I’m super anal on keeping dust and grime off of everything. So today was engine cleaning day. This is my ‘02 Tundra with 98k on the clock.
What did you do to your other vehicle today?
- Thread starter Zorba
- Start date
I finally had time (really I was dreading cracking it open, so I was looking for any other project to delay "facing the music") to diagnose the 5th to 4th downshift for the 98 Subaru transmission. I had pulled the transmission back out back before Christmas, but I let it sit because I lacked the proper motivation to fix it. After pulling the transfer case off the back of the transmission last weekend (on a Subaru, the transfer case is very much integrated into the transmission), I discovered that the shift shaft for fifth and reverse was very difficult to move into fifth and back to neutral.
This afternoon, I split the cases and found the problem. There's an actuator arm on that shaft that engages the reverse gear lever. It had some damage in the bore that caused just enough friction that moving the shift shaft was quite difficult. I'll hone it next weekend, and hopefully that'll take care of the 5th-to-4th downshift issue.
I still haven't found the source of the "clunk" on deceleration, but I don't think it's internal to the transmission. Just another day in sab's shop trying to get a shitbox to run again.
I need to get this done so that I can start on the long, long, long list of LJ mods lined up. I just added to that list by ordering a SwayLOC and everything needed to add hydro assist to the steering. I think I have dozens of weekends ahead on those mods...
Monday morning update on my 98 Impreza tribulations: On Saturday, I honed the actuator arm and got it sliding on the shift shaft like butta. I then reassembled the transmission. On Sunday, I started putting it back in the car, and the stars (actually, the input shaft stub and the clutch hub
) aligned perfectly and it slipped right on. I remember thinking, "wow, what a great start to the day."...and then the "wheels fell off." The bell housing mounts to the engine block with two alignment studs at the bottom and two bolts at the top. I torqued the left stud and attempted to torque the right one, but it wouldn't develop torque. After a brief investigation, I realized that the stud was pulling the aluminum threads out of the block. I guess those threads only last for 8 transmission installations.
I found the right heli-coil kit in my heli-coil drawer, but didn't get to that because I also discovered that my repair of the cross-member bolts didn't take. Those, too, wouldn't develop torque.During the brief time the transmission was in the car, I was able to confirm that the 5th-to-4th downshift issue is resolved, so I won that battle! This weekend, I plan to put a heli-coil in the block, and I have a plan for the cross-member bolt repair - home-made flag nuts. I'll cut a slot in the unibody, slide the home-made flag nuts in the slot, bolt it tight, and then weld the tail of the flag nut to the unibody. If all goes well, that will all happen Saturday, and then Sunday morning I'll install the transmission.
I also changed oil and rotated tires (without using my lift because the Impreza has been occupying it for a few months) on the Expedition and the wife's Subaru. With that out of the way, and once I get this transmission issue resolved (fingers crossed for next weekend), I hope to finally start a build thread for the LJ. I really need to get started because scope creep is killing me (you guys are a bad influence). I think it will be 2028 before I get the thing built! I recently ordered the remote SwayLOC and all the parts to do Mr. Blaine's hydro-assist steering upgrade (both were things I initially decided I didn't "need.") And, today, I think I'm ordering a 4 speed Atlas TC because, why not? It's the last of the Rubicon stuff to replace. I feel a bit like the guy that puts a Rubicon sticker on a Sport!
Yeah, I've been waiting quite a while to start this one. I had to rebuild my Expedition and the Subaru so that I have two daily drivers ready before embarking on the LJ project. I need two daily drivers because with 260k on one, and almost 400k on the other, there's always one of them down. Hopefully with both major overhauls done, I should be pretty good for a while (knock on wood). You'd be surprised how rewarding it is keeping older high-mileage vehicles running, but it definitely will be more fun to build the bucket-list LJ!
Deceiving, I hope. Had the dealer flush the brake system 8k miles ago so it better just be lighting!
I had my blower motor bust out on my daily high fuel efficency car this fall, I got myself to finally fix that today... It was meant to be a 2-3 hours work... it turned out in a 3-day workout, stress and a lot of cussing
But hey atleast now I can be cozy on my way to work and back
But hey atleast now I can be cozy on my way to work and back
Well, crap. Got a cryptic text from Mrs. sab right before lunch:
Hit and run
!
Next
I texted back. No response. Tried calling. No response. Five minutes later she called with the details. She was traveling down a main arterial road in town and an elderly woman at a stop sign on a cross street pulled out right into the side of her car (it was her fault, and she got a ticket - I think she was rolling and hit the gas instead of the brake). If you know me, you may recall that I rarely buy new cars, preferring to buy well used vehicles and keep them running. Well, because I wanted her to have a reliable vehicle, I broke down and bought her a new Subaru in 2021 (only the third or fourth new car/truck I ever bought). So, today, I collected my wife (she's fine!) and sent the car off to the tow company yard awaiting the other parties Liberty Mutual agent to call us back...
Arggghhh! We have four vehicles, and we're down to one running vehicle (my Expedition). My 98 Subaru is nearly back together (refer to my last post in this thread), and my LJ is in pieces awaiting the start of the majority of that build. We're trying to get that agent to call back and authorize a rental...
Hit and run
!
Next
I texted back. No response. Tried calling. No response. Five minutes later she called with the details. She was traveling down a main arterial road in town and an elderly woman at a stop sign on a cross street pulled out right into the side of her car (it was her fault, and she got a ticket - I think she was rolling and hit the gas instead of the brake). If you know me, you may recall that I rarely buy new cars, preferring to buy well used vehicles and keep them running. Well, because I wanted her to have a reliable vehicle, I broke down and bought her a new Subaru in 2021 (only the third or fourth new car/truck I ever bought). So, today, I collected my wife (she's fine!) and sent the car off to the tow company yard awaiting the other parties Liberty Mutual agent to call us back...
Arggghhh! We have four vehicles, and we're down to one running vehicle (my Expedition). My 98 Subaru is nearly back together (refer to my last post in this thread), and my LJ is in pieces awaiting the start of the majority of that build. We're trying to get that agent to call back and authorize a rental...
First, an update on the wrecked 2021 Impreza. Yesterday, it was towed to a shop that Liberty Mutual allows to do estimates, but I'm not using them. After the estimate, I'll drive it over to the shop I've picked to do the work (I think it will drive, but will likely vibrate from bent wheels.) At lunch yesterday, we went and got a rental for Mrs. sab to drive until hers is fixed. Here's the damage from the lady that hit it:
Now, update on the 98 Impreza. First thing this morning, I drilled and tapped the stripped hole in the aluminum block for the trans mounting stud and installed a heli-coil. That went off without a hitch. To fix the the loose cross-member mounting studs, I removed the welded studs with a die grinder. Originally, it had nuts inside the uni-body, but the welds on those broke two or three transmission removals back. A transmission shop welded the studs on the last time I had transmission work done (before I had my Rotary lift). I decided to go back to nuts in the uni-body and bolts through the cross-member. I had made flag nuts after work Thursday night. I started with a piece of 1/4" x 1-1/2" hot-rolled steel strip and used a Rotabroach to cut a hole in it:
![IMG_6021[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6021-1-jpg.503892/ "IMG_6021[1].JPG")
I then set it on a flange nut for welding:
![IMG_6023[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6023-1-jpg.503893/ "IMG_6023[1].JPG")
Next, I practiced my horribly-out-of-practice TIG skills to weld two of them up (not pretty, but they'll do):
![IMG_6024[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6024-1-jpg.503895/ "IMG_6024[1].JPG")
Next, I cut a window in the uni-body to slide the flag nut in:
![IMG_6028[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6028-1-jpg.503896/ "IMG_6028[1].JPG")
Next, I slipped the flag nut in, and tightened the mounting bolt to hold it in place for welding:
![IMG_6030[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6030-1-jpg.503897/ "IMG_6030[1].JPG")
Since the window had to be large enough to slide the nut in (about 1/2" tall), welding it required multiple passes to close the holes. Positioning my helmet and the MIG gun inside the trans tunnel was more than a little cumbersome, so some of the welding was done blind. Here's the welded flag after grinding the mounting surface flat again (also cumbersome with the flapper disc):
![IMG_6037[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6037-1-jpg.503902/ "IMG_6037[1].JPG")
And a little primer and paint:
![IMG_6038[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6038-1-jpg.503903/ "IMG_6038[1].JPG")
And - viola - a mounted cross-member:
![IMG_6039[1].JPG](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/img_6039-1-jpg.503904/ "IMG_6039[1].JPG")
I ended the day with the transmission installed and filled with gear earl, and all engine-bay components back on. Then I ran out of steam. Even with the Rotary lift, the arthritis in my shoulders and knees limits my time in the shop these days (arrggghh!) Tomorrow should be an hour or two to install the driveshaft and exhaust, then see how it runs. It does shift very well now after honing that shift rod slider, and I'm hoping the cross-member mount was the source of the clunk I heard on high sudden deceleration when descending a steep hill. Almost done - and then I can start my LJ build!
Now, update on the 98 Impreza. First thing this morning, I drilled and tapped the stripped hole in the aluminum block for the trans mounting stud and installed a heli-coil. That went off without a hitch. To fix the the loose cross-member mounting studs, I removed the welded studs with a die grinder. Originally, it had nuts inside the uni-body, but the welds on those broke two or three transmission removals back. A transmission shop welded the studs on the last time I had transmission work done (before I had my Rotary lift). I decided to go back to nuts in the uni-body and bolts through the cross-member. I had made flag nuts after work Thursday night. I started with a piece of 1/4" x 1-1/2" hot-rolled steel strip and used a Rotabroach to cut a hole in it:
I then set it on a flange nut for welding:
Next, I practiced my horribly-out-of-practice TIG skills to weld two of them up (not pretty, but they'll do):
Next, I cut a window in the uni-body to slide the flag nut in:
Next, I slipped the flag nut in, and tightened the mounting bolt to hold it in place for welding:
Since the window had to be large enough to slide the nut in (about 1/2" tall), welding it required multiple passes to close the holes. Positioning my helmet and the MIG gun inside the trans tunnel was more than a little cumbersome, so some of the welding was done blind. Here's the welded flag after grinding the mounting surface flat again (also cumbersome with the flapper disc):
And a little primer and paint:
And - viola - a mounted cross-member:
I ended the day with the transmission installed and filled with gear earl, and all engine-bay components back on. Then I ran out of steam. Even with the Rotary lift, the arthritis in my shoulders and knees limits my time in the shop these days (arrggghh!) Tomorrow should be an hour or two to install the driveshaft and exhaust, then see how it runs. It does shift very well now after honing that shift rod slider, and I'm hoping the cross-member mount was the source of the clunk I heard on high sudden deceleration when descending a steep hill. Almost done - and then I can start my LJ build!
It spent the first 170,000 miles of it's life in Minnesota, and the last 230,000 in the south, so it's seen it's share of road salt. I used anti-seize religiously "up north," and I'm still in that habit, so, yes, anti-seize was used on those bolts for final assembly!
2012 Silverado 1500
My shifter cable bushing had crumbled and popped off. So after leaving it parked in front of my customer's house since Thursday, I roller around on the 20° ground yesterday fixing it. Instead of a new $95 cable, or a short lived $13 bushing that only lasts 6 months, I pulled the shifter arm, ground off the pin and tapped it out, drilled it to 3/8" and through bolted the whole shebang ala this video.
Grand total of $3.37 in parts!!
My shifter cable bushing had crumbled and popped off. So after leaving it parked in front of my customer's house since Thursday, I roller around on the 20° ground yesterday fixing it. Instead of a new $95 cable, or a short lived $13 bushing that only lasts 6 months, I pulled the shifter arm, ground off the pin and tapped it out, drilled it to 3/8" and through bolted the whole shebang ala this video.
Grand total of $3.37 in parts!!
'99 XJ. Heater blower non- functional at any speed. 40a fuse good, passenger side 15a fuse good. Replaced relay behind glovebox, no help. If it was the resistor it should still blow in high.
Off to pull the control panel and chace 12v.
Off to pull the control panel and chace 12v.