Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator

Sluggish Acceleration

Ive definitely seen the booger welds on some spots on my frame, I guess I’m not the only one with them haha.

I’ll keep my eyes open for a good donor or maybe replace rings if it makes sense.

I’ve seen so many clean vehicles when I’ve been to Portland for Nike cross country nationals a few times, I’m jealous.

Throw rings in it and get it back running. As Dave Frieburger says ...get it running don't get it right.

Next time you're out here drive one home. Or PM me and I'll come up and take you to Brown's Camp.

What do you run?

-Mac
 
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Throw rings in it and get it back running. As Dave Frieburger says ...get it running don't get it right.

Next time you're out here drive one home. Or PM me and I'll come up and take you to Brown's Camp.

What do you run?

-Mac

I used to run cross country/ track, I’m since collegiately retired haha.

I need to stop by Camp 18 that place is awesome.
 
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Hey everyone, I have an update.

I completed the rebuild of the 2.4 and have it back in. Took it for a test drive and it still feels sluggish which is still accompanied by this droning noise when I accelerate. Still no CEL.

I swapped the exhaust section with the cats just to double check and still no change.

Any other ideas on what it could be? Major friction/resistance from axles? I’m very close to sending my PCM off to get looked at.
 
Did you do the rebuild? What all was done? Any smoking guns? Excessive bearing wear....scored cylinder walls...smoked valve guides, worn cam?

While the engine was out did you use the opportunity to inspect every inch of the wiring harness and retape and reloom everything?

How do the PCM connectors look?

Did you regear as suggested?

-Mac
 
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Did you do the rebuild? What all was done? Any smoking guns? Excessive bearing wear....scored cylinder walls...smoked valve guides, worn cam?

While the engine was out did you use the opportunity to inspect every inch of the wiring harness and retape and reloom everything?

How do the PCM connectors look?

Did you regear as suggested?

-Mac

I did do the rebuild myself. I replaced main bearings and rod bearings along with new rings. No smoking gun signs. I got a light hone done by a shop to get cross hatching back as they said everything checked out and was in spec, but they thought the rings from the previous rebuild may not have seated properly.

New seals on everything, resurfaced head and I lapped the valves. Only thing I didnt replace were the cams, which didn’t appear to have bad wear. At this point it might be worth just completely replacing those as well just to eliminate it.

I didn’t inspect the harness no, but it’s getting to the point where I may need to do that. I’ll have to double check how the PCM connectors look.

Have not regeared. At some point down the road I will but I feel like that’s a bandaid fix to what actually is going on at the moment.

Is it possible to look at specific sensor readouts to look for voltage drops?
 
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Monitoring live ODB data would be an excellent way to diagnose the problem. Maybe looking at fuel trims, timing values. I can look at most of those with a cheap Bluetooth dongle and Torque Lite but eventually I want a good solid code reader like an Innova.

-Mac
 
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Monitoring live ODB data would be an excellent way to diagnose the problem. Maybe looking at fuel trims, timing values. I can look at most of those with a cheap Bluetooth dongle and Torque Lite but eventually I want a good solid code reader like an Innova.

-Mac

I have one for my iPhone called “FIXD” that allows you to select sensors, but I’m not exactly sure how or if I can get nice readouts like that.

Is this the app you use?

IMG_5175.jpeg
 
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Yup. I bought Torque Pro but I switched back to Lite. Pro just kept failing to see my ODB dongle and was a PIA.

You can't record data with either...and you're sort of going in blind, having to set up gauges...i prefer graphs...without knowing which PIDs actually have data...kinda like using a hand screwdriver to build a deck ...but, you might find something and it's worth a shake.

-Mac
 
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Yup. I bought Torque Pro but I switched back to Lite. Pro just kept failing to see my ODB dongle and was a PIA.

You can't record data with either...and you're sort of going in blind, having to set up gauges...i prefer graphs...without knowing which PIDs actually have data...kinda like using a hand screwdriver to build a deck ...but, you might find something and it's worth a shake.

-Mac

It seems like whenever I press connect it pops up a prompt to pay. Did they paywall it entirely?
 
Looks like I am indeed paywalled on IOS

View attachment 550321

I use torque pro on Android and have for years. I paid for the lifetime sub and it's definitely been worth it... It wasn't 40$ back then though lol. Probably still would be worthwhile if you're going to be working on things in the future. I have not had problems with connectivity with mine....
 
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I use torque pro on Android and have for years. I paid for the lifetime sub and it's definitely been worth it... It wasn't 40$ back then though lol. Probably still would be worthwhile if you're going to be working on things in the future. I have not had problems with connectivity with mine....

In that case I might snag it. I will say I never replaced the fuel regulator, which people said never fails…. I’ll try that first before going on to data output
 
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Swapped the regulator and no change. Even in 4th gear going on a slight down hill I put the pedal to the floor and it was struggling to pick up speed quick, so something definitely isn’t right (sanity check).

I was able to read voltage on a the O2 sensors, is .84 volts while driving normal?
 
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Raceworks makes a 5/16" QD adapter to 1/8"...you can hang a Schrader valve or pressure transducer off that. I put a GlowShift pressure and temperature gauge on my oil sender using brass street Ts. Probably going to put the same setup on my fuel rail so I can monitor fuel pressure and temperature.

Alternatively you can just replace your fuel rail.

-Mac
 
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Raceworks makes a 5/16" QD adapter to 1/8"...you can hang a Schrader valve or pressure transducer off that. I put a GlowShift pressure and temperature gauge on my oil sender using brass street Ts. Probably going to put the same setup on my fuel rail so I can monitor fuel pressure and temperature.

Alternatively you can just replace your fuel rail.

-Mac

I tried looking for 2.4 fuel rail with a schrader valve and couldn’t find a single one. Are you saying to put a schrader valve between the original fuel line and the fuel stem off the fuel rail?
 
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I use torque pro on Android and have for years. I paid for the lifetime sub and it's definitely been worth it... It wasn't 40$ back then though lol. Probably still would be worthwhile if you're going to be working on things in the future. I have not had problems with connectivity with mine....

I paid $5 for Torque Pro many years ago and it is still working. Unless the Lifetime subscription will get me more? I get live data on 4 different vehicles as well as freeze frame data. I think I bought my $5 subscription in 2009 or 2010.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ radiator