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Rebuilding An Old High School Friend!

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Fly Navy, Feb 11, 2015.

  1. May 22, 2019
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    THIS.
    I hardly labeled anything. I thought for sure I'd remember everything. Right.
     
    dozerjim and Fly Navy like this.
  2. May 22, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    I know several will find this sacrilegious, but I don't really see the need for swinging pedals in jeeps and am completely happy with them through the floor. Which thankfully makes one less thing for me to do!:D Note however the remote reservoirs... much easier to service.
     
  3. May 22, 2019
    Norcal69

    Norcal69 Out of the box thinker 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Northern California
    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2014
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    3,547
    I feel the same way. Proper setup manual brakes work really well. Power brakes with the engine off suck.... I see all these old jeeps with power brakes added and I think.... so they are never gonna go down a hill with the engine off..??????? :confused:
     
  4. May 23, 2019
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,193
    I added power - along with 11" drums - to my '66 CJ5 in a fit of doing everything I could to get brakes that finally worked. They did work well, and I never had the engine cut off at the wrong moment.

    On my '64 CJ6 I swapped the 5s axles over with the 11" drums and just used the stock M/C. IIRC the PO had already done a dual-well conversion. I figured I'd do the power conversion later...but the brakes worked so well I never did.
     
  5. May 23, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2007
    Messages:
    1,486
    I KNOW! That's how you sneak up on "them"!
     
    Hellion likes this.
  6. May 23, 2019
    scott milliner

    scott milliner Master Fabricator

    Seattle Wa.
    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2002
    Messages:
    2,361
    I used the Factory Service Manual. It had every connector and where the wire went. This was so helpful. I was then able to use only the wires I needed and could eliminate the ones I didn't.
     
  7. Jun 20, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    Progress has been slow and steady. I made some quick brackets to mount my fan and have all the wiring from the firewall forward sorted... that is assuming of course that I didn't make any mistakes!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I have been kind of avoiding the ECM & under the dash area but I guess that is the next step. I really want to get to the point where I can fire the engine up but I just dread working through all those ECM and dash/instrument wires. Maybe I'll knock out the tail lights first.:sneak:

    One bit of frustration. My remote brake reservoirs seem to be leaking. Not a lot, just one drip or so per day from where the reservoir goes on the plastic base that bolts to the firewall. There is an o-ring and a clamp that I have about as tight as I dare but I just happened to catch a single drop out of the corner of my eye again this afternoon.:banghead: Not sure if anyone else has experienced this or not. I've tried loosening, twisting/reseating the reservoir and re-tightening repeatedly. The reservoirs are from Willwood and seemed pretty nice. I guess if the drips don't stop I'll have to drain them and maybe try a new o-ring or a little bigger o-ring?
     
  8. Jul 28, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    It's been a while since my last update because there hasn't been much to update. Wiring came to a screeching halt when I killed my multi-meter a few weeks ago checking the electric fence for the goats.:whistle: Yes, I know better than trying to check an electric fence with a multi-meter but it was handy and figured the battery was weak enough that it wouldn't overload it. Initially I hoped that had it just blew the fuse but after waiting a week for new fuses to arrive I discovered that I had indeed killed it dead. So now I am waiting for a new multi-meter to arrive.:banghead:

    In the meantime I've been cleaning and painting little bits and pieces. The dash, sissy bar, windshield latches, etc... I did finally stop my brake reservoirs from leaking. All it took was a about a half twist on each and re-tightening (for the 7th or 8th time) and they've been drip free for a week or so now. Why it didn't work the first 6 times I tried that exact same procedure I haven't a clue. At least I didn't have to drain them to try new o-rings.

    So certainly nothing picture or update worthy. But very soon I'm hoping to have it started. My brother and I were talking yesterday that I am really only a day or two away from trying to start it. Assuming of course I stop getting distracted with things like patching my Mom's roof, goats, the kids fair projects, etc. and can get the wiring finished, fill it with anti-freeze and put a little gas in the tank.:D
     
  9. Jul 28, 2019
    Bowbender

    Bowbender I'm workin' on it!

    Northern Minn.
    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2014
    Messages:
    561
    I know what you mean about "distractions" aka "life"...
     
  10. Aug 1, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    I have a question for the herd:schooled:

    Trying to sort some of the "simpler" wiring using my 13 year olds little, starter ohm meter and the Headlight switch is confusing the heck out of me. Of the three terminals on the switch itself. One is constant hot, even in the off position, used for the rear brake lights through the brake light switch originally I believe. What is confusing me is that when I pull the switch into the first position, both of the other two terminals are connected and when I pull the switch all the way out (to the second position if you will) only one of the terminals are hot. This to my mind is backwards. The first position should only have one hot terminal (marking lights, instrument lighting, etc...) and the second position should have both hot in order to add the headlights. Am I missing something here? Is my new switch backwards? Unfortunately, my original switch was completely frozen/rusted in the off position and I tossed it, so I can't test it as a comparison.

    Granted it's been, oh say 30 years since I drove the jeep so I can't honestly say I remember exactly how the old switch worked. But it just makes sense to me that the first position should not activate the head lights and that I should have to pull the switch out all the way in order to do so. Am I going crazy???
     
  11. Aug 1, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
    Messages:
    361
    Belay my last! My headlight switch is functioning correctly.:oops:

    I had incorrectly paired and hooked up a couple of wires that were impacting my readings. I disconnected all the wires and it reads correctly. Switch in - all three terminals are "cold." First position - two terminals are hot (parking lights, tail & instrument lights). Second position - two terminals are hot (headlights, tail and instrument lights).

    Lesson here is I should have read out the switch initially instead of working of a bit of internet gouge and the color of the wires attached to the old switch.
     
    ojgrsoi likes this.
  12. Aug 26, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
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    361
    It's ALIVE!!! :bananatool:

    Turned the key and it fired right off... Kind of anti-climatic actually without any carb or timing to adjust and fiddle with. 45 PSI of oil pressure and no check engine light so I must have done something at least a little right. Only two small issues... the tach didn't work and I have a small coolant leak at the throttle body around that coolant tube I welded.

    The tachometer is already ready fixed. Originally I tapped into the Buick tach output off of the ignition module but either that sends some kind of weird, proprietary Buick only signal or since the donor vehicle didn't have a factory tach then that connector isn't present at the ignition module. Whatever the reason the tach acted like it wasn't even connected. After a half hour or so on the old the interweb I found a Grand National website that said to tap into the Spark Timing Control running from the ECM to the Ignition Module (white wire / C9 black connector) and that did the trick. Idles right at 1000 rpm, which makes sense given that it was mated to an automatic transmission. But it has me wondering if I should try turn it down a little? Something a little more manual transmission-ish like 750 maybe?

    The coolant leak is annoying but not unexpected. I used the thickest O-ring I could and a little PTFE paste originally and it doesn't leak unless it is under pressure. But as soon as pressure builds it starts to drip. I think I'll put one wrap of Teflon tape under the O-ring and several wraps over it, along with just a little high temp silicone and see if that will seal it. But first I have to find the lid for my bucket so I can make sure the new puppy doesn't find the coolant when I drain it.

    All in all, I'm pretty excited and can't wait to get the steering column in it so I can take a few laps around the yard! (y)
     
  13. Aug 26, 2019
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
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  14. Aug 26, 2019
    givemethewillys

    givemethewillys Been here since sparky ran it. 2022 Sponsor

    New Kent, VA
    Joined:
    Jun 21, 2005
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    1,998
  15. Sep 18, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
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    361
    Been working on other projects as I was waiting on parts. Given that I will be using this as my daily as soon as it is complete so I can take care of some 250k mile maintenance on my truck, I decided to upgrade to the "big" windshield with bottom mounted wipers. After looking for a good used frame, and finding none, I decided to bite the bullet and just order one. So I was pretty excited to see it delivered today... that is until I opened the box.:(

    In general the quality is very unimpressive. But the kicker is that it is completely uninstallable as it is. There is not enough lip along the bottom of the windshield opening for the windshield seal to sit in (as in less than a 1/16th). So I'm trying to decide what to do. I have come up with the following options:

    1. Exchange it, live with the additional delay and roll the dice the next one will be better.
    2. Accept it for what it is and start drilling spot welds in order to fix their poor assembly. (in addition to the fact the windshield won't go in, one of the defrost vents isn't fully stamped; the inside bottom corners on both sides look like the were cut out by an angry beaver with a dull knife prior to stamping, huge gaps at both ends of the vent box which I expect will leak enough to eliminate any potential windshield defrosting, and that is just what I've noticed in the first few minutes of inspection:n:)
    3. Finally, a little outside the box, but I could take all the pertinent measurements for the new frame and modify my old "small" window frame to use bottom mounted windshield wipers and just return the new frame for a refund.

    Not sure which approach to take. The thing is I just REALLY, REALLY want to get this thing finished at this point... Ideas?
     
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  16. Sep 18, 2019
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
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    Door #3... :twist:
     
  17. Sep 18, 2019
    givemethewillys

    givemethewillys Been here since sparky ran it. 2022 Sponsor

    New Kent, VA
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    I agree, #3 and document the heck out of it for the rest of us:beer::bananatool:
     
  18. Sep 19, 2019
    Fly Navy

    Fly Navy Member

    Emerson, IA
    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2014
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    361
    Okay, rather than work on what I am supposed to be working on, I've been comparing the new windshield frame to my old one. Measuring, comparing, measuring again (trying not to look at the tractor sitting in the corner in the middle of it's 400 hour maintenance that I failed to get done yesterday:whistle:). Wow is this new frame poorly made. One of the wiper mount holes is a 1/4 inch higher than the other one! But I digress...

    From what I see so far, there is no reason the old frame cannot be modified to accept bottom mounted wipers. Two 5/8" holes with a 1/4" inch wide notch at the top for the wiper arms; Three 1.5" on the inside to access the linkage; motor mount holes; etc... Pretty straight forward. But before I commit to this course I need to see if the wipers arms & blades will clear the top of the smaller windshield. According to FEDEX they should be delivered on Monday. So I guess I'll wait to make my decision then.

    Okay, no more distractions. Back to tractor maintenance!!
     
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  19. Sep 19, 2019
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
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    6,656
    That thing sounds like a real piece of work. I’d drive it to them just to throw it at them.
     
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  20. Sep 19, 2019
    neohic

    neohic Gentleman Jeepist

    Woodland Park, CO
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2018
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    ^ This. :banghead:
     
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