babysitting a TJ for 13 months....

[Shorty]

A friend of mine has left for Afghanistan (USMC) and had trusted me with his 2004 (4.0l, 5spd,4wd...) until he returns. It needs a clutch and an intake/exhaust manifold gasket-- two questions:

1) how in the name of everything holy am I supposed to get to the bottom int/exh bolts?? It looks like the front shock towers, exhaust manifolds, and motor mount will make this a 14 person task-- any tricks for this??

2) I've done clutches on other things-- is there anything special I need to consider before I dig into this thing??

I just thought it would be nice to welcome him back with a cleaned up, mechanically sound Jeep as a thank you for his service.

 

[bails85]

use a extension and a swivel before the socket. i use an impact gun on mine. once you get the airbox and shit out of your way it becomes a little easier. just take your time and it wont be so bad. once you see how it comes off putting it back on will be alot easier.

 

[mini=man]

once you get the airbox and shit out of your way it becomes a little easier.

You do realize TJ's air boxes are on the other side right?

 

[bails85]

XXXX my bad i thought it was an xj. (dumbass move.)

 

[ktm racer 419]

i have personally never been in that part of a newer tj. but if its anything like the 99 and earlier ho's it is a lot easier than it looks. you gotta play by feel for a couple of the studs

 

[GSequoia]

you gotta play by feel for a couple of the studs

Back on topic, he's talking about working on Jeeps.

 

[Shorty]

i have personally never been in that part of a newer tj. but if its anything like the 99 and earlier ho's it is a lot easier than it looks. you gotta play by feel for a couple of the studs

I've only crawled in and looked as a cursory glance, but it's got the two piece exhaust manifold with precats and all kinds of poor engineering between the fender and the bolts:rattle:

I figure there's gotta be an easier way, I'm just to dumb to see it. If I ever get off my lazy butt and get started, I might even look on a site dedicated to the kind of vehicle I'm working on........ maybe.:conceited

 

[Shorty]

..... well there's your problem.......

you think that intake valve might be bent?? The shop he had it at before me told him the intake gasket was leaking and causing his misfire-- that'll teach me to trust someone else-- intake went well, but the misfire continued.....:gee:

 

[Shorty]

good news-- the missing chunk of the intake manifold that was cracked off during the last installation (not me...) was stuck in the #2 intake valve. Problem solved on that front-- now the next question:

2004TJ-- 0331 head (TUPY casting)

Is there anything that changed from 2003 to 2004 that requires a Multi-Layer Steel (MLS) gasket? I can't find anything on the block mounting surface that would require a new style gasket, and the 0331/TUPY should be the same as the '01 Cherokee version of the 0331 if they're listed as interchangeable, no?

I'm just trying to save this guy $70.00 worth of gasket, if I can.

 

[Spearfisher XJ]

..... well there's your problem.......

you think that intake valve might be bent?? The shop he had it at before me told him the intake gasket was leaking and causing his misfire-- that'll teach me to trust someone else-- intake went well, but the misfire continued.....:gee:

What am I looking at?

 

[GSequoia]

What am I looking at?

All of those springs (valve springs with the top of the valve attached) should be at the same height when the rocker arms are removed.

 

[DrMoab]

All of those springs (valve springs with the top of the valve attached) should be at the same height when the rocker arms are removed.

So in other words...a stuck valve.

 

[Shorty]

slow goin'-- but hey, I've got another 6-7 months......

the cylinder head, intake, and exhaust manifolds are F-in' HEAVY......

..... that is all, for now.

 

[Shorty]

over 40 and feeling every day of it--

climbing up into a 4" lifted TJ on 35's with the head, intake, and exhaust was enough to get my wife off the couch and into the garage to make sure I didn't die out there.

Head is back on, everything's buttoned up, and I'm waiting on new "captured nuts" for the exhaust manifolds to fire it up and see what else they boogered up/ I need to address. Knock on wood, between my spare parts and the owner's collection of known good stuff, it'll just need a clutch and some TLC from here. I'm almost afraid to fire it up and see-- nothing is supposed to go together as easily as it did, so there's got to be something lurking in the shadows that I missed....