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Louie4's YJ

352K views 3K replies 156 participants last post by  Skerr 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, I figured I would make a "build" thread. I have had my YJ for nearly 10 years and have been doing mods here and there so I won't have a lot of pics of the entire process.

I got my '93 YJ when I turned 16. I paid $1500 at the time which was a steal. I can't find any stock pictures but I have some of the earlier versions.

Some specs as of today:

-3.5" Black Diamond lift springs
-Stock TJ alloy wheels
-Worn out Aurora 31" x 10.5" M/T's (cheap)
-Detroit EZ locker in the rear
-Lock-Right in the front
-Yukon 4.10's front and rear (Yes I still have the D35 and I regeared it:thumbdown:)
-Some kind of hack 'n' tap SYE and a Tom Woods rear driveshaft from a wrecked '95 YJ
-Currie boomerang shackles front and rear
-Herculined Tub


Here's some pics from Tellico when I had 2" double military wrapped springs (complete crap), Liberty all-terrain 30" x 9.5" cheapo tires. I can't remember if I had my rear locker in or not.

I got my SYE from a buddy that worked at the old shop I used to work for.
I had to get the driveshaft shortened because the '95 YJ it came off of was a SOA. Took about 2" out of the center section.


I'm sure a lot of you have had this problem with the rear shock mounts on your Dana 35. I backed into a rock and after a year of on road driving it finally gave out. I replaced them this past April with some generic ones I got from a 4WD shop I rode past. I'll post the new ones up later.
Also, this was the first break. I got my neighbor to weld the piece back on one time and it broke again another year later.


This doesn't show the entire process but it shows some of the gear pattern pics of when I was re-gearing my front and rear axle. I rebuilt both axles replacing all the bearings. I set everything up myself. It was my first gear install and they haven't torn up yet so that's a good sign. I don't know if I would do it again just because of the hassle factor. I don't have all the tools a machine shop has but I have more than the average backyard mechanic. The most important tool I bought was an in-lb torque wrench. I got it from Amazon from a bike shop.


Some of the D30. I had to take the ring gear off to put the locker in. I wasn't thinking and forgot to put it in.



After I re-geared my rpm's went up and vibrations from my front driveshaft were becoming very noticeable on the road. I had originally got a ZJ front driveshaft planning on putting that on the front. I took it to the driveshaft shop and the guy there wouldn't warranty the ZJ one because going to a length of 43" with an O.D. of 1.75" he said it would fail at 3000 rpm's. I was surprised because my stock front driveshaft was that length and I have been running it for a long time. He said he would have to go to a 3" O.D. to warranty it. Well, I ended up spending $50 to have my stock one straightened and balanced. I still have a few vibes but not as bad. Here's some pics of the ZJ front driveshaft and the one I put in.
 

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#2,490 ·
Got the engine turned over a few times. Lobes look good. Got the rear main cap and seal out. The PO used a lot of gasket maker on the seal and main bolts. Too much IMO but whatevs. He also installed the double lip seal which I have never had success with. The single lip was what worked for me.
The oil pan was clean. The only issue was the fill plug is a little bent from being loaded in my truck. Hopefully it won’t leak. The rear main bearing has a little wear. Not sure if I can do much to improve it.
 

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#2,492 · (Edited)
rear main bearing has a little wear. Not sure if I can do much to improve it.
So torque it with plastigauge and see the spec.
New main and rod bearings are pretty cheap. I have standard-sized mains somewhere in box; if I had any idea where I’d mail them to you.

i think I would change the mains and rod bearings while it’s on the stand. If you’re taking the head off I’d be tempted to ball-hone and throw rings at it, too.
But don’t necessarily follow me.
I get psychotic sometimes and if I had the money would wind up hiring a team of engineers to design better studs and bolts for the manifolds….or something
 
#2,491 ·
Thanks Bojoo. I think I have a decent one. The inside of the head where the valves have a little rust but probably from being outside at my house and it’s monsoon season. It’s covered up and I squirted a little WD40 to coat the valves.
 
#2,493 ·
Well, I'm not bent on pulling the crank out. I'm also going to get a just a chain and a guide instead of the whole kit.

Sadly, I had the engine outside covered up last night...and it rained...and it blew the cover off. I cleaned everything up this morning and wiped it down. I will move the engine into the garage. I know I should have done that prior but I'm only human. Some surface rust was forming but hopefully I got it mostly wiped up.

Le sigh.
 
#2,495 ·
Well, I'm not bent on pulling the crank out. I'm also going to get a just a chain and a guide instead of the whole kit.

Sadly, I had the engine outside covered up last night...and it rained...and it blew the cover off. I cleaned everything up this morning and wiped it down. I will move the engine into the garage. I know I should have done that prior but I'm only human. Some surface rust was forming but hopefully I got it mostly wiped up.

Le sigh.
No worries bud, my brother left his 4.2 open for about four months with the intake and exhaust manifold off. When we went to get it going, I pulled the plugs and turned it over shooting red water about ten feet out of at least one hole. (hard to tell how many when you're diving for cover) We hit with some WD40 and assembled it, and it ran fine for the next few years until he sold it.
On the other hand, that bearing is fried. It looks like someone took dirty scotchbrite to it.
 
#2,494 ·
Louie, I would replace that main bearing for sure. I would inspect all of them. I would not reuse that bearing. I am curious if the other bearings look the same of if somebody did the rear main before and got debris on just that bearing.

Can you post a pic of the crankshaft journal itself? If that journal is scored, it should be only slightly. Bearings are designed to take more of the abuse and absorb particles into them. They are softer than then crank journals. If the crank is slightly scored you may be able to do a polish job yourself. Taking the crank out and doing bearings is not that big of a deal.

First though. Get a pic of the crank journal itself.
 
#2,496 ·
Well, sounds like it’s time to pull the crank. It’s not hard to do, just another thing to add to the list. But I figure I’ve been running my old 4.0L on borrowed time. So it’s necessary. On the flip side, my pilot bearing came in and this will allow me to install it.

Is there a preferred brand?
 
#2,497 ·
I have reinforced my disdain for Autozone. I went to cash in on my lifetime warranty clutch. This would be the second time doing so (last time was in 2014 in Knoxville). Of course, it becomes an ordeal and the crux of it was that my last exchange was categorized as a “return” not a swap so after some elevated discussions, I got a new clutch but it was a “favor”. I had all my information too when I went in and I thought “should be easy to do”. I was mistaken. I have not purchased new parts from Autozone in a couple years now and I don’t plan to for the foreseeable future. At this point, I just wanted to get whatever I can from them but not purchase any new items.
 

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#2,499 · (Edited)
Perfect. I ordered a Plastigage it from Amazon.

Edit: I ordered a set of standard main and rod bearings (Clevite/Mahle). I'll check the clearance and hope it's good to go.

Last parts to buy (hopefully):
  1. Timing chain & guide (Don't think I need the sprockets)
Everything else is on the way. I also now have (4) pilot bearings. If anyone needs one, let me know. Clutch kit came with (2) and i bought one from RockAuto. Then I found another in my tool box from my last clutch kit. Two of them are the smaller size.
 
#2,500 ·
Picked up a timing chain and guide. I compared the two chains I have and I’m not so sure about the meme one. I think the OEM is better and overall it doesn’t seem to have stretched that much.
 

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#2,501 ·
It occurrs to me that more frequently these days that im willing to admit there’s things I don’t know. And I don’t think I know how to measure that. But to my eyes and mind that chain is a lot longer than the new one.
i think I’d change it with the sprockets.
 
#2,502 ·
I have done a couple of 4.0L timing chains. IIRC they do not have sag to them when they are new. As fish mentioned, sprockets are important to make them tight as possible because the chains wear into the sprockets also. Either way it is worthy of posting for future reference to others, what a tight chain looks like. I have done too many chains in too many different engines to remember them all. Many of them nowdays are three chains in an engine.
 
#2,503 ·
I'll return the chain and guide and get a kit. I was trying to save a nickel but I've been doing that my entire life with this jeep so maybe I should just...not do that, haha.
 
#2,505 ·
Be on your guard my friend. It seems like a little thing. At first you decide that it's time to give the jeep back a little for years of faithful service and get it something nice, like name brand replacement parts.
Then you turn your back for a few weeks and the dam thing sneaks you credit card out of your wallet at night and POOF! You wake up the next day with porch full of UPS boxes containing Fo'dees, bead locks, and all the pieces needed to link it... Not only that, but the degenerate vehicle will probably be passed out beside an empty gallon bottle of Boones Farm. SMDH
 
#2,506 ·
It is a slippery slope and making $50 purchases here and $100 ones here is an effort to trick me into thinking I’m not spending a lot but I’m not oblivious.

So, got my gasket kit, my timing set, ultra slick assembly lube and injector o-rings and filters. I’m just waiting on main and rod bearings and oil pump.

Question, what tolerances should both have? I assume I’ll need to plastigauge the rod bearings as well.

I also have been flushing the injectors with that kit and it works pretty well.
 
#2,509 ·
Glad I looked deeper into the main bearings. Pics below are of the #1 and #3. The #1 looks the worst.
I hope new bearings will be the solution.
 

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#2,512 ·
This bearing here has some small spots that look etched? I think it may be corrosion. Acids do form in engine oil. All of the bearings have a score line that is most likely in line with the oil holes of the crank. Maybe somebody had dirt in an oil filter when it was installed? There is not a lot of evidence of scoring that I can see. I do not think that the crank will look too bad. Make certain though that you clean the oiling passages in the crankshaft and block before assembling.
Water Gesture Fluid Liquid Thumb
 
#2,514 ·
assembling.
Water Gesture Fluid Liquid Thumb
While that’s ‘not good’ it isn’t unusual to see that in a bearing imho. I light ‘wiping’ on the crank journal with a razor blade or knife will show if the crank is mostly ok; if it catches on a mark on the crank and stops the blade you ‘might’ want a polish; if you can feel the scratches with the blade (or not) but it just glides over, a quick dress with a strip of 800 wet’n’dry followed by (Dawn dish detergent) soap and hot water washing, hot water rinse, to get rid of the carbide grit (paint thinner, acetone, carb cleaner will NOT work). 1200 probs isn’t necessary. If it takes more than 20 or 30 seconds per journal you’re probably doing too much.
 
#2,513 ·
The top bearings don’t look bad and there is no deep scoring on the crank.
 

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#2,515 ·
Good advice. I ran my knife blade over all the crank bearing surfaces and didn’t get any hard stops. I wiped all down and nothing major IMO. All I’m waiting on are the bearings. I’ll plastigauge for clearances. I think the mains are 0.001-0.003” clearance. I need to look up the rod bearings.
 
#2,518 · (Edited)
I did not but this is the learning curve I suppose and yes, it was a manual, so that does make sense.

I got my new bearings in today and I installed the new pilot bearing last night. I also put the filters in the injectors and I plan to put them in the fuel rail tonight.
 
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