1998 Cherokee 4.0 Ltd - Project

[Fourpot]

I'd wrongly said 'AX-15' auto box on the post above.  It's an AW-4. I had an AX15 on my 2.5 manual XJ....

[Fourpot]

Acquired a nice shiny reconditioned front prop-shaft..  That front is now on the back and my original front that I put on the back is now back on the front....    :icon_e_confused:

[RichBris86]

interesting fix, how does the front drive shaft stand up to the loading you can give a normal rear drive shaft, they are an aweful lot smaller in diameter, and from what I can gather, not really meant for full time use?

 

this is of course based on me sticking my head under my 2.5 manual. are the set ups different for the 4.0 autos?

[Fourpot]

That's what I thought originally, but I've found that the front shaft is actually heavier than the rear one. The UJs are exactly the same too. On Jeeps like the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, they use this type of shaft, or the CV jointed shaft, at both ends as standard (as far as I can make out). It's quite a popular conversion over in the Untied States. 

 

[RichBris86]

Well. Everydays a learning day i guess. I learn what else is wrong with my engine tomorrow lol

[Fourpot]

A small step of a mod today. In the next couple of weeks I'll be fitting some form of 'cold air' intake. Step one was junking the resonator box and fitting an earlier hose... (thanks to 4.0lover for the hose)

 

Now this won't be an 'off the shelf' cold air intake kit, not  for around £300 it won't!  Home made, with the brief that it really must be cold air, or at the most, ambient outside air temperature.  Anyway, that'll be after Crimbo...

[Fourpot]

Since I got this XJ 4.0 in Autumn last year, I have only done a few things from my original list of 'jobs' and 'mods': The 3" lift and fixing the aircon, cruise control and seats and getting it Waxoyled. Plus the Smittybilt bumpers and spotlights.

The reality has been fixing a lot of things; welding, differentials, drive shafts, axle bearings, oil and coolant leaks etc etc.

Today I started one of the bigger jobs that are all 'upgrade' and not 'mending'. I have taken off the inlet and exhaust manifolds ready to put the posh exhaust one one and the 1999 inlet one.

Amazingly, it all came apart easily!  In this order...

1.  Airbox and associated hoses out

2.  Throttle cables disconnected

3.  Power steering pump unbolted (very fiddly!) and set out of the way

4.  Electrical connections off and out of the way

5.  Vacuum hoses off

6.  Throttle body off

6.  Fuel rail off

7.  Injectors out

8.  Undo manifold bolts (surprisingly easy, especially as one was missing altogether) and exhaust flange nuts

9.  Take inlet manifold off

10. Take exhaust manifold off.

 

Then I cleaned the face of the head and vacuumed the whole area to get rid of any dust and bits. 

It was amazing to see the constriction in the exhaust pipe just after the flange joint. The bottom of the manifold is 2.5" diameter, yet it drops down to 2" with a big inward dint in it. In the next few months I'll get a whole new stainless  system, 2.5" all the way back, including sports cat. Should breathe a little better!

Tomorrow, I'll put all the new bits on... fingers crossed it all goes as well as getting the old ones off.

[V]

You should consider changing at least the left engine mount while you have access to it. On a RHD XJ the left mount can be replaced with any aftermarket XJ engine mount. Sadly, the right mount has a smaller foot because of the steering shaft and it either has to be custom made or replaced with an OEM part. In my experience it's mostly the bushing in the left mount that fails in service so upgrading just the left mount is still worth doing. My '93 has over 150,000 miles on the original right mount and about 60,000 miles on a poly bushed after market replacement left mount.

 

 

[RichBris86]

looking forward to how this turns out

[Fourpot]

V, just read your reply... Damn, I've put it all back together today! However, I have a 'spare' engine that I will gradually rebuild and 'tweak', maybe even stroke it out to 4.6/4.7. I'll do the engine mounts then. The current ones are in good nick and there are one or two things I've found that lead me to believe that someone's had the manifolds off this car previously (see below).

[Fourpot]

Today was a mix of achievement and frustration!

Exhaust manifold went on with out much difficulty, secured by the three manifold bolts/nuts that only hold the exhaust, and with not too much heaving and tugging, I got the rest of the exhaust attached to it at the flange.

The 1999 inlet manifold slotted on ok, but it was here that I realized that the steel brace that is the face of the exhaust  manifold is about 2mm thicker than the original, so the thickness of the exhaust manifold face is bigger than the inlet one. This looked like a problem as each of the bolts hold on a bit of exhaust and a bit of inlet (bar the middle one) Luckily the washers are dished, so just they angled themselves to apply pressure equally to both manifolds.

The fiddliest job ever was trying to get the bolts in that are under the inlet manifold, particularly the one second from the back. the front four tubes of the new exhaust slope aft and the back two slope forward, whereas the orginal ones go straight down for a coupld of inches, which means that I couldn't get a socket onto that pesky bolt. in fact it took me and the Mrs (who has small hands) an hour to get it into place, but even now only finger tight. In the end we did it from under the car. This was doubtless a difficult job with the original manifold as this bolt was missing, so I've had to find a spare (and what leads me to think it's all been off previously, as it'd be easy in the factory before the engine went in the car).

So that bolt has yet to be tightened up fully when I lift the car up tomorrow, but I'll never be able to get a torque wrench in there, so it'll be a guess - not so frightening with an iron head.

I've also swapped the EV1 injectors for four-hole EV6 ones. this meant a need for small adaptors as the leads don't fit the EV6s. Unfortunately this makes them taller and number 3 no longer fits under the throttle cable bracket.  :scratch: I've ordered an adaptor that has wires between the different ends, but if that is too long in coming, I'll have to cut a bit off the bracket.

As the various 'taps' into the new manifold are different, other bits that no longer fit are; one (grey) connector to a vacuum sensor - I had to cut into and lengthen the wires, and a vacuum pipe that comes from something next to the aircon cylinder thing that takes moisture out of the coolant (?).  And i need to make a bracket to secure/support the fuel pipe (to the inlet manifold)

As I am fitting a cold air intake system, I will have to re-route one of the hoses that comes out of the rocker cover to the manifold and one that went to the old airbox.

Anyway, far more success than usual on this car, nothing actually broke or sheared!

[V]

Your Jeep is looking good!

 

I am pretty sure that I replaced the manifold bolts with cap head head bolts when I fitted my 'Banks' manifold to solve the access problem for torquing the bolts. I remember having to buy a longer 3/8" drive key specially for the job. 

 

When you upgraded your inlet manifold to the later style did you have any problems with your water pump or power steering pump? I am interested in doing this on my '93 but I seem to remember there being some issue with either or both of these.

 

I am interested in your air filter. Is it a canister filter with a replacement paper element or a K&N cotton gauze style filter?

 

I have two manifolds to change out this year, one on the '93, the other on my 2001. The 2001 has a rams horn style manifold as original equipment and I have a replacement stainless steel performance version from Banks Power that has been sitting in the garage for ten years. I wish I had bought the down-pipe back then because some parts for the 2001 4.0L XJ are unobtainable now, the down-pipe being one of those exhausted parts. I am either going to have to make a two branch down-pipe or convert the Jeep to the earlier style manifold. The rams horn manifold was also fitted to TJ's up to 2006. The down-pipe is still available for TJs so I could sell on my new-but-old $500 manifold.

 

[Fourpot]

Hi V,

Thanks! I've sold the filter.  No problems with water pump or power steering pump. In terms of the manifold alone, the only 'adjustments' were to lengthen the wires to the grey connector on the manifold (a sensor?) and a juggle of the vacuum take-off points, using one off the old manifold. All the other alterations were due to the change of air filter arrangement and the new injectors. That's doing the conversion to a '97 XJ 4.0 Ltd.

I've done all the manifold bolts up now, while I managed to get a spanner on that fiddly bolt, I couldn't get any leverage on it as only my fingertips could get around the end. I used a nylon tie-down strap to pull on it and got it done up nice and tight.

[Fourpot]

Managed to grind enough out of the throttle cable bracket to get that 3rd injector connected and then the lead extension arrived in the post, so I put that on anyway. Made a bracket for the Ramair air filter and tapped in the rocker cover breather. One more hose to work out, but it’s the vacuum for the cruise control and aircon, so that can wait, just blocked it at each end of the gap for now.

Fired up first go and seems to run smoother than before, though I've no idea how good the original injectors were.

Got all the manifold bolts done up so took it for a road test. Seems to be 'freer' than before. I'm not expecting any great power increase at this stage, but I'm going up to the top end of Cumbria next week (about 350 mile round trip, mostly motorway), so I'll have a good idea of any improvement in economy.

The restriction in the exhaust is still there below the manifold and with the stock cat and silencer. New system needed soon! The original exhaust doesn't fit well at all, it's hard up against the transfer case support and the rear leaf spring and causes a drone at certain revs. The loop over the rear axle is about 4 inches too far to the rear too. The new manifold is spot on for how it fits at the bottom, so that hasn't made anything worse (or better). I'm going to get a custom system made to fit perfectly and with 2.5 inches diameter all the way.

[Fourpot]

V - just realised you meant the filter I have put on, not the K+N panel filter I had in the original airbox that I had for sale.

 

The new item is a Ramair Universal Enclosed Cold Air Kit. It's a foam type filter element inside. Not quite as durable as a quality cotton gauze one, but A LOT cheaper and breathes just as well.

[Fourpot]

Got a few little jobs done today; replaced the broken door check on the driver's door, fixed the passenger window switch (the pax window only operated from the driver's side) and wired in the auxilliary front lights and fog lights. The fog lights don't work, which means they never have while I've had the car, as all I had to do was plug them back in, they used to be in the original 'Ltd' bumpers. Job for tomorrow to trace the fault. I also replaced the relay for the rear demister and took out the transfer case drop that I put in some months ago.

A few more jobs tomorrow and then I'm taking the car to Leek to get measured up for a whole new custom exhaust, to be fitted the week after..    :icon_e_smile:

[Fourpot]

Properly fitted the new door speakers I had from eldest daughter for Christmas - the driver's side was knackered.  Not quite a spot-on fit, so I made some mounting plates.  The sound is now very good, time for some good ole' rockabilly!

[Fourpot]

Went up to Silver Systems (PowerFlow) in Leek to get exhaust made.  A real headache to get a 2.5 inch bore pipe between the engine and the front propshaft. Had to drop down to 2.25 at that bit. Test run on some rough roads and over a few speed bumps had the prop hitting the pipe, so another go at the arrangement on Wednesday. 

I'll post pics when it's all good, but for now, the sound is AAAWWWESOME! As any biker will tell you, 'loud pipes save lives'.  I got wet driving in the rain with the window down!

[stewart]

Looking good Glyn great posts keep them coming it's fantastic to follow  your project!  :great:

[Fourpot]

Thanks Stewart, plenty more to come....  :icon_eek:

[stewart]

Thanks Stewart, plenty more to come....  :icon_eek:

 

Great  :great:

[Fourpot]

Powerflow exhaust all done (by Silver Systems of Leek).  The downpipe is nealry all 2.5" with just a short section at 2.25" at the top (with the state of tune of my XJ, this is fine -  If I ever do a stroker, I'll spend a little more on a full 2.5" downpipe, probably going to MSL in Birmingham who did a superb job on my Merc).

The pipe now runs in a more sweeping way under the front of the gearbox and while this slightly reduces clearance under it, it cuts one bend out of the route.  The cat is now ahead of the TC support cross-member so the box can be forward enough to allow the side exit pipe.  I had to put a long bolt down through the floor (where the original heat shield, that seems to have disappeared, was bolted) to add a mounting point and I have yet to add some more aluminium heat-reflection tape to the transmission cooler lines and some heat shield above the box

The noise from the straight-through system just makes me giggle!

[Fourpot]

Well, after over a year of pontificating and mulling over different solutions, I finally got my hands on a RHD adjustable track-bar.  I bought one in from the USA, from Rocky Road Outfitters. It's not a big beefy heavy duty thing, but looks fine for what I want and is the same thickness as the stock one. They have some really bad reviews on various fora, but also some ok and good ones and as I couldn't find on eanywhere else (no news yet from Jeepey on their UK made ones) I decided to take the plunge. Anyway, it arrived within a month (a month which had Christmas in it). The downside was that the adjustable end was missing!  They are shipped with the end off to keep the box smaller, but it should have been in the box. They were most apologetic and gave me the part number to source one in the UK (it's a tie-rod end used on loads of cars/vans) and promised to refund me the cost (to save time and more import duty).

That arrived and now it's on the car. The whole front end veritably breathed a big sigh of relief when I disconnected the original bar, as if it had spent a year wearing a badly fitting corset. The loud twang when I pulled the bolt out of the axle end, could be heard in the next town! (I couldn't shift the chassis end at all.)

The adjustable rod gave me the extra 2 or so cm it needed.

Haven't tried it on the road yet, as I've got the diff and axle shafts out for a refurb and some adjustable upper control arms to go on first.

[Fourpot]

Bit more done today.

I've had some adjustable upper control arms sitting on a bench for over a year, so now that I've got the front axle and diff apart, I've finally got around to fitting them. My castor angle was in excess of  9 degrees and whilst this wasn't causing me any tangible steering issues, it's more than it should be and I wanted to improve the pinion angle, which wasn't giving me any tangible problems either but anyway..

It proved reasonably easy to get the old ones off, the nuts and bolts all came off quite easily and the old arms dropped out.  Now, when removing these arms to replace with stock ones, or ones of the same length, or to replace bushes, popular wisdom says do one at a time so the axle doesn't move. However, as I'd adjusted the new ones to be a bit longer, I couldn't do that, so they both had to come off at the same time.

Some sweating with ratchet straps was required, together with lifiting the car on the chassis a bit, to get the bolt holes lined up. For once this was a relatively expletive-free process!

I had to drop the adjustable track bar (that I put on only the other day) in order to relax the suspension as much as possible and when I put it back on again I needed to add two turns worth of length. amazing how a small change can have a knock on effect all the way down the line.

I'm also finding that one of the drawbacks of this kind of front suspension set-up is that when I lift and lower the car a few times using the two-post lift under the chassis, the front end 'walks' sideways. I've had to get a wheeled jack under the axle and drag it back!

 

Then finally today, I fitted the new bearings to the diff carrier and pinion..

[Fourpot]

Bit by bit...

 

Pinion and carrier back in and treated the front axle to a pair of those fancy outer tube seals.

I need to start downing those protein shakes and pumping some iron.... 210 ft lbs (on the pinion nut) is hard work! Luckily the shims were right at the first go., as:

a) that pinion nut is a b*tch and

b) like a dimwit, I'd put the pinion seal in before tightening the nut up to the correct torque (no crush sleeve here so if there's play, or the torque - a few inch lbs - needed to rotate the pinion is not right, the front bearing race has to come back out for removal or addition of shims). If' I'd needed to alter the shimming, I'd have wasted a seal.

Painted the front diff cover too in white enamel like I did the rear diff cover, which is still clean and shiny after many months on the road...