Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

[Wildman]

Depends on what I'm doing. Usually, 160-180 ish. But if I'm doing a long, drawn out up hill climb, it will creep up to 200-210 ish.

I was wheelin' Windrock with Victor ( @gasiorv ) and some buddies this weekend. There is a several mile long, steep, crazily switchbacked, climb on gravel and asphalt to get up to the middle of the park, during which it creeped up to 210 and stayed steady. After the climb and back on regular trails, it dropped back to 160-180 ish.

Double black diamonds for two days. Victor can't see the colors green or blue...

OK great & Thanks. Once I get the electrical issues resolved I can take the Jeep out for some test drives and I'll see if I can find some challenging spots that will load the transmission heavily enough to heat it up.


I'd have to agree with Victor on his color choice...

 

[reddvltj]

If you think you're going to need more cooling, it definitely wouldn't hurt to add the other stand alone cooler back in the loop, but I would hold off on looping in the radiator's trans cooler (why add more heat).

I can almost guarantee you the reason you're heating up more on the trail than on the road is more time driving with the torque converter in the unlocked position. I know they will develop heat when under a heavy load even with the torque converter locked up, but nothing like when it's unlocked. IMHO your Jeep isn't heavy enough, even when climbing steep hills, to over heat that transmission when the TC is in lockup.

After many seasons of delivering mail and plowing snow with a 68rfe behind a Cummins I learned to use the tow haul mode even if I wasn't plowing because it locks up and holds in 3rd gear locked longer. Doing that kept the trans from over heating when without the TC locked up the trans would always run on the high side and sometimes trigger a code.

 

[Wildman]

If you think you're going to need more cooling, it definitely wouldn't hurt to add the other stand alone cooler back in the loop, but I would hold off on looping in the radiator's trans cooler (why add more heat).

I can almost guarantee you the reason you're heating up more on the trail than on the road is more time driving with the torque converter in the unlocked position. I know they will develop heat when under a heavy load even with the torque converter locked up, but nothing like when it's unlocked. IMHO your Jeep isn't heavy enough, even when climbing steep hills, to over heat that transmission when the TC is in lockup.

After many seasons of delivering mail and plowing snow with a 68rfe behind a Cummins I learned to use the tow haul mode even if I wasn't plowing because it locks up and holds in 3rd gear locked longer. Doing that kept the trans from over heating when without the TC locked up the trans would always run on the high side and sometimes trigger a code.

I'll find out here in a little while what it does with the Hayden cooler added back into the mix.... As I've said before I KNOW at some point I'm going to have to pull the grille back off and add in a Setrab cooler since it seems to do a better job. Then I'd also change out the power steering cooler too... But DAMN that all takes MONEY.... And I've got a lot of other things I'd like to get done first.... Like THE 8hp70 SWAP... And that alone is about $2500.... And then not knowing where the pan sits on the 8HP I might have to build ANOTHER exhaust system...
This is why I am really thinking it's not going to be until next year I can do the swap...

I want to do batteries on my motorhome before I do any of this...

Had to drop the exhaust again to be able to get to the plugs so I could swap the pins.... After I got them out and was checking things out I realized what I'd done... It was easy once I'd figured that out... Then had to come inside to hydrate and take a short break...

Then I'm headed back out to tackle the AiRock and figure out WTF is happening with the height sensors. I'd SWORE I'd gotten this all fixed before.

 

[Wildman]

While trying to get the exhaust reinstalled I'd been under the Jeep with it running enough that I knew how hot the exhaust is. So I decided to wrap it while it was off again. Long story....

And after getting fed up with melting the O2 sensor plugs I put a wire on it so I could pull it up away from the exhaust.

Seems to be working this time.

Now to put the AiRock system back together so I can go for a road test.

But it's supposed to 🌧 today .... so I might hold off on that road test. Just had some thunder...

 

[Wildman]

I'd gotten a new tune from FRP the day I'd headed up for the wheeling trip. Since I've been broke I hadn't had a chance to install it. Just got done installing it and 3rd time was the charm .

Great work @Flyin' Ryan Performance thanks for all your support.

 

[Wildman]

Been talking with Ryan about the exhaust temperatures I was seeing while under the Jeep. I'd been checking the transmission fluid temperature between the gauge & then my IR thermometer so was checking the exhaust temps.

Exhaust manifold- 600*

Exhaust pipes- 400-550*

Catalytic converter- 600-650*

Muffler- 450-550*

He said this is all normal temps for a Hemi.....

 

[Wildman]

Well DAMN I can't catch a break... Was topping off the transmission and of course had to have it in neutral to check the fluid level. Plus had to run it through the gears first so I was stepping on the brakes. And BOOM I got me a puddle underneath the Jeep again... Thankfully this time it was a small puddle but damn it that was still a puddle....
Now I didn't do a taste test but I did do a feel tests and it didn't feel like power steering fluid, plus it wasn't warm as if it had just come out of a running engine. It's brake fluid... So I got back into the Jeep and pumped the brakes a few times and stood on the hard and got back out and YEP I can see the drip coming off where the master cylinder & hydroboost meet... Which means that NEW master cylinder I just installed is leaking... I'm really wondering who I pissed off... Karma is a bitch let me tell you. If I only knew WTF I'd done.

So I've got a new master cylinder ordered. I could just put the Corvette master cylinder back on but I really like how this one works. It'll be here Thursday.


OK so who wants to go & do Reiter on 1 or 2 Aug?

 

[sab]

Well DAMN I can't catch a break...

The old saying is, "sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug."

Here's the Wildman version, "on very infrequent occasions I'm the windshield, but most of the time I'm the bug - SPLAT!"

Sorry, Rick. Your TJ journey parallels Odysseus's journey home. His took ten years. I think you're multi-years into it, but here's to hoping you get their sooner than Odysseus!

 

[bbaldwin237]

The old saying is, "sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug."

Here's the Wildman version, "on very infrequent occasions I'm the windshield, but most of the time I'm the bug - SPLAT!"

Sorry, Rick. Your TJ journey parallels Odysseus's journey home. His took ten years. I think you're multi-years into it, but here's to hoping you get their sooner than Odysseus!

Thread title "Wildman's Odyssey" or "Odysseus the Wildman"

 

[Wildman]

The old saying is, "sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug."

Here's the Wildman version, "on very infrequent occasions I'm the windshield, but most of the time I'm the bug - SPLAT!"

Sorry, Rick. Your TJ journey parallels Odysseus's journey home. His took ten years. I think you're multi-years into it, but here's to hoping you get their sooner than Odysseus!

I really "THINK" I've gotten the issues fixed but won't know until I can get it out on the trail again & I'm not a fan of going out alone.... I can hit some easier trails near my house but they also aren't very technical.

I am OK with being a bug now & then.... I'd just like to be the windshield for a while.

 

[Wildman]

Pulled the Jeep out of the garage and backed the trailer up so I could weld the D rings on.
I'd knocked a board out when I'd gone down to AZ to get the donor Jeep. I'd hit a gator at night. This allowed me to move the wood away from the welding area.

Did the passenger side first.

All done with the passenger side.

Drivers side next

That wood is 17 years old and it's about time to replace it.

A little paint and all done.

 

[lBasket]

Pulled the Jeep out of the garage and backed the trailer up so I could weld the D rings on.
I'd knocked a board out when I'd gone down to AZ to get the donor Jeep. I'd hit a gator at night. This allowed me to move the wood away from the welding area.

Did the passenger side first.

View attachment 632428

View attachment 632429

All done with the passenger side.

View attachment 632430

Drivers side next

View attachment 632431

That wood is 17 years old and it's about time to replace it.

View attachment 632432

A little paint and all done.

View attachment 632432

View attachment 632433

Wait you ran over an alligator??

 

[5632]

It looks like to me that it is well past time to replace the lumber. I did mine well before the looks of yours and it worked out just fine.

 

[Wildman]

Wait you ran over an alligator??

The carcass of a semi tire are called gators.

It looks like to me that it is well past time to replace the lumber. I did mine well before the looks of yours and it worked out just fine.

It's still working and up until now I've not been using it so why replace the deck? And yes I agree it's about time.

But the wood looks pretty good for being 17 years old and never treated.

 

[Wildman]

I went for a long drive heading up towards Buck Meadows and Quartz Mountain near my house.

Climbed over 2,000' in elevation on the FS road. Got up to the top and the engine was getting hot so I'd stopped.
Jeep was marking it's spot.

Transmission was about 210⁰ at the top when I stopped. It'd been running between 190⁰-205⁰ during the climb.

 

[Wildman]

 

[Wildman]

I also had started out on a drive earlier but had to come back to the garage. The steering had been getting hard to turn.
Well I think I'd figured out why... The bolt for the heim joint on the pitman arm was loose. Nothing bad but after tightening it up the Jeep steered better than before. Plus it not as twitchey as it had been.
Once it cools down I'll check the coolant and see where it's at.

New master cylinder will be here tomorrow so I'll get that replaced and see how the brakes feel.
Might see if anyone from my club wants to hit some trails on Saturday or Sunday.

 

[Wildman]

While going over stuff after my drive I'd realized that the rear ARB locker wasn't working. Found out one of the wires for the solenoid was broken. If you might remember I'd had this happen before. And ARB wants $100 for these things.
So I attempted to repair it myself.

Soldered the wire back on

Then put heat shrink around it.

It's working now. I'll repair the other old one I have and carry it as a spare.

 

[Wildman]

Well DAMN....

Guess it's a good thing none of my club said they wanted to go wheeling Saturday.... Just got a notification that the new master cylinder won't be here until Saturday now.... Amazon irritates me when you order a part and then they don't ship it out until the day before it was supposed to be delivered... WTF don't they just ship it the day you ordered it instead?

O'well I'll get some other small things taken care of and then install it Saturday once it arrives.

 

[Rickyd]

Well DAMN....

Guess it's a good thing none of my club said they wanted to go wheeling Saturday.... Just got a notification that the new mater cylinder won't be here until Saturday now.... Amazon irritates me when you order a part and then they don't ship it out until the day before it was supposed to be delivered... WTF don't they just ship it the day you ordered it instead?

O'well I'll get some other small things taken care of and then install it Saturday once it arrives.

Have you seen any amazon documentaries?The workers in the warehouse were busy shipping a mountain of dildos