I'm impressed

krb · **Posted:** Wed Jan 17, 2018 8:23 pm

First winter with the KJ. This past weekend really impressed me.

Had to run to western KY to move my daughter out of a toxic situation. Big snow, sleet, freezing rain and overnight temps in the single digits. No problem. My block heater doesn't work, only have 3 functioning glow plugs, trans line leaking and I'm almost over due on a new timing belt. So why not head out for a 250 mile run in a snow storm? "We got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it!"

Threw some tools in the back, 5 gallons of diesel, sleeping bag and water. The parkways fluctuated from clear, to one lane clear, to no lanes clear, to solid ice, and back and forth... About 20 miles from my destination I finally had to put it in "full time" 4x4. Semis were creeping along. I drove around like it was summertime.

Murray had rain, then sleet, then snow, then single digit temps. When I got there it was like 6-8" of frozen ice/slush with some snow on top. Pot holes, corn, corrugated - a little bit of everything. And the plow trucks kept scraping the powder off the top so it was mostly just solid ice. I drove around like it was summertime.

Overnight temps were high singles and low double digits. Daytime highs in the low 20*s. Started every time with just two cycles of the key. A couple seconds and the engine smoothed out and ran flawlessly. I drove around like it was summertime.

Got home with 117 miles over the timing belt's expiration date. I never felt squirrely or loose. Drove circles around the rest.

I started out with a CJ-3B in the 80's. Have Power Wagons and W200s with 203s and 205s. This little Jeep has impressed me - and saved my butt!

TerryZ91 · **Joined:** Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:21 pm **Posts:** 38

Does your jeep still have the old ceramic plugs?

krb · **Posted:** Wed Jan 17, 2018 9:07 pm

Far as I know it is all original. New plugs from IDParts came in last week but no time and too cold to install yet.

r1perk · **Posted:** Wed Jan 17, 2018 9:19 pm

krb Love the reference!

krb · **Posted:** Thu Jan 18, 2018 6:47 am

You mean the quote or the other trucks? Such an old movie now, didn't know if anyone would remember it. :-)r

Forgot to mention I have fairly new Cooper Discoverers, that probably helped.

aaronguy2k1 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:20 am

Full time makes it a beast in all weather. The limiting factor will always be stopping, and those pesky other people.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Thu Jan 18, 2018 11:54 am

Tires are the single most important part of the equation but having full-time is a big benefit too. Unless the roads are totally dry I usually leave my Jeep in Full-time.

r1perk · **Posted:** Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:15 pm

One of my all time favorite movies.

krb · **Posted:** Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:27 am

My M880 (W200) is full time full-time (NP203) and is amazing unless you are filling it with gas.

I was surprised that I saw very few stupid people on the roads and parkways. I think that they see snow and ice so infrequent they were more reserved than clueless. Plus this is small town, rural KY and most country people have some sense.

Never saw a fender bender. Now the trip down was a little harrowing as some semis newer slowed down. Saw a lot of trailers fishtail and semis almost swap mirrors. Only a few cars off in the median and one overturned semi. Several were sitting smack dab in the slow lane where they spun out, stuck.

In hindsight I should have run down there in full-time but I was worried about fuel consumption even though I took an extra 5 gallons with me. Mass-hole, how does it affect your mpg if you leave it in full-time?

r1perk, that movie came out while I was in high school. One of my best friends looked just like Elwood. We wore Waferers a lot that year...

mrhemi · **Joined:** Tue Dec 08, 2015 10:46 am **Posts:** 182

I have driven mine across the continent a couple of times, in the winter, through mountain passes etc. Never let me down. I currently drive about 1200 km a week through Eastern And Southwestern Ontario, through some nasty weather changes. Never let me down yet. I'll be up for a second timing belt change about August. Cold, cold, weather does sap the mileage. Operating in all wheel drive does a bit, but not as much as the extreme cold. I have had good luck with Nokian Rotiva AT's, seem to work through everything.

krb · **Posted:** Fri Jan 19, 2018 11:20 am

I was worried that the single digits would make my over-due timing belt more brittle and more prone to snap on start up but I made it.

I know I'm living on borrowed time. I just have to eek out a few more hundred miles until the weather warms enough for me to start on the belt/water pump/glow plugs. Plus I have to finish putting a truck back together to make room in my shop (read drafty dirt floor tobacco barn).

I figure the 100K change has a built in percentage of wiggle room but I also know that if it is original then a 13 year old belt is a lot less compliant and forgiving...

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jan 19, 2018 12:02 pm

krb wrote:

I was worried that the single digits would make my over-due timing belt more brittle and more prone to snap on start up but I made it.
I know I'm living on borrowed time. I just have to eek out a few more hundred miles until the weather warms enough for me to start on the belt/water pump/glow plugs. Plus I have to finish putting a truck back together to make room in my shop (read drafty dirt floor tobacco barn).
I figure the 100K change has a built in percentage of wiggle room but I also know that if it is original then a 13 year old belt is a lot less compliant and forgiving...

I believe the recommended change interval is 100k or 10 years, whichever comes first! :wink:

If you are indeed at 13 years, you are really way past due.... :shock:

I'm impressed

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