Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

Radiator looks really good in there.

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Did I mention it'll be a PITA to try and change a belt on this thing? Glad I remembered to install the serpentine belt & v-belt before I put the radiator in for the10th time today.

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Then I mounted the overflow bottle. I used the studs that hold in the head light buckets for the mount.

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I thought I was being so SLICK and ingenuitive using those studs until it dawned on me that it was blocking the headlight hole where the plug goes that plugs into the back of the headlight. So I grabbed a bulb to see if it would fit and of course NOPE. This was where I decided it was time to call it a day and I'll figure out if I can use spacers or if I'll have to move the bottle. Plus I've got new headlight housings for the Jeep that take halogen bulbs instead of the stock type bulbs so it still might work but won't know until tomorrow. I've also got the headlight wiring upgrade kit that I need to install.

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Tomorrow I'll start with the headlights first and solve that issue then move onto making the transmission lines. From everything I've been able to find the rear port on the 46RE is the pressure port and the front is the return port. So need a line from the transmission to the lower fitting on the radiator then from the upper fitting on the radiator to the lower fitting on the aux cooler. Then from the upper fitting on the aux cooler back to the transmission. Once I've got those 4 lines made I'll move on to getting the power steering & Hydro-Vac system plumbed.
 
looks great and is coming along nicely!

where did you source that overflow bottle?

good idea fairy here (LOL) if you needed a little more space for the Radiator, why couldn't you cut a slit in the top of the grill and slide the radiator down into the grill. using the same mount just on the other side, if that makes since. Just guessing but it looks like you could get almost 1/2 inch clearance. If you had too anyway

keep up the progress
 
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looks great and is coming along nicely!

where did you source that overflow bottle?

good idea fairy here (LOL) if you needed a little more space for the Radiator, why couldn't you cut a slit in the top of the grill and slide the radiator down into the grill. using the same mount just on the other side, if that makes since. Just guessing but it looks like you could get almost 1/2 inch clearance. If you had too anyway

keep up the progress

I'd looked at it but felt it would be a PITA but will look again
 
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Where did you source that overflow bottle?

Here is that overflow bottle I'm using. I'm not huge on chrome but at the time it was all I could find.

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And the bracket, but I'd get one that was for 2.75-3" instead of this one that I have.

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Making hoses again, and I will say doing the steel braided over the fiber coated ones is actually easier to work with.

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For the two ends that were going onto the transmission cooler I tried something different and used the self-vulcanizing tape I had for the wiring harnesses. It keeps the ends nice and easier to work with.

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If these end up leaking, I'll get two coolers that are threaded so I can install AN fittings.

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Looped the line going to the cooler around the pressure line coming from the transmission. This way that line will say out of the belts & lower pulley.

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Had hoped & planned to hook up the transmission lines today but pulled the caps off the fittings on the transmission and they weren't 6AN or 8AN so I had to order the right fittings. I'd sworn I had some, but I guess I'd only bought one pair and I'd used them on the radiator.
Then I started working on bracket for the power steering reservoir. I'll hopefully have that finished tomorrow but everything that I think I'm going to finish in a few hours seems to take 3 times as long.
 
I'm guessing that you must have extended the wiring to be able to install them in the grill? Are they the stock horns? Might be the time to upgrade to a better horn too?

@Wildman i highly recommend a set of hella horns if you replace yours, they are not necessary by any means but they are incredibly easy to mount and were pretty cheap. I did mine with the Highlines.

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I used the bolts that hold the grill support on, no drilling just have to extend the wires.
 
@Wildman i highly recommend a set of hella horns if you replace yours, they are not necessary by any means but they are incredibly easy to mount and were pretty cheap. I did mine with the Highlines.

View attachment 383094
I used the bolts that hold the grill support on, no drilling just have to extend the wires.

Need audio or video of them
 
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I need some help/advice/thoughts or ideas.

I am out of places to mount the power steering reservoir, so I thought this might work but I'm having second thoughts since it only puts the reservoir slightly higher than the pump.
First, I made a plate for the bottom of the reservoir.

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Then a backer plate that I can tie into the bottom plate if I decide to.

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Then made some tabs for the reservoir to hang off the grill support rod.


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The top of the reservoir is about level with the windshield washer bottle. And just a little above the pump.

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With a straight fitting off the reservoir I think it the bend would be too tight.

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But with a 45 on the reservoir I think it might work.

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I cut the hose a little longer than what I'd need but have more if I need to move it someplace else.

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Hose isn't kinked so I think it might be OK.

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And it is going downhill from the reservoir to pump.

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The PLAN is to add supports to the bottom that would go from the base plate to a bracket on the grill.

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One on each side of the bracket.

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And the bracket on the grill.

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So, my question is do you all think that I have enough high for it to gravity feed to the pump? If not, I'll have to look for another spot to put the reservoir but believe me, I've moved it around and TRIED other spots.

So, fire away... And thanks ahead of time.
 
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Went back out after dinner and played around some more with the reservoir & pump. I was curious to see what a straight fitting on the pump would look like.

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But that bend would be too short and tight to work.

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But it was worth looking at.

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Then I did a search for 10AN short 90 fittings.

Found this one that is 1/2-3/4" shorter than what I have right now.

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What I have right now.

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It's ordered and will be here next week.
 
I put the fitting for the vent on the reservoir to see how tall it was going to make things and then went out in the snow and grabbed hoods. Surprisingly both the fiberglass heat reduction hood & the steel stock hood clear the reservoir. So now I've got to decide which one I'd like to run. Next time I'm in town I think I might stop by the local body shop and see how much they'd charge to paint the fiberglass hood. Or I might be brave and just try it myself...

Fiberglass heat reduction hood.

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Stock steel hood. With either hood I'm going to lose the safety latch because this hood is from new TJ.

Which do you all like better? I do have a Poison Spyder hood vent panel if I go with the steel. And I've got louvered vents I can add to either hood also.

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I put the fitting for the vent on the reservoir to see how tall it was going to make things and then went out in the snow and grabbed hoods. Surprisingly both the fiberglass heat reduction hood & the steel stock hood clear the reservoir. So now I've got to decide which one I'd like to run. Next time I'm in town I think I might stop by the local body shop and see how much they'd charge to paint the fiberglass hood. Or I might be brave and just try it myself...

Fiberglass heat reduction hood.

View attachment 383416

View attachment 383417

Stock steel hood. With either hood I'm going to lose the safety latch because this hood is from new TJ.

Which do you all like better? I do have a Poison Spyder hood vent panel if I go with the steel. And I've got louvered vents I can add to either hood also.

View attachment 383418

View attachment 383419

I'm liking the heat reduction hood a little more than the stock, but the ps panel and some vents would probably offset and it'd be flip a coin for me.

If you want to keep the safety latch I do have an extra grill that came with my 2000.
 
I put the fitting for the vent on the reservoir to see how tall it was going to make things and then went out in the snow and grabbed hoods. Surprisingly both the fiberglass heat reduction hood & the steel stock hood clear the reservoir. So now I've got to decide which one I'd like to run. Next time I'm in town I think I might stop by the local body shop and see how much they'd charge to paint the fiberglass hood. Or I might be brave and just try it myself...

Fiberglass heat reduction hood.

View attachment 383416

View attachment 383417

Stock steel hood. With either hood I'm going to lose the safety latch because this hood is from new TJ.

Which do you all like better? I do have a Poison Spyder hood vent panel if I go with the steel. And I've got louvered vents I can add to either hood also.

View attachment 383418

View attachment 383419

IDK. It’s hard to tell much difference. I suspect I’d go with the hood that provided better performance for the engine.
 
I'm liking the heat reduction hood a little more than the stock, but the ps panel and some vents would probably offset and it'd be flip a coin for me.

If you want to keep the safety latch I do have an extra grill that came with my 2000.

I like the heat reduction hood too which is why I'd bought it. I'd found it used and got it from a guy in Portland for $300. So paying to have it painted it probably still wouldn't be what one costs now.

I could add the vents to the fiberglass too hood too for added heat reduction.
 
IDK. It’s hard to tell much difference. I suspect I’d go with the hood that provided better performance for the engine.

The heat reduction hood is supposed to allow the heat from the radiator to come up out from under the hood. That really is the one difference and then the fact it looks better. I was worried the air cleaner for the 6 pack wouldn't clear it which was part of why I wanted to test fit them.
As far as better for the engine I really don't think there is any or little difference.
 
I think you've got the right idea of where to mount the reservoir in the engine bay. I assume the top of the windshield wiper fluid bottle is as high as you can go, otherwise you could just add spacers to your mount to raise it up. I wonder if you could relocate the windshield wiper fluid bottle inlet so you could rotate the reservoir so it could straight shot and then onto a 90* fitting to the pump. It might be easier to relocate that then the reservoir itself. Just a couple thoughts.

The build is looking awesome btw. I would personally go with the stock hood incase it gets banged up from a tree. You can't knock back fiberglass. Just my opinion.
 
The heat reduction hood is supposed to allow the heat from the radiator to come up out from under the hood. That really is the one difference and then the fact it looks better. I was worried the air cleaner for the 6 pack wouldn't clear it which was part of why I wanted to test fit them.
As far as better for the engine I really don't think there is any or little difference.

If there’s not much real performance advantage, I’d go with the fiberglass hood. It’s lighter. I’d also leave it as is with no vents. The grill, radiator, and fan will keep that bad boy cool!
 
Went back out after dinner and played around some more with the reservoir & pump. I was curious to see what a straight fitting on the pump would look like.

View attachment 383411

But that bend would be too short and tight to work.

View attachment 383412

But it was worth looking at.

View attachment 383413


Then I did a search for 10AN short 90 fittings.

Found this one that is 1/2-3/4" shorter than what I have right now.

View attachment 383414

What I have right now.

View attachment 383415

It's ordered and will be here next week.

The straighter and more vertical that connection the better. Hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like that could work If you can complete the connection.

You may recall, on mine I built a bracket to mount the reservoir to the front of the head directly above the pump. It created a very short connection to the pump, but didn’t have to worry about flex on that hose since it was mounted, and moves, with the engine.