New England Jeepz
General Category => Builds => Topic started by: jps4jeep on August 25, 2015, 06:43:43 PM
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Well, let’s face facts, my jeep will NOT be on the trail anytime soon. Basically I want to invest money into quality parts and build it so that the important parts are bullet proof so that whenever the time comes that the body is just junk and full tube is the next step, I will have a solid foundation that I can build off of. To make this a longer process, I refuse to buy anything hobby related with credit cards, no cash, no parts, so saving money to buy stuff will be going slow. SO to get my ass back on the trail behind the wheel of a vehicle, I present to you, my new trail beater.
This is a super budget build, I do not want to invest too much money into this build, I have a very hard budget ceiling that once I hit that point, I’ll simply junk or sell. The truck is a 97 dodge ram extended cab short bed 1500, 5.9l, auto, CAD d44 front and 9.25 rear.
This was my Father In Laws truck, he was the original owner and the truck has only has 83K miles. It had new master cyl, front brake lines, and rear lines to just behind the cab and new alternator (on the driver’s seat). The trans was also service shortly before it was parked, just not sure what that means. Oil was changed regularly and the truck was well maintained until my father in law bought a new truck and this one got put on a back burner. His plan was to fix all the issues and then sell, but he simply has not gotten to it in the past year and my mother in law is nagging him to get rid of the truck. I offered to help him by fixing all the issues so he could sell and he ended up telling me that if I get it out of the driveway, it’s mine.
SO.. What it needs. Rear brake lines from the cab back, tires, battery ground cable looks pretty bad so that will get replaced. After the trans was serviced, it never was easy to shift between park-reverse-and drive, the previously mentioned alternator, and the main reason I believe it was parked, the driver’s window is stuck in the down position.
The only rust on the truck’s body are the rockers under the doors, they are gone, otherwise the body is pretty rust free. Surprisingly the bed is pretty straight and the tailgate is good.
Beyond fixing the known issues and address some serviceable items, my plan is to pull the bed off and sell it, front fenders will get a healthy trimming. Might build a simple flat bed with a tool box and storage. Some very basic bumpers with recovery points, and the winch off the jeep. I already bought some 35’s with rims and I had a 35 that I will use as spare. I will cut out the rest of what is left of the rockers and build some basic rocker guards. I am contemplating just taking the doors off, but we’ll see. The driver’s seat is piss poor (F-I-L is only 5ft 5in so the side is very worn) Gonna search the junk yard for some bucket with some side bolsters, also gutting the carpet, it is gross and smells funky.
In my research, other than the C-clips the rear is pretty stout for a ½ ton axle of that era. 9.25” ring gear, the shafts are about the same diameter at the splines as a Dana 60, and they gradually taper out getting bigger at the flange to almost 2" diameter. I have yet to crack the diff on this truck, but I believe it is a LSD rear. I might see if I can find a junk yard open diff then weld it up.
Front is a CAD d44, EMS offroad as a CAD delete kit that replaces the inner shafts with solid chromo’s for a decent price, might consider this route then weld up that diff.
So far with tires I bought and some other parts to get it running, I am at a total $255. I’ll try to document my spending on this as I go.
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(http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l145/jps4jeep/20150825_183432_zps8roiee9o.jpg)
(http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l145/jps4jeep/20150825_183523_zpsqlltcin3.jpg)
(http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l145/jps4jeep/20150825_183639_zpseawrwwd2.jpg)
(http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l145/jps4jeep/20150825_183704_zpsq06zsbon.jpg)3
(http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l145/jps4jeep/20150825_183814_zpsndvjjutl.jpg)
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this'll be fun
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Is the second alternator a comfortable replacement for seat padding?
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Hi john, I'm curious about the window tint on the driver's side. Is that the new silver tint that's gaining popularity ?
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Check the frame where the sway bar bolts up to and check the spring buckets on the axle. Both are known for rotting away quickly. But looks like a fun. Rig. If you completely remove the bed and want to sell it shoot me a pm with a price. I know a few people with that vintage truck looking for beds.
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After sitting the seat with the alternator there, I felt compelled to buy it a drink. I leave Thursday evening for long weekend in Maine so I should have the truck at my house by early next week. I am swinging by tonight to get the battery in, replace the cable and some fresh gas. The gas in the tank is over a year old so I’ll siphon out the old and a couple gallons of new with appropriate amount of stabilizer should do.
Thanks for the heads up Matt, believe it or not, the under carriage is in pretty good shape. I will check those specific locations just to be sure. The sway bar will definitely be coming out. I'll let you know about the bed once I get it off and assessed.
Once home I need to start stripping parts off and selling them to fund the (term used very loosely) build.
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replacement window leaning against the truck
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Haha
replacement window leaning against the truck
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replacement window leaning against the truck
Can I.... It's DOT approved!
I need to replace a couple pieces of glass, make some new rails and stiles and reglaze.
Update, tried to start it last night and no go. It's getting fuel at the rail and spark. It wants to start but just doesn't quite get there, I am thinking either clogged injectors from sitting or vacumn leak? No CEL with key in ignition at any position or during cranking.
97 Dodges used OBDI correct, so should be able to read blink code?
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Should still start with a large vac leak if all else was good. I would more agree with a fuel issue and complete tuneup (not saying it doesn't have a vac leak as well)
97 and up has to be OBD2 compliant
OBD2 would have the 16 pin connector under the steering wheel
OBD1 will have a 6 pin interface connector under the hood near the drivers side
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John, my wj is a 1999 and obviously obd2. If i turn the key on-off-on-off-on, it will display the cel code on the odometer display. Try that with yours; I wonder, since they are both Chrysler if it would work for yours.
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yes that should show the codes
please put a triple roll bar with 6 kc daylighter lights in the bed,,,,,bonus points if they are hot pink
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6 kc lights, what do you think this is, amateur hour? 12 lights, 4 facing backwards!
Thanks Chuck and Tim, I for some reason thought 98 was the first year for manditory odb2.
Heading out for Maine, so I'll tackle it on Monday
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8)
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Small update got the truck started and running finally. First off ***Disclaimer, I have very little experience with intricacies of these magnum motors*** Also, No CEL, no Codes, The ABS and e-brake light are on, but I’ll get to that later.
I was getting spark at all 8 plugs, I pulled all the plugs, and they looked great. I believe they were replaced shortly before being parked. Wires looked good and showed no signs of excess wear. Coil and distributor checked out OK.
I was getting pressure at the fuel rail using the ever high tech method of bleeding the system at the fuel rail until no pressure, then cycling the key and the rail would re-pressurize.
I googled searched no start conditions and 1997 dodge 360 to hopefully find some specific issues with this motor. Half of what I found were no spark issues, (no applicable here) or no fuel. I can hear the fuel pump and again, re-pressurizing the system so I did not believe that the pickup tube fell off the pump like it did on my Chevy many years ago.
I chased down every ground and most looked to be in good shape, two of them I ground down to fresh metal and new terminal thinking maybe the PCM wasn’t getting proper ground somewhere.
Still would not start. Cranks and wants to go, but would not kick over. I do not want to throw parts at the truck or waste money and in discussion with my mechanic friend Ted (many here know Ted) Ted went through his no start checklist/ procedures and one suggestion was the injectors might be culprit. Thinking was that the truck has been sitting (and sitting longer than I initially stated, probably closer to 2.5 years) so I did this
https://youtu.be/rUUgR94drxg
Guy in Peabody was parting out a ram 1500, handed over $5 for two injectors and two injector pigtails. Cleaned the injectors using a similar method as used in that YouTube video. The only difference is that I put a toothpick into the little hose and slightly enlarged it using a heat gun, then hot glued the little hose to the Schrader valve cap.
Boom goes the dynamite. Started up, runs a little rough a first, thinking it is the old gas, I only put about a gallon in. I move the truck around the driveway a bit, the rear brakes are dragging very hard and the gear selector very picky. Just need to clean off my trailer than then drag this [censored] home.
**Edit to embed video**
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cool