Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift
- Thread starter Wildman
- Start date
OP
Well after talking with motomick who use to be a HVAC tech I decided to go with an electric heater or I should say TWO electric heaters. They are suppose to be here by next Friday so hopefully I might be back working by Saturday afternoon. But right now I've got to make room for both bikes to fit back into the garage.
And I know I am going to HATE to see my power bill once I have the heaters working if I try to keep it heated all winter. And I'm only talking maybe 40* when I'm not out there working and then 50-55" when I want to work on stuff.
Edit: Damn just got my tracking info- Right now looks like the heaters WON'T be here until Monday 11/02 .
And I know I am going to HATE to see my power bill once I have the heaters working if I try to keep it heated all winter. And I'm only talking maybe 40* when I'm not out there working and then 50-55" when I want to work on stuff.
Edit: Damn just got my tracking info- Right now looks like the heaters WON'T be here until Monday 11/02 .
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Well after talking with motomick who use to be a HVAC tech I decided to go with an electric heater or I should say TWO electric heaters. They are suppose to be here by next Friday so hopefully I might be back working by Saturday afternoon. But right now I've got to make room for both bikes to fit back into the garage.
And I know I am going to HATE to see my power bill once I have the heaters working if I try to keep it heated all winter. And I'm only talking maybe 40* when I'm not out there working and then 50-55" when I want to work on stuff.
Edit: Damn just got my tracking info- Right now looks like the heaters WON'T be here until Monday 11/02 .
I think you will be happier this route. Your electric may go up, but think about how often you have to go and fill those lp tanks, the gas and your time.
OP
what'd you settle on? i wouldn't mind an electric heat source for cold days.
it's gonna be a couple months b4 i make it out of here. and i'd like to keep working on the Jeep.
it's gonna be a couple months b4 i make it out of here. and i'd like to keep working on the Jeep.
OP
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PX1HDCE/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Two of these. I'm going to put one on each side of the garage.
Two of these. I'm going to put one on each side of the garage.
OP
Ran into town and got 2 30 amp circuit breakers for my power distribution box. Ready for the heaters to get here. Got a new estimated delivery date 
of Friday. So I might actually have heat this weekend.
All installed and ready for some wire.
of Friday. So I might actually have heat this weekend. All installed and ready for some wire.
I have one of those 240V units like that, but mine is super old in comparison. When I lived in Montana and was out in the Garage on Saturdays running it almost all day my bill went up around 10$ a month on the electric side. And Montana has terrible electric rates. It could make my little garage around 50-55 when it was 10 out.
Not sure about Washington's rates where you are though.
That was every Saturday in a month of winter also.
OP
Well the next project was to make room for both bikes. I'd really thought about renting a storage unit for the winter.
Both bikes are plugged into a battery tender and the Harley is on a motorcycle lift.
Cuts down on my space a little bit but I don't want them to get snowed on again.
Both bikes are plugged into a battery tender and the Harley is on a motorcycle lift.
Cuts down on my space a little bit but I don't want them to get snowed on again.
I’d park the bikes in the living room.. Just sayin’...
OP
I’d park the bikes in the living room.. Just sayin’...
If I didn't have steps and such a small living room I'd do it. When I was stationed at Ft Lewis (JBLM) now I lived off base and had a dirt bike. I would park it in my living room with a drip pan under it so I could oil the chain. Should have seen the looks from the ladies I brought home.
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OP
So after getting the bikes put up I decided I should get my snowblower fixed. I'd ran into something last winter and it stopped working. So I found one of the bolts for the augers broken.
Got the inside cleaned out and the chains oiled. Now I've got to see if I can get parts for the carb. The float bowl has a drain for water and it's leaking. I pulled it apart and cleaned everything and it's still leaking fuel so I guess I need a new on. Spent over an hour messing around with the damn float needle. At one point I'd dropped it down inside the housing.
Got the inside cleaned out and the chains oiled. Now I've got to see if I can get parts for the carb. The float bowl has a drain for water and it's leaking. I pulled it apart and cleaned everything and it's still leaking fuel so I guess I need a new on. Spent over an hour messing around with the damn float needle. At one point I'd dropped it down inside the housing.
OP
Once I was done with the snowblower I went ahead and ran the wiring for the heaters. I have 10/2 wire which is what the manual recommended and now the wiring is ready for the heaters to get here so I can wire them in. Figure I'll connect the heaters first and then connect to the circuit breakers.
Do you have any pictures of what you did with all your coolant lines when you did your swap? Like how did you hook up the heater hoses? Coolant overflow tank? Looking to tackle those soon. I can't remember if I've asked you already or not, but what radiator did you use?
Putting some insulation between those studs will go along way in retaining any heat in there. Just saying.
OP
I actually have 2 radiators. One brass and one aluminum. The aluminum one is a POS that I bought off Ebay. The brass one was the original radiator that was installed with the 5.2 swap. And it kept the engine right at 210* until it started to overheat. That was when I started chasing it and just never thought to pull the heads off. Sort of wish I had but the tranny was starting to act up again so who knows.
This isn't my TJ but maybe it will help. Are you going with mechanical fan or electric?
This is that rabbit hole I get into. I need to finish the wiring for all the outlets before I put in insulation. But yes if I did the walls and ceiling it would hold the heat in a lot better.
Approx 40% heat lost through ceiling/attic and 15-20%through your walls. Doesn't sound like wiring is happening anytime soon. I would install insulation and move it out of the way when I ran wiring.
Edit: finally got around to run wiring.
Edit: finally got around to run wiring.
OP
Approx 40% heat lost through ceiling/attic and 15-20%through your walls. Doesn't sound like wiring is happening anytime soon. I would install insulation and move it out of the way when I ran wiring.
Edit: finally got around to run wiring.
Well see as I said this is that rabbit hole...........
I have too much CRAP in the way and since my Jeep has been parked in the garage since 2012 I haven't had the room to do anything with it plus at that time I couldn't physically do it. Now once the Jeep is running and out of the garage I can move stuff around and finish installing the outlets I want on the walls. Then I can go from there.
OP
Do you need part numbers for the radiator hoses? A lot of the people who have done this swap got their radiator thru JEGS. I think they're Champion brand? But it is a hit and miss from what I have read. Others have gotten then $200-300 ones off Ebay and had good luck most of the time.
The aluminum one I bought came with a Spal fan & shroud so it was $600 and as I said it's a POS.
@Wildman electric fan. I bought a combo kit from Superior Radiator. So I got a quality American made aluminum radiator and they threw the fan on for just a little more. Glad I did that because I ordered it before I fully had the engine in its place and wouldn't have had room for a mechanical. From the picture you posted it looks like they were able to squeeze like a 1L burp bottle on the passenger side in front of the air intake?