Lumpymayo's Jeep thread

[Lumpymayo]

Update: Jan 04 2010
New paint job


I've made a couple posts about my Jeep so I am going to merge them all into this thread and show updates on what I am doing as I go along.

Here is the oldest pic I have of it.


I removed the soft top and am running a Bikini until late fall.


I really recommend them. People complain about the flapping noise, but if you keep it tight it shouldn't be that loud.

I made a custom sound bar, fairly simple thing to do. Really worth it.


Custom Soundbar

I got some really high quality speakers from a repo-ed Camaro, and a sub, I will install it later. (Need to figure out a way to make the sub easy to remove.)

A couple of days ago I applied Herculiner to the tub. I love it so far, prep work is the key.

Finally Herculined the YJ

[Lumpymayo]

With the entire interior removed, I decided now is the best time to get my seat re-upholstered. I am going to get it done soon. I figured now is probably the best time to do this while everything is un-installed. Getting those rusty torx bolts off of the rail was a nightmare, it stripped immediately and I couldn't use heat to get them off. I PB-Blastered them, but that really didn't help. I used a vice grip on it and had to tighten it one turn and loosen it 2 turns, it took forever but it finally came off.


I'll get a pic of it when it's finished.

[shunt]

Nice work on the Jeep...


Your Sn is lumpymayo.. I'm gonna puke..

[Lumpymayo]

A while ago someone came up with the idea about cleaning those turn signals.

I checked mine and man they were dirty.



I removed them and thought it would simply separate. They are actually glued together so I had to chisel around the edge to break them free.


(You can see how some of the yellow fragments are still stuck to the case.)

I ran them under water and used a toothbrush/turtle wax to make them shine




Much nicer, and about 2 minutes of work.

[Lumpymayo]

Okay, well it's been a long time since I posted any updates, I guess there's no better time then now!

I'll start off with the source of my problems. It all happened when I took my Jeep to the outer banks of N.C. and put it into a tide pool, that single event has been the bane of my existence for 9 months now. Salt water and electronics really don't go hand in hand with one another so it needed a lot of work to fix it after that.

The first problem that I had was my starter motor, immediately after the bath in the ocean it struggled to function properly, I thought at first it needed a new solenoid, I replaced that and still grinding issues, I decided to completely rebuild the starter motor still the same problems, I had it bench tested at multiple places and I was told it ran perfectly fine, when I would reinstall it back on my Jeep I had the same problems. I was told by many Jeep Forum members to just buy another one, but I was determined to figure out the problem (you can read the thread at http://jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=601846 I never updated on it, so I am now) I went to a starter motor specialist and asked him what the problem was, I was told the bendix was bad, I bought him lunch and gave him 10$ he rebuilt it for me and the problem was solved, I saved a lot of money by doing this.

I had my Jeep running for 2 days, then another problem incapacitated my Jeep. This time it was the alternator. I was driving in downtown Raleigh, in the recent snow storm we had and my buddy pointed out my battery gauge, he said "um is it me or should it be that low?" I barely made it back home, it was kinda funny/scary seeing all my instruments dieing one by one in a snow storm, first my sped-o went, then my tachometer, after that all my gauges were reading 0, soon followed by my wipers and then all internal lights, I pulled into my driveway, it was so dead I couldn't even turn it back on after I shut it off. Being the cheapo I am, I drove around some mechanic shops and found a 94 Cherokee completely torn apart, I asked the mechanic inside if he had the alternator for it, he said yeah sure, take it free, and if it goes bad I have 2 more you can try, I guess he felt sympathy for me, real nice guy. I put on the new alternator, Jeep ran for 3 days this time, guess what it broke down AGAIN!!

This time my entire cooling system was ****ed up, I was leaking coolant everywhere and by a miracle I made it home. My Radiator decided it was done working for my 2.5L and so did the gasket for my water pump. I parked it into my garage and got to work, removed fan shroud, fan clutch, radiator, power steering pump, and my water pump. Unfortunately the further I go I discover new problems. I inspected my vacuum lines for my 4x4 and they were in really bad condition so I fixed them (I'll go posi at a later time), I inspected my tension wheel, when I rotated it I could hear how the bearings were in bad shape, so I got a new one 17$, and I also decided that while I am at it I will install a new thermostat 5$. I rented a flange pulley system and removed the crankshaft wheel so I could inspect the seals and I wanted to clean off the timing chain cover. I got a new water pump for 20$ and a new radiator for 120$, but before I began to start reassembling everything, I wanted to give everything a good inspection I noticed a small oil leak at the back of my head gasket, I removed the head and took off the gasket. The gasket is in horrible condition, it denigrated to pieces after I took it off. I am going to get the cylinder head cleaned tomorrow before I put it back on, it is fairly dirty. I have a can of Engine paint, its Chevrolet orange and I plan on using it on my cylinder head before I put it back on, I think it will have a nice look to it. Should I go black or have an Orange cylinder head?

Here's how bad my radiator was, the parts where it is missing fins is because I was just running my finger through it to see how bad it was. It just crumbled when I touched it.



Here's how it's sitting now.



It's a lot of work and I am learning so much, I'm only 19 and I am going to college.

[FrenchToastKing]

hahah found your thread on your YJ, nice. get back to work on it!!

[NJscott]

if they werent stubborn everyone would have one. jeeps are worth all the troubles in my mind

[chicalibro3]

where did you get the new radiator?

[Lumpymayo]

Here's the new paint job.

[tato1111]

Hey be sure to post back up some pics when the seat is done. I have rips identical to yours and have been considering a reapolstry as well. thanks!!!

[tato1111]

double post....sorry