Ok. Transmission update:

I mentioned earlier that on of the vertical rods on the transmission linkage wasn't in the guide. it's the throttle valve linkage (I circled where it wasn't connected in the diagram below), so it would move, but not actually turn the throttle valve lever. I took out the bolts on the bracket, put the rod back in the hole, and started to test.



Right off the bat, I noticed the shift lever on the column was more firm and actually lined up with the letters / numbers on the steering column indicator. I took off down the road, and it shift from 1st, to 2nd, to 3rd! Woot Woot! I was pretty excited. It hadn't hit 3rd yet, so this was a step in the right direction. I got a little cocky and decided to drive it up to the gas station to fill it up with fuel. A little over halfway there, it started slipping really bad, then wouldn't engage. I turned it off, let it sit for awhile, then it would engage, go for a bit, then start slipping and eventually stop again.

Since it has ran, I checked the fluid with the car running while in neutral on level ground. STILL shows full (even though it keeps acting like it's low on fluid). My next step (for this weekend's project), is to drop the pan, change the filter, and adjust the bands (both front and rear). We'll see if that gets her going.

I gotta say, though... it was quite the thrill cruising down the road in my $600 FSJ. LOL. I can see daylight! It's really fun to be learning new things while working on this rig. Thank you to everyone who has been so helpful. Steve (OlneyJeeps) has been super helpful, calling every couple of days with advice.



Oh, and yes, this going to happen soon.:

Great plate!
This thread is movin!

Great news! That's awesome.

She got her belly washed today in prep for tomorrow's transmission work...

This thing gets sexier every time I see it

Ok... even I know this isn't right. LOL.




Update: Yep. It’s the tube from the pump to the throttle body. Good times. Jerry Sparks (Sun Transmissions / Sparks Pro Racing Transmissions) came over to look at it today. In looking at it, there are a couple of other wonky things going on in there (it looks like someone had it apart and didn't put it together correctly), so it's time for a rebuild. I was hoping it was all just adjustments and such, but I did plan / budget for transmission work on this one, especially since the original purchase price was so low. :-)

There was a lot of clutch material and some other shavings in the pan... I'm going to err on the side of caution and just rebuild it (especially since a retainer bolt is missing on one of the flap things back by the rear adjuster... it just swings freely and it shouldn't. No telling what was or was not put back incorrectly when the last guy had it apart.

Good job Alan. Awesome you got it running. It is a thrill to run it for the first time.

Not much to update as I've been out of town so much and the transmission isn't getting done until September.

HOWEVER, I do have two questions for you guys. Part 1: Am I stupid for thinking about something like this? Part 2: Which option do you prefer (or do you have another option you want to share)?

Basically, I want to improve my light situation for night time desert, however, in wanting to keep as much of the "stock" look as possible, I don't want to do a light bar full time. I thought about making a quick disconnect light bar mount for the front bumper (between the push bars) that i could remove, but that seemed like a lot of hassle to keep putting the light bar on and off the car each time (plus, I'm not crazy about the look). What I do have, however, are two of the Rigid Duallys (which throw a TON of light...) that are much less obtrusive.

I plan to wire whatever I want to use to the high beam switch (which is a button / peg on the floor! How cool is that!) so that they only come on with high beams and I don't have any additional switches in the cab of the FSJ.

Anyway, here were some ideas for light placement. It's fairly easy to get a grill for these, so I would pull the original grill and cut up a secondary grill for light installation.

Here is the grill as it stands:




Option 1: Embed in the grill like the headlights and make it look like a part of the factory lights.




Option 2: Embed in the grill, but move up higher for better visibility when they are on.




Option 3: Mount under the grill. Least obtrusive, but also reduces the effectiveness of the lights a little bit.




Option 4: Mount into the lower body like the running light. Obviously this requires cutting into the body, so I'm not a big fan, but I could do it in a way so that they look like factory fog lights... I have concerns about the effectiveness of the light being this low and partially obstructed by the bumper, however.




Option 5: (not pictured) Just mount them on the bumper or go back to my original idea of mounting a light bar between the push bumps and remove it when not in use.

Option 6: None of the above. Keep thinking, dude.


Your thoughts?

Go with Light Effectiveness.
IMHO #1 looks the best of the modifying options.

But Alan, have you thought of how hard it will be to bring this thing back to stock to resell?

Just run a light bar somewhere. All the way between the bumps? If it's removable, great. Light Effectiveness and no cutting.

Skatchkins wrote:Go with Light Effectiveness.
IMHO #1 looks the best of the modifying options.

But Alan, have you thought of how hard it will be to bring this thing back to stock to resell?

Just run a light bar somewhere. All the way between the bumps? If it's removable, great. Light Effectiveness and no cutting.

Of course I've thought about it, Mike. That's why I would buy a 2nd grill to cut, so when it's time to take it back to stock to resell I can put the original grill back on. ..l.. <3

Light bar, then, huh. Let me see what I can do. I sold / gave Jimmy the light bar that would work perfectly there, so I need to scrounge up another one. All I have are the dually's right now.

I like #2 the best. I think a light bar would look funny if that's all you plan on putting up there..

Light bar on a big ass roof rack?

a roof rack would look pretty cool.... you know, for all your camera gear.

You can both chut it...

Of course, with my history of roof racks, Lucy may actually get to go wheeling again. ;-)

Now, if I did a roof rack, I would have to get one of the big, Baja, light protectors kind with the round KC headlights (like Dana's original light hoop on the red Jeep).







(with Lucy on top, of course... and maybe a snorkel.)

No.

I want this to be clean, not cluttered. LOL. No roof rack. Subtle lights.

Ok, minor update, but there has been progress.

I dropped the Wagoneer off at Sun Transmission last week. (funny, side note: I called them today to see what they found and they said "yeah, it's won't shift and hold a gear"... um... yeah... um, that's why I dropped it off to you and also showed you the photos of when we had it apart. Can you fix it, please? They are fixing it now. Grrrrr.)

I have also secured a set of 5 33x12.5x15 BFG's.

I have also ordered the 4" lift kit from BJ's.

Ideally, all of these things coincide and we have a wrecking day in December. I'm working with Geoff for paint, so once the mechanical is handled, it will go to paint.

I also sourced a great, low(er) cost means of replacing the molding on the wood trim, so by reducing my restoration cost there, I can put more into the engine.

Pretty stoked.

Any update on the roofrack?

fatbob309 wrote:Any update on the roofrack?

We are working on custom designs right now... we are trying really hard to incorporate both light bars and KC headlights to get the maximum amount of stuff up there with the roof tent.

alanzona wrote:We are working on custom designs right now... we are trying really hard to incorporate both light bars and KC headlights to get the maximum amount of stuff up there with the roof tent.

Have Lost Industries build you one out of aluminum, then build a cantilever system for the light bar so you can fold them down or back when driving.. you know, for better gas mileage.