96 Grand Cherokee
No, I don't lick fish.
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,169
Likes: 26
From: Northern Kentucky
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Started the install of XJwonders cables on the ZJ...first bolt broke the welded nut on the inside of the fender...
Proceeded to disassemble the entire front right corner...
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Who designed these things!?!?! The nut is inside the 3rd hole back...this thing is crazy to disassemble. Could have moved a bolt down 2 inches and made it much simpler. Instead I have to remove the door to get to it...SMH
Proceeded to disassemble the entire front right corner...
click for full resWho designed these things!?!?! The nut is inside the 3rd hole back...this thing is crazy to disassemble. Could have moved a bolt down 2 inches and made it much simpler. Instead I have to remove the door to get to it...SMH
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
. PO did run new wire for the speaker though so I had to cut it. Now I need to find a way to make those wires quick to plug and unplug...lol. I did the doorless MOD on the other ZJ:
No, I don't lick fish.
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,169
Likes: 26
From: Northern Kentucky
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Ahh, see there? Silver lining.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Got the oil sample back from Blackstone for the XJ:
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Wifey has been driving the XJ the last couple days and says it's been running great after they fixed the exhaust manifold. Now that I know those bolts should be good maybe I'll be up for a head gasket change once the ZJ is DD-able.
Thanks for the note on the cracked exhaust manifold. We don't think this engine has any cooling
jackets on the exhaust manifold, so we're not sure that's to blame for the coolant in this sample. You might
have something else going on too -- when you're having the exhaust manifold repaired, you might look for a
cracked head or head gasket issue and get it all done at once. Potassium, silicon, and sodium show the
coolant. Fortunately, wear metals look fine, so no real damage has been done yet, that we can tell, but keep
oil changes short until repairs are done.
jackets on the exhaust manifold, so we're not sure that's to blame for the coolant in this sample. You might
have something else going on too -- when you're having the exhaust manifold repaired, you might look for a
cracked head or head gasket issue and get it all done at once. Potassium, silicon, and sodium show the
coolant. Fortunately, wear metals look fine, so no real damage has been done yet, that we can tell, but keep
oil changes short until repairs are done.
Click for full resWifey has been driving the XJ the last couple days and says it's been running great after they fixed the exhaust manifold. Now that I know those bolts should be good maybe I'll be up for a head gasket change once the ZJ is DD-able.
Last edited by rcguymike; Oct 6, 2016 at 09:17 PM. Reason: Added chart
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Got the ZJ skid, and the bumper on. Welded a drain bung and temp bung on a friends LJ, fixed the broken nut on the ZJ, brakes on the MK, and made the garage into a disaster zone.
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Horrible "night shot"(was in the morning, didn't realize I never took a pic...lol)
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Click for full resHorrible "night shot"(was in the morning, didn't realize I never took a pic...lol)
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Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Poor Red...luckily I have a radiator in the garage waiting to go in. Hopefully that's all he needs, starts and drives fine but I only ran him into the garage after the tow(didn't want to risk overheating on the way home).
Started with a romantic lunch date:
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Jeep peed out of fright:-(
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Left rubber chunks all over the road
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left an imprint of the fan clutch in the backside of the radiator and was spraying coolant for a bit
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Made it home in less than 2 hours
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Finished the color ride in the MK
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Started with a romantic lunch date:
Click for full resJeep peed out of fright:-(
Click for full resClick for full resLeft rubber chunks all over the road
Click for full resClick for full resleft an imprint of the fan clutch in the backside of the radiator and was spraying coolant for a bit
Click for full resClick for full resMade it home in less than 2 hours
Click for full resFinished the color ride in the MK
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Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,379
Likes: 127
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Yeah, It seems like that is a common experience for a lot of people... I am going to try to source one locally when the time comes, so I can be more forceful about time frames.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
The rear came really fast and I bet if I didn't ask for a bit of custom work I would have got the front around the same time. Now I think my order is marked done and laying at the bottom somewhere...he was very responsive to emails up until a few weeks ago. Hopefully nothing bad has happened. I even messaged him on facebook, got one reply and then nothing.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Click for full resNice indent of the fan clutch
Click for full resLittle bent up...time for some redneck straightening
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Click for full resLooking better on this end
Click for full resTime for the middle
Click for full resSuper curved
Click for full resBetter
Click for full resYay shiny!
Click for full resLet's not do that again...at least until I have a new bumper...lol
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 11
From: Laurium, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
Heard back from Nate after I sent him a FB message and emailing saying he had til the end of the week or I would submit a redaction request with the CC company. He said he had a big deal come in and my project was put on the back burner. He's wrapping that up and should be able to finish mine soon. Hopefully I'll be done travelling for work now and I'll get it just in time to start doing some winter wheeling. Gotta get my winch setup all crimped and installed though too. Probably will have sounds and motion up here do the fancy crimping. We'll see if they like the 1awg wire I got from site last year.