My parts


The view from the start
Ok, after much planning, study, and rounding up parts. I've decided to do the oil pan gasket, rms, and oil pump. I love my my 95 xj (Ethel). I have had 24 years of faithful service from it, and the 315,000 to prove it. So this is my build thread, starting with this, and going through to the back with other jobs to come,

 

Ok, after a exciting night, I have progress. The pan is off, scrubbed down, and waiting for the paint. Oil pan removal was easy, I jacked the frame, dropped the front axle, which did give me room and clearance to drop without problem. However, I must add the rotors,steerage linkage, and track bar are already removed. As well as the shocks and sway bar links, so I've got a wide open space, and that's what you need. Oil pump out, I'm in process of cleaning and pressing pickup tube. And now the main event, rear main seal. Ok, I have a 95, most videos out there are showing the 97. I was aware that there was no girdle pre 96, but I was not aware of the mammoth 13/16 bolts that held this cap, because I was under the dream that this was a 3/4. No sweat, it was do-able, I struggled more with getting this thing to turn lose, after 5 mins of wiggling front to back it came loose, yay! Cleaned everything down really well, and today is installation, let's see how it goes...

 

 

 

All back together, clean, and no leaks!

 

Linkage and front suspension, tore down, painted, and replaced

 

 

 

My '96 looked just like that in that same place. She ran like a top but structurally was a disaster.
Not knowing any better I thought I could have fixed her if I knew how to weld.

 

Only spot on the whole Jeep, yeah it's totally fixable. This Jeep and me are permanent,lol.

 

I paid $300 for my '96. Drove it like that for about 4 years and sold it for $750.
If structurally it was just that spot I would have paid somebody to fix her and kept her.
But it was that and so much more. LOL.

 

How is the oil pressure with a new pump? Nice thread.
Up here in the Nawth I would be chomping at the chance to replace the rusted out and leaking oil pan I have.
Those rusted frame parts can easily be patched with some 3" x 1/8" plate available at the hardware store, and welded with a small arc welder. They even have some flux core mig welders now about 125 amp that are in the $100 range that do a much neater job. Key is to grind clean to new metal first. Im getting way too much experience at it.
There are kits available but you don't need one. What my take away is, after watching the pros do big jobs, is that the key is that just about all the time the rust is on the bottom and you can just weld to the top part which usually is still quite thick and fine.

 

Thanks for the input, I know your right about just the bottom, that's kinda where I was with it. As for the oil pump, big improvement, I can definitely see a difference after warm up. My factory was like 40 at start up, then dropping to like 25. I think the new one doesn't drop below 40 or 50. I was lucky with my oil pan, no rust or ugliness. The hardest, most rusted and seized thing I've dealt with was replacing factory track bar(axle side)
Now the shackle bolt are being difficult. But my will is greater

 

My 98 xj. same kind of story. Betsy is 155k and clean. Great driver engine runs quiet as a swiss watch, oil pressure starts out over 40 but hot is about 17. Was thinking the rod bearings but after watching this am now thinking of doing the rusted pan and a new pump. Frame was rusted the whole passenger rail wouldn't pass inspection so I took it to a little mechanic that does it and for 6 bux he cut a template and then with a plasma cutter cut a new channel and welded it up and passed the inspection . He told me its in great shape and to fix it up. I can say that after replacing all the front end parts exc springs it drives like a lincoln continental. Just real nice and solid on the road. Steering wheel centered. I did the track bar and Dana ball joints all round with new hubs, one thing that was a must is a poly bushing on the axle side of the track bar, also, I added some welding to the track bar bracket axle side, I couldn't tell but it looked like it might be loose or supposed to be welded and wasn't, so I stitched it up. New junkyard stock radio $20 works like new. Really nice.

 

Pics? Sounds real nice. Totally go for the oil pan and pump, you'll not regret it. I'd also do my rear main if it has never been done. Your just there, and why not, keep calm it's easy just slow going. I got fed up with losing about a qt of oil every oil change, mine was slowly coming from the oil filter adapter and rms, pan gasket was ok, surprisingly. Hindsight, the only thing I wish I had done different was to disconnect the exhaust, it was ackward to deal with putting it back in. Snap UPS are a must!!