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Supertrooper's CJ5 build

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by supertrooper, Oct 15, 2010.

  1. Jan 29, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i didnt have much time to work on the jeep today. the starter went out on my daily driver tacoma and i needed to do some routine maintenance anyway so that took up most of my day. toyota sure knows how to make quality products, my truck has 235,000 miles and thats the first part i had to replace besides tune up parts and normal ware items like brakes, tre and balljoints.

    i did have time to install a fuel filter on the jeep. i used an inline fliter from earls and mounted it on the bulkhead fitting closest to the fuel pump. i also installed a lower radiator hose and added coolant. the radiator almost immediately started leaking from the lower hose connection. i even tryed using a T bolt clamp thinking it will seal better that a cheap worm gear hose clamp but it still leaked. i drained the radiator and started mocking up the mufflers. i proped the muffler on a bucket and some 2x4s to get it located where it looked good then welded the flange and a 90° manderal bend to the muffler. i still need to make a rear hanger then do the driver side.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2017
  2. Feb 26, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i removed the radiator a couple weeks ago to see why the lower hose wont seal. it turns out that the lower hose fitting had a bad weld that was seeping coolant. since the lower hose had clearance issues with the oil filter and now the cracked weld i decided to get rid of the chinese mustang radiator and try something that fit better. after several hours goinging through old threads i went with a fiero radiator. i wish i went with the fiero rad from the beginning, it fits the grill shell almost like it was made for the jeep and the lower hose location is higher and has lots of room without the tight bends that kinked the hose like the old set up. i made the mounts out of 3/4" square tube cut in half and some 3/4" angle with 3/8" fuel hose cut in half for the isolators. i also made some aluminum filler panels to block the gaps near the end tanks so air doesn't bypass the radiator.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    i also finished installing the exhaust using hangers from summit.
    [​IMG]

    today i primed the oil pump since the jeep hasn't been run for over a year. i used the tool and instructions in tarry99's 225 blueprint thread and it worked perfectly. i got 70psi and good flow through the rocker arms.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2017
    tarry99 likes this.
  3. Feb 26, 2017
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    That is a great looking radiator.

    Part number?
     
  4. Feb 26, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
  5. Mar 5, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    the battery has been dead for a little too long and wont hold a charge so i replaced it with a new one. with a working battery i was able to make sure all the electrical was hooked up right and works correctly. today i got the engine running and set the timing and idle rpm. i had a small fuel leak coming from the carb inlet fitting but i was able to tighten it and that stopped the leak. i had it running for about 15-20 minutes and didnt have any other leaks or problems and it runs good. about the only major things left to do are to pull the roll cage to finish welding the dash cross bar and paint the cage, have new drive shafts madeand installed, and install the LSD and full float kit into the rear axle.
     
  6. Mar 25, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    last weekend i started cleaning the rear axle housing so i can start installing the limited slip diff. i found a chipped tooth on the pinion gear so i decided to get a new r&p gear set. i ordered the new gears from 4 wheel parts but i guess their definition of "in stock" is having to order it from the manufacturer. looks like i wont get the gears until next week sometime.

    im also having engine proplems. when i had the engine idling the rpms dropped alittle and the engine had a loud backfire in the exhaust and stalled. i tryed restarting the engine but it had a really rough idle and would just stall and back fire.
     
  7. Mar 26, 2017
    daddyusmaximus

    daddyusmaximus New Member

    Indiana
    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2017
    Messages:
    28
    Wow. Long read. I can imagine what it has been like working for so long on a project like this. I'll be starting a coilover conversion on my CJ5 this fall and have given myself 2 years to complete it. Sure hope I can get it done in that time frame. The parts I'll have to order each month as money allows. I'm U.S. Army retired, so at least I'll not have to juggle a work schedule. You have done a lot of good work on this project. Well done so far.
     
    dieseljeeper likes this.
  8. Apr 2, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    the new r&p finally showed up a couple days ago and i was able to mset up the gears. it went a lot faster and easier that when i did the front axle. i also installed the full float kit and put the axle back in the jeep. i still need to figure out the correct pinion angle and measure for the diveshaft but i want to pull a leaf out of the spring packs first. the springs are really stiff, i can jump up and down on the front bumper and the springs barely move.

    while waiting for the gears to show up i started looking for a good spot to mount an air compressor for the oba setup. i have a viair 380c and wanted to put it under the body so its out of the way and doesn't take up any interior space. i couldnt find a good spot under the jeep but i was able to fit it on the firewall behind the glove box. i mounted an air hose qd fitting inside the glove box and i also used a pressure switch the turn the compressor on and off automatically similar to how the arb compressors are setup. it wont be as fast as a engine drive comp especially without a tank but it should be easy to plumb in a tank if i can find the room for one.

    i think the reason the engine isnt running properly might be the carb since it sat for awhile with old gas in it. napa didnt have a carb rebuild kit instock but it should be here tomorrow. ill work on checking the ignition system and rebuilding the carb next weekend.
     
  9. Apr 9, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i rebuilt the carburetor Thursday after work, there was some small debris in the jets and in the bowl and the float adjustments were off. i blew out the jets and passages then polished the idle mixture screws needles and readjusted the float. now i can get the engine to run without immediately dieing and backfireing but i need help from someone that knows how to adjust the carb properly to get the carb dialed in.

    today i removed a leaf from each spring pack. now the suspension has some give to it and only lost about 3/4" of lift. i measured the rear pinion angle it looks like i need 2° angle shim. the stock rear driveshaft fits but i think its almost at full extention. im going to need a new front shaft anyway so i might as well have a new rear shaft made to then i can use the stock one as a spare.

    now that the jeep is on its wheels again i can roll it out of the garage to finish welding and paint the roll cage. other than that all i have left to do before i can drive it is bleed the brakes and get the carburetor adjusted.
     
  10. Apr 20, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i spent my easter sunday working on the jeep and the day was nothing but fail after fail. first i filled up the master with brake fluid tried to bleed the brakes. then realized that i accidentally had the brake line at the master cylinder reversed. i got the lines back in the the correct ports but half the fluid in the resivour leaked out all over the exhaust and frame in the process. once that mess was cleaned up i tried to tune the card with a vacum gauge but the engine had a miss and was running roughly. when i took the distributor cap off i found that the rotor was broken. i couldnt find a new rotor locally so i had to order one. lastly i tried to torque the rear axle u bolts. all of the threads on the crap imported autozone u bolts started to strip around 35 ftlbs. i had enough frustration for one day so i called it quits for the day.

    fast forward to today. i got a new distributor rotor installed and the engine is now running good and i got the idle mixture screws adjusted but they can probably use a little more fine tuning. i bleed the brakes and if you work by yourself alot like i do speed bleeders are amazing. they are fast and easy to use and im going to have to get them for my daily driver to. i picked up some new u bolts from napa and they fit and torqued down perfectly. the napa u bolts are made in the usa and the quality is waaay better that the autozone junk. and for safety sake i installed a fire extinguisher in the jeep in between the seats.

    with all that drama sorted i gave the jeep a good look over and went for a test drive up and down the street and around the block. there weren't any bad noises and nothing fell off or caught on fire. first, second and reverse gears work but i didnt go fast enough to try third. the clutch and brakes work fine, i just need to get used to the pedal positions. i think the caster and toe need adjustment and the steering gear has a little more play than i would like.

    i wish i took some video of the first drive but it was already dark outside and i dont have a mount for my phone or a camera.
     
    75 DJ, 47v6 and ITLKSEZ like this.
  11. Apr 20, 2017
    AlexCold

    AlexCold Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2015
    Messages:
    140
    Congrats on getting it running again!

    If you need new driveshafts and don't have a local shop you trust, I highly recommend Tom Wood's Driveshafts. I got mine custom ordered and shipped out the next day. Fast shipping, packaged really well.
     
  12. Apr 29, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i got pinion angle shims from mcruff in the mail yesterday and installed them. they fit perfectly like usual and the rear pinion angle is dead on. i also got the new front driveshaft i ordered from tatton driveline. it took a couple weeks to get but the quality seem good. while installing the driveshaft i noticed oil leaking from the oil pump gasket. i found the pump rebuild kit from when i first put the engine together and it looks like i put a high pressure spring in. ill put the stock spring back in and along with a new gasket.
    [​IMG]

    here are a couple pics of the air compressor setup
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    i finally had time to stop by the steel yard today and picked up some tubing to start building a spare tire carrier but im still waiting for bushed dom sleeves to show up from ruffstuff.

    i have a bad habit of changing my mind on how i want things on this jeep to be and the roll cage is no exception. i thought the family style cage didnt look right with such a short bed, it would probably look better on a cj6. plus the bestop bikini top i have wouldn't fit correctly due to the rear of the cage. i removed the rear hoop and rear spreader bars and started mocking up new rear bars. i think it looks better and the top should fit now.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2017
    JHot, jpflat2a and 47v6 like this.
  13. May 10, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i replaced the oil pump gasket and tried repriming the pump with a priming tool but it wont build pressure. looks like i need to take it apart again and pack it with vaseline and try again. i got a little more done on the cage, i coped the rear bars and got them welded into place and welded on a cb antenna mount. i also made some progress on the spare tire carrier.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2017
    47v6 and 75 DJ like this.
  14. May 12, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    i packed the oil pump with vaseline and put in a new gasket and got it to build pressure almost immediately. by putting the original spring it the pump the oil pressure at start up was about 55psi instead of 70psi at idle and once warmed up the pressure dropped to 45psi. hopefully thats more in the normal psi range and the gasket holds up better.

    i got the tire carrier mounting brackets bolted up to the rear crossmember and temporarily mounted the carrier and tire to see how it will look. im planning on mounting the hilift behind the tire horizontally along the top of the tailgate and im thinking about what would be a good spot for a jerry can mount.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2017
    47v6 likes this.
  15. May 14, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    this morning i made a bracket for a third brake light. it will bolt to the two top wheel studs after the lug nuts are tightened.
    [​IMG]

    i also finished welding and painted the rollcage. some of the original welds i did with my old 110v mig were kind of cold and didnt look that good so i ground the old welds out and tig welded them.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2017
    johneyboy03 likes this.
  16. May 14, 2017
    ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Liberty Lake, WA
    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2015
    Messages:
    6,656
    Like. (y)
     
    supertrooper likes this.
  17. May 23, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    I finished the tire carrier and the third brake light wiring then installed it for the last time. Im using the tailgate chain/latch bracket to attach to top of the carrier. I used some poly swaybar link bushings i had laying around so its not solid mounted to the body. Ill probably make a bracket to reinforce the tailgate bracket. The hi lift jack is mounted on the back of the carrier horizontally just above the tailgate kinda like the old jack mount i made. I looked into getting the jeep registered and taken off non-op status. The registration period starts on may 28th and the dmv would want almost $200. If i wait till after the 28th its only $91 so im waiting another week to get it street legal.

    Tonight i was trying to find the source of the excessive play in the steering. Looks like the reman steering gear box input shaft wasn't adjusted properly from the factory. Unfortunately i couldn't get to the adjuster with the box installed so i had to remove it. I readjusted the input shaft but ran out of time to reinstall it tonight.
     
  18. May 23, 2017
    Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    WA
    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2014
    Messages:
    7,540
    We won't hold you to this. ;)

    What's one more week... Right? :mad:
     
  19. May 23, 2017
    erhuff

    erhuff Western MA

    Western MA
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2011
    Messages:
    190
    The Jeep is looking awesome!

    When you have a chance, can you snap some pics of the latch you made for the tire carrier. I am curious how you used the sway bar bushings.
     
  20. May 23, 2017
    supertrooper

    supertrooper Member

    moreno valley, ca
    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2007
    Messages:
    742
    I know,i know. i have done everything on the jeep two or three times but Im actually happy with the way it turned out for once.
     
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