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skyj eccentric build

254K views 2K replies 72 participants last post by  Randonexplosion 
#1 ·
Ok, so I have decided to start a build thread. Here is a little history of my jeep and how we came to be. I have loved jeeps ever since I was a small child our first family jeep was a 1984 Cj7. It was what I learned to drive a standard transmission in. My father and I had a blast exploring the mountains around our family ranch. Fast forward a few years and my parents sold it. Later on after high school my dad had moved away to Green Bay and always regretted selling the jeep so we set out to find another one. $200 later and we had a rusted out 1972 cj5 I spent almost every free hour I had working on that jeep we pulled the blown motor and swapped in a running one we bought off a news paper ad for $75 even though almost nothing worked right on it my dad and I had a blast working on it together.
here are some pics


Well as life would happen I grew up and moved away, three years later my dad sold that cj5 to fund a yj project he purchased which led up to me desperately wanting a jeep again. I begged my wife to allow me to sell my truck so I could purchase a jeep. She gladly accepted :kiss:(although she now sorely regrets saying that). In the summer of 2008 I purchased my 1990 jeep wrangler sight unseen from a KSL ad in Ogden UT. My awesome brother-in-law test drove it for me and checked it out. Later that week he drove it up to me over the 4th of July week. I was instantly in Love with my new purchase. I though it was so bada** and that it could do anything. I had already thought my knowledge of jeeps was sufficient and that I had made a sound purchase. Then the want to customize with off-road capabilities and with the hours and hours of research on here and Pirate4x4. I learned so many things I wanted to start trying all these awesome mods. Then my wife smacked me in the face with reality! :rtft:With a mortgage and 3 boys to feed my jeep budget was slim, but I was determined to have to a jeep capable of traversing Montana mountains and Moab slick rock. So a new jeep was born. Most of the stuff I will be explaining in the next few posts will have already been done I will try to get my thread caught up to where I am as of today, hopefully in chronological order.
Specs of jeep when purchased:
1990 jeep wrangler Laredo.
Engine: nuttered 4.2L
Transmission: stock Ax15
Transfer case: stock Np231
Suspension: 1.5 rough country lift 1" shackles
2" body lift
Transfer case drop
Front Axle: Dana 30, 3.07 gears
Rear Axle: Dana 35, 3.07 gears
Tires: Bald 33x12.50x15 wild country MT
Wheels AR steel 15x8
OK enough introductions!! On with the jeep build and pics

Picture from the day I bought it. july 2008

June 2012
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Most recent May 2013
 
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#243 ·
Ok its definitely the HEI vacuum advance causing my knock..... Dunno why but it is, I assume its a bit of predetonation... ok maybe a lot of predetonation. How do I fix this?? when I installed this junkyard HEI years ago I followed a thread I found on wrangler forum and simply just followed what he did. It's worked for years so don't know why it had reared its head now.
My only thought is maybe I got a bad batch of gas with a lot of Ethanol in it?? No matter how much I retard the spark I can't get it to stop with the vacuum advance hooked up. If I advance it without it hooked up it won't do it... So where do I go from here?? It runs best at 8* btdc, but knocks like crazy with the vacuum advance hooked up.
 
#245 ·
It would be nice to know what I need to do. I have heard of an Allen head screw on the vacuum that I can turn to adjust it, but I do believe that was for a crt HEI. I will have to.inspect it more tomorrow. I will do a seafoam treatment on it to and try some octane boost in my gas to see if it helps it too. That stuff is cheap to try first.
 
#247 ·
Yeah I got a light, its really hard to see the notches to see how far it advances it. I should have my buddy help anyways. I do need a new dampner anyways too it had spun in the rubber and the notch was off so I painted a new one on it when I set TDC and I replaced the timing chain and gears. I still plan to do a compression test to.
I don't know if I will get around to doing any of this since the club I wheel with today is instead of wheeling we are installing some bumpers on a soldiers truck who is stationed in Afghanistan and will be home in July his wife wanted to surprise him with them installed on his truck when he gets back. It will be really fun today!!
 
#248 ·
I see you figured some things out, but I got a few stats from that stroker if you are still interested. The basics are, its a 4.7 bored 60 over. Stock head with chevy lifters. Aftermarket cam but he couldn't remember the name. He got his crank from summit. 1999 Cherokee intake, 24lb injectors from a mustang. Running on the stock tune.
 
#249 ·
Thanks flashy I still plan on building the stroker, I just may be able to prolong the life of my current motor and build the stroker how I want instead of rushing it.
 
#251 ·
Well good news today. I started my night with a compression test on the jeep. Let's just say somehow I managed to make the most simplest first thing you learn in middle school auto shop the most difficult task. I followed the manual exactly on how to compression test my motor. I hooked up the hose and gauge, crank the motor, not a damn thing the gauge bounces but nothing so I try all cylinders still nothing. What!! How can this thing run without compression and run good too.
Call up my buddy "that's weird" he says "try hooking it up to your lawn mower." I think good idea..... Damn good compression on mower and its holding pressure.
He says "I'm coming over something is not right"...... sure enough we get the same reading as before but it worked on the lawn mower why not my jeep.
Me "Oh wait I used a different hose on the mower".
My buddy "Maybe the valve core is bad on the hose"
Me "Duh! Why didn't I think of that"
We replace the core... 145-150 psi on all cylinders, boy I felt dumb. Then we did a cylinder leak test and they all held exceptionally well. I felt pretty good considering I rebuilt the head myself in my garage 3 years ago with just my basic knowledge of how to do it.
Now I know my motor is in good shape so I will order that new dampener and get my timing problem figured out.
 
#253 ·
Yeah we have been getting those storms every night but mines kind of a garage queen so it stays dry I've got a tarp for when things get nasty if I'm out driving. My Uncle gave me a TJ soft top so I just got to bust out the tools and see what its gonna take to fit it. Hopefully its not gonna be to hard since I don't have any of the hardware, I want to drive it a bunch this summer. I'm really tempted to just get an old OD green army tent and cut the canvas to fit.
 
#254 ·
Skyj, I've still got my knock also... got the stethoscope and it's not the chain, but can't locate the knock... funny thing is it still runs strong with no indication of trouble... I've got the 2.5 with EFI so it's not that on mine.... Can't really think of anything else unless it's just a jeep thing. Just kind of embarrassing driving with that noise... However, I do notice when I drive it over 20 miles and the stop to idle the noise lessens to almost nothing... Does yours so the same thing?
 
#255 ·
Dang dude I wish I could help you out. I know nothing about the efi 2.5 I hope mine just turns out to be the dampener/ timing issue. Your problem sure sounds like my problem though the sound does lesson at idle like you describe. Although yours is controlled by the sensors and computer where as mine is controlled by vacuum.
Don't let people tell you its just a jeep thing people that say that just don't know how to maintain their rig. Have you looked into 02 sensor or If yours has a knock sensor? I wish I knew more about the computer controlled systems to help you out. Keep searching you'll figure it out.
My jeep is just my toy I don't have to rely on it for transportion everyday otherwise I would be a very physically fit guy from having to hoof it to work everyday. Just keep asking around on here someone is liable to know what to do to help you out. Lots of awesome guys on here willing to help just ask/search.
 
#256 ·
This is becoming to common of an accurrence with my jeep lately. Oh well my own damn fault for not replacing it when I had the the front end all tore apart for the timing chain.

And for good measure a shot of the toast damener.
 
#257 ·
Working on a cold air intake while I'm waiting for parts to show up. Using parts from when I had it on my truck then I sold the truck without it. Not sure on the position I'm using a pvc 45* elbow to turn it down so it doesn't hit the hood. Looks like it will clear.
 
#259 ·
That's what I was thinking of doing even mocked it up that way I was just worried of all the heat rising off the motor heating up the tube and making it hotter. the way it is in the picture is right up against the drivers side headlight bucket, which would suck hot air off the rad.
 
#260 ·
Put header wrap around the portion going over the motor if its a concern, but I don't think it will be. It's better to have a cold air source running past a hot motor than having a hot air source that has a cool tube
 
#261 ·
. It's better to have a cold air source running past a hot motor than having a hot air source that has a cool tube
Agreed! I shall set it up that way and when my my dampener arrives I will try it out. I know my round paper filter air cleaner was sucking nothing but hot air so this should definitely be an improvement.
 
#262 ·
So what do I find on my doorstep when I come home for lunch?

So I did what any self respecting YJ owner would do..... Called the boss and told him I would be out of the office for the rest of the day.... Check back for updates.
 
#263 ·
Ok boys got her all back together. Install went smooth minus having to remove rad to get the darn tool in there to install dampener.
Alright set timing at 8* btdc with vac line disconnected and plugged, runs great no knock or ping. Hook up vac advance and rev motor and watch mark go off the charts 19*+ and all over the place and knocks Son of a......
So I'm back to square one with it, but at least I can see my timing, and where its going with the vac hooked up. I think I may try replacing the vac advance unit and see it I can get an adjustable one or should I try changing weights in my dist??
 
#264 ·
Here is a shot of the comparison of the old and new dampener.

I also had help making a huge mess, this boy loves being out in the garage with daddy. All those tools were organized and in the tool box.

I also finished up the cold air intake, hopefully I can get some better air flow.

Then I installed my new outer window door seals.
 
#265 ·
Well happy to report that the knock is virtually gone, I messed with my carb air fuel mixture and since the cold air intake its been a bit more peppy. Drove it around town with the top off and enjoyed the fresh air. I still plan to change out my vacuum diaphragm to see if that helps with it advancing the timing so much. I'm just excited to enjoy it for the summer!!
 
#266 ·
Testing, testing is this thing on???

Anyways got my kids POS Chinese atv back up and running, I rewired the whole thing, removing the tether, remote start, and safety switches galore. What a pain!!
Before

After

We actually have two of these things,but we are gonna scrap the other one and build an offroad kart combining it and this 10.5 hp lawn mower

We are going to make it a budget build I got lots of scrap steel for the frame, and we are going to use all the suspension/steering off the fourwheeler it should down right rip with the proper gearing. Might even give it a jeep grill and hood to give it that buggy look.

Oh and to stay on topic took my oldest and youngest for ride. Can't wait to wheel again been so busy haven't had a Saturday open hopefully over the 4th holiday I can get some sweet wheeling in!
 
#267 ·
Went to chill at the lake with the wife and kids.. ahhh the life!
 
#268 ·
Well I wasn't looking for a tow pig but you can't pass up a deal like this.
Buddy calls me and says I found you a truck its '92 3/4 Chevy 4x4 with 6.5l turbo diesel NV4500 trans regular cab, needs injector pump. Has to be gone today $250 cash its yours..... Duh I'm on my way!! I will post pics when its in my possesion but I'm stoked. Here's the pic he sent me of it.

I know its no power house but I couldn't go wrong with the price.
 
#269 ·
Finally got it home what an adventure I ended up getting a uhaul since my dads trailer was full of logs and I needed one pronto, for future reference just tell uhaul you are only hauling a Honda accord with it.. wink, wink!
I played hell with the first uhaul I called. The guy wouldnt rent me a trailer said my 2012 Chevy 3/4 TON HD 6.0L wasnt big enough to haul it. The damn hitch is rated at 13,000lbs but nooo!! its not big enough to haul a 6,000lb truck. Anyways enough of my rant I traveled 250 miles safely over mountain passes
and freeway at 70 mph and did not kill a bus load of nuns carrying kittens.
 
#271 ·
Thanks dude I'm stoked! I grew up driving the 6.9 Ford as a kid so I'm used to going slow in a diesel.
 
#272 ·
Nice truck, you may want to do some research, I worked for a GMC dealer for 8 years. I fixed alot of injection pumps with a shut off solenoid and a driver module and never took the pump off. The optical sensor on top of the pump does not like off road fuel(the red stuff. The postal service trucks used a meachanical pump rather than a electronic controlled unit. Ron
 
#273 ·
Yeah the guy told me the pump was bad so he started to remove it then got sick and couldnt finish it. After some investigating last night I'm finding a bunch of fried wires and the main + bat cable is completely toast as is a few wires under the turbo. This may turn out to be a wire problem instead of a pump problem. Is there anyway I can test the pump without removing it from the truck?
 
#274 ·
I don't know of anyway to test the pump without w/o taking it to a stanadyne service center. I'd start by fixing the wires then re-evaluate every thing. Then depending on the symptoms, go from there. Ron
 
#275 ·
Yeah that was the plan it just the PO has already removed the intake and all the fuel lines and unbolted the pump so I would have to put it all back together just to see if that is it. I just cant see it running with all those melted wires.
 
#276 ·
Went for a fun little trail ride tonight nothing difficult but the view is spectacular!
Tried the new panoramic app on my phone

View of the lake in the background

 
#277 ·
Nice shots, what suspension is your buddy running? Looks tall
 
#278 ·
Stock yj springs spring over on 14 bolt rear dana 44 front with 37's. Hes got all chevy running gear from a Chevy 3/4 ton truck sb 350 sm465 trans 205 transfer.
 
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