair. I don't have a welder, press, air compressor, hoist or master tool tower to stay in the game. I need to do most of the wrenching myself to learn and improve on so I am starting at the grassroots level with interest.

Being in my 60's the Jeep that would suit me best is a basic runner for fun and get to the trail head. This YJ is not the L J Ruby that I should have bought when I had the chance in June this year, on the other side of the coin my face will be in the wind.

Thanks for the interst you are sharing.

Yep, and being a newb, you're doing research, which is great. Just remember, though, that a lot of what you read might not necessarily be aimed at your goals, and that their advice might lead you down the wrong path. Or the right one. Getting out on the trail with people who have different rigs/goals will help you see what you want to do, and open your mind up to what your rig is already capable of. I know, even having wheeled with semi-stock ones before, that I was blown away by what my old stock, street tired Sami could do. And if it ever stays running for longer than a day, I'm sure I'll be hard pressed to put the CJ to it's limits before I find mine.

Also, you don't need a press, air compressor, hoist or master tool tower. Look at the Truck No More project on here by @aweber - I don't even know if he had a shop for most of the build (dude is my hero). Please don't think that you need all of that to keep up - the only thing you need is a good attitude, which you obviously have.

 

[dougiet]

'unobtainium' axles!

Would still be a manufacturers "planned obsolescence" product to sell the next new and improved axle for 65 inch wheels.

 

[2Greys]

And Tony's advice is great IF, and it's a big if, you plan on pushing yourself in the hobby. Also, trust me, if you keep researching, you will realize you don't want D44's, you want 60's, or Spider9's, or steering 14 bolts with new F350 knuckles and big bell RCVs, or Axletechs. And forget towing with a 1-ton dually - you need a semi and anything under a 10L diesel can't pull a lawnmower.

If you are honest with your goals up front, you can invest appropriately. @2Greys / Chris has a very well sorted TJ, and he's running a D30 up front, and has said, if he had to do it again, he'd run a Super35 vs the Ford 8.8.

Yep, my goal was locking the rear and never having to worry about it (at that point I wasn't thinking of going bigger than 33's).
The pros of the 8.8 (technically a Super 8.8 as I wanted the right WMS without using a spacer and the dollar was at par then so money got burned) was I could find one and there should never be a worry of breaking it, the biggest con about it (and I learned this really quick) is it is a rock magnet and will hang up on even the smallest pebble. It isn't that it hangs low, it is that the lowest point on it is really wide and that annoying lip. A better option if I could have found one was a 9" as you get the third member and there are aftermarket skids. Back on topic

At that point I knew I was locking the rear and a stock 35 with a locker is just a bad idea so at that point my choices were try to find a 44 or go with an 8.8. You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting an explorer and Dana 44's were nowhere to be found. so my choice was pretty much made

Hind sight I didn't realize I could actually buy an empty Dana 44 from Chrysler brand new for about $500US (much more now) which taking into consideration the cost of the axle, and the bracketry to fit it would have been a hell of a lot less work fitting bracketry, everything in and on it was replaced so the cost was a wash (it would have been about the same anyways).

The irony is about 6 months later a TJ showed up at Kenny's with a D44 under it and about 18 months later Revolution showed up with their Super 35. The biggest issue with the 35 in reality is the axleshafts are so stupidly soft. With the S35, breaking a chromo shaft is much much more difficult even with a locker. and have proved themselves. The only reason now I would look at something else is if there was an underlying issue with the axle that needed replacing anyways.

Would I intentionally change what I have now to something different in the future? No, too much work for very little payoff but if they had been available at that point I might have gone a whole different direction with the S35.

 

[dougiet]

At this time on this YJ the tires, axles, springs, and shocks are a blank canvas to replace with the next right step. These components are worn from sitting parked for years, dried bushings, only steel axles, a sandwich locker in the 35, open in the 30 YJ with no disconnect installed, and a 3.07 ratio. So the type of driving I am considering is leaning toward an all-around driver ready for the blacktop to get to the trailhead then have clearance, gears, and tire size to trail ride, so I can watch and see the different setups and how they perform, meet people then decide, is more going to be necessary. I would prefer to keep as many of the axles components as possible and match tire size to gear ratio with the stock TF A 727 3 speed, NP 231 T.C., and 258 carburetor.

The age-old topic of gear ratios to tires, size and type of offroading trails is a big combination for me to consider. After a couple of years out there with more knowledge, I could possibly sell off the YJ for something else or become a more skilled driver with the YJ.

Right now I am lost to understand how a 3 speed tranny with a four and a half thousand rpm 258 carb motor works and behaves on 33's with 3.07 gears???

Thanks, Kunker and 2Greys.

 

[toytech]

Currently I run a 4.0l, 5 speed on 33's with 3.07 gears and I can tell you it's good on fuel but won't crawl on the trails. I am now putting a set of YJ axles (30/35) with 4.10's in with Aussie lockers front and rear and a disc brake conversion on the rear.

I agree with Kunker that you should check out Truck No More. What he built is awesome and I was amazed when he told me he didn't know how to weld when he started!