Started My ECJ5 Build

ARB switches in place, wired and the compressor and locker engages.
While an exhaust in in place, it won't stay that way for long, will have a system custom bent and put in place once the tranny mount and skid plate is completed.
Picked up my pusher fan for the radiator plus the thermo controls for it from Summit, along with a 5" AEM air filter and tube to connect to the throttle body.


Went fishing with the little one today, he hit three small Walleye, and I brought home one that was 18".

 

Finished up the transmission cross member, it'll be sturdy, but hangs lower than what I was looking for though, or it just may be the way I'm looking at it. The nice part is that I can create a large belly pan that will cover the area from the engine oil pan to behind the transfer case, so I can make one big flat skid plate.

I need to change the yokes on the D300 to the CV flanges, and then measure up for driveshafts.

got the pusher fan and controller mounted. I want to make a guard that goes from the top of the grill to the top of the radiator so fingers, and tools and such don't become launch from the fan.

 

:uwop:

 

OK OK,. let me get the cross member in place, and clean up the under dash wiring, and i'll snap some more pics. Getting stoked. Should be rocking and rolling on the road shortly.

Didya see page 26????

 

OK, got a lot of little items checked off the list. There are only a few left to get it actually on the road.

Install seats - to be put in by Friday
Driveshafts cut to length - to go to shop on Friday
Adding the brake light switch onto the hanging pedals - not sure, I need some pieces parts

And then she should be road worthy. Sure, lots of additional finishing touches to do, but I got the gas pedal in, the radio is in, but need to finish wiring that and putting in speakers, curing the issue with the tail lights, and a mess of stuff. I will post some pics shortly.

 

Brake light switch in place, brake lights work. Measurements for driveshafts are 13.5" for rear and 28.5" for front. Driveline place is only open on weekdays, need to take a day off to drop them off. I'm itching with excitement. Worked on the wiring clean up and added TJ speaker pods to front hoop. Need to wire the speakers and radio and overhead lights with switches to turn the lights on and off. Getting sidetracked by the little bits. Real darn antsy to drive it though.

Got new tires for my Commander and had to redo the front brakes on that, calipers, rotors and pads.

 

Very curious about the dash you used, How does it affect your leg room?

 

The dash is not an issue with leg room as it takes up about as much space as the stock one does, it basically bolts into the same holes/place where the original did. Leg room is impact by the YJ hanging pedals and the way the CJ5 floor plan is shaped. My pedals stick up a lot higher. The other nice benefit is the YJ steering wheel is a lot smaller, and for those of us that are rounder in the midsection, the black stripes on the shirt marks is not an issue any longer.

If I was to do this again, I'd do one or two things different.
1) Replace the CJ5 floor and firewall with a YJ floor and firewall. Everything would have just been plain easier, way way way, way, way easier.
2) Use XJ hanging pedals, but that only cures one item.


Item 1, is what I would look at doing with a Willys wagon or Willys PU truck conversion / retro mod / updated abomination, although I'd use a TJ as a donor rig, preferably and LJ with a Willys wagon.

 

Got the seats in. Finally sat down to see how everything feels. I need to move the accelerator pedal, it needs to be deeper back.
I dropped off the driveshafts today, they should be done by Tuesday, I'll pick them up mid week.
Put the front fenders on, and I hate them, gonna make some tube fenders, but I'm gonna put it on the road like it is, I hate not driving it. I can fix them later.
Replaced the lower radiator hose, and cobbled some stuff together, not happy with that either, I need a better solution, thinking i'll find an exhaust shop to make me some bent tube, and use rubber ends for connections, or get one of them fancy spiral jobs form Summit.

Anyways, I plan to hit some tarmac next Saturday or Sunday, depending on when I renew my plates.

Nearly done, never really done..... Pics tomorrow, I promise.

 

OK, pics took one day longer.....

Engine pic, with air filter, radiator overflow, but need the hose to it, and my nifty little tool tray / fan blade cover between the grill and radiator.



hi-lift jack mount, some folks don't like em on the hood or cowel, but hey, its out of the way, and fenders on.





Seats in.


Shifters with boot, and floor cover




Dash basically done, or as done as its gona get.



forgot pics of the speakers pods on the front hoop above the visors.

 

Tire carrier with spare mounted. (look back on p27 for other new pics)



And from this view you get the sense of the over sized fuel tank I made that needs to be replaced with a new smaller unit to better clear leaf spring movement....... DOH, that's what I get for tyring to maximized fuel storage amounts...........

 

Ever feel like You are Charlie Brown, and your Jeep is Lucy and she's always snatching that ball away at the last minute.



So, I pick up the driveshafts, install them, install the floor board, and gas pedal. Sit down, start it, shift into first, and it goes, shift into reverse and it goes. Turn it off, clear out the front of the barn to run it up and down the driveway, get back it, and mother of pearl, she cranks, but does not fire. I am not getting any fuel pressure, check the fuse, switch out the relay, sprayed some starter fluid down the throttle body, and she still don't fire. I hear the pump click on, but am getting to fuel pressure in the fuel rail..... Yeah,

So did the fuel pump quit....

I'm a little disgruntled to say the least. Charging the battery and taking the rest of the night off. Kicked, kicked real hard, right in the groin.

 

Man, that sucks. I know the feeling. It took me almost two months to sort out my fuel injection woes when I figured I'd just start it up and go. Hang in there, it will end up being something simple.

 

Its a fuel delivery issue. It looks like the pump is coming on, but not creating enough pressure in the line. I'm going over the wiring, to see if that may be an issue, if not, I'll replace the fuel pump.

Still got the kicked in the groin feeling.

 

I have an inline pressure gauge for the fuel that came with the FI setup. It doesn't tell what's wrong, just if somethings wrong.

 

I played around a bit today, wired the fuel pump directly, and I get fuel pressure at the rail, but its not firing....

So, I did something else, I finished the speaker pod installation with interior lights, and ran switches to the lights, wired the speakers and got that accomplished. Thinking of going fishing in the AM and taking a rest to let it stew. It has to be something very simple that I'm missing.

 

Ok, did some more searching. Replaced the rotor, cap, coil and distributor wires. I pulled the seats, and looked underneath at the wiring to the column, and everything else looking for anything loose or disconnected, pulled the fenders back off and went over the wiring there. Cleaned the CPS sensor, went over everything again, and still no change. The engine cranks, but it appears there is no spark / ignition. I'm gonna borrow someones timing gun to verify spark coming out of the coil and distributor. I'm at a bit of a loss, and frustrated.

Replaced the fuel pump, and yes, there is about 2/3 of fuel in the fuel tank. I do get pressure at the fuel rail, but some some darn reason she ain't firing. Prior to this, it did run, but it was a bit hard to start, it took a bit for it to fire. Any ideas (remember this is a '92 Wrangler 2.5 ltr drivetrain in this thing).

Thanks

 

OK, so I pulled the fender, and seats. Went over every electrical connection, as I sated above, I replaced the fuel pump, coil, distributor cap, rotor and plug wires. The went over stuff again, looked at potential loose connections, failed connections, and cleaned up grounds. All to no avail.

I then dug in my box of increasing spare parts, pulled out a spare CPS, and exchanged it. Turned the key and in a second she sprung to life.


So, from starting in December of 2009, till now, she's basically road worthy, the second time, 4 years, 8 months in the making, over 33,000 views to the build thread, couldn't have done a lot of this without all you folks' help and inspiration, thanks.


'68 CJ5, with '92 YJ 2.5 fuel injected motor, AX5, five speed transmission, Dana 300 transfer case, twin D44's both with disc brakes Detroit in rear, ARB up front, 4.56 gears, and Warn full floater in the rear axle, power steering, power brakes, YJ steering column, YJ dash and YJ full electrical harness, Bellview winch, and Meyer Hard top, full cage, and YJ windshield. Quite a combination of parts, and will be a cool little Jeep for me to play with.

Re installed the seats, drove it up and down the driveway, and washed it off. Feels good, real good.

TJ speaker pods with switched interior lights:



Front carpet installed:




I didn't take it on the road yet, need to update my plates, and install the fenders:



and I washed her

 

Way to go, man! It's about time!

 

Hey , Very Nice.........Looks real Good with the later parts!