Xtra Jeep Build Thread

jeepinmatt said:
Well that escalated quickly…
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Also made a parts run at @xjay’s shop and got a few things I needed. View attachment 413444

Only difference between ABS and non-ABS proportioning valve is the port at the back.
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And now every line has a home :D
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So an ABS xj has 3 lines coming out the proportioning valve not just two. Interesting.
 
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ghost said:
So an ABS xj has 3 lines coming out the proportioning valve not just two. Interesting.
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Jody Treadway said:
supply and return for the ABS pump
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Incorrect. The ABS one is actually simpler and has less ports.

Non-ABS Prop valve has 5 ports, 2 inlets (on top) from the master cylinder, and 3 outlets (on bottom). The front one is for the rear line that runs along the frame and then tees at the rear axle. The bottom rear outlet on the prop valve is to the passenger front caliper, and the rear outlet is for the driver front caliper.

ABS Prop valve has 4 ports, 2 inlets (on top) from the master cylinder, and 2 outlets (on bottom) feeding the ABS contraption. One for the fronts, one for the rears. The split for the fronts occurs in the ABS contraption, and it has 3 lines coming out (1 rear, and 1 for each front).
 
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So I definitely plan to replace the heater core. The netterwebz says to also replace the AC evaporator core while I'm in there, but I'm debating which is better:
A 25 year old OEM quality part with no apparent issues?
Or a brand new chinese part that may be perfectly fine or DOA?
 
I always go OEM on Heater Core/Evaporator if they are available. If memory serves me correct, the last XJ we did at the shop, the heater core was available, but the evaporator was not.

I also remember some difference between the OE and aftermarket on the older XJs, I'm thinking it was something to do with the temperature probe thingie for the evaporator. Shouldn't matter in your case, I think.
 
BLarkin said:
I always go OEM on Heater Core/Evaporator if they are available. If memory serves me correct, the last XJ we did at the shop, the heater core was available, but the evaporator was not.

I also remember some difference between the OE and aftermarket on the older XJs, I'm thinking it was something to do with the temperature probe thingie for the evaporator. Shouldn't matter in your case, I think.
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OEM heater core is impossible to find and $200+
Brassworks and Superior brass are $200+
Parts store brands are $100+
Rockauto is $35

It took about 2hrs to get it all torn apart, and I'd guess less than an hour if I had to do it again. For $150+ I'd pull it again if I have to. (easy to say when I haven't had to fight it all back in to place yet :laughing:)

I decided to order the evaporator core from Rockauto too since I was ordering a bunch of other nick-nacks and doodads. If it seems too cheaply made, I may just put the stock one back in, but probably not.
 
The last aftermarket I had was bad right out of the box. I didn't finish getting the dash back together before it was leaking in the floor. A coworker came up and asked what the puddle of antifreeze was doing under the Jeep. I thought he was joking around. unfortunately he was not!
 
BLarkin said:
The last aftermarket I had was bad right out of the box. I didn't finish getting the dash back together before it was leaking in the floor. A coworker came up and asked what the puddle of antifreeze was doing under the Jeep. I thought he was joking around. unfortunately he was not!
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Yeah, I think I'll set up some kind of pressure/leak test rig.
 
Last 2 heater cores I've ordered from Rock Auto had the lines bent incorrectly and would not fit. Ended up getting a parts store one both times and fit fine with no issues. Can't remember what brand I used from Rock Auto, probably Four Seasons or similar.

Did not replace the evaporator on either one although AC didn't work on one of them and wasn't going to get the AC working. Other one now has over 300k on it and still original evaporator as far as I know, unless it has been replaced before by a previous owner.
 
untchabl said:
Last 2 heater cores I've ordered from Rock Auto had the lines bent incorrectly and would not fit. Ended up getting a parts store one both times and fit fine with no issues. Can't remember what brand I used from Rock Auto, probably Four Seasons or similar.

Did not replace the evaporator on either one although AC didn't work on one of them and wasn't going to get the AC working. Other one now has over 300k on it and still original evaporator as far as I know, unless it has been replaced before by a previous owner.
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The one I ordered is a UAC. We will see how it goes. If it's a POS I'll throw it through their (internet) window and get a Carquest Premium for $55 from Advance.
 
This thread summed up in a meme:

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Pressure tested the new heater core and evaporator.
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Also replaced the accumulator since the nice al-u-minium one looks so good.
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Also glued the backing back onto the dash cover.
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And stuck it all back together.
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Whole job took about 5hrs total. If I had to do it again tomorrow, it would probably take less than 3 hrs. Not fun, but not as bad as people make it out to be. Worst part was getting the airbag cover trim off so I could get the side/end trim off. Not even sure that is necessary, but I wanted to clean everything while I was at it.

Went and did title work this morning, but I have to get it inspected before I can get a tag since it’s NC to NC title transfer :rolleyes:
Line was out the door at 11:30, but a buddy works down the street so we had lunch, then when I came back at at 1 it was half as long. So at least it only took half as long to get told it needed more stuff :laughing:

Went back home and said F it. Bled the brakes, through some coolant in it, and stuck the drivers seat back in. Took it and got it inspected. Passed with flying colors. Even though the interior looks like this haha
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Also fed her for the first time.
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Once I got back home, the cat told me she approves :laughing:
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Jody Treadway said:
Heads up: that dash will come out with the airbag, radio, all that stuff still intact.
Remove console, side trip, defrost trim panel and column. Saves a ton of time.
Holler next time and I'll post on here how to do it. 😁
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I already had the console and radio bezel removed. Side trim couldn’t be removed without first removing airbag trim because the airbag trim overlapped a screw for the side trim. Also, did not have to remove the column ;) I did it the laziest way possible, I promise :laughing:
 
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In other super exciting mods…
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Rear hatch is ready to BUMP!
 
DSM Turbos said:
DMV around here always has the worst lines on Fridays and then Mondays aren’t so good either
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Yeah. And I went THREE times today! It’s 20 minutes from the house on some fun country backroads, and when I went the third time at the end of the day, there was no line at all. Made it there and back in 37 minutes ;)
 
Decided to engage with this battle after supper.
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I think it turned out great.
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The details are what make it extra tedious.
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A 30sqft box left me with exactly this much remaining :D
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The insulation went MUCH faster than the sound damping. Partly because I wasn’t as detailed, and partly because it was so damn sticky that once it touched you had to go ahead and just press it down.
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Even managed to get the carpet back in and test fit to confirm I could still line up the seat bolts.
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Update? Are you going to loose the shop? Didn’t you get the seats back in?
 
1stgenxxx said:
Update? Are you going to loose the shop? Didn’t you get the seats back in?
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Shop is still tight, thanks for asking. And it was well after midnight and raining so I stopped since I’m just working in the driveway.

Not sure what’s on today’s episode. Hopefully get the console back in and then the seats. But probably not much. I hand placed 3 tons of riprap yesterday and picked up 3 more to do today, so my already tired shoulders probably won’t want none of that Jeep work.
 
Not much to update. Got the cargo area wiped down and ready to install sound damping, but not enough time.

That console support bracket that @Keith1138 posted is pretty sweet, but $90 is too rich for my blood, especially considering people have bought entire XJs for less than that. So I decided to go the proper way and just weld it up. :laughing:
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