Messages

106

Technical Advice and Questions / Re: Trouble shooting

« on: February 12, 2008, 11:32:39 am »

while sitting with the battery hooked up the coil has constant power

if your key is turned off there shouldn't be power to the coil.  With the key in the "on" or "run" position there should.  The coil is overheating because it's not being allowed to discharge the energy being fed into it.

 What, by the way, is a "rescue box" - pardon my ignorance, just not a familar term to me.

107

Technical Advice and Questions / Re: Squeal from the serp belt - problem resolved

« on: January 02, 2008, 09:07:06 am »

Turns out the old serp belt had laid down a lot of rubber bits in the grooves - we removed the serp, used brake cleaner and a brass brush to make 'em squeaky clean, installed a new serp belt (higher quality than my kid had originally purchased) and found happiness - fun project for New Years Eve .... at least now he doesn't sound like he's strangling a cat when he heads down the road -

108

Technical Advice and Questions / Re: CB Help

« on: December 21, 2007, 02:53:16 pm »

check and clean the terminals, if you can disassemble it you might spray contact cleaner (you can get it at radio shack or other electronics supply shops - it's formulated so it doesn't screw anything up) on/near where the dials and such make contact - it could just be dirt - check the power and ground wires for any breaks, check the speaker wires and such for any breaks -

you might also google the model number of the CB - sometimes you can find good information (like wiring diagrams or other people with the same type of device who can help fix things) on the web which can help in fault finding on older devices (I recently found one, on line, for a 1971 Ampeg AC-12 guitar amp that I'm trying to diagnose and fix, as an example).

If all else fails, take it to a CB shop and let them take a whack at it (I'd suggest getting an estimate before giving the go-ahead - $$ is why I'm trying to fix the AC-12 ....)

109

Technical Advice and Questions / Squeal from the serp belt

« on: December 10, 2007, 09:50:49 am »

Ok Ladies and Gents -

My son has an '87 XJ - recently replaced the serp belt.  Now the tension seems fine (about 3/8" deflection across the longest top run under  moderate pressure) - however - after it warms up she screams like a banshee -

Now, for a bit more information he did blow off a tranmission cooler line (the clamp was fubar where the rubber hose connects to the hard line going to the radiator) and soak the underside of the jeep with at least six quarts of ATF - so it's possible that the crankshaft pulley is just slick as snot on a glass doorknob - but I was wondering (as our two XJ's are my first step(s) into the Jeep experience) - is there a harmonic balancer incorporated into the crank pulley?  In my previous life (Saab's) a persistent squeal was a sign of a deteriorating harmonic balancer on the crank -

The squeal DOES seem to be coming from the crank pulley - it's not alternator bearings nor is it associated with the AC compressor or PS pump.

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated -

Cheers

Steve

110

Technical Advice and Questions / Re: XJ Hood pins

« on: December 04, 2007, 01:41:56 pm »

Can't see why it wouldn't pass - I've had a couple muscle cars with hood pins that passed - of course that was thirty or so years ago ..... 
I would recommend that you tether the pins and perhaps use a small lock on one of 'em (or rig up some sort of lock behind the grill) - if you don't tether the pins you'll lose 'em - and if you don't lock the hood some scumbag will liberate your battery and other parts -

111

Technical Advice and Questions / Re: 4.0L engine replacement

« on: November 29, 2007, 01:56:42 pm »

Physically it should be a drop in - especially if you keep the target vehicles ignition and fuel injection (if there are differences, not really certain).  Check the accessory mount configuration and motor mounts as well - if they're different retain the target vehicles - at least for the easiest swap.  Note - I'm assuming that both are 4.0 I6 power plants - if not then you're going to have to do a lot of homework -

112

Technical Advice and Questions / Re: 1975 mail jeep

« on: November 05, 2007, 11:32:03 am »

how hard and does it just bolt on? I know there is cutting involved for the stick shift.

heh ... nothing ever just bolts on ... that's just the nature of "projects" - I
know a guy who did the conversion - it took him a couple months of weekends and
evenings.  He was pretty handy with a cutting torch and welding stick and did
the fabrication himself (cross member, some changes to the floors and some other
stuff the came up) - it was pretty neat when he was done -

I should note - he had the "donor" in the garage next to his mail jeep (a very well
rusted CJ5 with a rusted through frame rail) - he took very careful measurements and
didn't try to rush -

That was probably 25 years ago - not sure how long his Jeep stayed together - I got
relocated to Kansas and lost touch - but that's another story ...

113

Regional Issues / Re: PA State Forest Management Plan

« on: October 02, 2007, 12:22:16 pm »

Interesting process, isn't it?  I've been involved in a few lobbying efforts in my dear, dim past (mountain bike access, restricting vehicles and horses from the Appalachian trail, trying to get dual sport motorcycles allowed on ATV trails, amongst others that have the potential to be a bit polarizing on a non-political forum) - and numbers do count.  From what I've observed, letters  (even if from a large number of people) that are NOT form letters delivered by hand to state representatives are more effective than either those sent by snail or electronic mail.  This personal touch puts a face (or faces) to a concern.

What doesn't seem to work:

Being obnoxious - for obvious reasons
Mass gatherings (they tend to attract negative press, except for the ABATE folks - not sure how they pull it off)
Profanity - again - it's obvious - if you want to ensure that you'll never get a meeting with your representative - swear at 'em or call them a dirty name.
Defiance of the law
Fudged statistics (data manipulated to prove your point, without defining your methodology and without the offer of your base (un-altered) data).

What does seem to work:

A professional attitude and appearance
A well prepared, brief presentation for the representative
Large numbers of letters
Letters from small business owners who are directly or indirectly impacted by the activity
Examples (best if in your presentation) of good you've done, on a group or individual basis, in the past (examples - planting trees in burned areas, erosion control projects, examples of supporting charitable organizations through your group)

When attending the meetings with the DCNR having notes from a meeting or meetings with one or more state representatives adds a bit more powder to your charge - the DCNR needs the legislature for funding - if they know or suspect you've got the "ear" of some state representatives you can use that for leverage -

Your personal party affiliation or support of the representative in question doesn't matter - all that matters is that you reside within their district - in fact - if you normally don't support a person BUT imply that their support in this matter just might sway you to supporting them in the next election - you might make an influential friend.

I'll be doing some research and letter writing - I'd love to drive my jeep off-road on DCNR lands (without staying on their designated roads) - but I just thought I'd share some of what I've learned over the years - maybe it'll help.

And keep in mind - these folks work for you - that's why they're "representatives" -

Steve