2000 Sahara: it shoulda been a part-out

[Sea Cot]

As I said before, I bought a hard top with a Jeep attached to it. I bring you the "three rot box". The name is a rip-off of Sammy Hagar's Three Lock Box, but fits well. 3rd TJ in the fleet and it's a rot box.

The original intention was to strip parts and sell the rest. The hard top was destined for the COVID-19 Project , but the Jeep runs and drives quite well despite having three tires in the grave and the 4th on a banana peel. With work travel beginning soon, the COVID project schedule will slip.

We'll patch this thing together and it'll make a fine ride for my son when he turns 16 early next year. I can hear the rustaphobe recoil in horror and cry out, "just let it die!" But, where is the fun in that? Compared to the COVID project, this is a much better starting point for auto 101 since it's assembled, running, and needs the full schedule of preventative vehicle maintenance- some corrective tasks, too.

Backstory: Coworker ordered the Jeep in '00, drove it around Ann Arbor for 20 years accruing 147k miles. . .on original brake fluid, spark plugs, and most everything else. Oil changes were done routinely by the local shop, but not much else. It's a 5 speed, has two-tops, and the AC works.

Day 1: Got it home after an interesting drive. The radio doesn't work consistently. The frame is rotted so bad I could feel the rear axle trying to steer the Jeep. The gas tank skid shouldn't be able to support the weight of the full tank. Well, the gauge read full until I jacked and strapped the tank level and then it corrected to 3/4 full.

Driver side is the photogenic side:

Passenger side: is this too much rust?

I still don't understand how the tank didn't fall out.

The interior looks like a murder scene.

 

[Chris]

Hot damn, that’s some frame rot!

Looking forward to seeing how you handle this project

 

[Sea Cot]

I bought a few parts for it. . . Pocono Metal's 4pc kit, In-Line Tube's 9pc brake kit, spark plugs, gaskets-o-plenty- valve cover, intake/exhaust, oil pan, and rear main, and an oil filter. First order was washing the engine bay. ..

The first parts to be changed are the spark plugs. Keep in mind that gap is supposed to be .035. Just in case you've ever wondered what original plugs with 147k miles looked like, here is your answer:

The Jeep started every time without hesitation and had decent throttle response with these plugs. The throttle body has been de-goo'd. Up next is dragging the Jeep to my BIL's so my son can prep the frame for repair and install the brake lines. BIL holds several welding certs, so he'll burn the rust caps on.

As much as a POS this thing is, it's quite fun to rip around in.

 

[Sea Cot]

Hot damn, that’s some frame rot!

Looking forward to seeing how you handle this project

The creative vision for this project is: a safe-ish POS first vehicle for a 16yo to drive and get hand-on maintenance experience. Safe-ish meaning it stops and turns consistently and predictably, the air bags are capable of working, and the Jeep doesn't leak any flammable fluids. So, about 150x more safe than my first vehicle. The lofty dream is that this thing survives the years and becomes a hand-me-down vehicle to my 12yo daughter and 10yo nephew, or gets parked at the cottage for up north use. I don't think it'll survive the gauntlet of kids without some major surgery.
Cool parts go on the COVID Jeep, this one gets only the necessities.

 

[Chris]

The creative vision for this project is: a safe-ish POS first vehicle for a 16yo to drive and get hand-on maintenance experience. Safe-ish meaning it stops and turns consistently and predictably, the air bags are capable of working, and the Jeep doesn't leak any flammable fluids. So, about 150x more safe than my first vehicle. The lofty dream is that this thing survives the years and becomes a hand-me-down vehicle to my 12yo daughter and 10yo nephew, or gets parked at the cottage for up north use. I don't think it'll survive the gauntlet of kids without some major surgery.
Cool parts go on the COVID Jeep, this one gets only the necessities.

I think that as long as you can do something about that frame, it won’t be an issue. As it is now though, it’s obviously a danger to drive.

Regardless, I think a TJ is a hell of a fun vehicle for any 16 year old to have. The fact that it’s a manual makes it even better, as that limits the ability to text and drive

 

[jodomcfrodo]

I think that as long as you can do something about that frame, it won’t be an issue. As it is now though, it’s obviously a danger to drive.

Regardless, I think a TJ is a hell of a fun vehicle for any 16 year old to have. The fact that it’s a manual makes it even better, as that limits the ability to text and drive

I used to text, eat an ice cream cone, and drive my manual TJ through town when I was 16. Don’t underestimate teenagers

 

[Chris]

I used to text, eat an ice cream cone, and drive my manual TJ through town when I was 16. Don’t underestimate teenagers

I know, I’ve managed to do similar things in mine like eating a Blizzard. However, it at least makes things tricky for them

 

[RobertJ]

Definitely worth saving just as mine was. That will be an awesome ride for a new driver.

 

[Zorba]

The first parts to be changed are the spark plugs. Keep in mind that gap is supposed to be .035. Just in case you've ever wondered what original plugs with 147k miles looked like, here is your answer:
View attachment 177737

That's about what my plugs looked like that I changed 2 days ago. Maybe they were the originals too - .063" on the one I bothered to check - 127K+ on mine. But it ran fine, only had a very subtle stumble at idle.

 

[Sea Cot]

After spending August in SoCal for work and a spot to open at my BIL's place, the rot box project has moved forward.

The interior has been scrubbed and pressure washed, so it no longer looks like a murder scene. A new radio has been installed because priorities.

It seems the many treatments of Kroil and PB Blaster in the weeks leading up to today paid off. All axle-side control arm, rear sway bar, rear track bar, all 7 gas tank skid plate bolts!, both parking brake body plate, and 1 of 2 exhaust hanger bolts threaded out without heat, stripping or snapping. One hanger bolt is in but the head is stripped. We'll deal with that next time. I thought for certain the gas tank skid bolts would have snapped or the carriage heads strip out.

This skid was somehow able to hold the tank in. . .

The gas tank and rear axle have been removed. Up next is prepping the frame for the Pocono Metalcraft parts to be installed.

Here's a view of the passenger side frame rail. . . .

More to come later on. . . .

 

[Artsifrtsi]

I would not, unless it had sentimental value... only then I'd use this as a starting point...

 

[Artsifrtsi]

I think this Jeep can be saved...

 

[Sea Cot]

I think this Jeep can be saved...

 

[Artsifrtsi]

But seriously, if I were going for safety, I'd replace the frame... or I should say my son would help me replace the frame.

My wife has already said that when my son turns 8 I can start building a project car with him... I already have our TJ that he seems to think will be his... If I go this route, he just may end up touching every nut and bolt on this one, just so he knows how to fix it, and what right looks like.

 

[Sea Cot]

But seriously, if I were going for safety, I'd replace the frame... or I should say my son would help me replace the frame.

That's a different iron in the Jeep 3-alarm blaze I have going: '98 Sport

Once complete this will be plenty safe for him to drive. He is actually more excited about the '00 because it runs and drives. The '98 is a jigsaw puzzle, so it's more difficult to envision the outcome of most tasks at hand.
The '00 project, he can see the problem/issue/task at hand, work through it, then compare the result to the beginning and receive instant feedback/gratification/despair.

 

[Sea Cot]

Wrenching time has been very limited, so gotta work fast and that means no time for photo shoots.

Driver and passenger side control arm areas have been repaired. Tossed on a few new parts, too: Moog U&L control arms, SS axle brake lines, rear brake hose, wheel cylinders, shoes & hardware, drums, and jounce bumpers.

The middle section is up next. It doesn't seem to need it (yet), but I already bought the parts so they're going on. Once the middle sections are on, then it's time to install the main brake line and front brake lines and hoses, fuel vent line, discs and pads, fill/flush/bleed the system, change trans and t-case fluids, then see what is next. . . .

 

[Sea Cot]

The POS is roadworthy and currently awaiting it's new operator to receive his driver's license in a few weeks, delaying the inevitable part out. After the last update work travel kicked in and I spent 66 days living in hotels on both coasts. BIL finished welding the middle frame sections, then he and my son worked on getting the Jeep roadworthy.

The brake system is completely new from the master cylinder out to the wheels (except for prop valve). The interior no longer looks and/or smells like a murder scene thanks to a liberal application of soap and a pressure washing (late summer). A new radio has been installed. The TJ is on jackstands because it is awaiting new shoes. The tires will be dismounted tomorrow, and we plan to cleanup the wheels this weekend before the new 235/75r15s go on.

Two safety tasks remain- installing parking brake cables and a new windshield. Once that happens, it's good to go. The CEL is on- two O2 sensors that are pending delivery, and a P0301. The coil and fuel injectors passed testing, next up is cylinder leakdown.

These photos should cause any desert dweller to crap themselves and shake their head in disgust. The white is a fine mixture of salt and dirt. The fender rot gave the appearance of an F1 car outfitted with rain tires and baptized the Jeep in the pattern you see.

It ain't much to look at, but this one has been pretty fun bringing back to life.

 

[Sea Cot]

Rattle-can Rembrandt restoration. . . . we ran the wheels through the blast cabinet and cleaned off the outward facing side. First we attempted to chemical strip the remaining clearcoat and polish the wheel. That worked quite good on 1 of 5. The other 4 looked like trash so we turned to spray paint.

After washing and cleaning off the surfaces, we applied Duplicolor primer a couple coats of Duplicolor graphite wheel paint and finishing off with a coat of Duplicolor's matte clearcoat coating. The results are satisfactory and new tires will get installed tomorrow.

 

[Sea Cot]

Annnd. . . it's off the jackstands. 5 new 235/75R15 Goodyear TrailRunner ATs were mounted today. New tires give me peace-of-mind, and my son thinks they look cool. Win-win. He has an idea for the center caps, so we'll see what becomes of that eventually.

Last year I picked up an inventory of TJ parts which included a new pair of re-pop fenders. Keeping with the rattlecan Rembrandt theme, the fenders were primed, coated with Duplicolor's PG8 cans, and coated in clear. The fenders likely won't get installed until springtime due to no garage heat and work travel, but the result turned out pretty good enough.

 

[Sea Cot]

A few minor updates. . . the test drive revealed a couple issues- 70* heat output at max temp setting and RR brake drum ~125* hotter than the left.

The first order of business was to flush the heater core using THIS POND PUMP , a milk jug, and Prestone flush. Both hoses slipped over the 3/4" nipple included with the pump, so the core could be back-flushed with ease. We also removed the blower motor and sprayed out the cavity and heater core fins. After clearing out the flush with distilled water and refilling the coolant, temp output reached 125* but would cool down with the fan on high. For preventative maintenance sake, we replaced the thermostat gasket and drained the coolant. This weekend we'll flush the block and fill with G05 coolant, and have a look at the blend door. Hopefully that'll restore performance or reveal the need for a blend door.

The rear drums have been readjusted, but a road test awaits to verify the right drum is happy/not dragging. New parking brake cables on both sided have been installed. The parking brake bracket and adjuster were cabinet blasted, spray bombed, anti-siezed, and installed. Parking brake adjustment will easily be made once the rear brakes are finally dialed in.

One oddity was that a #1 misfire and two O2 sensor codes haven't appeared after cleaning the battery terminals and lugs while it was out during the blower motor cleaning. I'm sure they'll return soon. . .