LOST JEEPS
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/

93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=65035		 Page 1 of 3
Author:  DirtyKK [ Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:03 pm ]
Post subject:  93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Ever since I've started modding and wheeling the KK I've found that I wanted something more capable and with better aftermarket support. I watched craiglist for a deal to pop up and found one. The ad stated a few issues the XJ had, of course I googled them and found them to all be easily fixable. I went ahead and jumped on it. I had intended this on being trail rig only but I have too much driving it. I daily drove it for about a month which really helped me find issues that will need to be addressed. So far she gets 13.5 mpg's, burns out from a stop and I only got death wobble twice. :lol: The idea right now is to catch up on required maintenance and find some of the creaks, pops and clunks. As stuff breaks I will upgrade. First to come is paint, lunchbox locker in front, weld the rear and a homemade snorkel. This is of course going to be a budget build. I shall call her the IRON MAIDEN.



Pics from the Craigslist ad
Image
Image


93 Jeep Cherokee Country
4.0 auto 4x4
33x12.5/15 on 15x10
4.5" Rustys lift with adjustable LCAs
unknown bumper w/10k champion winch
Author:  tommudd [ Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Looks like a great start
Author:  DirtyKK [ Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Did a bunch of work today and forgot to take some pics. :oops:

seafoamed, runs a whole lot smoother and quieter as a matter of fact
oil change
greased zerks, still have squeaky control arm bushings :?
coolant flush
replaced water pump
replaced thermostat and housing
replaced idler pulley, no more squeaking!
replaced belt
replaced fuel filter
replaced wipers
debadged and removed stickers from window
air filter, was covered in oil so purchased pcv valves (burning oil was one of the issues i purchased it with, clogged pcv valves and dirty throttle bodies are a big culprit)
fuel injector upgrade (mpg update to come)
tightened rear axle u-bolts :shock:


after much research i ordered Monstaliner. im gonna bedline the entire thing in desert sand and black.
Image
Author:  DirtyKK [ Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
started the day with a compression test. now that i know its good i feel better about wasting more money on it. i bought a cheap compression test gauge from autozone for about $25.
Image

pulled the valve cover off to replace the pcv valves. no sludge under the cover.
Image
Image

i had a ridiculous racket every time i hit a bump. made it sound like a shock was coming through the floor board. upon further investigation i found that a bolt was hitting the shackle. i removed the bolt and took it for a spin in the woods and the bangin was gone. the bolt holds the box the shackle mounts in. in the future i may purchase a shackle relocation kit. the shackle is at a poor angle anyway.
Image

started removing paint with this coarse wheel. :twisted:
Image
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Mmmmmmmmm, I love build threads. This will be fun to watch! Image

My 2000 doesn't have a PCV valve, instead, I have the CCV system.
Author:  DirtyKK [ Wed Feb 08, 2012 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Did a little research and found my front bumper is made by Logans Metal Products. http://www.logansmetals4x4.com/id9.html
Author:  DirtyKK [ Sun Feb 12, 2012 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
took her camping on a remote beach. friends rig is a 3rd gen 4 runner with 3.5" toytec and 35" pitbulls.

Image
Image
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Sun Feb 12, 2012 5:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Looks like fun. I’ve never camped on a beach before. I’ll add that to my bucket list. :CAMPING:
Author:  DirtyKK [ Thu Feb 16, 2012 4:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Went to the parts store and spent a couple hundred bucks. Got a lot of work ahead of me. :shock:

Few nights ago I tapped into the wire that controls the electric A/C fan. Now I can turn the fan on with the flip of a switch to keep cool while wheeling. With the switch off the ecu will still control the fan. I ran the switch to the cubby in front of the shifter and I will be building a switch panel.

Image

Yesterday I got my Monstaliner. Hopefully the weather will start holding up a little better so I can get this thing painted. Also got my Rusty's trac bar bracket. The Rusty's trac bar that was installed previously used the factory style mount bracket and tie rod end, which was in poor condition. The axle mount is also a little rounded out so I picked up a size larger bolt. I will be drilling the bracket out to fit of course. This should fix any death wobble and slight wondering on the road. As much as I would like to have upgraded the track bar to a better quality piece I am trying to keep this on some kind of budget. I already had half of the track bar so why replace the entire thing? Also found out that Rustys has a lifetime warranty.

Image

Today I fitted a B&M 70264 transmission cooler I picked up from a friend. Broke that inside piece of the grill off to prevent chaffing. Also changed the diff fluids and flushed the power steering system. The steering fluid looked like it had never been changed and now my pump doesn't whine when turning the wheel. Best of all I fixed my hvac with a vacuum line. Air used to come out of vent only.

Image
Author:  DirtyKK [ Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
I've logged 6 gas tanks since I changed injectors. People usually claim gaining 2-3 mpg with the swap. I only gained 1/2 of an mpg. Better then nothing I suppose.
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
DirtyKK wrote:
I've logged 6 gas tanks since I changed injectors. People usually claim gaining 2-3 mpg with the swap. I only gained 1/2 of an mpg. Better then nothing I suppose.


Not that it matters, but did you buy new or remanufactured injectors?

You’ve got tall, wide, and off-road tires; so perhaps you would have seen better mpg with the correct gearing, narrow tires, and something with better rolling resistance. It seems that the XJ is a pig regardless what you do, lol.
Author:  DirtyKK [ Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
dieselenthusiast wrote:
DirtyKK wrote:
I've logged 6 gas tanks since I changed injectors. People usually claim gaining 2-3 mpg with the swap. I only gained 1/2 of an mpg. Better then nothing I suppose.


Not that it matters, but did you buy new or remanufactured injectors?

You’ve got tall, wide, and off-road tires; so perhaps you would have seen better mpg with the correct gearing, narrow tires, and something with better rolling resistance. It seems that the XJ is a pig regardless what you do, lol.



I bought reman injectors. I'm not expecting much for mileage with 33x12.5's and auto/3.55's. Now that I think of it its still a 5% increase over what I was getting. I think 14.1 mpg from a XJ with big tires and 170k miles is pretty good lol.
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
DirtyKK wrote:

I bought reman injectors. I'm not expecting much for mileage with 33x12.5's and 3.55's. Now that I think of it its still a 5% increase over what I was getting. I think 14.1 mpg from a XJ with big tires and 170k miles is pretty good lol.


14 mpg isn’t too bad. If you regear, I think you could jump that up to 15 mpg.

I haven’t checked my mileage yet, but once I get the new radiator/fan setup installed, I should be able to save some robbed horsepower by removing the mechanical fan. Then upgrading the muffler and catalytic converter should help also. I’m on stock gearing and a 30.5” tire. Once everything is up to par, I’m hoping for 16 mpg.
Author:  DirtyKK [ Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
My exhaust has been opened up a little. Still has stock cat though. I would hope with new gears I would get quite a bit better because on the KK I gained 18% fuel economy going from 3.73 to 4.10. I was also considering the elec fun upgrade but have read it doesn't always work well in ridiculously hot places and a ZJ fan clutch will keep it cool.
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
DirtyKK wrote:
My exhaust has been opened up a little. Still has stock cat though. I would hope with new gears I would get quite a bit better because on the KK I gained 18% fuel economy going from 3.73 to 4.10.


What gears are you wanting to upgrade to?


DirtyKK wrote:
I was also considering the elec fun upgrade but have read it doesn't always work well in ridiculously hot places and a ZJ fan clutch will keep it cool.


The kit that I bought is suppose to be an improvement over stock. Those who have the kit have reported much better cooling over stock and the kit has outperformed OE cooling in extreme conditions where stock cooling would have failed. Although, there are a lot of XJ people out there who contend that the OE cooling is sufficient when properly working at 100% efficiency. The problem is that most XJ’s aren’t operating at full capacity. I guess I’ll find out.
Author:  DirtyKK [ Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
dieselenthusiast wrote:
What gears are you wanting to upgrade to?

When the time comes to get new tires Ill be going 35's and 4.88's


Got the double shear track bar mount installed. The axle mount hole had been rounded out a bit so I drilled a larger hole to accept a larger bolt. Steering and front end are completely solid on the road now.
-extended breathers
-replaced front driver U-joint
-replaced O2 sensor

Image
Author:  DirtyKK [ Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
i installed a rugged ridge cup holder. older XJs didnt have cup holders for some reason. :banghead:

ordered front lunchbox locker and snorkel

i want to lower my XJ a little. the jeep currently has 4.5" springs in front and 2" spacers but has a heavy winch and bumper. the rear has 3.5" leaf springs and 1" lift shackles that are at a vertical angle and probably giving me about 1.5" and a poor ride. ive been eyeing liquidironindustries leaf sliders over shackle relocation brackets. the sliders will remove the shackle entirely and only add about 1/2" from factory height, so i would be at about 4" in the rear. they also flex pretty well. right now my suspension is limited by the front spacer and shock length and the rear is limited due to the shackle angle. ill remove the spacer in the front and hope its level. thats the idea right now anyway. im pretty indecisive. :lol:
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
DirtyKK wrote:
i want to lower my XJ


If you're wanting to run 35's, you can't lower it too much can you?
Author:  DirtyKK [ Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
If I lower it I'll be sitting around 4" of lift. My fenders are trimmed up pretty well, they'll fit. I've been eyeing some low center of gravity builds with less lift and bigger tires. I'm not going to take it to that extreme though. With a little less lift and bigger tires I'll sit at about the same height I am now. All of this is later down the road though. Right now I'll be happy with 33s and locked on both ends with a snorkel. That's a stout setup for around here. I just want 35s so I'm not letting my toyota buddies pass me up. Right now my excuse is my tires are pretty much new. :ROTFL:
Author:  dieselenthusiast [ Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 93 XJ project "IRON MAIDEN"
Well, if it makes you feel any better, I have a 4” lift and I'm still running Toyo Open Country A/T’s in a 30X9.50R15 tire. :oops: But hey, my tires are still new. :ROTFL: I'll go with a taller more aggressive tire when I can afford to regear and install front/rear lockers. At this rate, it could be years before it happens. :juggle:
Page 1 of 3 All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/