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Project: Keeping It Clean

How big is your shop?

I have a two car garage and when its pretty cold I fire up two of these on high and it heats the garage in about 20-30 minutes. I got them at Costco for much less than the Amazon price. Then again I'm not heating from near 0 temps. I'm heating from the 30s-40s.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8NLKT...y=9030824&hvtargid=pla-368936894111&camp=1789

My shop is 25' x 35', 11' at the eaves. Nothing massive, but nothing all that small either.

I've actually got a natural gas plumbed heater in the shop, complete with thermostat and everything. It'll heat the shop up to 70 if I want it.

It's not *that* expensive to run, but can double the heating bill if kept on for long periods of time (i.e. keeping the shop above freezing for the month).

It's somewhere it the mid-single digits right now, and I just had it at 40* while Sam (zluster) was over. It'll make it more comfortable to work by far, just takes time to get it up to a temp worth working in.
 
Is this thing done yet? October is right around the corner. :D

"Done" to what level? :D

New fuel pump, an exhaust system setup, radiator put in...and it "should" run.

From there...not sure when I'll really get to the build items.

Need a couple things on the buggy done, and then the house needs a bit of things I've put off.

Building the axles is going to be an "at night" kinda thing most likely.

It does feel nice to get parts off the shelf...
 
Sounds to me like you need to have a BBQ

Ironically, the big project coming up is a paver patio with pergola...for a BBQ for friends staying with us for a couple weeks.

If the XJ isn't done in the next week-ish...its getting pushed outside so the buggy can come in. EJS is only a month away, and I'd like to be well prep'd for it.

The exhaust wont be bad. New muffler, add in a flex pipe, add in a disconnect flange, and lengthen some O2 sensor connector wiring. The fuel pump can be done in a couple hours. If I had everything here, I could have it all done this weekend.

In reality, it will probably just be a lot of late nights and long days between now and the 24th of March.
 
Well,

I've been cranking on this to say the least. Need to get working on the buggy, so this thing needs out!

So, got the power steering flushed through real well. Flush over a gallon through.

I used a combination of the wheels elevated to turn, and a way to turn the PS pump (something I learned from bleeding my full hydro system).

40636414151_a8a1b32710_c.jpg


Turn the wheels half a dozen to dozen times, then run the pump (slowly) to flush. Repeat for what seems like eternity :laugh:

Did some wiring harness "unmending" for O2 Sensors.

26764994768_99052fc5ef_c.jpg


Pretty well there:

39926092274_0888c859a9_c.jpg


It got loomed and put all back in the rail cover after.

Dirtbound Steering Box Spacer got welded up and painted. Not my finest welding/painting, but it was late, I was tired, and no one's going to see it.

39926086354_68eb7c14c3_c.jpg


26764993228_4609ab3835_c.jpg


I did have to take some material off the bottom corner, and the front top corner for mine to sit right.

I went to install it, and the bolts were just not going in like they should. Even my 1/2" impact didn't want to make them go. So, since I didn't want to risk snapping a bolt or breaking the box...out came the taps. Retapped and threaded (really just cleaning up the threads) of the steering box and the bolts. Went together like a charm after.

Still a pain though since the steering box isn't the most tap friendly location.
 
So, then came the fuel pump. Oh man...

Got the tank dropped without too much issue.

Then some goodies arrived:

39926086394_3a86cdee8b_c.jpg


40594532582_00b9fc7816_c.jpg


Yukon Zip Locker for the D30, Bosch Fuel Pump, an exhaust Flex Pipe, and a Walker Quietflow SS Muffler.

Pulled the fuel pump, and yeah...I'd say it would make sense why it wasn't working:

26764993608_0579bcf837_c.jpg


Yummy...

40594536992_8d3289ba9e_c.jpg


The filter sock was just floating around in there, with some nice green gook in it.

39926090364_7cc45dae61_c.jpg


So, I cleaned the tank out really well. There was so much crap floating around in there, it was rather disgusting.

So I got the hose, and flushed it out fully a few times with hot water, until no debris or anything could be seen. Then, I wiped the interior by hand with shop towels. Nice and clean after!

Got the tank itself cleaned up, and the new pump installed. I will say, that damn white rings and the new fuel pump wanted to fight me. Took me 10 minutes to get it installed when it should have taken two :laugh:

40636413821_f8492ed581_c.jpg


26764994128_c30613e68c_c.jpg


So, then came so work needed. This Jeep overall is really clean, but it is still 17ish years old. So, there's some minor rust to take care of on the underside in spots.

The hole where the vent and filler necks come through was bad:

40594537872_f265d8932d_c.jpg


Took a wire wheel on a drill, and went to town. Got it as cleaned up as it was going to get:

39926090794_f0ac3f625a_c.jpg


And then, out came the POR-15. There were some other minor areas I hit since I was already there. Figured a little prevention now would save a lot of headache later:

26764993358_ef3010bb75_c.jpg


39926089974_7bd73bb7d8_c.jpg


I let it dry for a couple days, wiped it all down with Mineral Spirits, masked it off, and threw a few coats of paint on:

39926089214_d710a1cfb1_c.jpg


40594535682_56af583ee9_c.jpg


26764993038_7f1cea793a_c.jpg


Tank got reinstalled, and works like a charm again.
 
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So, now that the engine was pretty well there, and the fuel system was taken care of, time to get on the exhaust.

The section from the header to the back of the cat took about half a day. I was in and out a dozen times, getting up and down probably well over 100 times. I added the flex pipe it to help prevent any future cracking of the exhaust manifold. Getting the flex pipe installed, also helps a lot with getting it back in.

I did the following:
- Cut off and reinstall the hanger (which took some of the pipe with it, hence the patch)
- Cut a notch in front of the Cat to get some better clearance
- Cut off, clean up, and weld the old Cat flange to the one going in.

Once everything was in place, the entire thing got wire wheeled, pressure washed, wiped with mineral spirits, and painted in high temp VHT Paint.

Flex Pipe location:

26764992618_fef4a488c1_c.jpg


General setup, with a little better clearance than stock:

39926088694_949c4b4edd_c.jpg


40594535222_142e406392_c.jpg


All together:

39926087684_15ac5a9c7e_c.jpg


Weld are all quick tack-tack. Hold just fine, is air tight, and I risk blowing through a lot less. Exhaust and body (thin sheet)...I hate welding:

40594534282_6c7fc985d6_c.jpg


39926088104_7eceb7bf0c_c.jpg


All painted up:

40594533882_629278bd73_c.jpg


I got it back in for final installation.

The muffler and rear exhaust pipe aren't fully in yet. I need to pull the rear pipe, give it the same cleaning, and get the rear hanger by the shackles taken care of.
 
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You are putting a lot of effort into that XJ, kudos. It looks to be coming along very nicely. I like how you did the exhaust.
 
So, not that the exhuast was in enough, to get the O2 sensors plugged back in, I got the radiator remounted, hoses put on, and the system filled.

And, IT RUNS AGAIN!

38826261900_0cc9d7614f_c.jpg


39926087104_771b64670c_c.jpg


Check engine light cleared after letting it run, shutting it off, letting it cool down, and repeat (mainly to bleed the cooling system).

Seems to run just fine now as far as I can tell.

I still have a bit of stuff to put back together with it, to get it to driving status, but it's only about a weekend's worth of work away from being there.

I'll be in Vegas next weekend for a wedding, and then there's only a couple weeks until EJS.

So, I'll see how much I'm able to work in it between now and then.

Lots of sleepless nights to come!
 
That fuel pump looks delicious. :wierd:

Yeah, I threw in some fuel system cleaner (Berrymans B-12) in with the fresh gas. I then primed the fuel system a dozen times or so to help clean out the lines. Didn't want any of that crap fouling up the injectors.

You are putting a lot of effort into that XJ, kudos. It looks to be coming along very nicely. I like how you did the exhaust.

It's been a whirlwind lately with it. So glad to have it move able on it's own for sure.
 
@freerider15

Have you taken any photos of the work you did on the hatch?

You mentioned butyl rope, as well. How were you planning on using it?

It honestly hasn't moved progress wise since those last pictures, except about being moved 20 feet away.

I have some repairs to do on the truck and buggy first, then I'll get back to going on this full steam, hopefully next month.

Housework that got put off getting ready for EJS, has been getting done the last month or two :laugh:
 
It honestly hasn't moved progress wise since those last pictures, except about being moved 20 feet away.

I have some repairs to do on the truck and buggy first, then I'll get back to going on this full steam, hopefully next month.

Housework that got put off getting ready for EJS, has been getting done the last month or two :laugh:

Not enough hours in the day. :sunshine:
 
So, now that the engine was pretty well there, and the fuel system was taken care of, time to get on the exhaust.

The section from the header to the back of the cat took about half a day. I was in and out a dozen times, getting up and down probably well over 100 times. I added the flex pipe it to help prevent any future cracking of the exhaust manifold. Getting the flex pipe installed, also helps a lot with getting it back in.

I did the following:
- Cut off and reinstall the hanger (which took some of the pipe with it, hence the patch)
- Cut a notch in front of the Cat to get some better clearance
- Cut off, clean up, and weld the old Cat flange to the one going in.

Once everything was in place, the entire thing got wire wheeled, pressure washed, wiped with mineral spirits, and painted in high temp VHT Paint.

Flex Pipe location:

26764992618_fef4a488c1_c.jpg


General setup, with a little better clearance than stock:

39926088694_949c4b4edd_c.jpg


40594535222_142e406392_c.jpg


All together:

39926087684_15ac5a9c7e_c.jpg


Weld are all quick tack-tack. Hold just fine, is air tight, and I risk blowing through a lot less. Exhaust and body (thin sheet)...I hate welding:

40594534282_6c7fc985d6_c.jpg


39926088104_7eceb7bf0c_c.jpg


All painted up:

40594533882_629278bd73_c.jpg


I got it back in for final installation.

The muffler and rear exhaust pipe aren't fully in yet. I need to pull the rear pipe, give it the same cleaning, and get the rear hanger by the shackles taken care of.

Looking good! One can also add a flange clamp to the flex joint for additional ease in disconnecting the exhaust.

Here's how I did it:

https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1108130&highlight=exhaust

IMG_1413_zps33642f2d-1.jpg
 
So..a LOT has actually been done since the last update.

Just got busy with life, taking some grad Mechanical Engineering classes, and things in general.

Looks like I left off with the exhaust. The exhaust got a good coat of header paint, and all mounted up.

However, I was still getting leaking from the eBay heade (can't say I'm surprised).

Overall, doing it again, I'd just got get an OEM one from a junker, throw a couple welds at it if needed, and be done. But, I had this one so I ran with it.

I bought a fog machine, and fed it through a shop vac and into the rear tailpipe. Amazing how well that works. Kept at it until there was nothing what so ever coming from the engine bay.

The header leaked where the two down tubes met.

So I took to the inside and took it from this:

32794878358_1f0a558dab_c.jpg


To this (getting the MIG nozzle in there was a bit of a pain, so not the greatest welds):

46669798801_fcac07c849_c.jpg


Thought that was good enough...nope.

So I finally just drilled each size where the pipes come in, and refilled with weld. That worked like a charm.

Got the header bolted back up with another new gasket...no leaks.

On another note, my exhaust tuck was a *hair* too high. Though not really that much of an issue, I'll work the crossmember mount to get me another 1/2" or some between the floorboard and the muffler.

A shot looking back:

46669753241_5b841ac232_c.jpg
 
So now that the exhaust and such was done, it was time to focus on the interior. Well, actually these kinda happened before and after each other.

First was getting the headliner done. Got it pulled down, and used the handheld portion of our carpet cleaner to very gently go through and get the headliner really nice and clean. It will likely still need replacing in a couple years, but this will be fine in the meantime.

Headliner out, roof given a good clean and wipe, and then strips of CLD placed:

45754696505_4d9e0abaa2_c.jpg


Headliner laid out, and the 3M Acoustical Batting added:

46617131932_965ea139ed_c.jpg


39704786403_d39e91b243_c.jpg


Headliner got installed after, and for the most part wasn't too bad. The biggest PITA was the fact that I should have done it in sections. The roof cross bracing made issues in areas, but got that taken care of. The only other pain, is the dome lights are a bit of a pain to get seated back in.

I used some of the remaining roll to stuff in and around the rear quarter panels like so:

28755209438_3848301a75_c.jpg


39704783243_9584698288_c.jpg
 
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