Kamaran

THERE IS HUGE PICTURES IN THIS THREAD, SO 56K BEWARE!!!

Hey guys I'm Kamaran (cameron) just spelled different. Found this forum a few years back and always wanted to start a build thread, and now I can!
I've never had money for a car but I knew when I got one it had to be an XJ. Recently a friend blew up his IS300 & needed a rebuild/motor swap and he offered me 3500. So I bought my first car, of course it was a JEEP.

Heres its story.
The name is because upon de-accelleration it sounds like thunder. The PO welded & hacked the exhaust so much just to add a 40 series. The exhaust rubs the driveshaft but that'll be taken car of soon!
Picked up this 1988 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 5 speed on July 18. Was so excited I finally had a Jeep but now feel like I jumped the gun now! But I'm keeping her & nursing her back to health & treating her like she should of been treated. I got her for $1600 which is a bit much, but the interior is amazing, like brand new & firm. And the PO claimed to have redone the cooling system...which was a lie.
Its got broken motor mounts & trans mounts, & didn't run quite right. But after a quick tune up & $150, she runs great. We did plugs, wires, cap, rotor, oil/filter, fuel filter & coolant flush. I'm also replacing the trans mount right now, litteraly in the garage but couldn't wait for my own thread. And ordered Ironman engine mounts, that should be here Saturday or Monday. Wanted BD's but I couldn't wait 2 weeks to get them



Anyway onto the pictures.
The day we brought her home.



Added a Firestick, Cb & PA system right away.



And heres a few pictures of that Is300.

And thats me.

XJ BoSS

Interior pic? And what're your plans with it

Kamaran

I'll get some interior pics tonight or tomorrow.

Plans are 3" & 31's..I may do 32's since I plan to trim the cut & roll the fenders. I plan on picking up a matching D30 & C8.25 with 3.55's so I should be ok.

Question though, on the passenger side of my D30 thats in the jeep, its got something on the axle tube with conectors on it. I have no idea what it is..
If anything I can snap a picture of it.

Kamaran

DunDunDuun...

Second day I owned it something pooped out in the trans. So I pulled the trans and I'm so surprised at what I found.


My clutch disintegrated...not sure how or why this happened, but I was in 4 gear doing about 30-35 down a street close to my house..When I came up to a stop I tryed to go to 3rd & it wasn't happening. I tryed 2nd & first, 5th & reverse. It just woudln't go, so I didn't force it.
I shut it off & and started it 20-30seconds later. Upon starting I heard this god awful sound inside the bell housing. Sound like metal being slung around & around. Well I now know it was the clutch!





PO claims he put in a new slave or master cylinder & also a new clutch...Well from the looks of him grinding off the top 2 bastard bolts, I wouldn't put it past him to lie!




Also I was looking at picking up at D30 out of a 92 Xj with 3.55's and was gonna trade him my D30 with 3.07's but then I saw this....Anyone know what the heck it is? Its located on the passenger side of the housing!

Right under the control arm mount in this picture (I'm holding the starter)

Kamaran

Sorry for the huge pictures, I keep trying to resize & only 1 seemed to work

Kamaran

So I found out that its a vaccum disco axle. I'll be swapping for a D30 with 3.55's thats a non-disco.

Anyway lift parts are being ordered. I got my Jeep JK rubi red tube shocks. Looking at EMU/OME 2.5" MD leafs & some Rustys 3" HD springs.

wiggles

Looks good! I will try and keep up with this one!

Kamaran

Thanks for the interest, I thought I was doing something wrong here. Its kind dead...cricket*cricket*....
I may not be have the biggest updates but updates are garunteed. I'm only 19 and always busy with my daughter or school but I'll make sure to update this on a regular bases.

Updates for this week: Jeep got a wash, polish & wax. Not 100% finished, but it should be tomorrow..with before and after pictures. My jeep went from filthy & oxizided to clean & shining. Theres 0 clear coat on my jeep, but now that shes waxed you'd never know it
Also decided to drain & refill my trans/ transfer today. Figured it'd be worth it while its out. Transfer was super easy & was actually really clean, but now its got fresh ATF in it. The trans was a different story. I couldn't get either the drain or fill plugs out. So I put the trans/transfer on 4 jack stands, set it up so I could tip it on its side & hold it. Was doing everything by myself......anyway I pulled the vent tube & got it drained & found a lovely, soupy milk shake inside...I mean it was disgusting & super chunky...Gosh another brownie point for the PO. Anyway I shoot over to autozone and grab 2 of the gallon jugs of trans fluid for the flush and then to the "race' shop for some Redline MT90. Flushed it & cycled the gears until the fluid coming out was super clean. Then I refilled it with fresh MT90. That outta make the Peugeot feel a little better.

Anyway as stated I also picked up my Jk shocks, now I'm looking for some D window wheels, looking at EMU leafs & some rusty 3" HD coils.
Anyone know if these are sold individually or a pair?
http://www.quadratec.com/products/16090_5054.htm

Also it looks like I'll need bushings & new ubolts? Can anyone help me find the right ones as I get a bit confused with it all.
I have a C8.25 if it matters.

Kamaran

Updates for Rolling Thunder!!!

Motor mounts are in. Bought some Ironman 4x4 last week..Andy thanks so much! Also scored a set of used More mounts for the price of shipping that are still in very good condition, juts a little dirty.. These Ironman mounts are pure beef. I was expecting them to be beefy but when Ups handed me the box I was surprised at the weight behind them!! Kinda dropped my arm a little there
Really wish these were grey like the picture because my jeeps got a red/grey/black them going but thats cool. I actually like the color they are, kinda makes them pop & stand out!!!




Photobucket likes to play games with me, so I'm sorry if the pics are large...They should resize in a few hours whenever photobucket decides its time I guess lol.

The87XJ

Passager side under ur axle on that jeep is a vacuum pump for the 4x4 shift fork to engage ur wheels with that front drive line.
they got quick shift parts for those ;D i hate em i still have mine on my xj. if ur a budget guy like myself you can take the part off and move the collor to the FAR left to activate the 4x4. and put it back on Upside DOWN. and it wont ever unlock..Problem is that front drive line will always move when you move lol. When in 2Hi. go in 4Hi they all Move. giving the front power too.. just a FYI if nobody told ya. :]

Kamaran

Ya I haven't heard or searched much about dico vs non disco. Most seem to favor the non disco though..I have a D30 non disco in the garage from our buddy's jeep when he converted to 2wd.
Only bad thing is He had custom shock mounts, so I'll have to weld new ones up. But incase a non discos better I do have that option.

The87XJ

Yep. what a downfall but well worth it in some way's Good luck though!

Kamaran

Thanks man, I feel like I got some support behind me now. Met and talked with a few local guys and they are very helpful! Happy I finally met some cool XJ people that are local to me!

Bought some Window-D rims tonight that have BFG AT 33x10.5 mounted on them. I plan on selling the 33's and making some money back on them! I love the look of Window-D's, and hopefully they will have 31x10.5's mounted pretty soon.

Kamaran

Its time to wake this up. I've been a busy busy boy.
I found more wrong with the jeep but lets no talk about that. Lets get to the positive. I've been on a buying & fixing spree
Yesterday me and a freind dropped the trans for the 4th time because autozones quailty parts suck *****. The slave kept leaking everytime we tryed to bleed the clutch. So we went back and got our 4th one under warranty. And its finally working! The clutch is way stiffer than before to, releases so much easier..I love it! And we aren't even done bleeding it!
No pics of that unfortunately...but heres some of me putting in the IronMan motor mounts in. Idk why but the bushings were a little to wide, so we sanded them down a little and they slide right in! Only got to the drivers side, so passenger will be done today!


Broken motor mount.

I started taking it apart to fix the cracked header and got the mounts in while it was apart! Also found that my old 02 sensor was cracked in half lol, the tip was in the header & the rest was just hanging around down there.

Dirty motor and lovely, PO crimped the CPS together because he broke the clip I guess...So I got a new one.


Painted the grill and headlight bezzels black. Still have the little chrome pieces around the grill to paint!

Kamaran

Heres the driveside Ironman mount in place, passenger is stock. I believe these raise the motor 1/2" or so. I say that because the driveside of the motor is sitting slightly higher now that this mount is in. Its a good thing for driveline angles but my trans is closer to the transmission tunnel now. I'm happy with them though.
Before

After



Heres my waggy tails installed. I love them and they go with my theme, red & black!


You can also see the 31's I got. I traded a worn down set of 33x10.5's for them. They are studded snow tires but thats fine, they'll do for now!
So now I'm stock height & 31's.
Heres a side view.

I still need to sand and bedline those rockers, trim the fenders & get a ZJ spring to level it out.