BigTuna117 33 Posted May 29, 2017 Well, Tuesday 4/4 a new PS (Power Steering) Gearbox went in. Man, my old one must have been in pretty bad shape, because the Jeep is WAAAAY easier to maneuver. She is in need of alignment, which will come Monday. Otherwise, I can say that we're getting the old bucket back together again. I just need to service my diffs and get the new brake booster in, and she'll be at 100% functionality! Once she's back at 100% we can begin moving forward with improving on that functionality. A transfer case swap for a "true" separated 2wd and 4wd functionalities. Seal testing on the snorkel's flex connections (and possible further sealing, which I may do even if the current seal holds up, just for added insurance). Further lift... 4" seems to be a sweet spot with these, as it allows be to install long arms (likely just front to start) to improve ride quality & capability. I'd love to get the rig onto long arms. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigTuna117 33 Posted May 29, 2017 I also encountered tablet shenanigans when a bad counterfeit battery caused voltages issues where the tablet would just shut off below a certain percentage. Likely a bad cell in the battery. Popped the old battery in and she fired right up! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigTuna117 33 Posted May 29, 2017 Well, another oddball part for the Jeep! It doesn't look like it, but it's got a few tricks up its sleeve. This thermostat is from Mishimoto. For anyone who has ever seen the price tag on these: Yep, I took one for the team to test it. I had to do a coolant flush anyways, so I figured I'd pick this bugger up, and move the old one to reserve duty. Ultimately, I wasn't terribly impressed with the Jeep's cooling performance as of late. Under load, the needle wallows up past the nominal 210, and anyone whose had one of these rigs knows what things a hot running 4.7l are prone to. I figured, at best, I cool down and stay cooler (This is supposed to be a high flow thermostat?), and at the worst, I have a thermostat with a lifetime warranty. This Thermo also opens at 180 degrees, as compared to stock's 195. It's also supposed to have a higher flow rate, however I suppose time will tell. It looks pretty similar to an OEM Thermostat, though the "cage" on the back containing all of the actual workings is fairly larger, and looks like it probably allows the mechanism to open further than a stock one. As for the coolant, I put Zerex G-05 in it. It's the only non Mopar HOAT that is recommended for this engine. I also put a shot of Lucas Super Coolant in it, as it has corrosion & electrolysis inhibitors. It also claims to make the heat transfer process more efficient, we'll see about that in the hot months. The fact of the matter is, with this engine, anywhere between 190-210 is considered "nominal." If it gets too much further below 190 or 180ish, the PCM will complain that the engine is staying too cold. In my case, this combination leads to a running temperature right about 190, and it moves towards 210 under load. Previously, it ran at about 200 or 210 normally, depending on the air temperature (summer days are like driving in a giant hair dryer) and as high as 220 under load. It doesn't seem like a crazy high number, however anything over 210 can be extremely detrimental to the life of this engine. There's a chance the aluminum heads can warp, or you can even drop a valve seat and chew up a cylinder pretty quickly. Maintaining a good cooling environment is critical to the life of the engine. Otherwise, today she got another new TPS, the 3rd in the last 4 months. I suspect it would be wise to get a mopar sensor in the future. For now I'll keep milking AutoZone's Lifetime warranty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blaze 0 Posted August 28, 2017 Driving home from vegas the other day and I was greeted with a pretty sudden loud and shaky vibe, followed by a pretty big bang. I thought "damn, I blew a driveshaft". Turns out, I uh, didn't blow a driveshaft: Soooo, yeah. The 247J decided to blow up. I think it's the TC that went and not the driveshaft because the diff yoke is messed up pretty badly, too. It feels to me like something happened with the TC, which caused the the ujoint on the front driveshaft to snap, or the yoke to snap. Dropping the skid plate gives out a whooooooole lotta metal shavings. I go to Flagstaff to grab another 247J for the time being later this week. In the not-too-distant future, I'll make for a 242 swap. Good Gravy! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigTuna117 33 Posted November 2, 2017 Its been a while since I made an update here. The Jeep is doing great after recent radiator replacement. I went with one of the "all aluminum" ones just to delete the plastic tanks. Otherwise, I have finished my previous employment with (insert letter of the alphabet) Mart. With the stores closure, I am now working for a local gun shop as their IT/ online sales. I am very pleased with this as it opens many doors. I can once again get on track with the Jeep, and keep her moving forward. My current NP247 Transfer case barely functions, so I'll be glad to switch that out. I am also looking forward to a winch bumper and long arms. And getting back on the trail. 2017 has been so riddled with issues that I've only been able to hit the dirt once in the last year. Hopefully it'll see more use in 2018! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theksmith 4,019 Posted November 2, 2017 glad things seem to be on the up for you - hopefully we can wheel together some next year! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigTuna117 33 Posted November 2, 2017 Indeed! I feel badly that I've only had the opportunity to do 1 run with ORP, and that was 2 years ago now! It was great fun, too. I look forward to the future of this build and the future for wheeling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bradywgn71 746 Posted November 3, 2017 Hope to see you back out there with us again soon! Glad things are looking up for you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzJeepChic 2,512 Posted November 3, 2017 It's great to hear from you and get an update on the WJ. Your new job sounds great! See you on the trails! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigTuna117 33 Posted November 3, 2017 Your new job sounds great! See you on the trails! Hopefully real soon! Now that the jeep runs and does over 35MPH, I just need to get the rest of the drive train and suspension dialed in. Having a full time job really alleviates some of the stresses of trying to fix things that I was having before. I really like the people I work with, too. The mom and pop mentality our shop has is really great, and the people I work for/with greatly encourage the hobbies (such as this one!) that I engage in. What a world of difference it really is! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
