February 22, 2011
My HID setup was ordered today. I bought a setup that uses digital slim ballasts.
A spark plug broke off in the head. The entire porcelain piece came out, so its just the outer shell. I have some ideas to try before I take the head off.
Also tried getting the track bar out, the frame side seems stuck though. I beat on it with a hammer for a good 20 minutes, along with letting it soak in PB Blaster for a few days before hand.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Round Two
February 15, 2011
Pulled the engine/trans back out, and switched out the flex plate. I also decided to swap in the M1 intake since the gaskets are cheap and its way easier to do when the engine is out. Spark plugs were replaced too. The engine is sitting back in its spot. Still need to bolt it all together and put the wiring harness back. I really hate that crossmember...
Pulled the engine/trans back out, and switched out the flex plate. I also decided to swap in the M1 intake since the gaskets are cheap and its way easier to do when the engine is out. Spark plugs were replaced too. The engine is sitting back in its spot. Still need to bolt it all together and put the wiring harness back. I really hate that crossmember...
Friday, February 11, 2011
First Start
February 11, 2011
Tried starting the engine Thursday, just cranked. Got some gas for it today, the gauge was reading basically empty. Still cranked. After work I started checking for fuel and spark, I wasn't entirely sure that my Jeep crank sensor would work with the truck. I had spark coming from the coil but not the distributor. Found the rotor was missing. After I replaced the rotor, I got the truck started and saw that it wasn't reading any oil pressure
I grabbed the mechanical gauge and found that in reality, there was 65-70lbs of oil pressure at idle cold. Seems I have a bad sensor ground somewhere; there is also a code for TPS voltage too high.
Tried starting the engine Thursday, just cranked. Got some gas for it today, the gauge was reading basically empty. Still cranked. After work I started checking for fuel and spark, I wasn't entirely sure that my Jeep crank sensor would work with the truck. I had spark coming from the coil but not the distributor. Found the rotor was missing. After I replaced the rotor, I got the truck started and saw that it wasn't reading any oil pressure
I grabbed the mechanical gauge and found that in reality, there was 65-70lbs of oil pressure at idle cold. Seems I have a bad sensor ground somewhere; there is also a code for TPS voltage too high.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Drivetrain Comes Out
January 11, 2011
It was 10* out, but I had some free time so I went ahead and pulled the engine/transmission/transfercase out. I disconnected/removed a bunch of smaller parts on various warm days, so the engine came out in short order. I kept a few spare parts from the old engine such as the a/c compressor, alternator, power steering pump, and the performance parts mentioned in the first post.
It was 10* out, but I had some free time so I went ahead and pulled the engine/transmission/transfercase out. I disconnected/removed a bunch of smaller parts on various warm days, so the engine came out in short order. I kept a few spare parts from the old engine such as the a/c compressor, alternator, power steering pump, and the performance parts mentioned in the first post.
After seeing that picture, I think I've decided the paint the grey part of the bumper, black.
Bedliner fix
October, 2010
The rockers of the truck were painted with bedliner previously, but it was now flaking off. I decided to strip all of the old stuff and bedline the rockers again. I sanded the rockers down to bare metal with a 120 grit flap wheel on my angle grinder. Then I used Rustoleum galvanizing (zinc) primer, followed by the Rustoleum truck bed coating. There is around 4-5 coats of the truck bed coating.
The rockers of the truck were painted with bedliner previously, but it was now flaking off. I decided to strip all of the old stuff and bedline the rockers again. I sanded the rockers down to bare metal with a 120 grit flap wheel on my angle grinder. Then I used Rustoleum galvanizing (zinc) primer, followed by the Rustoleum truck bed coating. There is around 4-5 coats of the truck bed coating.
The First Day
September 19, 2010
Since crushing my ever rusting Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier in the year, I had been looking for a new 4x4 project. I kept the engine/transmission from the Jeep, so I was looking for something in another Grand Cherokee, Durango/Dakota, or Ram.
After lazily searching for a little while, I found this 1996 Dodge Ram that needed an engine and transmission. It wasn't in great shape, but the price was right. It is a red, extended cab with the 5.9L engine. Surprisingly, heat and a/c worked when I picked it up. Currently it is sitting on 3" of body lift, and a 3/2 suspension lift (Rancho shocks all around, Rancho springs in front, and 2" lift blocks in rear). It has aftermarket rims with 35" tires, which need replacing soon.
Some of the cool parts it came with are a manual central axle disconnect, so that takes care of the pesky vacuum control (and makes dropping in a 242 easier), M1 intake, cast aluminum Mopar valve covers, cast aluminum transmission pan, and a 52mm throttle body.
Cosmetically, there is a little rust forming on the passenger wheel arch. Bed liner was sprayed (maybe rolled) in the bed and along the rockers. Evidently the correct preparation wasn't used because its flaking. Rear window needs to be replaced, it looks pretty sketchy. I think the previous, previous owner used RTV to try to "glue" it to the truck
Since crushing my ever rusting Jeep Grand Cherokee earlier in the year, I had been looking for a new 4x4 project. I kept the engine/transmission from the Jeep, so I was looking for something in another Grand Cherokee, Durango/Dakota, or Ram.
After lazily searching for a little while, I found this 1996 Dodge Ram that needed an engine and transmission. It wasn't in great shape, but the price was right. It is a red, extended cab with the 5.9L engine. Surprisingly, heat and a/c worked when I picked it up. Currently it is sitting on 3" of body lift, and a 3/2 suspension lift (Rancho shocks all around, Rancho springs in front, and 2" lift blocks in rear). It has aftermarket rims with 35" tires, which need replacing soon.
Some of the cool parts it came with are a manual central axle disconnect, so that takes care of the pesky vacuum control (and makes dropping in a 242 easier), M1 intake, cast aluminum Mopar valve covers, cast aluminum transmission pan, and a 52mm throttle body.
Cosmetically, there is a little rust forming on the passenger wheel arch. Bed liner was sprayed (maybe rolled) in the bed and along the rockers. Evidently the correct preparation wasn't used because its flaking. Rear window needs to be replaced, it looks pretty sketchy. I think the previous, previous owner used RTV to try to "glue" it to the truck
When I first bought it
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