OP
Yeah its soon come, need to get those fel pro gaskets. I actually had no idea it was getting this bad until I started this project. Surprisingly with 4k miles on my oil its still nearly full.
James & The Sahara Build Thread
- Thread starter JamesAndTheSahara
- Start date
OP
Wow well dang not so good update, no longer going to motobilt tomorrrow because my Jeep sprung a terrible leak... Going to try and figure out how to fix this:
Defintely looks like rear output shaft seal for the t case, lets hope Napa has one of these in stock?
Defintely looks like rear output shaft seal for the t case, lets hope Napa has one of these in stock?
OP
So I had a hell of a time trying to source a seal and the tools to do the job. When push comes to shove I ended up having a peer at a local shop get it done for me for an hour of shop time and the price of the seal. She is not leaking anymore and safe to drive to Dothan. Sadly I couldn't get it to them in time so I will have to wait till midway through next week to take her down there. Currently sitting at 245 miles into the 500 mile break in.
By the way, there was so much ATF+4 under the Jeep I had to take it to a DIY car wash and pressure wash the underside and I still didn't get it all. The rear driveshaft flung it EVERYWHERE.
Also I don't think I have shared this tidbit of information I found out. Several months before I bought my Jeep Chrysler had installed a brand new T-case into her. How nice of the previous owner lol.
Pictures of the cleaned up non leaking rear output seal:
I went to Napa and got some fresh fluids because they have a heck of a deal going on. I now have all the fluid I need for my next gear oil change and probably going to go back once more to get fluid to flush power steering and finish her up on an oil change. Should be hitting my first trail earlyish into November so excited to finally be able to drive normally on the trails!
I have the gears turning for future projects & excel sheet set, just going to knock out the holidays before I undertake anymore serious projects.
Going to do the oil pan gasket & rear main seal over thanksgiving break. Going to bumper chop my front bumper & finally get a rear bumper. This should finish things off for 2017
.
By the way, there was so much ATF+4 under the Jeep I had to take it to a DIY car wash and pressure wash the underside and I still didn't get it all. The rear driveshaft flung it EVERYWHERE.
Also I don't think I have shared this tidbit of information I found out. Several months before I bought my Jeep Chrysler had installed a brand new T-case into her. How nice of the previous owner lol.
Pictures of the cleaned up non leaking rear output seal:
I went to Napa and got some fresh fluids because they have a heck of a deal going on. I now have all the fluid I need for my next gear oil change and probably going to go back once more to get fluid to flush power steering and finish her up on an oil change. Should be hitting my first trail earlyish into November so excited to finally be able to drive normally on the trails!
I have the gears turning for future projects & excel sheet set, just going to knock out the holidays before I undertake anymore serious projects.
Going to do the oil pan gasket & rear main seal over thanksgiving break. Going to bumper chop my front bumper & finally get a rear bumper. This should finish things off for 2017
.
OP
Yeah me too. Hardtop went on today, every single time I put it on I wonder why I ever take it off. Hmmm..
You know why James, topless is so sexy!
OP
PITA though dealing with the hardtop w/out a garage and hoist!i know I know.
OP
I like having the hardtop on, then again, I like having the hard top off. It's like having 2 different jeeps!
I really like the security and quiet when it's on, plus being able to scrape icy windows in the winter. But like you, I really like it when it comes back off in the spring. It feels like my Jeep gains 15 hp.
So true! When I take the hard top off in the spring, my Jeep seems so peppy !
OP
Conditioned up the hardtop today. Sorry for the really crappy photos I am in between phones and rocking a 2012 phone right now .
Penetrol worked surprisingly well, will update in the next day or so on how well it holds up.
Before:
After:
. Penetrol worked surprisingly well, will update in the next day or so on how well it holds up.
Before:
After:
OP
Small update, drove all the way to Motobilt this morning. Having the front pinion seal sorted out now.
OP
Final update for the gears! Got up super early to do the 30 minute highway, 30 minute sit on the side of the road for 5 hours. Motobilt apologized for the poorly installed seal and installed a new one in roughly 15 minutes. They allowed me to use one of their warehouse bays to change the fluid before heading back (Guess its good I didn't expect them to do my 500 mile gear oil change and brought my own Napa gear oil lol).
Here are some pictures of today, again sorry for some of the picture quality where it gets washed out, iPhone 4 for the win:
So from here I can finally drive her normally! Plans for next month is just doing the rear main seal over thanksgiving break. I was going to purchase the Savvy UA Engine Skid but pending a response from Gerald on if I will need new motor mounts again... (Totally didn't realize the Savvy UA needed to use the 1" Savvy MML with stock height engine mounts... So may be pulling off some seriously unused 1" Brown dogs ultra flex rubber to get some stock height brown dogs ultra flex rubber).
I am sorting out a cold start issue I have had for quite a while with the TJ before it starts getting two cold. Also picked up a weird bang when pressing in the clutch nearly all the way in. So going to look at that when I get a chance.
I am working on changing all of my fluids on the TJ with Napa fluids currently, the only factory fluid I intend to put back in will be the pink hoat coolant, tired of my lame lime green stuff.
As always, more to come!
Here are some pictures of today, again sorry for some of the picture quality where it gets washed out, iPhone 4 for the win
:So from here I can finally drive her normally! Plans for next month is just doing the rear main seal over thanksgiving break. I was going to purchase the Savvy UA Engine Skid but pending a response from Gerald on if I will need new motor mounts again... (Totally didn't realize the Savvy UA needed to use the 1" Savvy MML with stock height engine mounts... So may be pulling off some seriously unused 1" Brown dogs ultra flex rubber to get some stock height brown dogs ultra flex rubber).
I am sorting out a cold start issue I have had for quite a while with the TJ before it starts getting two cold. Also picked up a weird bang when pressing in the clutch nearly all the way in. So going to look at that when I get a chance.
I am working on changing all of my fluids on the TJ with Napa fluids currently, the only factory fluid I intend to put back in will be the pink hoat coolant, tired of my lame lime green stuff.
As always, more to come!
OP
Had some spare time after class today so I ended up taking the long way home... I can say with confidence my new gearing kicks butt in 4 low and excited to hit some trails that are better than the powerlines next to my apartment complex .
Obviously nothing technical, and the puddles were surprisingly filled compared to how little rain we have got. Really liked the lighting I got on my last photo there, don't have that many great photos of my Jeep.
Also working on what projects I want to undertake over Thanksgiving break. Definitely want to get some form of underarmor, thinking GTS is the best starting point then Engine/Tranny Skid. Also thinking I should treat my frame before salt hits the road up north when I start driving up there again. I also have that pesky rear main seal to take care of. Decisions... decisions.
. Obviously nothing technical, and the puddles were surprisingly filled compared to how little rain we have got. Really liked the lighting I got on my last photo there, don't have that many great photos of my Jeep
. Also working on what projects I want to undertake over Thanksgiving break. Definitely want to get some form of underarmor, thinking GTS is the best starting point then Engine/Tranny Skid. Also thinking I should treat my frame before salt hits the road up north when I start driving up there again. I also have that pesky rear main seal to take care of. Decisions... decisions
.
OP
Couldn't contain myself, ended up making my last big purchase of 2017. I kept going back and forth between the GTS and the engine/tranny skid and just realized my GTS makes contact significantly more and harder than my engine pan (For now). So UA plans now are GTS > Engine Tranny Skid > Belly/Transfer Case Skid. Love the idea of modularity so buying as I go is a huge plus. One other reason I went with this, is to treat my frame properly with POR15 and FF I need to pull the gas tank to get to that upper rear crossmember properly. Figured I'd knock two birds out with one stone this Thanksgiving break. The GTS is backordered currently so hopefully I will still get it in time, & that BL is finally going to come in handy giving me some serious clearance gains on the Gas Tank Skid.
Also I found out that the generation TJ came with a proper metal skid plate (Not perfect), but at least you didn't end up with the thin film of rusted metal found on the early TJ's. Really lucky I haven't punctured this thing yet.
Also I found out that the generation TJ came with a proper metal skid plate (Not perfect), but at least you didn't end up with the thin film of rusted metal found on the early TJ's. Really lucky I haven't punctured this thing yet.
The stock skid on my 05 is pretty heavy and stout much to my surprise. Nothing like the Savvy of course, nor is it as pretty.
OP
Just to emphasize the difference, the early model one is very thing metal (Like 1/16" thick) lazily wrapped around the plastic tank to mount it..The stock skid on my 05 is pretty heavy and stout much to my surprise. Nothing like the Savvy of course, nor is it as pretty.