10-fo !
I may have settled on the polished 69's. I just can't see myself running black rims. I ain't hip enough for the blackout stuff.
PC1P's 2006 Jeep LJ Build - Brünhilde
- Thread starter pc1p
- Start date
10-fo !
I may have settled on the polished 69's. I just can't see myself running black rims. I ain't hip enough for the blackout stuff.
OP
Been dealing with a weird idle surge/stall issue since getting the Jeep back together (you can read about it here). All indicators point to a bad ECM, so I placed an order at @Wranglerfix - Mark has been quick to respond to my messages and says that he can get an ECM shipped out in just a few days. WIth my move back to PA coming at the middle of June, the sooner the better for sure, so I'm glad he was able to get moving on it so quickly...
While I'm waiting for the ECM to ship, I'm wrapping up some other items. My Currie rear trackbar should arrive soon, so that's a plus. In the meantime, I'm working on putting the interior back together. I had a hard time getting the Siless butyl sound deadener to stick to the bedliner on the floor. In a last ditch effort I just scrubbed the floor with some Simple Green and a green Scotch-Brite. If I can't get it to stick to the flooring, I will use some Siless foam-liner on the BedRug side and perhaps have to use some means of retention to keep the flooring from sliding around while driving.
While I'm waiting for the ECM to ship, I'm wrapping up some other items. My Currie rear trackbar should arrive soon, so that's a plus. In the meantime, I'm working on putting the interior back together. I had a hard time getting the Siless butyl sound deadener to stick to the bedliner on the floor. In a last ditch effort I just scrubbed the floor with some Simple Green and a green Scotch-Brite. If I can't get it to stick to the flooring, I will use some Siless foam-liner on the BedRug side and perhaps have to use some means of retention to keep the flooring from sliding around while driving.
OP
I was planning on hitting up Sedona this weekend, but with this issue - it may kill my only opportunity to stretch the springs in AZ before my move
On a brighter note, our closing date has been scheduled for this Friday!
OP
Took the opportunity to cross some other items off my list while I'm waiting for my ECM to arrive. I was having some issues with the Siless-brand butyl sound deadener sticking to the bedliner that the PO used. I was looking for some advice online and someone suggested a scrub with degreaser like Simple Green. While I had previously cleaned and wiped the floor down with water, I didn't try any sort of cleaner/soap for fear of not getting it completely removed and having issues with the flooring not wanting to stick. I figured since I'm already having that problem, it wouldn't hurt to try.
A dilute Simple Green (10:1) wash with a green Scotch-Brite scrub, followed by a thorough rinse (I ended up pulling the drain plugs) and I got the butyl to stick in most spots where I cared to apply it. Some areas (mainly anywhere that wasn't "smoothed" over from the PO's feet), would still not stick, so I'm just not going to worry much about them.
After rolling the butyl down (I used a 50 mil butyl for those curious), I topped with a ~300 mil Siless-brand insulating foam mat for both heat and sound management.
Once the foam was down on both sides, I went ahead and installed the BedRug. I must say, the underfoot feel is awesome! Even without using the included Velcro retention pieces (which I eventually installed anyways), the BedRug stays in place perfectly. A short drive around the block immediately shows a drop in noise similar to what I experienced in my YJ a few years ago.
While I was down there wrapping up interior stuff, I went ahead and found a home for my Cobra 75 WX ST CB module. I like putting them under the shift console - they're close but tucked away and protected. The inner shift boot had a nice flat spot to mount it to, so I used some low-profile pan head screws to secure and ran the power wires down the drivers-side of the shifter (following the factory wiring harness). Once I figure out what CB antenna mount I want to use, I'll run that down the passenger-side of the console to keep interference to a minimum.
After seeing how much @starkey480 liked his Bartact seat covers, I went ahead and ordered a set myself. I didn't want to install them over sweat-stained and very dusty seats, so I busted out the Bissell and spent some time giving these a thorough scrub (I did clean the seat frames and tracks while I was cleaning the flooring).
Whatever material these seats are made from does clean up very well. I used a mostly water solution with just a tablespoon of Bissell Pet & Odor cleaner (in about 1.5 gallons of warm water). I basically sprayed it on with the Bissell hose, scrubbed, then vacuumed up before it would soak too deep into the foam.
With a Goldie at the house, plus four cats and two kids (a 14 year old daughter and 10 year old boy), we've tried a lot of cleaners and this one seems to work the best. I was never a big fan of the smell while in use (it isn't unpleasant, just not my preference), but the cleaner-smell disappears almost as soon as the solution dries and does a great job at neutralizing odors. It also has some built-in ScotchGard, which does a nice job in high-traffic areas of the house too.
Carpets and fabric are disgusting
... The sucked-up solution was black and this was only from two seats! The amount of dirt and grime I've cleaned up with this thing over the years makes me very happy that I will no longer be needing to use it in the new house (it's all honey oak hardwood!). Our team of Roomba's will certainly like that we will no longer have any carpet in the house as well...
A dilute Simple Green (10:1) wash with a green Scotch-Brite scrub, followed by a thorough rinse (I ended up pulling the drain plugs) and I got the butyl to stick in most spots where I cared to apply it. Some areas (mainly anywhere that wasn't "smoothed" over from the PO's feet), would still not stick, so I'm just not going to worry much about them.
After rolling the butyl down (I used a 50 mil butyl for those curious), I topped with a ~300 mil Siless-brand insulating foam mat for both heat and sound management.
Once the foam was down on both sides, I went ahead and installed the BedRug. I must say, the underfoot feel is awesome! Even without using the included Velcro retention pieces (which I eventually installed anyways), the BedRug stays in place perfectly. A short drive around the block immediately shows a drop in noise similar to what I experienced in my YJ a few years ago.
While I was down there wrapping up interior stuff, I went ahead and found a home for my Cobra 75 WX ST CB module. I like putting them under the shift console - they're close but tucked away and protected. The inner shift boot had a nice flat spot to mount it to, so I used some low-profile pan head screws to secure and ran the power wires down the drivers-side of the shifter (following the factory wiring harness). Once I figure out what CB antenna mount I want to use, I'll run that down the passenger-side of the console to keep interference to a minimum.
After seeing how much @starkey480 liked his Bartact seat covers, I went ahead and ordered a set myself. I didn't want to install them over sweat-stained and very dusty seats, so I busted out the Bissell and spent some time giving these a thorough scrub (I did clean the seat frames and tracks while I was cleaning the flooring).
Whatever material these seats are made from does clean up very well. I used a mostly water solution with just a tablespoon of Bissell Pet & Odor cleaner (in about 1.5 gallons of warm water). I basically sprayed it on with the Bissell hose, scrubbed, then vacuumed up before it would soak too deep into the foam.
With a Goldie at the house, plus four cats and two kids (a 14 year old daughter and 10 year old boy), we've tried a lot of cleaners and this one seems to work the best. I was never a big fan of the smell while in use (it isn't unpleasant, just not my preference), but the cleaner-smell disappears almost as soon as the solution dries and does a great job at neutralizing odors. It also has some built-in ScotchGard, which does a nice job in high-traffic areas of the house too.
Carpets and fabric are disgusting
... The sucked-up solution was black and this was only from two seats! The amount of dirt and grime I've cleaned up with this thing over the years makes me very happy that I will no longer be needing to use it in the new house (it's all honey oak hardwood!). Our team of Roomba's will certainly like that we will no longer have any carpet in the house as well...
OP
Out with the old, in with the new...
Pulled the factory rear track bar (didn't even bother to fully install it knowing it was on its way out) and got the Currie in without any issue. It clears the diff and gas tank skid nicely (as is known).
Got these Rugged Ridge door sill protectors on Amazon "Used" for a steal. It's not something I thought I ever needed, but after watching my wife and daughter constantly use the door sill as a foot place, this will add some safety (it's rubberized) for them and also keep the paint from getting destroyed.
The ECM from @Wranglerfix comes tomorrow and that's the only thing left on my to-do list... hope the new ECM takes care of the issue and I can enjoy this thing for a few weeks before we move!
Pulled the factory rear track bar (didn't even bother to fully install it knowing it was on its way out) and got the Currie in without any issue. It clears the diff and gas tank skid nicely (as is known).
Got these Rugged Ridge door sill protectors on Amazon "Used" for a steal. It's not something I thought I ever needed, but after watching my wife and daughter constantly use the door sill as a foot place, this will add some safety (it's rubberized) for them and also keep the paint from getting destroyed.
The ECM from @Wranglerfix comes tomorrow and that's the only thing left on my to-do list... hope the new ECM takes care of the issue and I can enjoy this thing for a few weeks before we move!
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OP
The ECM from Wranglerfix arrived, nicely packaged and ready to plug in...
Thanking Jesus, Baby Jesus, Allah, Thor, and any diety that had a hand in it - everything is work great so far; I've put on about 20 miles without a stumble or hiccup. Once thing I noticed right off the bat - my gauges and Scangauge reader are reading accurately again. The one gauge that immediately stands out is the voltmeter in the ScanGauge. It was showing ~12.6-12.8 volts, despite showing 13.4-13.6 volts with a physical voltmeter on the battery (the Autel meter also showed ~12.8V when hooked up). After the ECM swap, it shows actual battery voltage again.
I took a quick ride towards the lakes to verify things were happy and couldn't resist snapping a few pics while I was out there. It was ~106º yesterday when I took the drive and 104º when I hit the desert. I was using the A/C and it was just barely keeping up. I'm thinking I'll need to do a top-off and inspection of the system before putting too many summer-miles on her. The HVAC blower is still louder than I think it should be, so I may swap that out as well.
The LJ was always very quiet and with the new flooring, insulation, lower shift boot, and firewall plugs - it is even more so. I can't even hear the engine below 3000 RPM unless the clutch fan locks up (then it just sounds like a turbine!). Unfortunately, the QT/Magnaflow exhaust isn't shipping soon (was supposed to ship 5/25) and neither is the PSC Big Bore box. I will leave the orders in with QT but may have to update the address depending on when they actually get ready to ship out.
We are finally, FINALLY!!!, closing on the house today (it was delayed due to the slow appraisal speed) and I have a trip to Florida for a week to see Grandma with the kids on Saturday. I'm going to order a new Mopar radiator as mine is leaking (or was leaking? I can't find any more drips but I don't trust it) and try to see when BedRug will be shipping the rear carpet section. Other than that, there's not much I can do to her before the move!
Thanking Jesus, Baby Jesus, Allah, Thor, and any diety that had a hand in it - everything is work great so far; I've put on about 20 miles without a stumble or hiccup. Once thing I noticed right off the bat - my gauges and Scangauge reader are reading accurately again. The one gauge that immediately stands out is the voltmeter in the ScanGauge. It was showing ~12.6-12.8 volts, despite showing 13.4-13.6 volts with a physical voltmeter on the battery (the Autel meter also showed ~12.8V when hooked up). After the ECM swap, it shows actual battery voltage again.
I took a quick ride towards the lakes to verify things were happy and couldn't resist snapping a few pics while I was out there. It was ~106º yesterday when I took the drive and 104º when I hit the desert. I was using the A/C and it was just barely keeping up. I'm thinking I'll need to do a top-off and inspection of the system before putting too many summer-miles on her. The HVAC blower is still louder than I think it should be, so I may swap that out as well.
The LJ was always very quiet and with the new flooring, insulation, lower shift boot, and firewall plugs - it is even more so. I can't even hear the engine below 3000 RPM unless the clutch fan locks up (then it just sounds like a turbine!). Unfortunately, the QT/Magnaflow exhaust isn't shipping soon (was supposed to ship 5/25) and neither is the PSC Big Bore box. I will leave the orders in with QT but may have to update the address depending on when they actually get ready to ship out.
We are finally, FINALLY!!!, closing on the house today (it was delayed due to the slow appraisal speed) and I have a trip to Florida for a week to see Grandma with the kids on Saturday. I'm going to order a new Mopar radiator as mine is leaking (or was leaking? I can't find any more drips but I don't trust it) and try to see when BedRug will be shipping the rear carpet section. Other than that, there's not much I can do to her before the move!
Ardenlonewolf
TJ Enthusiast
OP
Without a doubt!
Thanksfully, I already spent a lot of time prepping and cleaning the frame and underside of tub when I had the trans and t-case out. The underbelly is coated (thoroughly!) with 3M Professional undercoat from the firewall back to the "step" for the cargo area, including underneath the heat shields. I also did the spring buckets, frame and axle brackets, etc. with a fresh coat of VHT epoxy.
I'll do the cargo area and touch up the wheel wells shortly (before the move) and will also be doing all the torque boxes and frame with the Eastwood frame coating long before winter. Being diligent about touching things up every spring, plus periodically removing bolts to reapply anti-seize (such as body bolts) has worked well for me in the past.
It's looking really great now. Sure has come a long ways in a short time.
OP
Well the time has arrived - we are moving in T-2 days!
Spent the last few weeks buttoning up everything I could on the LJ. I had a small coolant leak that I couldn't track down. When my buddy was in from TX, we built him a set of axles. He was able to spot the seam where the leak was coming from, so I ended up ordering a brand new Mopar replacement, as well as a replacement radiator cap and overflow tank cap.
The WranglerFix ECM appears to be working fine, though there are some quirks that I am working out with Mark. First, the CEL doesn't immediately light up with the key turned on.
After about 13 seconds, the security light comes on, followed quickly by the CEL. Sometimes the gas tank light goes off and comes back on at the same time.
With the CEL not coming on, I am having a hard time connecting to the OBD-II diagnostic. My scanner will pull PIDs once the vehicle is running and will pull active codes once running, but will not connect with just the key on. Mark is going over it with his technician, so hopefully we can have an answer soon. With my move coming quick and with the engine running strong, I haven't worried about it too much.
Had a fairly modest oil leak after replacing the clutch and RMS. I suspected it was the oil pan gasket; the pan was tweaked slightly on the bottom, which I know can exacerbate an oil leak. I ordered a replacement Dorman pan from Amazon on the "Open Box" sale (only $22!) and a new gasket, this time I went with FelPro vs the Mahle. With +110º temps, this was not enjoyable to replace, but I got it done and it appears to be fixed - I did not want to move to the new house and have oil drips all over the garage and driveway.
I'm still dealing with some death wobble which I can only attribute to the steering box. I have a new one coming (the PSC XD Big Bore) but it's still back ordered (as is my Magnaflow exhaust). I guess these will have no choice but wait until after the move is complete to fix...
Wish me luck on the move - 4.5 days with a 20' U-Haul towing the LJ, with my boy and 2-cats inside, with my wife and daughter following behind in her Grand Cherokee, with 2 cats and our Golden Retriever in the back. So far, the weather looks to be working in our favor and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a smooth, scenic and event-free trip.
Spent the last few weeks buttoning up everything I could on the LJ. I had a small coolant leak that I couldn't track down. When my buddy was in from TX, we built him a set of axles. He was able to spot the seam where the leak was coming from, so I ended up ordering a brand new Mopar replacement, as well as a replacement radiator cap and overflow tank cap.
The WranglerFix ECM appears to be working fine, though there are some quirks that I am working out with Mark. First, the CEL doesn't immediately light up with the key turned on.
After about 13 seconds, the security light comes on, followed quickly by the CEL. Sometimes the gas tank light goes off and comes back on at the same time.
With the CEL not coming on, I am having a hard time connecting to the OBD-II diagnostic. My scanner will pull PIDs once the vehicle is running and will pull active codes once running, but will not connect with just the key on. Mark is going over it with his technician, so hopefully we can have an answer soon. With my move coming quick and with the engine running strong, I haven't worried about it too much.
Had a fairly modest oil leak after replacing the clutch and RMS. I suspected it was the oil pan gasket; the pan was tweaked slightly on the bottom, which I know can exacerbate an oil leak. I ordered a replacement Dorman pan from Amazon on the "Open Box" sale (only $22!) and a new gasket, this time I went with FelPro vs the Mahle. With +110º temps, this was not enjoyable to replace, but I got it done and it appears to be fixed - I did not want to move to the new house and have oil drips all over the garage and driveway.
I'm still dealing with some death wobble which I can only attribute to the steering box. I have a new one coming (the PSC XD Big Bore) but it's still back ordered (as is my Magnaflow exhaust). I guess these will have no choice but wait until after the move is complete to fix...
Wish me luck on the move - 4.5 days with a 20' U-Haul towing the LJ, with my boy and 2-cats inside, with my wife and daughter following behind in her Grand Cherokee, with 2 cats and our Golden Retriever in the back. So far, the weather looks to be working in our favor and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a smooth, scenic and event-free trip.
Good luck on the journey. I did the U-haul / pull a car thing in the 99.. It SUCKED. I had only had to go 5 hours and it was absolutely terrible. The van didn't have any power. Every hill was a struggle. Hope your experience is better than mine!
OP
Well we made it!!
In total, 2566 miles driven, 376 gallons of gas (over 2 vehicles), 4 bags of ice, 2 pet “whoopsies”, and a lot of road snacks later but we made it in one piece! We planned 4.5 days but ended up making it 4 days. After spending night #3 in Methtown (aka, Eastern Knoxville), we decided to skip another night in a Motel 6 and did the remaining 12 hour leg on Day #4 (Knoxville to Scott, PA). We spent the first night in PA at the world famous Radisson at Lackawanna Station (much to the kids' excitement).
Somewhere in Arkansas...
At least waking up in Knoxville was adorable - baby cows prancing around mama was cute AF at 6:20 AM and partially helped with the fact that the Motel 6 coffee maker was busted. Also seeing the LJ not stripped of her wheels, winch and Rigid lights was a nice bonus!
All in all, the 20' U-Haul did fine. The LJ on the auto-transport was also essentially no issue. The two over-the-tire straps, plus four axle straps helped it stay put over the horrendous roads across NM and through the I-40 detour in Memphis. Over those 2500+ miles, I've confirmed that only Ford could make a 7.3L V8 sound like absolute garbage. It sounds like a cross between a a dryer filled with about 300 pennies and a 4-cyl turbo diesel with a blown turbo bearing. The sound is truly indescribable and completely pitiful. That said, considering the weight of the truck, plus the trailer and LJ, it managed 8.9 mpg (and my wife who was drafting me the entire time got over 30 mpg in her Grand Cherokee). She had little issue maintaining 70 mph on modest grades (though certainly struggled to maintain 30 mph on I-17 coming out of Phoenix).
We got to the house just in time to get the LJ backed off the trailer and U-haul van backed up to the garage. With just a hint of sunlight remaining, I walked to the edge of the lake and snapped a pic - the big reason why we made the journey across the country!
Now it's time to unpack, get furniture, and find some trails Hopefully Quadratec can send my PSC Big Bore box soon. I am getting death wobble again and it's the only thing that hasn't been replaced and makes a clunk when inspecting.
In total, 2566 miles driven, 376 gallons of gas (over 2 vehicles), 4 bags of ice, 2 pet “whoopsies”, and a lot of road snacks later but we made it in one piece! We planned 4.5 days but ended up making it 4 days. After spending night #3 in Methtown (aka, Eastern Knoxville), we decided to skip another night in a Motel 6 and did the remaining 12 hour leg on Day #4 (Knoxville to Scott, PA). We spent the first night in PA at the world famous Radisson at Lackawanna Station (much to the kids' excitement).
Somewhere in Arkansas...
At least waking up in Knoxville was adorable - baby cows prancing around mama was cute AF at 6:20 AM and partially helped with the fact that the Motel 6 coffee maker was busted. Also seeing the LJ not stripped of her wheels, winch and Rigid lights was a nice bonus!
All in all, the 20' U-Haul did fine. The LJ on the auto-transport was also essentially no issue. The two over-the-tire straps, plus four axle straps helped it stay put over the horrendous roads across NM and through the I-40 detour in Memphis. Over those 2500+ miles, I've confirmed that only Ford could make a 7.3L V8 sound like absolute garbage. It sounds like a cross between a a dryer filled with about 300 pennies and a 4-cyl turbo diesel with a blown turbo bearing. The sound is truly indescribable and completely pitiful. That said, considering the weight of the truck, plus the trailer and LJ, it managed 8.9 mpg (and my wife who was drafting me the entire time got over 30 mpg in her Grand Cherokee). She had little issue maintaining 70 mph on modest grades (though certainly struggled to maintain 30 mph on I-17 coming out of Phoenix).
We got to the house just in time to get the LJ backed off the trailer and U-haul van backed up to the garage. With just a hint of sunlight remaining, I walked to the edge of the lake and snapped a pic - the big reason why we made the journey across the country!
Now it's time to unpack, get furniture, and find some trails
Hopefully Quadratec can send my PSC Big Bore box soon. I am getting death wobble again and it's the only thing that hasn't been replaced and makes a clunk when inspecting.
I wonder what engine rating Ford puts in those. They are only 350 HP in the work application.Well we made it!!
In total, 2566 miles driven, 376 gallons of gas (over 2 vehicles), 4 bags of ice, 2 pet “whoopsies”, and a lot of road snacks later but we made it in one piece! We planned 4.5 days but ended up making it 4 days. After spending night #3 in Methtown (aka, Eastern Knoxville), we decided to skip another night in a Motel 6 and did the remaining 12 hour leg on Day #4 (Knoxville to Scott, PA). We spent the first night in PA at the world famous Radisson at Lackawanna Station (much to the kids' excitement).
View attachment 262655
Somewhere in Arkansas...
View attachment 262656
At least waking up in Knoxville was adorable - baby cows prancing around mama was cute AF at 6:20 AM and partially helped with the fact that the Motel 6 coffee maker was busted. Also seeing the LJ not stripped of her wheels, winch and Rigid lights was a nice bonus!
All in all, the 20' U-Haul did fine. The LJ on the auto-transport was also essentially no issue. The two over-the-tire straps, plus four axle straps helped it stay put over the horrendous roads across NM and through the I-40 detour in Memphis. Over those 2500+ miles, I've confirmed that only Ford could make a 7.3L V8 sound like absolute garbage. It sounds like a cross between a a dryer filled with about 300 pennies and a 4-cyl turbo diesel with a blown turbo bearing. The sound is truly indescribable and completely pitiful. That said, considering the weight of the truck, plus the trailer and LJ, it managed 8.9 mpg (and my wife who was drafting me the entire time got over 30 mpg in her Grand Cherokee). She had little issue maintaining 70 mph on modest grades (though certainly struggled to maintain 30 mph on I-17 coming out of Phoenix).
View attachment 262657
We got to the house just in time to get the LJ backed off the trailer and U-haul van backed up to the garage. With just a hint of sunlight remaining, I walked to the edge of the lake and snapped a pic - the big reason why we made the journey across the country!
Now it's time to unpack, get furniture, and find some trails