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Replaced ignition coil and on to exhaust

SFXJ125

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
What's up gents? Was away at training for a couple months but back now.

Some updates and lots of questions for y'alls expertise. Went wheelin Hackett and lingwater couple weeks ago and had a great time with one minor issue. Jeep died at top of longwater. Popped hood and checked fuel, air, and spark. Fuel good and air filter looked good. She would crank but not turn over. Intermittent spark from coil. Got pulled to trailhead and she finally started when we got off Trail. Over heated I guess.

Took coil off last night and saw that the coil, probably 20 yo original had crack down its side. Replaced it and she starts now and seems to run better than before so that's good!

Also did Power Steering pump. Leaking out the reservoir and whining like a little you know what. Still whines a little bit I will flush again and see if that clears it up. Really didn't want to spend money on PSC pump but might go to that eventually. Could the 33" tires and stock steering be my whining issue?

Now it's on to my exhaust and torque converter. Will tighten up torque converter bolts as well as do exhaust. Couple questions before I do it though.

I'm thinking of going with the dorman oe exhaust over some performance headers with a walker downpipe, a magnaflow universal cat and a dynomax muffler/tail pipe. Anyone run this system? 2.25 or 2.5"? Honestly I've scoured the forum and it seems like stock was/is good and no real gain over increased pipe size after/before catalytic converter.

Also, what do y'all think about swapping 99+ intake while I'm at it since I'll be taking it off anyways?

After exhaust I'll be doing the steering (tie rod/drag link). Probably going to convert to 1.5" .25 wall 3/4" bunged heims. Thoughts?

After exhaust and steering I'll get around to a new paint job. I'm thinking P-40 with OD green top and blue/grey lower panels and underside. Some sharks teeth up front...
 
Also, forgot to mention. I'd like to become a member so who do I talk to about that?

Tax return burning a hole in my pocket...
 
Awesome, thx. Any swag with membership? Like a decal or something? I have a decal already on rear window but it's from previous owner.
 
What year is your XJ?
 
33's on stock steering shouldn't be an issue. It may just be the pump going out. I honestly suggest a WJ/Durango upgrade. Cost me about $300 total to do mine and is one of the better upgrades I did.

As for exhaust just stick with stock size. I used a HF cat and Thrush muffler and had an exhaust shop fab the rest, wasn't that expensive and works fine.

Steering linkage just kind of depends, after researching I decided to just stick with stock setup and upgrade the TRE's and tie rod. Works for me but everyone ahs their opion on it.

99 intake is a good upgrade, and if you're taking it off might as well.
 
I'll play devil's advocate and say to stay away from the Durango box as you lose steering radius. If you do some searching, more and more in recent year folks are just going with reman XJ boxes unless they are stepping up to a PSC unit. I have some fluid around my box and I can't yet pinpoint where it's from. But I will be on 35's and with just replace with a reman XJ box and new lines if I need to replace. Getting something like the Boostwerks brace would be money better spent.

http://www.boostwerksengineering.com/The-Ultimate-XJ-Steering-Brace_p_8.html
 
You won't lose steering radius with the Durango box, it still spins the sector shaft the same amount as the stock XJ Saginaw box. The only way you would lose turning radius is from running a shorter pitman arm on it. The Durango box has a larger piston, thus produces more steering force, and a faster lock to lock ratio.

Is it a huge difference mover stock? No, but it is a decent upgrade.
 
New to me. I know people that run that box and neither of them have any issue with not hitting the steering stops on the axle. A little google-fu seems to point to using a WJ pitman arm as its the same drop as stock but a little longer. I can't verify that.
 
When I rebuilt Durango boxes, I pulled out the spacer ring and machined the cap and got the turning radius back. Personally, I didn't like the faster ratio. It made it a bit twitchy on the highway. Adding a longer pitman arm would only make that worse and cut down on your turning force.
 
I haven't run into any issues with my set up and turning radius is unchanged.
 
My experience with exhaust: Many years ago, I had a Mopar header, ceramic coated, installed along with a HF catalytic converter, and a flowmaster muffler, 2.5" throughout. Even with a big free flow air filter and intake, it made no real difference as measured by gas mileage. I used to be pretty anal about measuring gas mileage, since I'm an engineer and all that. :) This is on a 90. It was still fairly mileage when the exhaust was installed. 3 years ago, I put on a bored throttle body, 60 mm. That woke up the engine, even though it was on it's last legs.

Now, with an HO head on a cammed, rebuilt engine, it all works quite good. :) I'd say if you are going to the trouble on a new intake manifold, bore the throttle body, and do the exhaust. I guess my point is don't spend a whole lot on the exhaust, unless you intend to follow up with an intake to match.
 
Been looking at a Durango upgrade and will have to do some more research. So far, the jeep has had three pumps and maybe it's my fault for getting reman but maybe it's the box. I ran the original pump that came on the jeep when I purchased it for 4 years without issue and then she started making noises I didn't like so I got a reman one and that developed a leak on the underside of the reservoir but I kept it for a couple years cause it just took a little extra fluid now and then but this last winter every single morning she'd be locked up until I turned hard and it let the jeep run for 10min before driving off. Pump was also requiring a top off of fluids every other day so it was time to replace. So, I replaced it and no leaks but still whines a little. Will flush ASAP and see it that changes the sounds.

The steering is good now but I just figured with the increased tire size maybe an upgrade over stock might help so more to follow. If it gets to the point like the previous pump I'll probably break down and get PSC pump and different pulley.

As for exhaust, I will order stock header and keep the rest near stock. $350-400 for entire job doesn't hurt the pocket book too much.

Looking at these heims

https://www.qscomponents.com/collec...minum-cone-spacers-weld-in-bungs-120-jam-nuts

and will build tie rod / drag link in the next few weeks.

Seems easy enough with help from friend with welder.

Good point on intake/exhaust. I'm gonna run this setup till she dies and or I decide next year to drop a stroker in there. Then the TB/intake will be a must.

Can't find much wrong with stock setup and seems like everytime something needs replacing there's always the question that looms in the back of our minds of whether or not to go full on.
 
I have some misalignment spacers lying around if you end up needing them. Gratis.
 
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