Operation Phoenix

Ok here's the full video of a simple beach cruise to how I sent the front axle into the oil pan and gridle and how to drop said pan across the street from the Napa auto parts and beat the tick out of your engine.


-Mac
 
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Put 3" bump stops on the front for now. Can easily get away with 2s but I want the extra insurance since the jounces are old. When I do a BL and MML might even be able to drop to 1". Got over 8" of travel with the 3" stop

Got to find something that automatically resizes photos...only a couple of these will upload.

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-Mac
 
Recovering a truck that went off the side of a hill... people attempted a recovery... broken steel cables, straps, come alongs...big spikes in trees, broken pulleys everywhere. Then they started taking it apart... pulled the engine, cab, started cutting the frame in half.

Note to self ... When the safety thimble hits the ring in the tree stop pulling.

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-Mac
 
Stripped the interior. Used my Ryobi power scrubber and a brass brush to clean up everything I missed in my last rush job last summer. Added a couple of missing bolts... passenger side rock slider was missing one. Air bag controller was missing two. Cable shifter bracket was missing one.

Prepping for DEI Boom Mat. Should be here later today.

Debating if I should paint or primer the driver side floor. Or dare I say put bedliner on the kick panels.

-Mac

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And all back together...doubt they'll be much difference with the top off.

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-Mac

P.S. Went on a test drive and I'm impressed. Lot less drone. Should be less exhausting to drive all day.

Also rolled across the scales down the street. 2240 front, 2220 rear. Almost perfect 50/50 weight balance and 4460 total without the top.
 
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Replaced the throttle body gasket and torqued to 90 inch pounds.

Thinking I probably have a throttle body o-ring job in my future...but...Jeep runs and idles just fine. Gas mileage is a touch lower than I would like...but this is not the cause.

Going to leave things alone for now... ain't broke, don't fix it...but store this information away for future troubleshooting.

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-Mac
 
I'm always tempted to pick up a smoke generator, Mac. Are you happy with the one you got from Amazon? Do you have a link?
 
I'm always tempted to pick up a smoke generator, Mac. Are you happy with the one you got from Amazon? Do you have a link?

I think I got the last yellow one...you might have to settle for green or blue...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0C27LS9JH?tag=wranglerorg-20

I have zero experience with smoke machines.

This one has a pressure gauge, came with a zillion fittings for different sizes... probably all the way to 2". Power cable screws on to the back...runs on 12v with alligator clips. Came with mineral oil.

I also own YST Tools oil pressure gauge and it's pretty decent for made in China Amazon junk.

And the $50 I spent on it beats an hour drive into and back from town to borrow one from an auto parts store.

-Mac
 
Editing videos...

This was trying to kinetic pull a Chevy Blazer dumped in the woods...no tires...front springs and shocks removed...

When kinetic failed we got out the recovery rings and started winching...


-Mac
 
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Puttering today. Didn't like how my new Duralast evap charcoal cannister fit in the original factory bracket...seems like despite some massaging the metal strap was deforming the plastic canister. That and one screw was missing...and the other two were sharp and pointy...if I full stuffed the Jeep into the fenders those pointy things would go into the tires.

So I put nutserts on the bracket and used 5/16 button head stainless bolts, removed the metal strap and replaced it with a zip tie. Painted up the bracket.

While the paint dried I extended one of the horn wires 6 inches to reach where I mounted it on my air compressor brackets.

And a few other things like cleaning up my fire extinguisher brackets.

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-Mac
 
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