58 Willy's CJ5 Questions

Don't get me wrong here either guys I highly appreciate even just getting responses here. I just got to a point where looking everything over and search overloading I had too many questions and not enough answers, admittedly getting a head of myself without even officially starting this project. So I do appreciate the reality check of it and will keep everyone posted with how I feel about safety and horsepower and such when I actually get there. Right now I think wiring is number one, now the wiring isn't all bad but isn't all good either do you think figuring out this short and tracing all the wires and making a diagram is best or maybe starting from scratch? And just an update while trying to find this short I found my wire from fuel tank sending unit has been severed it's just kind of sitting in the frame atm. Now I'm sure this is why my gas guage isn't working but could it be related to the short as well?

 

If the severed wire had a bare end touching metal, yeah, that could blow a fuse. As it should.

Take your index finger, place it on that wire. Now follow it back and see if it's the same one the blown fuse is feeding. Easy-peasy. Or -take a test lamp or voltmeter, and see if the cut end of the wire is live with the fuse in, and dead with the fuse out. If so, that's your short.

If not, you still need to find the short on the fused circuit, but in any case you will already have solved one problem.

The valve cover gasket is hardly worth messing with, but before you pull the cover, you could check and see if its just one of the rubber donuts on top, that seal the two studs there.

Very few of us have perfect jeeps. Mine have 'problems' I ignore year after year, I just keep enjoying and driving, and nothing much bad happens.

Usually.

 

Good advice from Pete regarding the short.

Regarding replacing the wiring -

Ok, _if_ you started from scratch, you could either buy a reproduction (repop) factory harness and install that, or you could buy a hot rod harness and use that. The main issue I see with the factory style harness is the fiberglass body. The factory harness expects a ground return through the body, and you would have to wire up a ground to every location that expects a connection to the body. Plus, the factory harness is very simple (2 or 3 inline fuses, and a circuit breaker for the lights, IIRC) and will have to be modified to work with any non-factory switches, lights, etc.

This is the type of hot rod harness you might buy - EZ Wiring E-Store - EZ Wiring Harness Kits - as an example. You'd need to run and bundle the wires, and terminate all the circuits at the devices. There is still quite a lot of figuring out to do with a harness like this.

If it were me, I would just start fixing each function, and tidying the wiring. Keeping some notes will be very valuable in the future, and will help you to keep track of what you are doing. Generally you need a wiring diagram to start from. Since you don't have that, I suggested that you use the existing wiring to generate a diagram. Once you have a diagram, if the problem is not obvious, you will have something to show us so we can help.

Sorry - there's just no easy option here, as I see it.

 

I tend more to replacing one wire at a time. Easier for my weak mind.

But I replace it right, so I'll never have to mess with that one again.

 

So quick question on fluids, I seen something about oil additive and gas additives for the f134 or using diesel oil for it and something about the regular gas isn't low enough octane. Can someone enlighten me on this? Gonna work on some of this and the wiring this weekend.

 

F-head will burn any fuel that says "gasoline" on the pump. But not diesel.

Some folks have used Lead Substitute additive, but it's not required.
A lot of us think modern ethanol fuels can cause contamination issues and we add a little "Seafoam" to the gas, or something similar, to keep things clean.

As to oils, it has been noted that older "flat tappet" engines were designed to have an amount of zinc in the oil that modern oils no longer provide.
ZDDP additive can be used, or some will advocate for a special purpose oil such as diesel-rated types.

But overall I'd say don't worry much about it. F-Heads aren't finicky.

 

Okay thanks just wanted to make sure I keep the fhead healthy lol

 

So wiring is about set except for brake lights which I've concluded is the switch any help on swaping in a new switch? Also I've got her up to 55 to my surprise felt very good very little shake or wander. Really have to press down and hold on the brakes tho. Engine runs really good reminds me of my grandpa's tractor lol. I think I'm feeling that underpowered feeling everyone talks about like it's starving for air or to push it out idk it's hard to describe like it wasn't in a bad way.

 

To me, talking about how fast a jeep goes is the same as discussing how much firewood you can haul in a Lamborghini, or the fuel efficiency of a dumptruck.

Different vehicles, different purposes.

IMHO, a Jeep probably didn't feel at all underpowered coming off the ramp of a landing craft, into the surf zone of an invasion beach, under fire.
Enjoy it for what it is. Which ain't nothing.


Unscrew the old switch and screw in the new one. Do it fast and you may not need to bleed the brake lines. But maybe you should anyway.

 

Yes I get it it's not meant to be a speed demon... I was simply trying to state I was surprised how well it did at that speed with steering and overall I didn't expect it to even touch those speeds atleast not without a come to Jesus moment. Overall it performs better then expected and just made some notes on what I experienced.
Where can I find the switch and just for the info can someone tell me how it works?

 

Ahhh. Saw that Jeep on Craigslist a few weeks ago...
Looked solid, sombody cared for that truck

 

Yeah it is I guess the guy my gf got it from said they purchased it specifically to be a snow plow never used it for anything else since he got it

 

I believe on a '58 you should find the brake light switch directly on the end of the master cylinder.

It may look like this, although several different types of terminals are available.

 

Me too.


Now no one has to come back in Time to kill either one of us.