Thanks!

Not this time of year...it's freakin' hot in Moab right now! Waiting for Sept - Oct. For now...I have to suffer in the San Juans!

 

Like the silver paint detail. Look cool!

-Colten

 

Wow...I haven't posted in a while and I noticed all my pics vanished. Credit Card expired and I received no notice from Go Daddy...site was just gone. I've posted everything up at Photobucket now.



Eggdashure Jeep Cherokee Photocucket Page

 

New Exhaust manifold on it's way to correct this:



Wasn't so much a failed attempt...but it helped me to see how large the crack really is! (Which really isn't visible in this pic.) Project for next weekend I hope, I'll post up pics of the new $78.95 eBay manifold.

 

So fly

 

Alright, so I popped in the new exhaust manifold and after 4 hours wrenching on my Jeep I was excited for a test drive. So, I fired 'er up and the thing red lines! WTF?!

Research online told me that the intake manifold was not fully seated causing a massive leak. So, tear it back down to the intake manifold, make dam sure it's lined up properly and another hour and half later, it was finally done. This time it was idling correctly, but on acceleration...RPM's over 2K results in a loud ticking. My only thought is the connector at the down pipe is not tight enough. Or...I screwed up my gasket mounting it incorrectly the first time.



Also changed this while I was in there:



I also managed to get most of my pics loaded back into the Build page.

 

Love your xj man, some great photos in there. Made me remember why I purchased an xj in the first place. Good ole Colorado.

Keep up the good work.

 

ticking usually indicates and exhaust leak not a intake leak. How does it drive? notice any added power? How is the fit of the Ebay manifold?

 

Thanks man! I still get the benefit of Colorado and Moab is only an hour and a half away!

Right, the exhaust leak seems to be where the exhaust manifold connects to the rest of the exhaust system. I cranked it down as tightly as I could last night and the ticking is greatly reduced...though still there.

For $78.50 I was willing to machine the holes to make it fit. Which was not much...I was able to do it easily with a hole file. If I can get this last little bit of ticking worked out I'm happy!

 

I'm certain the connecting point between the exhaust manifold and the down pipe is leaking...just not sure how to seal it up...

 

So I pulled the exhaust manifold all apart again, snagged a new Fel-Pro gasket and some Copper Seal a Gasket. The guy at Auto-Zone was arguing with both me and one of his sales associates. "Seal a Gasket's just gonna burn away! It's not meant for Exhaust Manifolds!" Right on the can..."works especially well on Exhaust Manifolds." He's hollering at me saying he won't accept it back as a return even after we showed him that. Guess I won't be going there anymore!

That copper stuff is sticky as all get out too! Wear gloves!!! I'm a little concerned about the Fel-Pro gasket...it covered up the exhaust ports on the bottom...about 10%. Not sure if that's normal or not. I called up Napa and they confirmed it was correct.

But, as I was putting it all back together I noticed a bum O-Ring on one of the injectors. Son of a...back to Napa! Picked up a fresh O2 sensor as well. I still notice a ticking, but I think it's a sticky lifter now.

Today I scored a new set of Leaf Springs for $50. No idea who makes them...but they are stout! I will now be able to run a standard shackle with the HDE Shackle Relocation Brackets. My b4stard pack is VERY close to inverted and it was time to upgrade!

 

Leaf Springs installed! Went from 21 inches in the back to 24 inches. Going to have to pull a leaf from each pack as my shocks are maxed out going over hefty bumps. Otherwise, it rides quite nice. I hope that by pulling a leaf these springs aren't too soft.

Looks like normal again! The shackles aren't protecting the hitch anymore, see left (new) and right (old).

 

Your jeep is gonna outgrown the jack soon.

 

I thought removing the 2nd main leaf would drop these springs way down. 1/2 an inch?! REALLY?! That's it?! Guess I'll try one of the smaller ones as well, but my spirits are disheartened now...so maybe this weekend.

 

Great job on the jeep can you tell me more on the e85 conversion what did you change to run e 85 and how does it run?