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kastein
Aug 31, 2011

Moderator at http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/and soon to be mod of AI. MAKE AI GREAT AGAIN. Motronic for VP.

Horse Divorce posted:

You said it. The bolt I pulled was a 5/16 x 24 or something, and it didn't want to work. My brother in Alaska has an 84 Eagle he's playing with, and it's also running a 4.2. I've asked him to pop out the bolt in question and size it up for me.

It's possible the threads are stripped, so I might end up doing a helicoil.

Just a valvecover bolt right? They are all the same, pull another one and get a duplicate of it. They are all screwed into a cast iron head so I will be absolutely shocked if the hole is stripped out.

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IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





BoostCreep posted:

So you're saying you have 4 chrome wheels and a non-chrome spare? I'm sure you could pick up a set of non-chrome wheels off a junkyard WJ for dirt cheap?

You could also sell the stocker chromes on Craigslist if they are that rare to make up the cost of the JKs.

Yep, four chrome five-spokes. The spare is some generic aftermarket alloy poo poo, probably from Discount. But yes, the plan is definitely to sell the existing wheels once I get around to picking up some JKs to offset as much of the cost as possible.

Godholio posted:

Why would you have to give up TPMS?

The WJ's TPMS is an old school version that actually keeps track of which tire is where, so I can see all four pressures. This means that any time a tire is rotated, you have to tell the computer which one is where. They accomplish this by providing you with a big donut magnet (similar to the one on the back of a 6.5" speaker) that you place around the valvestem of each wheel, starting at the left front.

The problem with steel wheels is that you can't use the magnet to trigger them anymore. It looks like you can get a radio transmitter to wake them up, but that's more than the cost difference between 16" steelies and 17" Moabs. Either that or you need a dealership level programmer.

It does look like HPTuners is actually working on their Dodge/Jeep support, though officially they're only 2004+ at this point. I did get into their beta program but I haven't tried plugging it in yet, and I don't think they have any intention of EVIC reprogramming anytime soon since they still need to accomplish PCM/TCM tuning.

JukeboxHerostratus
Nov 25, 2009

kastein posted:

Just a valvecover bolt right? They are all the same, pull another one and get a duplicate of it. They are all screwed into a cast iron head so I will be absolutely shocked if the hole is stripped out.

I've read some that this rear bolt is a different size on 4.2s (1/4 x 20 i think, ill try next), but I'll try a comparison tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm basing the bolt size info on the conversation had here: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f2/valve-cover-bolt-size-i6-258-one-thats-different-16195/

tinman posted:

Just went out and pulled that one out of my old engine and it's smaller. I'm thinking 1/4" 20? I put a nut on it that I just got from the local hardware store that they sell in bulk, course thread, and it fit just fine. I think the rest of the valve cover bolts are 5/16".

Don't forget, Jeep was owned by AMC during this era. There will be plenty of oddball things to discover.

Sandbagger SA
Aug 12, 2003

Giant Thighs.
Painted Threads.
Just Off the Highway.
Trolling car-part for 4x4 conversion parts.

:munch:

Sandbagger SA fucked around with this message at 16:57 on Oct 22, 2014

The Royal Nonesuch
Nov 1, 2005

Ok, so what are my options for the goddamn fuel level sender on a 1988 XJ? The one that came with mine seemed to work okay, except it wouldn't display below 1/4. My understanding was that XJs used one style from 87-91 and something different after that, so I pulled what looked like a very new unit out of a 1990 at the junkyard. When I first installed it everything seemed to work fine, but now it has three levels - Empty/Half/Full. After filling, apparently Empty=8 gallons left.

I'm planning on a few longer-distance desert trips coming up, out into fuckall nowhere, so an actual fuel gauge would be nice (Jerry can is in order too...). I'm considering putting back in the old unit, but gently caress knows if it will work the same.

I remember that later model pump/sender assemblies on early XJs display the level in reverse... is that an accurate reverse? Because if it is, I will totally learn to adapt. Do I need to track down some impossible-to-find NOS assembly?

kastein
Aug 31, 2011

Moderator at http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/and soon to be mod of AI. MAKE AI GREAT AGAIN. Motronic for VP.
The split is 91 through 95, 96 stands alone, 97-01, and 90-down. There may be a further split from 84-86 and 87-90 but I don't think so. 90-down ones depend on what engine was equipped and if it was EFI, TBI, or carbed (2.5 carb, 2.5 TBI, 4.0 MPFI, 2.8 carbed, and 2.1 turbodiesel were the options.)

So you need an 87-90 for a 4.0, should be pretty easy to find.

However I would give cleaning up your sending unit a try. Usually the wiper and nichrome wirewound resistor element just get varnished up. Or the wires get corroded.

The backwards reading is nowhere near linear. My 91 has an 87-90 sender in it and it is wonky as gently caress.

JukeboxHerostratus
Nov 25, 2009

You should write a book, Kastein.

And I checked out that valve cover bolt, the one I pulled was the same size as the others. I took a peek and I think I'm going to have to helicoil it after all. I didn't see stripped threads; I saw no threads and what might be a hint of blue rtv.

Anyway, I need a cat converter in my state. Would a carbed engine absolutely destroy a cat from a fuel-injected xj? I know I can get one easy enough, and advance auto's web site shows the same part for an xj and j10. Any input, guys?

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Good news, got the blend door kit installed in my WJ tonight.

Bad news, my blend doors were fine and I think both actuators are going lovely. I know the easy-to-replace one behind the glovebox is cracked but is working better now, and that one will take longer to order online than it will to actually replace. My worry is that the one for the passenger side (which is behind the driver's side of the dash?) is also cracking, and that's a clusterfuck to get to.

gileadexile
Jul 20, 2012

First extended "trip" since my lift in the morning. Kinda looking forward to seeing how it handles the lovely road surface on 77 North tomorrow.

Have had a strange whine coming from somewhere the past month or so, was hoping it was gonna go away after the tranny fluid change but no..

Online research seems to point to hubs to spindles to driveshaft to who knows, so I'm gonna change the transfer case fluid and go from there.

Also seem to have picked up a "wander" since my lift. Stays in my lane, but feels almost like it's being blown by wind. Gonna have the alignment checked, hoping it's something simple like that, but I have doubts.

What else..hmm..gonna look into some replacement seat foam or cutting a few pieces myself and stuffing em in, burned my taint this morning with the heated seats before I knew it was even that hot.

Seat motors are getting sluggish, so I may grab a replacement to have on hand for when I pull the seats out to clean the mounts and hit em with some paint.

Also getting tired of the faint coolant smell I've had since purchase, but only on defrost. So IOC, we may be yanking our dashes apart at the same time, but hopefully we won't have the same issues.

Astonishing Wang
Nov 3, 2004
I notice every few months that my Jeep is driving lovely again. I check everything in the front and rear and usually find that something has come loose. It used to be the track bar at the axle, but I had a mechanic hit that bolt with an impact and it's been fine since. Now it's the gigantic frame side track bar bolt that has come loose. It's a 24mm nut, and I already torqued the poo poo out of it (no torque wrench, just leaning on it). I think I should remove the nut and use some lock-tight on it, and maybe use a nylon lock nut. Any better way to make sure that fucker doesn't come loose again, short of welding it?

It's always amazing how nice the Jeep is when it's all tight. It's like it gets bad so gradually that I don't notice until the whole jeep is vibrating with every bump. I'm going to make a point of checking the track bar and control arms with every oil change, and after every off-road trip.

FreelanceSocialist
Nov 19, 2002
Is there a reason not to just loctite everything on a Jeep? That's my strategy.

EightBit
Jan 7, 2006
I spent money on this line of text just to make the "Stupid Newbie" go away.
Blue loc-tite went on everything when I did the 4" lift on my TJ. It's the only way to be sure

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Astonishing Wang posted:

I notice every few months that my Jeep is driving lovely again. I check everything in the front and rear and usually find that something has come loose. It used to be the track bar at the axle, but I had a mechanic hit that bolt with an impact and it's been fine since. Now it's the gigantic frame side track bar bolt that has come loose. It's a 24mm nut, and I already torqued the poo poo out of it (no torque wrench, just leaning on it). I think I should remove the nut and use some lock-tight on it, and maybe use a nylon lock nut. Any better way to make sure that fucker doesn't come loose again, short of welding it?

It's always amazing how nice the Jeep is when it's all tight. It's like it gets bad so gradually that I don't notice until the whole jeep is vibrating with every bump. I'm going to make a point of checking the track bar and control arms with every oil change, and after every off-road trip.

That one doesn't have a greasable joint/bolt, does it? I just ran into this on a friend's jeep on the other side of the track bar. Was getting looses every few months. Turned out that it was nearly seized due to lack of lubrication and was backing itself off as the suspension flexed because of that. Or at least that's the best we can figure.

Why it wasn't getting enough grease is a whole other story - a supposedly quality aftermarket company (well, most of their stuff is nice that I've seen) not lining up the grease channels with the grease holes in the bolt.

Astonishing Wang
Nov 3, 2004

Motronic posted:

That one doesn't have a greasable joint/bolt, does it? I just ran into this on a friend's jeep on the other side of the track bar. Was getting looses every few months. Turned out that it was nearly seized due to lack of lubrication and was backing itself off as the suspension flexed because of that. Or at least that's the best we can figure.

Why it wasn't getting enough grease is a whole other story - a supposedly quality aftermarket company (well, most of their stuff is nice that I've seen) not lining up the grease channels with the grease holes in the bolt.

The bolt in question is just a fuckin huge bolt, nothing greasable aside from the heim joint that it holds in place. It's been fine for the last year or so, so I guess it's not worth bitching about.

I have the Currie steering kit on my Jeep, and there's one tie rod end that won't take grease. I've checked online and a lot of people say it's because of the SUPER AWESOME TOLERANCES and that it's not a problem. The problem is (to me) that all of the other ends take grease easily, so where's the super awesome tolerances on the rest of em??

The Royal Nonesuch
Nov 1, 2005

kastein posted:

The split is 91 through 95, 96 stands alone, 97-01, and 90-down. There may be a further split from 84-86 and 87-90 but I don't think so. 90-down ones depend on what engine was equipped and if it was EFI, TBI, or carbed (2.5 carb, 2.5 TBI, 4.0 MPFI, 2.8 carbed, and 2.1 turbodiesel were the options.)

So you need an 87-90 for a 4.0, should be pretty easy to find.

However I would give cleaning up your sending unit a try. Usually the wiper and nichrome wirewound resistor element just get varnished up. Or the wires get corroded.

The backwards reading is nowhere near linear. My 91 has an 87-90 sender in it and it is wonky as gently caress.

Great info, seriously I owe you so many damned beers if you are ever in L.A. (my offer to ship you rust-free west coast parts is still open). I can't remember what the engine was on the 1990 junkyard donor for my current pump, but I assume it was a 4.0. I have seen a couple of 2.5s at the yard though, so who knows. Usually I try to keep careful note of what I pulled stuff from, but IIRC I was badly hungover that day so that's what I get. The whole assembly works fine in my 4.0 aside from the sender - would that be the case if it was from a smaller engine (fuel starvation etc)?

I'll pull out the whole deal and clean it up when I get a chance - I threw it straight in without cleaning; the wires looked new but maybe something was varnished. Can the little float arm stop-tabs be bent to finetune the level, or does that gently caress with the wire resistor?

kastein
Aug 31, 2011

Moderator at http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/and soon to be mod of AI. MAKE AI GREAT AGAIN. Motronic for VP.
I think that would only affect the max/min readings, not the overall accuracy. If the arm is bent it can certainly affect the overall readings as well as the zero point.

The difference is indeed fuel delivery - per-year-range the level sender is always the same. 4.0s got a high pressure pump capable of maintaining at least ~40-50psi at maximum usage (the regulator returns the excess to the tank from the fuel rail to maintain pressure) while 2.5s got a lower pressure (14.5psi)pump and carbed/diesel vehicles got either no pump at all or just a silly lame little lift pump, I forget which.

BoostCreep
May 3, 2004

Might I ask where you keep your forced induction accessories?
Grimey Drawer

The Royal Nonesuch posted:

Great info, seriously I owe you so many damned beers if you are ever in L.A.

Another LA Jeep guy. There's a bunch of us and we should meet up. I'd reboot the SoCal AI thread again but it always dies so fast.

I was thinking of going to Azusa Canyon to play in the dirt as soon as I get my lift installed soon.

Astonishing Wang
Nov 3, 2004

BoostCreep posted:

I was thinking of going to Azusa Canyon to play in the dirt as soon as I get my lift installed soon.

Would that place be worth a 3 hour drive?

Kastivich
Mar 26, 2010

BoostCreep posted:

Another LA Jeep guy. There's a bunch of us and we should meet up. I'd reboot the SoCal AI thread again but it always dies so fast.

I was thinking of going to Azusa Canyon to play in the dirt as soon as I get my lift installed soon.

I'd be interested in doing this. I'm in the IE.

The Royal Nonesuch
Nov 1, 2005

BoostCreep posted:

Another LA Jeep guy. There's a bunch of us and we should meet up. I'd reboot the SoCal AI thread again but it always dies so fast.

I was thinking of going to Azusa Canyon to play in the dirt as soon as I get my lift installed soon.

I'm definitely up for a get-together. I'm also like 20 minutes from Azusa Canyon. Does it have anything other than mud? I don't really care about mud. On second thought, lol at the idea of there actually being water laying around anywhere in CA. Lytle Creek is another option, the old road I tried there up Coldwater Canyon was just the right amount of test for my lift. I didn't make it all the way to the end either, which I want to do.

Kastivich posted:

I'd be interested in doing this. I'm in the IE.

Bring us all some Monster Energy decals :v:

BoostCreep
May 3, 2004

Might I ask where you keep your forced induction accessories?
Grimey Drawer
Azusa is full of mud at the moment if the videos on YouTube are dated correctly. It does appear to be a bunch of bros in bro trucks though. I like the idea of there being a bit of mud, but if there's enough interest for a real SoCal 4x4 meet, we could do a trail like Cleghorn or something in Big Bear. That would reduce the bro mud truck content and be a bit more technical rather than doing donuts and getting stuck all day.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
I wish we had more of that here. Try as I might, I just don't pop wood for rocks.

BoostCreep
May 3, 2004

Might I ask where you keep your forced induction accessories?
Grimey Drawer
Rather than starting another SoCal AI post, anyone interested in a wheeling meet, join the SoCal AI facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/socalai/

I'll start a thread there so we can discuss and plan.

Kastivich
Mar 26, 2010

BoostCreep posted:

Rather than starting another SoCal AI post, anyone interested in a wheeling meet, join the SoCal AI facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/socalai/

I'll start a thread there so we can discuss and plan.

That link doesn't work and my FB search was unproductive. Can you check the link?

Liquid Communism
Mar 9, 2004


Out here, everything hurts.




Godholio posted:

I wish we had more of that here. Try as I might, I just don't pop wood for rocks.

I prefer tearing rear end around poorly maintained gravel roads, myself. Rock crawling just seems like a great way to destroy a suspension or end up upside down, and my XJ isn't really set up for that. :)

BoostCreep
May 3, 2004

Might I ask where you keep your forced induction accessories?
Grimey Drawer

Kastivich posted:

That link doesn't work and my FB search was unproductive. Can you check the link?

Ah, I had the group set to Secret for some reason. I'm not great with Facebook. It should be searchable and that link should work now.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?

Liquid Communism posted:

I prefer tearing rear end around poorly maintained gravel roads, myself.

YES!

One of these days I'm gonna hit the old Pony Express Trail in the Utah west desert.

Liquid Communism
Mar 9, 2004


Out here, everything hurts.




That sounds like a ton of fun. I'm in the middle of flat, empty, corn-filled nowhere, so most of my fun is old county roads and fields. Probably driving out to Nevada to get back to Burning Man next year, though.

Quite A Tool
Jul 4, 2004

The answer is... 42
So I bought a 97 XJ with 110k on it a few months ago, and yall weren't loving kidding. Just little poo poo here and there that is driving me crazy. Grease the slip yoke...clean the throttle body and IAC, and now I've got some weird rear end intermittent CEL and the OD doesn't work for a few miles, assuming it's the neutral safety switch that needs cleaning. I feel like I bought a pile of deferred maintenance. Overall I love it but goddamn every week it's something new. Looking forward to getting all this little poo poo out of the way.

Liquid Communism
Mar 9, 2004


Out here, everything hurts.




All XJs are a pile of deferred maintenance. The ones that are maintained are driven until they are no longer remotely drivable. :P

Molten Llama
Sep 20, 2006

Quite A Tool posted:

Overall I love it but goddamn every week it's something new. Looking forward to getting all this little poo poo out of the way.

That's what you think now. You'll grow so used to fixing it every week that your life will feel empty and without purpose when if you finally get caught up. :suicide:

gileadexile
Jul 20, 2012

Hearing others dealing with deferred maintenance or little niggling things always makes me feel better about my beaten on daily driver.

Made it back from my trip Thursday morning. So completely sold on the suspension upgrades now, rode and handled like a completely different vehicle.

ExplodingSims
Aug 17, 2010

RAGDOLL
FLIPPIN IN A MOVIE
HOT DAMN
THINK I MADE A POOPIE


God loving dammit the Jeep is testing my patience today. I went to finally fix my turn signals, a quick wheel pull, and tighten up some screws. Well, not so much. I do that, put it all back together, and a buzzer and the horn are stuck on now. Great, go to pull the wheel and the steering wheel puller bolts snap off. Lovely. I'm not dealing with this for a while. Disconnected the horn and pulled the buzzer out.

It's me. I'm the terrible PO. I've become everything I hated.

Quite A Tool
Jul 4, 2004

The answer is... 42
I don't even know what the PO did with mine. I got a text like 3 days after I bought it and they were like "oh btw if it doesn't start press the red button next to the hood release" and sure as poo poo a few days later it didn't start and there's a little button wired in down near the release. Pressed it and it started right up and no issues since then.

ThinkFear
Sep 15, 2007

Quite A Tool posted:

I don't even know what the PO did with mine. I got a text like 3 days after I bought it and they were like "oh btw if it doesn't start press the red button next to the hood release" and sure as poo poo a few days later it didn't start and there's a little button wired in down near the release. Pressed it and it started right up and no issues since then.

Crappy aftermarket alarm, nss bypass? I'd have to find out.

kastein
Aug 31, 2011

Moderator at http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/and soon to be mod of AI. MAKE AI GREAT AGAIN. Motronic for VP.
My bet is on crappy aftermarket alarm or BHPH remote kill switch.

Sandbagger SA
Aug 12, 2003

Giant Thighs.
Painted Threads.
Just Off the Highway.

Liquid Communism posted:

All XJs are a pile of deferred maintenance. The ones that are maintained are driven until they are no longer remotely drivable. :P

Wranglers are like this too unless they are MONSTAR MUDDIN RIG ROCK CRAWLERs - then they just never get driven because they're not street legal.

EightBit
Jan 7, 2006
I spent money on this line of text just to make the "Stupid Newbie" go away.

Sandbagger SA posted:

Wranglers are like this too unless they are MONSTAR MUDDIN RIG ROCK CRAWLERs - then they just never get driven because they're not street legal.

So true. I keep putting off getting this NV3550 rebuilt or replaced, but I can still get it into third gear without grinding most of the time.

kastein
Aug 31, 2011

Moderator at http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/and soon to be mod of AI. MAKE AI GREAT AGAIN. Motronic for VP.
The gently caress did you do to it? AX15s and NV3550s are pretty good boxes.

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EightBit
Jan 7, 2006
I spent money on this line of text just to make the "Stupid Newbie" go away.

kastein posted:

The gently caress did you do to it? AX15s and NV3550s are pretty good boxes.

It's been notchy since I bought it. PO's wife used it to learn stick and probably abused the poo poo out of the transmission. Clutch was hosed and slipping at 110k miles, as was the throwout bearing and the synchronizers for third and first. I bought it at 105k. They apparently also used straight gear oil in it or something, when I drained it and refilled it with Pennzoil syncromesh oil, it behaved much better for a few years. I couldn't tell what was in it before, it smelled like plain moly-loaded gear oil though; changed the oil in it again two years later and it hadn't picked up that devil's rear end in a top hat smell of molybdenum sulfide.

It's actually a testimony to the toughness of the box, I've been rev-matching shifts into third (down and up) for a while and it keeps on trucking, but I want to do something about it before the bearings in it take a poo poo; it makes the sound of a coffee can with ball bearings in it sometimes while idling.

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