2000 XJ (work in progress)

CoopaTroopa · **Posted:** Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:31 am

dieselenthusiast wrote:

I finally got around to having the wiring upgrade installed. Overall, this kit is top quality. A few of the cables were much longer than the OE cables. I’m not sure why they were so long since the extra length certainly isn’t needed. I suppose the extra length creates more flexibility for custom routing.

Is there anything like this for kjs?

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:30 pm

CoopaTroopa wrote:

Is there anything like this for kjs?

I haven’t seen an upgraded wiring kit for the KJ, but you could make your own pretty easy. You will need to measure the length of the cables that you want to replace, buy top quality replacement cables, connectors, fuses and battery terminals. You will also need a crimping tool, which I didn’t have. The guy who made my XJ wiring kit could also make a kit for your KJ. Like I said, all you will need to do is give him your wiring lengths and tell him what gauge of wire you want. He’s a really good guy and very knowledgeable.

To be honest, I haven’t looked at the cables under my KJ hood, so I don’t know what the quality of the wiring is. With the addition of lights, winch, and other accessories to the KJ, everyone should begin to look at wiring and battery upgrades. In the case of the Jeep Cherokee, I upgraded every major cable including the engine ground. The wiring on the XJ is poor quality, even for a stock application. For example, upgrading the headlight harness will increase the amps to the OE headlights producing more lumens.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:55 pm

DirtyKK wrote:

While youre looking into it you should check into doing a disk brake swap in the rear.

I’ve been looking at different options including an axle swap. But since I would really prefer to replace my rear drums with “NEW” disc parts, I'm planning to go with the TeraFlex disc brake kit.

“Fits all Jeep® factory rear axles from 1991 through 2006, including the Dana 35 c-clip, Dana 44 and Chrysler 8.25. The TeraFlex disc brake kit is manufactured within exact tolerances to provide the crucial stopping power that larger tires, and extreme off road situations demand. The TeraFlex disc brake kit is ideal for anyone wanting to upgrade a quality disc brake package to their axles. This disc brake kit is intended for use as a bolt-on upgrade to replace factory Jeep® drum brakes. A kit is also available for axles using the new ‘big Ford’ housing ends, such as TeraFlex high performance axles like the Tera44 Adventure axles, or Tera CRD 50R & 60Rs. The internal drum parking brake provides outstanding holding power when compared to other disc brake conversions. Note: New emergency brake cables are available separately. Factory hard brake lines must be replaced with shorter lines. The Ford kit requires a separate flex brake line kit (Part #DBHK ) to connect to the systems hard line. These lines are NOT included in the disc brake kit. Some factory Jeep® 15” Wheels may rub on the caliper. Do NOT operate the vehicle until you confirm adequate caliper/wheel clearance.”

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2012 7:22 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

http://www.blackmagicbrakes.com/
XJ 4WD 00-01 Front Black Magic Brake Pad, Calipers, Rotors
KIT: Jeep XJ 4WD 2000 – 2001
Cost: $290

Includes parts for both Passenger and Driver sides
•Front - Black Magic Brake Pads
•Front - Stock Replacement Premium Zinc Plated Calipers
•Front - Centric Premium Rotors

The front pads, calipers and rotors came in.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Aug 05, 2012 7:54 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

The Donaldson ECF4085 coolant filter is rated at 14um absolute at 100% efficiency.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Aug 18, 2012 7:14 pm

Now that I have upgraded the wiring, I’m ready to upgrade the alternator. My 2000 XJ came factory with the 117 amp alternator. Unfortunately, there are no aftermarket bolt-in alternator upgrades without doing some minor modification to the aluminum mounting bracket. After some research, I decided to upgrade to a 136 amp that came factory in a 2000 Dodge Ram with the 5.9 V8. Due to the oversized 130 amp alternator, the install will be bolt-on but will require some trimming to the mounting bracket. I chose this particular alternator because the plug and stud connections on the back of the alternator matched the same plug and stud connections on the OE alternator.

There are a few things to remember before you upgrade an alternator. First, you MUST upgrade the battery and alternator cables in order to get the most performance from your alternator. You will also need to add the proper fuse to handle the amperage of the upgraded alternator.

The other thing that you need to consider is keeping the OE sized pulley. The OE pulley is formulated to work with the other pulley sizes to ensure proper functioning of the water pump, power steering, A/C compressor, etc. Running a pulley that is smaller than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin faster which means the alternator will hit peak output at a lower engine RPM. Due to the smaller pulley size, the charging system would sap more engine power. I suppose this could also cause the battery to lose its holding power at a faster rate. Running a pulley that is larger than the OE pulley will cause the alternator to spin slower which causes the alternator to charge slower. In the situation of a slow charge, the engine would need to run at a higher RPM in order to charge the system adequately.

Essentially, there is no concern for overcharging since the PCM controls the alternator output to the battery. The key is to make sure that you have a functioning PCM, otherwise, overcharging can occur.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Aug 25, 2012 11:50 pm

I upgraded my battery today. I went with the Sears Diehard which is a rebadged Odyssey battery, part #ODY34-PC1500.

Sears Diehard Platinum P1 group 34
Battery Specifications:
10.85" Long, 6.76" Wide, 7.82" Tall, 51.5 lbs
CCA: 880 amps
MCA: 1050 amps
Voltage: 12V
Capacity: 68 Ah (C/20)
Reserve Capacity: 135 minutes

Here’s the price difference:
Odyssey $470.00
Sears DieHard $220.00

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Aug 26, 2012 1:21 am

I added a locking gas cap to help prevent tampering. My only complaint is that the cap does not tether to the hinged door like the OE cap does.

Murray Ultra Locking Gas Cap
Part # 59070
Price $15.99

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Sep 01, 2012 11:35 pm

I’ve been looking at different types of window deflectors for the Jeep Cherokee. After off-roading in a vehicle that uses window deflectors, I really saw the practical purposes for having them. I like that they reduce wind noise, shield rain/snow while letting the cab vent air, and they help reduce window fogging. I also like the fact that I can crack the window (reducing carbon monoxide) during the winter months and not have to worry about letting too much cold air in. In the summer months, I can reduce interior heat and drive down gravel/dirt roads without letting too much dust into the cab.

In my search, I compared the Rugged Ridge, AVS Aerovisor and the WeatherTech. I decided that the best option would be the WeatherTech Deflector because they do not use double sided exterior tape for the install. Instead, they slip into the channels with adhesive to best secure them. However, others who have the WeatherTechs say that they hold themselves into place even without the need for adhesive. In that case, the WeatherTech is somewhat "removable" whereas the others are more "permanent". I would like to repaint my Jeep at some point and it’s nice knowing that the WeatherTechs can be removed and replaced.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:03 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

http://www.blackmagicbrakes.com/
XJ 4WD 00-01 Front Black Magic Brake Pad, Calipers, Rotors
KIT: Jeep XJ 4WD 2000 – 2001
Cost: $290

Includes parts for both Passenger and Driver sides
•Front - Black Magic Brake Pads
•Front - Stock Replacement Premium Zinc Plated Calipers
•Front - Centric Premium Rotors

The new rotors, calipers, and brakes are installed. I just finished the second day of breaking in the pads. I was in dire need for new brakes and the Black Magic did the trick. Now I need to swap out the rear drums for disc brakes.

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:09 pm

nice work!

i just got done selling my XJ. :oops:

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:19 pm

Living at 7,000 feet poses a few challenges with cold weather being one of them. We’ve seen temperatures as low as -29. For this reason, we have OE block heaters on all of our vehicles for easier startups and quicker warm-ups. Initially, we had to lift the hood on the Cherokee whenever we wanted to plug in the block heater. Two years ago, I decided to reroute the cord to the front of the grille. The new location made the plug accessible for easier operation; however, the cord dangled from the front grille which further exposed the cord to the elements. So, I decided to find a better solution. I’m going to use a Marinco 150BBI Charger Inlet.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:35 pm

I wanted to eliminate the clanking, rattling, and jarring that was coming from the rear ball mount. After looking at different options, I went with SOFTRIDE’s anti-rattle hitch pin. It works by reducing the extra space between the ball mount and receiver tube. Basically, a nut is fitted inside the ball mount and is tightened up to 60 ft. lbs by a threaded pin. Overall, it looks like a quality part and the install went smooth. I’ll give an update once I test it on a few rough roads and trailer towing.

SOFTRIDE
Stainless Steel Locking, Anti-Rattle Threaded Hitch Pin
Fits 2" Trailer Hitches
10,000 lb Towing Capacity
$33.29

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Fri Sep 14, 2012 11:48 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Living at 7,000 feet poses a few challenges with cold weather being one of them. We’ve seen temperatures as low as -29. For this reason, we have OE block heaters on all of our vehicles for easier startups and quicker warm-ups. Initially, we had to lift the hood on the Cherokee whenever we wanted to plug in the block heater. Two years ago, I decided to reroute the cord to the front of the grille. The new location made the plug accessible for easier operation; however, the cord dangled from the front grille which further exposed the cord to the elements. So, I decided to find a better solution. I’m going to use a Marinco 150BBI Charger Inlet.

I have no clue where I’m going to install it, but I’ll post pics once the install is complete.

Marinco 150BBI Charger Inlet
$18.28

No matter where I install it, I will need a 1 7/8" hole saw.

kskj · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2012 12:57 am

dieselenthusiast wrote:

I wanted to eliminate the clanking, rattling, and jarring that was coming from the rear ball mount. After looking at different options, I went with SOFTRIDE’s anti-rattle hitch pin. It works by reducing the extra space between the ball mount and receiver tube. Basically, a nut is fitted inside the ball mount and is tightened up to 60 ft. lbs by a threaded pin. Overall, it looks like a quality part and the install went smooth. I’ll give an update once I test it on a few rough roads and trailer towing.

SOFTRIDE
Stainless Steel Locking, Anti-Rattle Threaded Hitch Pin
Fits 2" Trailer Hitches
10,000 lb Towing Capacity
$33.29

Rhett, make sure you keep the lock lubricated. Water will find it's way into the lock. I did not check the one I had over the winter and had to drill/cut it off after the key broke off in the lock.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Sep 15, 2012 1:10 am

kskj wrote:

Rhett, make sure you keep the lock lubricated. Water will find it's way into the lock. I did not check the one I had over the winter and had to drill/cut it off after the key broke off in the lock.

That’s probably a good idea. The lock comes with a fairly heavy duty cover, but like you said, moisture is hard to fight. I have some silicone lock lubricant that I can use, perhaps that will help. I may even put a zip lock bag over the lock cover and use a rubber band to hold it in place. I’m pretty sure that the entire locking mechanism is stainless steal which should help fight corrosion. I haven’t had any troubles with my other locks and I’ve used them for years with no ill-effects.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Sep 23, 2012 1:09 am

After several days of testing the new anti-rattle hitch pin, I must say that I’m very satisfied. I didn’t realize how much noise the ball mount was making until I finally silenced it. Even with towing a heavy load of firewood, there is absolutely no noise behind the Jeep.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Sep 23, 2012 1:26 am

In the above picture, you can see how tight the turning radius is, plus the Jeep’s spare tire is a nuisance when trying to lower or raise the jack stand. There’s not not enough clearance to swing the jack stand handle without hitting the spare tire. To remedy this problem, I’m adding a hitch extension to extend the ball mount past the spare tire. The longer extension should also reduce jackknifing when I need to make tight turns.

I went with a heavy duty hitch extension with dual receivers. I “think” I have a plan for the dual receiver, but I’m going to save that discussion for another day.

Roadmaster Dual Hitch Receiver
Dual receivers have 2" x 2" openings
Towing Capacity: 10,000 lbs.
Tongue Weight: 400 lbs.
Cost: $94.95

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Sep 23, 2012 1:53 am

Every few months or so, I run a bottle of Amsoil Performance Improver through the tank. One bottle treats 20 gallons of gasoline. The recommended interval is 4,000 miles or 100 hours of off-road use. It works like most gasoline additive treatments.

*Improves Fuel Mileage
*Reduces Exhaust Emissions (lowers hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous Oxides)
*Restores Power
*Cleans Entire Fuel System (removes damaging fuel injector, intake valve and combustion chamber deposits)

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:13 pm

Onboard air is nice, but sometimes I need portable air.

20lb CO2 tank
- 0-150 psi adjustable regulator
- Built-in valve guard/handle
- High strength aluminum alloy
- dimensions - height: 28" diameter: 8"

2000 XJ (work in progress)

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