Okay - the past few weeks haven't been great for the TJ. So, I'm going to give her a break and start on a few repairs, hopefully completing before the snow comes. I'm a corporate lawyer with a 3yo and 9 month old, so I need to do projects over time, usually after kiddos are in bed - finding complete days or weekends to do things is no longer an option. Because of this, I'm all about efficiency so I'd like to address whatever else makes sense while I have the underneath somewhat apart. With the preface aside, here's what's going on and what I'm planning on doing.
1) leak at back of oil pan near transmission - I'm thinking rear main seal - has recently become a bit worse, leaving noticeable spots on the floor of the garage. Not enough oil loss to cause me real concernif it were the only issue with the jeep.
2) the hanger welded in front of the rear cat above the center skid plate ripped off the exhaust pipe leaving a penny sized hole in the exhaust. I was beating the hell out of the jeep, playing in a rough, muddy field at it just snapped on me.
3) check engine light is on for the first time since I've owned the jeep, but assuming the exhaust leak is causing that since it's running okay despite the issues..
4) my Tcase only shifts to 4L intermittently and, when it does, usually pops right back into neutral. Linkage is rusty and I'm unable to properly adjust without using a hammer, which is not good practice.
4) there is some fart can aftermarket muffler on there from the PO and it sounds like garbage.
So..... I plan on replacing the whole exhaust section from headpipe to back of the rear catalytic converter and I'll likely do a cat back system while I'm under there. Since it will be easier to do this with the skid plate removed, I figured it makes sense to also swap out my TC shift linkage with a Novak or Saavy cable system. Then I started thinking that the rear main seal would be easier to replace while the exhaust is removed, since oil pan should be easier to drop that way, so I might attempt to replace that, though it makes me a bit nervous since my mechanical skills have historically been limited to wrenching on my motorcycles, not cars. Time is my most scarce commodity so if I was having any of the above issues isolated, I would probably just bring to a shop. The multiple problems cause me to think about sucking it up to do myself.
Questions:
1) is the rear main seal doable for an amateur? I have standard hand tools so I imagine I'll have the necessary tools to do the job - I'm more worried about the mechanic behind them (me)
2) while I have the skid plate and exhaust removed, is there anything else that makes sense to do/check and is relatively inexpensive (already looking at an ass beating from my wife for the ~$600 in parts to do the above)
3) would you replace 02 sensors proactively while replacing the cat?
4) I really don't want to mess with tackling the exh manifold myself and don't think it is cracked, but am I stupid to do everything and not replace header s or does it make ok sense to leave it until it cracks(just assuming it eventually will)? Pulling off the intake manifold, etc. scares me a bit given my level of "novice" and I'd be stretching the budget (and my wife's patience!) if I were to buy the quality header I'd want to install when/if the stock manifold does crack...but I'm no stranger to testing the boss' patience, so.....
5) any other wisdom from you jeep brainiacs?
It's in my bio, but 99 TJ sport, stock 4.0, manual 5spd., 4 inch RC lift, small body lift, TC drop, stock otherwise.
In the spring, when my "play fund" grows a bit again, I want to tackle installing an SYE, new CV rear shaft, and super 35 kit (I don't think I wheel hard enough yet to warrant a full Dana 44 or 8.8 swap but I want to stick a lunch box locker in the rear). I don't think either of those jobs will require dropping the exhaust so I'm not thinking it makes bad sense to wait on those.
The jeep isn't really worth all the money, I know that, but the enjoyment I get wrenching on things (got a very egregious ticket on my Harley and sold it because I have kids and found it hard to control my impulse to the limits, which is when I started getting into the jeep)… so I'm not interested in selling it and just buying another. I've had people suggest that since they can be had for cheap basically anwhere.
THANKS!!!
1) leak at back of oil pan near transmission - I'm thinking rear main seal - has recently become a bit worse, leaving noticeable spots on the floor of the garage. Not enough oil loss to cause me real concernif it were the only issue with the jeep.
2) the hanger welded in front of the rear cat above the center skid plate ripped off the exhaust pipe leaving a penny sized hole in the exhaust. I was beating the hell out of the jeep, playing in a rough, muddy field at it just snapped on me.
3) check engine light is on for the first time since I've owned the jeep, but assuming the exhaust leak is causing that since it's running okay despite the issues..
4) my Tcase only shifts to 4L intermittently and, when it does, usually pops right back into neutral. Linkage is rusty and I'm unable to properly adjust without using a hammer, which is not good practice.
4) there is some fart can aftermarket muffler on there from the PO and it sounds like garbage.
So..... I plan on replacing the whole exhaust section from headpipe to back of the rear catalytic converter and I'll likely do a cat back system while I'm under there. Since it will be easier to do this with the skid plate removed, I figured it makes sense to also swap out my TC shift linkage with a Novak or Saavy cable system. Then I started thinking that the rear main seal would be easier to replace while the exhaust is removed, since oil pan should be easier to drop that way, so I might attempt to replace that, though it makes me a bit nervous since my mechanical skills have historically been limited to wrenching on my motorcycles, not cars. Time is my most scarce commodity so if I was having any of the above issues isolated, I would probably just bring to a shop. The multiple problems cause me to think about sucking it up to do myself.
Questions:
1) is the rear main seal doable for an amateur? I have standard hand tools so I imagine I'll have the necessary tools to do the job - I'm more worried about the mechanic behind them (me)
2) while I have the skid plate and exhaust removed, is there anything else that makes sense to do/check and is relatively inexpensive (already looking at an ass beating from my wife for the ~$600 in parts to do the above)
3) would you replace 02 sensors proactively while replacing the cat?
4) I really don't want to mess with tackling the exh manifold myself and don't think it is cracked, but am I stupid to do everything and not replace header s or does it make ok sense to leave it until it cracks(just assuming it eventually will)? Pulling off the intake manifold, etc. scares me a bit given my level of "novice" and I'd be stretching the budget (and my wife's patience!) if I were to buy the quality header I'd want to install when/if the stock manifold does crack...but I'm no stranger to testing the boss' patience, so.....
5) any other wisdom from you jeep brainiacs?
It's in my bio, but 99 TJ sport, stock 4.0, manual 5spd., 4 inch RC lift, small body lift, TC drop, stock otherwise.
In the spring, when my "play fund" grows a bit again, I want to tackle installing an SYE, new CV rear shaft, and super 35 kit (I don't think I wheel hard enough yet to warrant a full Dana 44 or 8.8 swap but I want to stick a lunch box locker in the rear). I don't think either of those jobs will require dropping the exhaust so I'm not thinking it makes bad sense to wait on those.
The jeep isn't really worth all the money, I know that, but the enjoyment I get wrenching on things (got a very egregious ticket on my Harley and sold it because I have kids and found it hard to control my impulse to the limits, which is when I started getting into the jeep)… so I'm not interested in selling it and just buying another. I've had people suggest that since they can be had for cheap basically anwhere.
THANKS!!!
