Jeff Balazs

Might be worth examining the thermostat. Could have some debris in it. Jeff

Also.....Are the metal lines original? or have they been replaced as well? Just trying to get a clear picture of the conditions. Jeff

You say the M/C is new.....did the problem begin after replacing this item? Jeff

No problem.......us 3/4 ton owners got to stick together. I did do my brake conversion and it was not too hard. There are a few fussy aspects but all and all nothing too bad. I have to say it was totally worth the cost and extra effort. Having reliable modern brakes is a very good thing. Jeff

Roland; Yep. Some of the Grand Cherokees used the 5 x 5 lug pattern. I was exploring this option when I determined I could gain rear disc's as well as a different ratio. I would think that finding a few wheels would be easier than some of the other options. Don't think the 1 ton axle is going to work for you. Jeff

I agree sounds like a swap in. You could try posting a few photos of it. Someone here can probably identify it or at least get you pointed in the right direction. Depending on what you are after and what wheels you want to run you are probably going to have to make some decisions. In my case as an example I wanted to retain the stock wheels including the spare so that drove some of my decision making. There are several things to consider. Rear axle ratio.....rear brakes....wheel compatibility...tire size etc. Jeff

It is not tight but I ended up putting a Cherokee rear axle with disc brakes on it. Fitting the larger 5/8" lugs to it was fun......... Jeff

I am lichen it! Very nice. Jeff

Ooooh....ya.the P-word always gets a reaction.

Here I was thinking you left it that way just to get a rise........

Interesting. Should be 9/16" all around. Just a guess....there really isn't a direct replacement stud available.....so maybe a PO pressed in something with the right size shoulder but a smaller diameter lug. I ended up with 5/8" studs on my B-3-C due to this. Jeff

Yes the canisters that use the "sock type" element are definitely plumbed this way. They also have an internal pressure relief valve that needs to be in working order if the element clogs up. Jeff

Certainly check all battery connections. Prove out ignition using a spark plug tester. My guess is ignition is ok......but it is possible that the timing may be a little off. What is your starting procedure? Try pumping the pedal once with a small amount of choke and 1/4 throttle. Once it starts push the choke in and let it idle high a couple of minutes. Also have you tried hooking up a vacuum gauge to get an idea of how this engine is running? Hth, Jeff

On my truck the oil pressure line to the dash gauge uses that connection point. Hth, Jeff

Paul; Yes but did you actually learn anything? Modern EFI systems are very complex......with lots of wiring,sensors and computer input. A lot of these work in conjunction with variable valve timing and lift etc. Also they utilize a very effective combustion chamber design. Pretty much the exact opposite of a Carter B & B on a L6

Well it sure would be interesting to know if adding a dampener assembly made any noticeable difference on your truck. I have not really felt this in my truck.......but then my 3/4 ton has a fluid drive and might behave a bit differently as it is probably quite a bit longer and heavier than yours. Jeff

To begin this you need to understand that a purpose built EFI equipped engine will never have a swap in carburator as an option. You should read up on how a EFI system works....that should answer your question.

Way too tall in my opinion. Find a 3.73 they made lots of Cherokees with that ratio. Jeff

The clutch is not the same. Since you have it all apart I would go with the non FD components. One thing that doesn't come up about FD's is the fact that all that extra weight had an effect on how the rear main bearing held up. There is a special replacement bearing but they are a bit hard to find. Jeff

Mark; I am not a huge fan of rat-rods either......but I think that can be an appropriate treatment if one starts off with next to nothing. Say just a very beaten up cab and doors. I personally would much rather see a pile of rusty bits made into something useful than to see a relatively complete truck cut up and made into a frankenstein. Years ago I built a vintage brit bike out of parts I obtained from many different sources. What got me started was an old engine that was sitting in someones attic for decades. I got it cleaned up and built the rest of the bike around it. The parts I used came from several different models and years. As I got started on this I joined the owners club over in the UK and got to know the president of said owners club. If you know anything about these clubs you will know that they are major sticklers for authenticity. When he found out about what I was doing he wrote an article for the clubs monthly magazine. In it he described a crazy yank who was building this bitsa and had started with hardly more than an oil spot on the floor. A bitsa is a sort of derogatory term used to describe a bike built with bits and pieces and therefore not as original. From that day on I called my bike the "Oil spot"......and did not worry who liked it and who didn't. When I got it finished it ran like a champ....and it still does. That is all that really matters. Jeff

Paul; If we apply Marks way of thinking should your truck be described as a Resto-roast? sorry just had to go there........ Been thinking some more about this since yesterday. When we get into breathing life back into something that has sat idle for many years we are faced with making many decisions. Do we do a straight restoration? or do we modify to suit our own current day requirements? This is a tough one for a lot of us.......and a decision that needs to be made carefully. In the case of these trucks staying bone stock there are some different ramifications than applies on the car side. I won't get into all of it here but staying bone stock just in the gearing department effectively limits how most of us could potentially use their truck. And when we start looking at modifications how far do we take things? Some are simple and easily reversed. Other mods not so much. I do think there is a point that one could easily go past where our subject truck would bear little resemblance to what they started life as. Is any of this right or wrong? I myself am not absolutely certain. I guess I just feel good to see it as a useful thing again and don't really care what the judges think.. I do know that when another one of these trucks comes back from the dead......in whatever format...it is a very big deal and we should celebrate with the builder. Jeff

Since when did everything we do require judgement ? IMO It is much better to have built something truly useful than to worry about ribbons and trophies.

I wouldn't worry too much about the terminology thing. Some people (Mark) get fixated on stuff like that but in the end it doesn't matter. What matters is you have put another one of these trucks back on the road. You done a great thing and I hope you really get to enjoy it. And the more usable it is the better. Jeff

Externally they are the same. Just a slightly different stroke and a few more ponies for the 230. Otherwise most everything is interchangeable. I have never owned one until I got this truck a few years ago. It has been rock solid reliable but it is definitely not a hot rod. IMO you would have to spend quite a bit of money to get any serious power out of one of these engines. Bolt-on stuff by itself is not really going to get you there. For now I will settle for reliable and just enjoy the truck for what it is. Jeff

Hey what can I say........I just hung out with a lot of old school people And I had an Uncle who swore by link belts.....and swore at everything else. Bottom line is you actually can eliminate a lot of vibration using them. A lot of conventional belts are not made all that well and will cause vibration right out of the box. This is probably harder to notice in an automotive application than on stationary equipment....but trust me it still applies. Jeff