mengleff
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- sacramento
been lurking and reading back awhile, have gotten some good info. thanks!
i have a stock '90 laredo w/ 4.0 ax15. dana 30/35. 130k miles. i bought it w/ the intention of building it up to rock condition, but it looks like it's going to be a dd for a bit longer. i plan on taking it camping and on some easy-ish trails this summer, and i had some concerns, most have been addressed from reading past posts. again, thanks, there is a wealth of info in forums that have been much more help than the chiltons/haynes manuals.
the motor has the standard valvetrain noise, but i've read that that's normal and nothing to worry about. when i bought it, i was told it had a new water pump.
i've replaced the radiator w/ a 3 core, and i'm probably going to wire a manual switch for the aux fan.
when it rains, the mech fan cycles on/off about every 15 secs. i hear a click on the passenger side under the dash, and then i get the drag on the motor and noise i hear is common with this fan. the windshield looks like it's been replaced, so i think it's leaking down into the 'electricals' under the dash and is shorting something. it's summer in cali, and since i've not had the problem since it's been dry, i took it thru a car wash, and triggered the same prob. what should i look for?
if i decide to replace the mech fan w/ an electric one, is there a standard junkyard swap? something that i can just bolt/wire in without any major modifications? i can do some mods, but i'm shopless/garageless for the time being, so i can't do anything major.
i think the rear springs/shocks are either worn out or just OE and probably old and weak. the guy i bought it from said it had a tow package, and it has a drawtight hitch, but the rear suspension feels really weak to me. i pull out of parking lots unloaded and it hits the bumpstops. since i'm going to be loading it up with ice chests full of beveragesD) and the such, what should i replace/enhance the rear susp/springs with?
it's got 225/75 r15 stock 5star rims that i'd like to beef up. petersons 4w & OR says i can fit 31x10.50, but that seems like it'd be too big. am i going to have problems if i go with 30x9.50? do i need to get some rims with different backspacing than stock if i do go 30x9.50? i like the stock rims, i'd like to keep it as stock as possible till i rebuild it.
i didn't get the stats on the transfer case and diffs when i bought it, other than i know they're stock. the transfer case is 4 position, 2h, 4h, N, & 4l. from what ive read this is supposed to tell me something, but i've not been able to pin down what that says vs what i think was the other option... 2h, 4h, N, 4l & part-time (? i think?) when i've gone to 4w a light comes on the dash that says part-time, but that's contradictory to what i've read. confusion. im almost 100% sure it has limited slips, but i don't know how to test it other than i've been told i'll know for sure if i put it 4 on pavement and try to turn, i'm not sure what the intent behind that advice was, seemed kinda mean-spirited when it was said, and i don't want to damage anything.
i bought all the necessary red line synthetic oils to change the tranny/TC/differential oil, but when i went to change the diff fluid, i poked my finger in to check out of curiosity, and they were full to the fill holes with clean oil. does diff gear oil need to be changed only when it's dirty?
i know this is probably a lot of questions, i'm pretty good mechanically, i've always worked on my own cars, and i have the chiltons/haynes manuals, but this is my first 4wd, so i'm kinda clueless on some aspects. there's gaps in my tech knowledge so to speak. thanks again for the info i've gleaned from previous posts and i much appreciate any advice you guys could give regarding my questions!
i have a stock '90 laredo w/ 4.0 ax15. dana 30/35. 130k miles. i bought it w/ the intention of building it up to rock condition, but it looks like it's going to be a dd for a bit longer. i plan on taking it camping and on some easy-ish trails this summer, and i had some concerns, most have been addressed from reading past posts. again, thanks, there is a wealth of info in forums that have been much more help than the chiltons/haynes manuals.
the motor has the standard valvetrain noise, but i've read that that's normal and nothing to worry about. when i bought it, i was told it had a new water pump.
i've replaced the radiator w/ a 3 core, and i'm probably going to wire a manual switch for the aux fan.
when it rains, the mech fan cycles on/off about every 15 secs. i hear a click on the passenger side under the dash, and then i get the drag on the motor and noise i hear is common with this fan. the windshield looks like it's been replaced, so i think it's leaking down into the 'electricals' under the dash and is shorting something. it's summer in cali, and since i've not had the problem since it's been dry, i took it thru a car wash, and triggered the same prob. what should i look for?
if i decide to replace the mech fan w/ an electric one, is there a standard junkyard swap? something that i can just bolt/wire in without any major modifications? i can do some mods, but i'm shopless/garageless for the time being, so i can't do anything major.
i think the rear springs/shocks are either worn out or just OE and probably old and weak. the guy i bought it from said it had a tow package, and it has a drawtight hitch, but the rear suspension feels really weak to me. i pull out of parking lots unloaded and it hits the bumpstops. since i'm going to be loading it up with ice chests full of beveragesD) and the such, what should i replace/enhance the rear susp/springs with?
it's got 225/75 r15 stock 5star rims that i'd like to beef up. petersons 4w & OR says i can fit 31x10.50, but that seems like it'd be too big. am i going to have problems if i go with 30x9.50? do i need to get some rims with different backspacing than stock if i do go 30x9.50? i like the stock rims, i'd like to keep it as stock as possible till i rebuild it.
i didn't get the stats on the transfer case and diffs when i bought it, other than i know they're stock. the transfer case is 4 position, 2h, 4h, N, & 4l. from what ive read this is supposed to tell me something, but i've not been able to pin down what that says vs what i think was the other option... 2h, 4h, N, 4l & part-time (? i think?) when i've gone to 4w a light comes on the dash that says part-time, but that's contradictory to what i've read. confusion. im almost 100% sure it has limited slips, but i don't know how to test it other than i've been told i'll know for sure if i put it 4 on pavement and try to turn, i'm not sure what the intent behind that advice was, seemed kinda mean-spirited when it was said, and i don't want to damage anything.
i bought all the necessary red line synthetic oils to change the tranny/TC/differential oil, but when i went to change the diff fluid, i poked my finger in to check out of curiosity, and they were full to the fill holes with clean oil. does diff gear oil need to be changed only when it's dirty?
i know this is probably a lot of questions, i'm pretty good mechanically, i've always worked on my own cars, and i have the chiltons/haynes manuals, but this is my first 4wd, so i'm kinda clueless on some aspects. there's gaps in my tech knowledge so to speak. thanks again for the info i've gleaned from previous posts and i much appreciate any advice you guys could give regarding my questions!