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Alpine Lizard Build Project

547K views 7K replies 116 participants last post by  Dadamsnv 
#1 ·
UPDATE: here are a few pictures as of 8-24-17
Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Car

Tire Wheel Car Land vehicle Vehicle

Tire Wheel Car Land vehicle Vehicle


here is a picture as of 12-16-14
Tire Wheel Vehicle Car Grille


ORIGINAL POST:

I'm sitting in DMV (bored as hell) waiting to get my new CJ5 registered. This seems like an appropriate time to make my build thread. I joined the forum about a month ago and have been pestering you guys even since. I'm excited as can be about this new project, and I can see myself broke as a joke and eating popcorn in just a few months.

Backstory: My dad loved old jeeps, but he was always taking care of us kids so he could never afford one. His love for them made me want one as I grew up. I finally graduated with my BS in mechanical engineering, and nailed an okay job, so I decided its time! I was cruising through Craigslist and found it! $3500 took it home. She has green MAACO paint and a couple of goofy dents, a part canvas part vinyl soft top that needs a couple windows replaced, and tore up seats. However, she's rocking a fesh new frame, newer body with pretty much no rust, a 2.5 in lift on softer springs, a T-18, Dana 20, and decent running 304 with 105,000 on it. I drove it home at 70 MPH with no issues.

Plan:

Stage 1: safety and functionality first. So it needs horns, seats, and street legal 4-point harnesses, plus whatever I need to make it function. Properly.

Stage 2: off road capability. SOA, 33x12.5x15s, high steer, ARBs, etc. I want to be able to kill a lot of the rubicon trail (I only live an hour from the trail head in Tahoe CA :))

Stage 3: classy appearance. I want to take it to a classic car show without being laughed off the strip. Hot August nights is a big classic car show around these parts and I want to enter it some day.

When I'm done, I want an offload beast that will crush the hills while dazzling street rod people, ya know, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a tux. I will be doing it almost entirely myself (I just may have the tires mounted by schwab ;))

With that being said, here's a teaser pic. I promise I'll put more up soon.
 

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#204 ·
Also, the alternator bearing was a little sticky when I pulled it, so I needed one anyway, but all I did was paint the water pump, that shouldn't make it howl like a money consuming wolf! The worst part is I wanted to replace water pump, but summit was out of all seven types of pump at that moment. Life sucks today! Damnit!
 
#205 ·
If you recall, I wanted to build this jeep up in three stages

1. Safety and functionality
2. Off road capability
3. Aesthetics

So far, after $3500 initial purchase and probably $3000 invested, I still have a jeep that doesn't function properly, and still doesn't have all the safety stuff I want. I guess I should have seen this coming since it seemed to happen to everyone else.

I still have to go through the mechanical portion of the brakes, tear the D30 apart and replace the leaky seals and bad U joints, replace the ball joints and attempt to align it properly, replace all four bent shackle hangers, install a new wiper motor and make sure that all works, install an entire wiper fluid system, cut my fender wells to fit the new seats, install the four point harnesses, and replace some redneck dash wiring.

Wuf!

now, because of whatever reason, I need to add a water pump to this list, and possibly a change back to my old oil pump.
 
#206 ·
After doing some research, I've found a couple different cases where Rotella 15w-40 is thick enough to pin out pressure gauges on startup. In these cases, the oil pressure performs in almost the exact same way as mine is currently performing. Given this information, I will conclude that the new pump, along with the proper clearancing, is much more efficient than the old pump, which is why my oil pressure is so much higher (not pinning out like before, but excessively high). I will drain out my brand new $25 worth of Rotella into a clean container and salvage what i can.

As for what I'm going to put in it now, I read this entire article on engine oil, and I'm feeling 1000 times smarter when it comes to oiling. From this article I feel like I should try a full synthetic 0W-30 and see where I stand. To summarize why I'm choosing this oil, all engine oils are too thick at a cold startup to be useful to your motor. This is why %90 of engine wear happens at startup. The first number on the oil bottle (ie. xxw-30) relates to the viscosity at lower temps. The lower the viscostiy, the sooner your engine is able to use the oil to lubricate the motor, the less wear you have. The second number on the bottle (ow-xx) relates to the viscosity of the oil at operating temps. Almost all oils have the same viscosity at operating temps, so there is very little reason to use a more viscus (thicker) oil other than to build oil pressure. What you are shooting for is whatever combination gets you as close to 10 PSI per 1000 RPM as possible at operating temp. Also, a full synthetic tends to get less thick during cold temps than dino oil, so that means less motor wear. Since I'm using a 15w-40 right now, and experiencing 25 PSI at idle during operating temps, I need to drop the second number a bit, I'll try 30. And after reading this article, I am going to try a 0 for the first number to get that oil working faster to protect my old *** motor.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

The best way to figure out what viscosity of oil you need is to drive the car in the conditions you will use. Then use the oil viscosity that gives you 10 PSI per 1,000 RPM under those circumstances. For some reason very few people are able to get this simple principal correct. I cannot explain further.

These same rules apply to engines of any age, loose or tight. Just because your engine is old does not mean it needs a thicker oil. It will need a thicker oil only if it is overly worn, whether new or old. Yet the same principals of 10 PSI per 1,000 RPM still apply. In all cases you need to try different grade oils and see what happens. Then choose the correct viscosity.

I used 0W-20 in my Ferrari 575 Maranello. It had over 5,000 miles on the clock. There will be a day (my estimate is 50,000 miles) when one will have to go to a 0W-30. In the future one will have to increase the viscosity to a 0W-40, then a 0W-50, maybe. You should use whatever it takes to get 75 PSI at 6,000 RPM during the lifetime of the engine. This formula works in all situations.
 
#207 ·
Last night sucked too. My electrical oil gauge crapped out. I'm trying to find an oil that will work with my new, toleranced oil pump, and this means I need to use the oil gauge to make sure any new oil I try will run at a reasonable pressure through my new pump. I'm pretty fried about this mess-up right now. I can handle high oil pressure, but the stuck bypass plunger and possible timing chain stretching really get me.

So I was off to Summit again to buy a mechanical oil gauge. I figured a mechanical gauge would be an upgrade someday, but since I need it, its an upgrade now. I've been there 5 days in a row and twice yesterday by the way. The hookup of the mechanical gauge went swimmingly. I overtightened one of the brass fittings and it kinked the squish cap a little, but I can find one of those practically anywhere. It holds oil great despite the kinky cap. I fired her up (she fires instantly and runs great now that the new bypass is in BTW) and the gauge went to 80 PSI. The bypass plunger is said to open at 80 PSI, and this is where the pressure hovered for about 30 seconds. After that, the pressure slowly dropped to 30 PSI over the ten minutes I spend fiddling with my new new alternator (I thought the new alternator was whining too, so I swapped it at summit).

Even with this new alternator, shes still howling, and I feel bad for swapping them for no reason :(. I used a funnel as a sound pin pointer (put the big end up to your ear and point the little end at stuff). I read this trick online yesterday. Despite what my ears (without funnel) told me, and despite what the screwdriver in the ear told me. The funnel did indeed point to the water pump, as I figured since she still make noise with the new alternator. The entire city is out of aluminum water pumps, so I had to buy a cast iron one from Napa, which means I will have to paint it before I put it on :(

I sure hope that the timing cover to block seal doesn't break while I'm removing the water pump tonight *fingers crossed*

My hardest decision is do I paint it AMC blue like the last one? Or do I paint it black to match the alt and the PS pump?
 
#210 ·
Dadamsnv said:
That blue I'm using is a factory replica paint. The factory paint should look close if not the same. But when I got it, it was like ford or GM blue or something.
No did they paint the WP when new?
 
#213 ·
Okay, new water pump is painted and put in. Lucky for me, I put silicon on the timing cover gasket and it didn't come loose from the block, so I don't have to worry about coolant in the oil or leaks. I also bought a flex fan, so I can kick the fan clutch to the curb and KNOW my fan is working. I also sealed up a t18 leak. I will show pics of it tomorrow. I think this will square everything away :D
 
#214 ·
I must admit that I'm a TOTAL IDIOT, and I should have my wrench card removed for a month. I was putting my oil bypass plunger in backwards.

I had 140 Lbs. oil pressure today, so I shut her down and didn't even bother to run her. I had just put in my new fan, tensioned my belts, and put new oil in the tranny, and I was ready to go for a cruise. I was heart broken!! I sat in the house on my giant bean bag thinking hard when it hit me: I was putting the oil bypass piston in backwards!!. So an hour later, I had the plunger banged out again, I retrieved the new one from the corner of the garage, cleaned it off and slapped it in, primed the pump, replaced the dizzy, and fired her up. 60 PSI perfect. What a MORON!

I also still have a belt howl after replacing the alt and water pump. I must be the belt itself. I tried to use some belt conditioner on it today just to see if the tone would change. I pointed the nozzle directly at the pulley with it was running, pushed the nozzle down, and the can gushed tar colored crap out from around the nozzle seat, not the actual spray nozzle mind you, all over my freshly painted motor. I discovered brake cleaner takes it off. Then I found out that the Seymour engine paint is also taken off by brake cleaner. All that time painting just so a faulty can can explode on my ****! God damnit! I was able to get it off everything that wasn't painted AMC blue. Its in a hard enough spot I see, so maybe I can brush some on in those spots.

After all the drama, I did get to go for a drive, and then for a wheel!!! And then I found some mud!!!!! So despite all the bull ****, I feel the reward was well worth it. Four wheelin with my bud with the doors off and the windshield down in the cool chilly evening air with lightning flashing way in the distance. Super cool!!!
 

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#215 ·
That's a flex a lite flex fan by the way, i like the idea of a direct drive fan for cooling purposes, plus my last one was bent. At idle, this thing pushes some serious air! But at about 2500 RPM, it sounds like a jet engines is taking off under my hood, I haven't decided if I like it or not, but it kept me really cool this evening, but my new fan shroud may also have helped a bunch.
 
#216 ·
All's well that ends well! I completely understand the way your pulse was pounding over that leaking spray can! Do I ever. One thing I have figured out, despite how much time we take on our prep, it is going to get dirty again. Mine is dirty, and it hasn't even left the shop! So get done what you can. Protect it the best way you know how. Then d-r-i-v-e it.

Well done, Daniel. I am now officially envious!
 
#218 ·
I figured out what was causing my belt noise. I paid $150 for new parts, and spent about 15 hours to find it out. Are you ready?? It was the hose clamp on the input hose to the water pump rubbing on the belt. Idiot move number two!! One more and I lose my license. It tore my belt up bad, and put all kinds of rubber dust on my motor.

Now I need to figure out what sometimes I have a bad bog off idle, and sometimes there's no bog at all. It comes in waves, it'll bog for a while, then it'll perk up and run like a top for a while.
 

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#219 ·
Bog issue found and fixed I think. I tore the carb apart to figure out why I had no ported vacuum for my tune. I found I had the wrong rebuild kit for my carb, so I bought the appropriate fast kit to get all the parts replaced that were different. Mostly gaskets. My adapter was also not fitting quite right so put on a flat square bore riser that was 1/8" tall to make the carb and manifold mate properly. With the right parts and the sealed carb, my idle tune went from two turns out to 1/2 a turn and WOW does she run good :D

And now I have a ported vacuum source that works well. All my bog is gone (at least so far) and the jeep drives fantastic, almost as nice as a normal vehicle. ;)

Here's some pics
 

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#220 ·
Today has been very productive, and I still have time to go for a ride and enjoy it all!

I replaced my exhaust header gaskets, straightened my steering, replaced some specialty firewall and bellhousing grommets, adjusted my clutch, and replaced my steering column to dash plastic cover.

I will hook my vac advance up to manifold vac and give her a whirl.
 
#223 ·
I posted this on my tuning thread, but it also belongs here, so I'll basically copy and paste and change the time references. Hope ya don't mind

OH MAN! I'm on manifold vac with a properly functioning carb and let me tell you this is the very best she's ever run. I can't believe how smooth, powerful, and quiet she is! And now the exhaust is completely leak free. The way everything is working right now, the CJ drives better than some modern vehicles I've driven (like the ford focus, what a piece of crap). My tune is AWESOME! Driving a stock tune after driving my modified tune would make me sick!

I drove her to work today with the same feeling. She runs damn fine!

The other day was one of those epic days I wont forget. Part of the Jeep's story was my Mom fronted me a large portion of the cash needed to buy it, and I paid her back a week or two later when I got my tax return. So I have her to thank for helping me get into it. All she really wanted in return was for me to give her a ride in it sometime. Well it was driving so good that I decided I could finally give her that ride without her thinking it was a giant piece. I went and picked her up, and we did a loop around Reno that is probably 40-50 miles or so. It didn't stop there, I got out into the dirt at one point. I knew the area a bit so I knew I could pop out in a different spot and keep on with the loop. We spent probably and hour or so in the hills climbing up rocky trails, flexing over big rocks in the trail, and even crawling through a 30' water crossing that was about 2/3 the way up the tires all with the doors off and the windshield down. The temp was perfect, the jeep purred like a kitten without any issues at all, and we killed anything we tried to climb through. She was unendingly stoked! She had a fabulous time. We popped back out on the loop and I took her home. What a day/memory for the ol Jeep!

The other night I fueled up and calculated my mileage. With four hours of wheeling, 50 miles on the wrong carb gaskets, and 60 miles on proper gaskets, I got 11.5 MPG. I figure this is some killer mileage given the circumstances. I will use this new tanks to drive strictly roads (if I can ) and get a mileage calc for the DD tune. My goal is 17 MPG.
 
#224 ·
Now that the motor is running well, for now, I get to be nit picky about leaks. Right now I have a leak somewhere near my oil pump. The pump itself has a new gasket, so it could be the pump. I put a pressure line where the oil pressure sending unit used to be, so It could be that. I tried to fix a leak on the timing cover (where the driven oil pump gear shaft is pressed into it) and it could be that. Problem is, with my new direct drive fan, it blows the oil everywhere, so I cant tell who the culprit is. I will tackle them one at a time saving the oil pump gasket for last, because I hate tearing that thing apart.

Once I fix that leak, and seal up my Dana 30, and replace the front output yolk and seal on my Dana 20, the jeep wont have any leaks at all. At least for a while. I see the tiniest bit of moisture where my rear main would leak if it was leaking. I'm hoping against odds that its a tiny trickle from somewhere else. Even if it is the rear main, I think I have a few month to a year until it is to the point where it drips instead of being moist.
 
#229 ·
Fixed blinker problem! It was the leads on the relay. They weren't making good contact with the fuse block. So I put some dielectric grease on them and bent them out a bit. Bingo!

Also played with lightening up the throttle by changing the throttle return spring. Too light! Now to find an in between spring.

And also figured out that I'm leaking oil from my pump shaft patch AND my oil pressure gauge line. Will fix soon.
 
#233 ·
Someday this rig will be SOA on stock height yj springs with 33s (at the minimum) and ARB lockers, but for right now, she's capable enough to have fun in.

All the guys doing the OME YJ lifts have me thinking about those, but I want the clearance the SOA gives you. Plus I have no qualms adding a ladder bar and double cardan shaft.
 
#247 ·
even with stock (saggy) yj springs when I first with soa, 35's looked right.
 
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