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Young 5.2 Build thread

6K views 75 replies 7 participants last post by  davidtownsend 
#1 ·
(I haven't been super thorough on everything I've done since I'm writing this build thread a year and a half after I got it. Sorry ahead of time for the quality of the pictures. They were all taken on my phone)

I've had jeeps all my life. My first one was an 84 xj. My mom said if I can fix it I can have it. I took it to my high school auto shop and fixed it up! I drove that for a couple years until it died. After that I bought my first zj.
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I drove that for a long time until the tranny died on that one. I bought my newest jeep and gutted the inside of both because the new jeep wasn't pretty.
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Then I junked the old zj=(
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The first thing I did to the new jeep was completely gut it. The only thing I didn't take out was the carpet. I bought 2 bottles of armoral and cleaned the crap out of the new jeep. While I cleaned I installed my deck, speakers, and amps. I have a Sony deck, back to door speakers, and amp. I have Rockford Fosgate tweeters and the front door speakers are Bose. My subs are Jl audio. I also have a street edge amp that I am going to run all my door speakers from.
I took all the side panels and rear bumper cover and spray painted them black so they weren't all faded. I also painted the rims so they would match the side panels. The first stuff I did was mostly cosmetic. Then I did a full tune up. I used synthetic oils and e3 spark plugs(I've read the reviews on them and I'm going back to the champions). Here is it after I finished cleaning it up!
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I ordered my 2" bb and a member on here gave me some 31" tires! I bought a set of 15" rims on craigslist for pretty cheap. I believe they are Craiger D-windows.
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The next thing I did was the e-fan conversion. My fan clutch was going out so instead of buying a new one I just went to the junk yard and bought a Ford Taurus fan, I used this write up:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/ford-taurus-two-speed-e-fan-install-pics-233676/
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I bought a high flow cat and a magnaflow muffler. It is a great combo! I just need to weld it all together instead of the clamps. And my y pipe is crushed on the passenger side. To help my engine breath i made my own cold air intake from Specre parts. it gets the job done.here is what it looks like. maybe i will look for a dokota air hat soon.
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My tranny started going bad so I bought one off of eBay and installed it with my friend in a day. I crushed the cps wire and had to buy one of those. I also installed a new tranny cooler. The only bad part is that my transmission slips if you start off slow. The next thing I need to do to it is adjust the bands and my tv cable.

Continued........
 
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#28 ·
Trying to figure out why my a/c isn't working is a pita! It is full of refrigerant. I try to jump the high pressure switch and it doesn't turn the clutch on like other posts said it would. When I jump the relay the clutch turns on. Some people say it is the thing under the dash. I forgot what its called. But my a/c was working last October. So I have no idea. might just take it into a shop soon.
 
#29 ·
So I've decided. I'm going to look in the engine bay fuse box and see if there are lose wires and also behind my controls in the Jeep. I'll make sure there are no lose wires. Of not I'll just wire a new relay to ruin my a/c compressor.
 
#34 ·
That looks really good man. And PITA is a great way to describe the plenum fix lol. Good thing is its done for good now
 
#69 ·
how hard was it to get the poly mounts in?? I just bought a set for my 5.2 I swapped into my wrangler and my rubber ones are toast so I wanted to see how easy it to install them once the rubber was out. Thanks
 
#74 ·
Ok good I read somewhere freezing them works good so mine are sitting in the freezer at home now. I plan to install them tonight after I get off work. I have a big bench vise I might be able to use to get them started then a buddy across town with a press if I cant get them in.
Thanks!
How did they go?
 
#75 ·
How did they go?
They put up a fight but I won!! Lol just tightening up the last bolt.
Used lots of grease and my big bench vise and they squeezed right in.
 
#39 ·
Now I am up to date on all my pictures! I will post them in as the job is done! Now I'm off to do my rear main, maybe fix my vic change out my stock seat covers re route my amp power wires. And get ready for my vacation trip next week!
 
#40 ·
Awesome man. Any reason you're doing the head gaskets? it's a rarity that a Magnum motor blows a head gasket. I've got the new plenum plate and gaskets, new valve cover gaskets and a new rear main. O and timing cover gaskets. But I didnt touch the head gaskets cause I've never seen one blow lol. Just curious. Everything looks good though.
 
#41 ·
I was going to do them just to do it. Preventative maintenance. I didn't know that it was a rarity. I'm glad about that! In my old Jeep my timing chain messed up. Is that something I should worry about? Or it that a rarity too? Thanks man.
 
#42 ·
I only did my timing chain cause the timing cover gasket was leaking antifreeze. However the amount of slack in my chain at 162000 miles scared me. I think it should be routinely done every 200000 just because. But I've seen 300000 on magnums with factory chains in them. So it's up to u. If you're mechanically inclined I say go for it.
 
#45 ·
You have to take off the alternator and move the a/c out of the way and take everything from in front of the motor. I took the radiator out to have more room. I did my water pump while I was there. Basically just going a bit further then water pump replacement. There's several write ups on here that helped me
 
#46 ·
Halfway done with my rear main! Out had become such a pita! Dropped my trans cross member dropped my y pipe. Took both front tires off and took my sway bar off along with the top shock bolts. Then it finally had enough room to get the oil pan out. The seal was easy to come out. I was so careful not to scratch the metal! Forgot top pick up some brake clean. So I will tomorrow morning and then put out all back together! Then off to the next project! Gotta love owning a Jeep. Don't want to get bored! Pics of it all tomorrow!
 
#47 ·
I put on a new rear main and it doesn't work! It leaks more than my old rear main! I put the top and bottom seals the right way the pan gasket is on right and on tight. It didn't leak at first but them it started to leak more and more. Here is the failed attempt at fixing my rear main :(
 

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#49 ·
Gave my girl a make over! Added some new fog lights!

I also repainted my cladding and grill! Tomorrow I get to sand and paint my front and rear. Plus I need to change out my stock seat covers for some super clean ones o got from the junkyard. I also finished my family stickers!
 

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#50 ·
lookin good
 
#52 ·
Still working on painting the bumper. A 2 week vacation got in the way! I ordered 0 gauge power wire and some 4 gauge with a distribution block to power my dual amps. I ordered a little more 4 gauge wire to beef up my alternator and ground power wires. I get back in a week and am taking two days just for the Jeep.
 
#54 ·
I painted mine green along with my fuel rails to complement the black intake I did while fixing the plenum. Easily one of the best mods I've done. Takes an extra hour and you will love it everytime you open the hood :)
 
#55 ·
I should have painted my intake and fuel injectors when I had it out! I might be changing the timing chain soon so I'm going to paint the metal bracket that hold the alternator and AC compressor. I have no idea what colors though.
 
#56 ·
I did that bracket black as well. Looks much better than corroding aluminum that's for sure lol
 
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