73 cj5 question

hi,

i really dont know much about the old amc motors except that someone said i should be prepared to spend more time under the jeep than driving it. i realize with any 30 year old auto, problems will arise, but do you really need to be into toying under the hood to enjoy a 73 cj5? any help or additional info about potential problems, etc is greatly appreciated. thanks.

 

You'll find the 232 and 258 sixes to be very reliable motors. Lots of torque for the displacement, seven main bearings, they have a lot of miles in them.

Put on HEI (junkyard swap or get a DUI or other HEI setup off of Ebay for the AMC sixes), and either a better carb -- Weber 32/36, or TBI fuel injection from a Chevy 4.3. You'll have a solid, reliable, powerful motor.

 

The I6's can be very reliable, and the 304 isn't a bad motor either.

 

You'll certainly need to keep up w/ maintenance and any other previous owner issues, so yes.

Plus, how much does one enjoy a Jeep if there's that constant fear of "What might happen next?"? Becoming "one" with the engine/Jeep over time helps to prevent such fear so you can actually enjoy a Jeep outing.
Good luck!

 

FWIW, I wouldn't dump a huge amount of $ into a 304. If it goes bad, pick up a junkyard 360 and swap it in with a few buddies.

 

I find that the motors run fine even with the stock gear on them. And everything else on the rig breaks down. For every hour I have spent working on the motor I have spent 3 chasing wiring shorts. R)

 

Hi - if you could give us a few more details about your Jeep - engine, transmission, overall condition, pictures would be good - we could better comment.

Jeeps do require a lot of tinkering compared to passenger cars. A lot of your maintenance issues will be determined by the condition of the Jeep now, how it was treated by the previous owners, and your willingness and ability to maintain it. Leaks are extremely common - make sure your fluid levels are up and that you check them often.

As mentioned above, Jeep generally used good engines, so your maintenace issues with the engine won't be any different from a passenger car. 4x4s do have a lot of extra stuff going on in the drivetrain though, and the drivetrain and suspension can receive a lot more abuse from off-road driving than it would on the street.

Where do you want to drive it? Water crossings require different maintenance than dusty conditions. Hard use will break things, especially if you are new to the field.

More details please.

 

My dad has had his 73 for about three years now and the only thing we have had to do to the 258 in it other the basic oil changes and such was fix the fitting where the previous owner put in a mechanical oil pressure gauge. The oil tube popped out and made a mess, but it was simple to put a new fitting in. You will need basic mechanical skills, but I am sure you will find the 258 to be a great and reliable engine. Have fun and don't worry about what is going to go bad until it does. When that happens, check back here with your questions and from what I have seen someone can answer anything you have to ask.

 

I built mine with one goal - minimum wiring. Although I have an electronics background, I don't like chasing gremlins.

Basically you can get down to this, as far as wiring on the motor itself:

(this with HEI, one-wire alternator, 32/36 carb)

1 hot wire thru relay to HEI distributor
1 ignition controlled hot wire to electric choke (or go manual)
1 wire to temp sender
1 exciter wire to GM one-wire alternator
1 charge lead from alternator to battery

if you go electric fan (Taurus) you'll have to have a thermostatic switch with one wire going to that in the waterjacket.

 

Here is the deal...I dont own the jeep (yet) but am possibly interested in buying it. I just went and looked at it and it sounded like it ran pretty well (no creaks, bangs, etc.) The body does have two cancer spots so that would either need to be spotted or I would have to invest in putting a fiberglass body on it (I dont know how much that might cost, if I could find one from salvage?????) The guy selling it is a self-proclaimed Chevy man and whence does not know much about jeeps. Looking under the hood I saw it had a 232-258 Engine Family and couldn't tell what kind of transmission it had other than it was a standard 4 speed. It comes with a five foot meyers plow and he wants 3900 for it. I am having trouble deciding if I am getting a deal, getting ripped off, etc...I really appreciate all of the comments so far..and am looking forward to more of your opinions as to whether you think it is worth it with the cancer and all....one of my main concerns is not having enough money to get this thing restored. Thanks again for everything said so far.

 

Where are you located? Two cancer spots doesn't sound very bad. I'd certainly keep the steel body - they are easy to repair. The Jeep will be worth more if you keep the steel body (I'm not a big fan of the 'glass bodies).

IF it is really a 4-speed, it's a close ratio truck T-18 4-speed. Reverse will be over and up. Most (all AFAIK) 232s were delivered with the standard T-14 3-speed floor shift transmission. With a 4-speed, it's almost certainly a 258 (4.2L) inline 6, which is a very sturdy and reliable engine. The T-18 is very durable, and the owners that had them liked them a lot IME.

$3900 is high but not outrageous for a '73 in good mechanical and physical shape. A plow can be a good thing if you need it, but pay close attention to the condition of the frame and the suspension. A plow puts a lot of stress on a light vehicle like a CJ, especially if the owner plows hard and long. Frame cracks are most comon just behind the front crossmember.

hth!

 

EDIT: sorry, it is indeed a 3-speed..typo.

 

Mmm... not as good a value with a 3-speed (Borg-Warner T-14). Not a bad transmission, but the 4-speed is more desirable.

 

I feel like I should chime in since I just bought my first Jeep a couple weeks ago. I have a 1972 Jeep CJ5, with very minor cosmetic rust issues. Engine runs very strong, all lights and electrical work as the should. It also has a factory hardtop. It has an aftermarket Hurst shifter, with that being the only major mod. I dropped 2500 on it. To me, it was a steal because I had a running CJ5 in amazing condition for being 34 years old. I am not really sure what the value of the plow on your Jeep is, but if its been on there for a while it can't be good for it. You can check the rest of the specs on my Jeep in my profile. I guess what I am saying is that 3900 seems a bit high. Or maybe I just got an incredibly good deal?

 

2 things:

Do not replace steel with fiberglass, you will hate yourself later.

$3900 is a bit high see if you can talk him down.

 

Your location is important. Values change a lot depending on location.

 

i am in southern PA, right above the maryland line in york county.