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Project Unicorn - a light duty trail rig

That metal piece for the balancer install looks like a metal sleeve from RE lower control arm bushings. I have a few laying around that I find to be quite useful

Rather plausible. I've had a number of RE arms over the years.
 
Glad you guys have the heat on that side of the country -- I'm in NJ -- It was in the upper 50's low 60's last night and been on the cool side all summer
 
Cooled off a bit today so got more done.

Slammed the water pump in. Interestingly, this Mopar Performance pump is *identical* to the Gates pump we use on 4643. Guess I won't spend money on this again..

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While I was working on something, my elbow brushed the AC pulley and spun it. It made shockingly bad noises. Its been engaging just fine, but something is not right.

A new Mopar clutch cost about the same as a rebuilt compressor, but this way i don't have to break and recharge the system, and I figure my 100K miles compressor is probably in better shape than any rebuilt unit.


Remove the nut over the clutch.

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Gently pry the clutch up with a screwdriver or two.

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Under the clutch nut is a shim, don't lose track of it.

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Remove the C-Clip holding the clutch in.

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Two arm puller to pull the clutch pully off. Comes off pretty easy.

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Another c-clip to remove the stator.

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Unbolt the wiring harness. It also has the ground attached.

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Unplug the harness behind the compressor.

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All stripped down.

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Slide the new stator on. There is a small dowel to clock it, watch that.

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Reinstall the c-clip.

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Bolt the wiring and ground back down. Replug plug in back.

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Slide the new pulley in place.

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Break a crappy autozone installation tool pressing the pulley back down.

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Here's where it gets interesting. Remember this shim?

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Jumper the clutch to engage it.

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I forgot to take a picture measuring the distance between the clutch and pulley. I used a slide caliper but here they show using a feeler gauge. They want .4mm to .8mm, about .030". I got it on the 2nd attempt using a .020" shim.

Image stolen from google:

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Once your spacing is right, throw the nut back on.

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Turns out my old clutch was getting pretty shot.

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Fascinating.

I did not know the compressor could be serviced that way. Probably not something you want to do on the trail, but nice to know it can be done with a few mildly specialized tools.

Thank you for the details.
 
You could probably manage it with a couple of prybars and a hammer if you had to.
 
Thanks for posting this. Driving my son's 97 has me spoiled, what with functional air conditioning. I'm looking to forklift the AC in my S10 in the next couple months.
 
Today we get to modify a Mopar 5191929AA radiator to have AC condenser mounts, and then figure out what I'm doing about a trans cooler before I start installing more stuff.
 
I've been using an ford Trans cooler out of an f250, they used the same ones in tons of vehicles. easily procured from a JY. fits well in front of the AC condenser.
 
I have stacks of coolers.

Not sure which one I want to use, but it will be something out of inventory.

Not sure if I want to run it in front of the electric fan or the mechanical fan.

Not sure if I want to run it back through the radiator cooler on the way back to the trans or not - strong arguments to be made both ways.
 
I have stacks of coolers.

Not sure which one I want to use, but it will be something out of inventory.
:thumbup:

Not sure if I want to run it in front of the electric fan or the mechanical fan.
I chose mechanical for the trans, electric for the P/S. my rationale was the trans is always being used, and should probably always be getting air pulled across the cooler.
the P/S really only needs to be cooled when its being worked, and in that case the E-fan is almost always running.

Not sure if I want to run it back through the radiator cooler on the way back to the trans or not - strong arguments to be made both ways.
if you plan on your rig seeing a lot of colder weather, I would vote for plumbing it back through the rad.

if its going to stay in warmer climate, I don't see the point.

food for thought.
 
lol that may be your most ambiguous post ever.

ambiguous is italian for useless information right? ;)
 
I used a BM 70273 recently on my XJ -- Didn't have the stock of coolers laying around -- Put it in front of the AC condenser on the mechanical fan side -- Fit just fine between the condenser and grill

I also did plumb it thru the radiator -- I'm in NJ and see plenty of cold weather -- trans output, to lower radiator, upper radiator to lower cooler, upper cooler back to trans -- Also plumbed it in stainless braided -6AN teflon hose and fittings
 
Not sure if I want to run it back through the radiator cooler on the way back to the trans or not - strong arguments to be made both ways.

There are no good arguments to be made for running it back through the radiator cooler after going through an external one, unless one lives in the Arctic.

If you aren't seeing sub-zero temps regularly, you can't overcool your transmission. Period, full stop.
 
There are no good arguments to be made for running it back through the radiator cooler after going through an external one, unless one lives in the Arctic.

If you aren't seeing sub-zero temps regularly, you can't overcool your transmission. Period, full stop.

The primary use of the "cooler" on the radiator is to aid in warming up the trans fluid quicker, not cooling.
As far as i know common practice is to run it through the rad first to aid in warm up then to cooler.
Yes it is entirely possible to over cool your trans fluid.
 
There are no good arguments to be made for running it back through the radiator cooler after going through an external one, unless one lives in the Arctic.

If you aren't seeing sub-zero temps regularly, you can't overcool your transmission. Period, full stop.


Keeping the fluid at operating temp.

Keeping it at *more consistent* temp.

It would also actually make installation easier too, not that I'm worried about that.
 
As far as i know common practice is to run it through the rad first to aid in warm up then to cooler.

Its actually the other way around. Trans -> cooler -> radiator -> trans.

Which is how the OEM trans cooler, if you have the tow package, is plumbed.

Probably how I'll plumb too.
 
Stopped by the shop on my way home last night and slammed a power steering cooler in.

Nothing super special here. There's plenty of slack in hoses to get around the radiator, once I install it.

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