Mr. Green's Surgery

[Mike]

What's this week's progress Mike?

Ha! Well I'm not ready for that CB shakedown yet, but I'm making some headway. I got the fenders completed and attached this weekend and then I started on the hood. It cut to fit pretty nicely:






I also blatantly stole the grill body-mount idea from Fred and installed that as well:



Yesterday, I got the cross-member for the shock towers completed:



And I started remounting some of the things under the hood that were removed. I have the airlocker mini-compressor re-installed and the fusebox in place:



Not too shabby considering that I also went up to Running Springs and had dinner with some friends and spent the night. I need more weekends like this one!

[daniel_buck]

well, you sure aren't going to miss that shock tower crossmember when you open then hood.

[Materdaddy]

Mike, that shock tower crossmember glows so much in the picture I thought you laid a lightsaber across the radiator.

[Mike]

Mike, that shock tower crossmember glows so much in the picture I thought you laid a lightsaber across the radiator.

Yeah, the halogen work light was shining directly on it. It isn't actually any brighter than the other lime green parts, but I liked the glowing look in the photo.

After all, Mr. Green is on the Dark Side after all. :devil:

[aw12345]

Nice progress bud

[RAT]

Looking good. Is it easy being Green??? Really nice work Mike.

[Mike]

I've been working on the details that will (someday) make this Jeep a real running Jeep again. Since the last post, I'm trying to get all the "under-hood" items back to functioning.

I spent some time at the local Pick-A-Part looking for the things that I will need. I found an AC condenser that fits inside the grill and will hopefully tie in to the AC system nicely:


I had to fit the AC condenser from a Madza pickup into the grill because there wasn't enough space between the water pump pulley and the Volvo electric fan to fit the condenser. As it was, I had to shave the bolts on the pulley to make sure that there was enough clearance:


I got all excited about getting the stock smog equipment to fit and worked it all out only to find that the PSC reservoir wouldn't fit with my "perfect" plan. I tore all that out and welded in a mount for the PSC reservoir and then reworked the smog equipment to fit around it:




I created a mount for the Viair compressor and welded everything into place. The compressor fits nicely beside the fuse box and I added a small fuse box below it to support the relays and fuses for the compressor and the new Volvo electric fan. Unfortunately, you can't see the new fuse box in this view:


I'm still figuring out the spaghetti of the new fuse box. This is going to take some careful labeling:


Once I get this worked out, I still have several more things under the hood to make work. I will need to go back to the Pick-A-Part yard to get a smaller radiator reserve tank and windshield washer fluid tank.

I am waiting for a new elbow to arrive from PSC to be able to connect the Reservoir to the Power Steering pump. The angle required me to buy one to connect the silver elbow in this pic to the the blue dust cap on the power steering pump:


I still have other hose aspects of the power steering and the hydro-boost to work out.

I am trying to determine the best way to work out the tight turns needed for the upper radiator hose and the temperature sensor for the Volvo fan. I have some ideas, but the tight turns to make this work will need some thought:


Last on my current list, and probably least at his point, is the new air filter. I purchased a universal K&N filter with the hopes that I can make it work. The ID of the intake tube and the smallest adapter with this kit is off by a bit but I think that I can make it work:


There is still a LOT to go to get this beast running again. I keep chipping away every chance that I get.

[dirtman13]

Hurry up already. Might want to cover that K&N with and Outerware. You wont have to clean as often.

[Materdaddy]

Hurry up already. Might want to cover that K&N with and Outerware. You wont have to clean as often.

In addition to cleaning it, you won't sandpaper your motor (as much). I will never use K&N on something that sees dirt after pulling the intake tube on my red jeep and finding it covered in silt on the inside.

[dirtman13]

In addition to cleaning it, you won't sandpaper your motor (as much). I will never use K&N on something that sees dirt after pulling the intake tube on my red jeep and finding it covered in silt on the inside.

Agreed.

[RAT]

I don't understand why you guys have problems with K&N filters. I've been using the same filter for 9 years and not had an issue. I clean and oil mine every other trip, needed or not. The crossover tube never has dirt in it.

[RAT]

Mike, I forgot to send you a pic of my washer bottle location but I can see in this picture that you won't have room to put it where I did. That PSC reservoir is a PIG.

[Mike]

I don't understand why you guys have problems with K&N filters. I've been using the same filter for 9 years and not had an issue. I clean and oil mine every other trip, needed or not. The crossover tube never has dirt in it.

Even so, I'll look for a cover for the filter. I know that they need regular care to stay effective in the dirt.

Mike, I forgot to send you a pic of my washer bottle location but I can see in this picture that you won't have room to put it where I did. That PSC reservoir is a PIG.

Yeah, it seems that PSC keeps making their reservoirs and components for them bigger.

I went to Pick-A-Part again today and found a radiator reservoir and and a washer fluid tank that I thought would work. The Radiator tank came out of a 96 Jeep XJ and works great. The washer tank was a narrow one with a long fill tube so it can be mounted low. It seemed like a good idea, but it just wouldn't work in the space that I have.

Tomorrow, I will head back to the JY to search for a different design.

On a better note, I have the wiring for the electric fan and the Viair in wiring looms and tied into the new secondary fuse box. Won't know if it works until I get the engine running again.

[Mike]

My Pick-A-Part search seems to have been successful this time. I found a washer fluid tank that I think will work. I pulled it off of a Saturn. I am hoping to mount it on the firewall above the throttle cable (it is resting on the throttle cable in this pic):



Even though it has a perfectly shaped divot next to the Hydroboost high pressure input fitting, I don't want to mount it until I make sure that all of the power steering lines fit around it.

So, I called RAT (Kurt) and got some help with how the fittings and the fluid system works. He also helped with other connection issues that I had with the AC system. Thanks RAT!!

Tonight, armed with new knowledge, I measured out the length of hose that I will need and the number and type of field-serviceable fittings that I will need to buy. I also worked out the length and style of fittings that I will need for the AC system.

I bought my PSC Steering box from Trailabite and he included the hoses to the ram-assist. I wanted to make sure that they would work with my set up so I connected the hoses to the ram and took the axle through the articulation limits.

Everything was working well at first. I especially was happy with the upper clearance of the ram fittings at full bump on both sides:


Unfortunately, the fittings on the ram hoses at the steering box are not going to work with my set up. At full bump, it pinches one of the hoses. It should be easy enough to fix by changing out the fittings at the gearbox. Luckily for me, Trailabite used field-serviceable fittings, so I can trade them out. Thanks Chuck!

I hope to find time this week to stop by a Hose-Man location and get the parts and hoses that I need.

[Materdaddy]

I don't understand why you guys have problems with K&N filters. I've been using the same filter for 9 years and not had an issue. I clean and oil mine every other trip, needed or not. The crossover tube never has dirt in it.

I didn't clean it every trip so maybe that was my problem. But why have a filter that adds extra maintenance? I'd rather throw a regular old paper filter in there once a year for $10 than spend money on cleaner/oil and have to spend 15 minutes cleaning the filter after every run.