Shop project...

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[Pullstart 59,744]

And if you’re REALLY bored…

 

 

 

[Pullstart 59,744]

I’ve had this car gone quite a while, but I am behind on processing video content…

 

 

[Pullstart 59,744]

I’ve had this Eco Diesel Jeep in the shop.  About ready to get it back together!

 

 

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A little back story on the Jeep before I go get it running.  

 

This is a friend of a friend’s vehicle.  She had just paid it off, when the temperature issues began.  First, a water pump was replaced.  An o-ring was twisted upon install of a crossover tube, and it was leaking when I fixed the hose above and was able to pressure test the system.  There were numerous check engine codes that had been cleared.  Of course, that’ll fix it if the light is off the dash!  The intake was majorly coked up from diesel soot.  I found an intake valve not sealing and was able to use degreaser, elbow grease, brushes, and air to get it sealed.  My best guess, a valve stem was full of enough build up to prevent the valve from seating.  The coolant hose is a common issue, with the Jeep and Ram 3.0 V6 Ecodiesel turbo diesel platform.  It is a 3” chunk of 3/8” ID rubber tubing positioned in the valley, away from any airflow, next to the hot turbo.  Recipe for disaster.  It’s a good 4-6 hour job to get to it.  The fuel rail bolts pretty much need to be chiseled loose as the availability of a stubby torx bit that large is hard to come by.  Most of the engine harness, all the turbo charge hoses, fuel lines, and more need to be removed to get the job done.  By fractions of an inch of interference with the plastic intake manifold.  
 

So, here I am.  This lady was quoted a minimum of $10,000 to fix this car.  She was literally in tears when I told her that was uncalled for and I could likely fix it for $4,000 or less.  She was adamant at paying me $6,200, what she had in savings and so much cheaper than other garages’ quotes.  Her insurance company had it towed here.  I’ve had it long enough and want to get it finished ASAP.  Hopefully I drive it today!

[Pullstart 59,744]

It’s beginning to look like a runner!

 

 

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After repairing the blown hose, here is how I found the bad o-ring from the previous wrench.
 

 

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I found an intake valve so coked up it wouldn’t seal.  Lots of work and energy went into cleaning the intake runners and freeing them from junk buildup.

 

 

 

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The Jeep is gone back to the owner, and she is over the moon that it’s working for no where near $9,800, the cheapest repair quote in her town she received.

 

 

 

 

 

And the whole video wrapped up.

 

 

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It looks like I might be getting more stuff to work on.  Her 100 year old grandfather gave her three buggy frames, engines, transmissions (mostly swing arm, not IRS), and all the parts to build them.  They don’t have the time or knowledge to put the, together or enjoy them, so she would rather give them to me than sell them.  If it all works out (I realize I have limited time here), I’d love him to see the old school hoop buggy run and drive again.  She recalls memories of him giving her rides on it, and he told her he used to take her grandmother to Silver Lake Sand Dunes with it too!

 

The sand rail buggy has never been finish welded or assembled past what it shows.  There’s another sand rail too.

 

 

[ebinmaine 63,214]

10 hours ago, Pullstart said:

 If it all works out (I realize I have limited time here), I’d love him to see the old school hoop buggy run and drive again

 

That'd be a neat one to simply  toss together ONLY enough to make it move slowly and safely just so they could see it "done". 

 

Then modify as seen fit.  

 

 

[Pullstart 59,744]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

That'd be a neat one to simply  toss together ONLY enough to make it move slowly and safely just so they could see it "done". 

 

Then modify as seen fit.  

 

 

Yes. Bare essentials, like it’s original build.  Stock engine, stock car frame.  Easy peasy!

[Pullstart 59,744]

On 2/11/2023 at 2:53 PM, Pullstart said:

The P.O. delivered the car today.  Pro.  When they loaded it in the race car trailer, they broke the driver’s side power mirror.  Con.  
 

Ends up the engine ran out of oil because during the light collision, the oil filter was punctured.  It pumped all the oil right out of it, until it wouldn’t spin no more.  It’s build date is before 11/28/10, which must be a pivotal date for engine types.  There are 20 something possible cars in the u-pick yard to choose from!  

I am so far ahead of schedule!    Jada helped me for a couple hours yesterday, seems she is ready to have some wheels to spin for a while.  She has her Suburban, but this is closer to being a driver and might be more economical than 37” tires for a bit.

[Pullstart 59,744]

For record keeping, I forgot to mention that the old engine was removed, and all that jazz.  The picture above is the new engine from the u-pick.

 

 

[Handy Don 10,634]

You sure do have a project list! Glad that the beneficiary was willing to put in some sweat equity.

Interesting to see the washer fluid reservoir tucked so snugly into that right front fender. What’s in the corresponding place on the left?

[Pullstart 59,744]

On 2/4/2024 at 12:33 PM, Handy Don said:

Interesting to see the washer fluid reservoir tucked so snugly into that right front fender. What’s in the corresponding place on the left?

 

Nothing takes up that space on the driver’s side.  
 

On 2/4/2024 at 12:33 PM, Handy Don said:

Glad that the beneficiary was willing to put in some sweat equity.

She is the interim beneficiary, it’s still my car.  We just decided that if she gets a job, insures it, fills the tank and changes the oil, she can drive it.  Yeah, I said she needs to pay for her own insurance.  Yes, we might be harder on the girls than some parents but Mrs. P and I both had to purchase our own vehicles and maintain them as well and things worked out for us.  The good grace for my kids, is I’ll be in the shop with them to do that maintenance.

[Pullstart 59,744]

Jada has spent three sessions with me in the shop.  Tonight, we got it to a place that we could turn the key and make some noise!  The front bumper, lights, coolant flush, passenger side CV axle and a few other things need attending to before driving it.  It does feel good to hear a u-pick engine start for the first time though!

 

 

[Handy Don 10,634]

3 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

She is the interim beneficiary, it’s still my car.  We just decided that if she gets a job, insures it, fills the tank and changes the oil, she can drive it.  Yeah, I said she needs to pay for her own insurance.  Yes, we might be harder on the girls than some parents but Mrs. P and I both had to purchase our own vehicles and maintain them as well and things worked out for us.

Glad you got it running without major hiccups. Well done!

 

Teaching financial realities in constructive ways? IMHO, you’re doin’ fine. There are different approaches but a well-informed, continuous impact is the only way to assure it gets learned.

In our family, my wife and I owned the cars. It was a privilege to have use of them that was granted/revoked based on displayed responsibility and other well-discussed and understood factors including schoolwork effort, household obligations, and community service. Gas was on the driver. We paid the insurance and maintenance and “total cost of ownership” was a regular topic. No mysteries; no free ride.

[Pullstart 59,744]

It’s not finished, but I drove it slowly out of the shop today!  
 

The CV axle is on order.  The A/C system needs has been vacuumed down and is being checked for leaks.
 

I know @squonk would  and @WHX?? would  for the manifold I use, but 12” of mercury on the gauge is actually the biggest vacuum my machine can pull, and zero is closer to 30” on the gauge.  It works for me.

 

More shop cleaning with the overhead doors open today!

[squonk 38,965]

Your wasting time and doing a customer a disservice only pulling down To 12". Your gauge is reading 12 PSI. You need to pull down all the way for 2 hours minimum when a system is opened for an extensive repair or amount of time. Cut loose and got to Harbor Freight and buy a new pump and keep the oil changed. 

 

This is what happens when you don't remove all the air and moisture

 

 

[Pullstart 59,744]

No, it has a vacuum.  My gauge at rest is at +30.  It’s like the hand of the gauge spun, but it still holds true to a reference.  I’m the customer on this one anyway, it’s a vehicle for my kid to drive.  More than likely it’ll be wrecked long before it gives up the ghost 

[Rick3478 374]

2 hours ago, Pullstart said:

No, it has a vacuum.  My gauge at rest is at +30.  It’s like the hand of the gauge spun, but it still holds true to a reference.  I’m the customer on this one anyway, it’s a vehicle for my kid to drive.  More than likely it’ll be wrecked long before it gives up the ghost 

That gauge may be calibratable, the factory did it, right?.  Does the cover unscrew?  And if so, see that hole where you can look through to the mechanicals inside the gauge?  Look close through there and see if there is a small screw, nut, or spanner.

 

[squonk 38,965]

30" of mercury is around 25,000 microns. Getting to 30" is the easy part. You need to be as close to 500 microns or lower as you can get. The compressor seal on mobile HVAC will not allow you to ever achieve it so the amount of time the pump runs is just as important as getting being able to 30" in the first place. You need all of the air and moisture out. Moisture gets trapped in the compressor oil and you have to boil it all out. This takes time. Not changing the receiver drier doesn't help either. I made quite a bit of extra cash years ago fixing other shops cars because they ran ithe vacuum pump to 30" and called it good. Buy a new manifold..

Edited February 10 by squonk

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