Builds '86 Grand Wagoneer build, wife's rig (4 Viewers)

[BMThiker]

Got the trans kick-down installed. Went ahead and replaced the trans pan gasket too. Not sure what we had done before, but it was leaking pretty bad.

Replaced the fuel hoses too and reconnected one of the diaphragm vents on the top of the tank. Still, the gas is still building up a lot of pressure in the tank and you have to open the gas cap verrry slowwwly unless you want to wear 91 octane. Still haven't figured out why the two vents on the top of the tank aren't working.

We also have a coolant problem. The dash gauge is not calibrated for the sbc350, but we can still detect when it's at running temp and when it is on the rise. Sometimes the coolant levels are high after running 15-20min and the overflow reservoir spills over. We are running the Waggy's stock radiator and overflow reservoir as well as heat exchanger. The thermostat appears to be working fine for this engine and it likes a running temp of 195-200 (measured with a laser pointer thermometer). [EDIT: we think we just had air in the system, and it's worked its way out now. All is normal on this topic.]

 

[BMThiker]

Got the gas tank vent issue solved: it was a plugged up vent. All working well with that now.

Installed new calipers on the front axle. Who knew this would be such an inexpensive endeavor! Huge difference in performance. The pads were more expensive than the calipers themselves.

 

[CandyPants]

YEAH for Bertha!!! Tell Cat that Zippy misses her!

 

[D'Animal]

You could install your gauges on the A pillar so you do not have to chop up your dash.

Summit also has Pillar Gauge Pods for 1, 2, 3 and 4 gauges that you can mount on top of the dash.

 

[BMThiker]

Thanks for the comment, but she doesn't really want anything mounted above the dash. That flip-open ashtray has been broken for years - so this will serve a better purpose.

 

[BMThiker]

GSMTR 2011 - IH8MUD Photo Gallery
GSMTR 2011 - IH8MUD Photo Gallery
Bertha made it to GSMTR again this year and hit the trails for a day or two. Those are Woody's pics in the gallery above.

 

[BMThiker]

Summer and Fall progress

Been a while since I updated this thread...

work completed since May:
We attempted to reinstall the AC system. The stock AC had to be replumbed to the GM compressor. Got all the parts lined up: new drier/accumulator, new evaporator core, new expansion valve, new condenser...all from various sources but essentially OEM stuff. We explored the VintageAire route and the options were pitiful and expensive. The stock "dash" unit for our girl was still usable, but it still looks like a retrofit blower because of its design. It's not very stout, but it still matches the dash layout/colors. Got everything all plumbed up with custom made refrigerant hoses that were GM on one end and Jeep on the other. Tested the system and discovered a leak in our connections under the dash. This all took about 3-4 weekends of work after taking about 3 months to acquire all the parts. By now summer was over, so we put this project on hold and I removed the under-dash blower unit with the leaky connections.

We then focused on getting the heat working. Heater core was replaced shortly after the engine swap because after running the engine for the first time, the core popped like a grape. New restrictor was installed at the inlet and that seemed to work. The heater controls are cable and vacuum operated with the plenum door on the heater core being cable and the selector switch being vacuum. We needed to find a vacuum source on the 350 and it turned out that all we had to work from was the brake booster line. I installed a plastic T to intersect our 1/8" selector switch line and all worked great. We now had air blowing into the cabin.

Notice I didn't say "hot" air. Well in our exuberance in installing our coolant lines and rerouting some extra water ports back into the block, we didn't get the right hose going into the heater core. So after a quick switcheroo, we finally got a "hot" hose running to the heater core. SUCCESS!

Next up is installing new door seals, since the old ones leak like a sieve. I gave my wife the whole 4 door set for Christmas along with a new rear view mirror to replace the cracked one she's had for a while now.

image is of the blower unit that mounts under the dash. We call it the leaf blower.

 

[BMThiker]

Installed a hydroboost system a couple weeks ago and have been sussing out some details since...
First off, we learned afterwards that it should use DOT4 PS fluid and not ATF which is what we had in the PS pump already. Also found out that the unit leaks...not sure if the ATF was too much for the seals or what. We bought the unit second hand but it was apparently brand new and never installed on another project vehicle. Need to track down someone who has rebuilt one of these.

 

[MojoRisin]

Love the Waggy... My wife and I are just the opposite. I have a Jeep and she has an FZJ80...

I've always had a soft spot for waggy's, but the gas mileage always scared me... funny how we ended up with a land cruiser instead

 

[BMThiker]

Flushed the PS system again trying to get all the "pink" out. Added some Lucas PS additive w/Stop Leak to see if that fixes the leaking booster seal. Time will tell.

 

[BMThiker]

Tightened up some slop in the front end including the U-bolts, drag link and pitman arm which had worked itself dangerously loose. Still reading up on the hydroboost as far as fixing the leak. A guy over on IFSJA forums suggested a rebuild of the booster itself, so we will be heading down that road soon.

 

[kybishop]

I have almost bought a Grand Wagoneer so many times... Nice build. I dig mopars and Jeeps. Had a Grand Cherokee and it was a great vehicle.

Keep up the great work and good to see you working together on this thing.

KB

 

[warezdog]

Looking good!

Loved my old 85 GW and almost bought another one until I got the 96 LC. Beat the literal heck outta it and it never complained. The hardest thing I did was remove the woodgrain stickers, even with a heat gun thost things were a BEAR!

 

[BMThiker]

Quick recap and update of the Hydroboost project...

We had installed a Hydroboost brake system on Bertha about 6 weeks ago. It replaces the standard vacuum booster and plumbs into the power steering pump for brake assist (taking the standard brakes from 1000psi to something like 2500psi). A really cool upgrade if you are still running drums (which she is on the rear axle).

Then we discovered it leaked. I researched a lot and found a brake specialist in Cali that does rebuilds of these things all day long. They came highly recommended. I thought I would just order a rebuild kit and do it myself, but I let him talk me into sending to them for what was roughly going to be $150 (vs. $75 for the kit). And we weren't sure which model I had, so he wasn't sure what parts to send in a kit. So my first impression of them wasn't great, but I went ahead and shipped them the booster. I tracked the package until it arrived at their door and then called them back to ensure they had my order for rebuild correct. I included a packing list that reiterated who the booster was from, my contact info and the exact instructions of what I wanted done to the booster.

These guys are brothers and one appears to be the owner. The first few times I called for updates on this booster, it was always, "Wait, who are you? What truck is this for?" They apparently have very little organization in their day to day operations, so it was getting a little unsettling after the 2nd call. First they said that it looked brand new and there was no possible way it could be leaking. I told him to go ahead and assume that it leaked and please let me know what he found after disassembling it. "Yeah, no problem, I'll call you in a day or so after throwing it on our tester."

About 3-4 days go by and I call him to find out what's going on. I reiterate that time is of the essence since this is my wife's daily driver and that with shipping time included, the truck has been down for 2 weeks. He explains that there are some allen head bolts that he can't get out of the main housing and he's going to have to borrow some tools from the shop next door to get them out. He says they are over torqued and that the allen head bolts are not standard for this model. "OK, whatever, when do you think you can have it done?"

"Probably in a couple days." "

OK, give me a call when its done, so I can give you a credit card # to run."

"Will do."

Fast forward another week and I'm calling back wondering what's up. This time I get the owner and he doesn't know who I am or what I'm talking about until I mention it was the one with the allen head bolts. Really? Do they not use any kind of work order or even a tag on the parts they service to keep track of what's going on in their shop? I said, you've had my HB for about 2.5 weeks now and it really seems like a long time for a rebuild that should have only taken a few days. He puts me on hold for a while and finally finds it. He says it appears to be ready to go and it looks like his brother "high-flowed" it, which is an option I specifically stated that I did not want, on more than one occasion (back to that question, why don't they have a work order system?). High-flowing the ports is an upgrade option on the rebuild if you plan to run some sort of ram assisted steering.

We had already started talking about where to ship it and I gave him my payment info when he mentioned the high flow comment. And that's where I stopped him and said wait a minute, I specifically told your brother and emailed you guys exactly what I wanted done. He's a little concerned about why my order has been such a boondoggle and says he won't charge me shipping and obviously won't charge me for the high flow. He then says that the total will be $280 to which I respond - what happened to $150? He asks where did you hear $150 and I said that my initial call was where I heard it, along with all the guys that recommended him. He replies that they haven't charge that amount in 5-10 years. He's starting to feel my frustration and confesses that his brother is out of town this week and that he wants to talk to him before we decide what to do next. He's pre-charged my card but not finalized payment.

He does however say that he's going to ship the HB anyway and he wants me to call him back the next week when it arrives.

So I call him back the following week, (but I didn't have the HB in hand at the moment) and he says he's made a decision on the payment. He wants to meet half way between $150 and $280 ($215). He still sounds a bit upset (with his brother) at the way this has all transpired and I agree that if that's what he needs to cover his labor, then it sounds like a fair way to do it. But then I tell him that I'm especially upset that there has been almost no communication about my order from day one. I've had to repeatedly call back to find out what's going on. First I was told that they would test my HB. Then I was told they would report what they found before they did any work, so that I'd know what kind of money we were talking about, or if there was something fatally flawed with the HB... and I got none of that.

He responds with a question, "My brother said he would test your HB?" Then it quickly turned south, "NOBODY tests HB's at my company but me. If my brother threw your HB on my $20,000 tester then I'm going to kill him. We don't ever test a HB unit until after it has been rebuilt by us." He rambles on a bit more about it testing/contamination/cost to fix his machine...and concludes with, "And my no one talked to you about pricing before any of the work was done? You know what, I'm ripping up your order now. I'm not charging your card, but I want you to do this for me. I know you put your trust in us and we did not deliver, so I'm going to trust you now. I want you to install the HB unit and then let me know if you are happy. You call me back and we'll figure out a price that's fair.

I said that I had not received the unit yet, but if it arrives this week, we'll install it this weekend. I remind him that he never sent me a confirmation number. He looks it up and says it arrived this morning at our house. It did, so we installed it this weekend...

more to come in the next post.

 

[BMThiker]

My wife was ecstatic about the HB finally arriving, so we made plans to install it on Saturday. We go over our parts and had read earlier about installing a filter in the low pressure return to help keep the HB unit free of debris. Found one at O'Reilly's and pick up some more PS fluid and brake fluid. Also picked up some extra hose clamps at Ace.

I talked to my friends over at ACC about bench bleeding the MC and they said its easier to do on the vehicle. So we mount it to the firewall and proceed to install all of the hoses and the inline filter. Bled the MC using extra tubing that circulates back into the reservoir until all the bubbles are gone. Then bleed the brake lines at each wheel. Start the engine and work the steering back and forth, topping of the PS pump as more fluid circulates the HB. And presto, we're done.

We decide to go for a spin to make sure everything works under normal driving conditions. I say lets go take a twelve pack over to ACC, so we head over. We arrive and share the beers with everyone and then we open the hood and make sure everything is still looking good. My wife takes a rag and wipes down the HB to see if there are any leaks. To our astonishment, it's still leaking from the mating surface of the HB and MC, around the bottom edge. She wipes down everything else on the HB and MC (we had some splashy moments during the bleeding process) to make sure it was just some leftover brake fluid. She checks the PS fluid level and it looks fine. We leave the engine running for a while and check the bottom edge again. It is weeping fluid still, so I remove the MC from the front of the HB. There's fluid around the inside surface and some in that small valley.

 

[BMThiker]

...and I'm and idiot.

Here's where things go south - and my own fault. Curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to figure out why this wasn't working. I started by having my wife push the brake pedal a few times while I observed what's going on with the HB. I don't see anything gushing or leaking right away, so I take over and the pedal goes too far this time. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the moment it went down to the floor, I knew I was screwed. I hop out and look at the booster. The pushrod, the spring retainer (that six-spoked thing you see above) and the return spring are all dangling out of the booster. Holy CRAP what have I done! And to top if off, the piston is now lodged in the cylinder, the brake pedal is not budging and my wife is giving me that look.

So we are now sitting in the middle of ACC's garage with no brakes and no idea how to fix the jammed piston. We resign ourselves to moving the truck out into the parking lot and calling it a day. We get a ride back home and feel like bird poo under a bridge. After sleeping on it, I feel like our best plan of action is to remove the HB unit and work on it on the bench. The prospect of sending it back to California for another rebuild motivates me to at least inspect it closer and see what I can.

We head over and quickly remove the unit from the firewall (it's getting to be a routine now), and get it on the table. I use a medium size hammer and a 3/8" brass punch to lightly tap the piston. Not happening. I look at my wife sideways and we agree that it's worth a shot to open the unit up to see what's going on inside. I figure that as many times as I pushed the pedal with the unit un-powered, the nitro charge will be mostly unpressurized. We were right, the unit opened up with little fanfare and we got to see how this thing works. I wished I taken a pic of the backside, but I guess I was preoccupied.

We still needed to get the piston free and weren't sure what was binding it up. It appeared to have some side to side movement but not in/out through the cylinder. Finally we took one good whack with the hammer and punch again and it popped right out. I inspected the cylinder seal and it looked OK, so I reassembled the piston and lever in line with the hydraulic valve and bolted it all back together. Pics of the front of the HB with the piston cleared and a shot of the piston itself.

Here its is with the piston, pushrod, return spring, and spring clip all back in place.

So after all that excitement, while reassembling the MC to the HB, we discover that it looks like the MC that is now the culprit of the leak. Even after flushing the PS system of ATF and replacing it with standard PS fluid, the fluid still has a pinkish hue to it. And the fluid we were wiping away from the weeping surface below the mating surface...was clear all along. Lesson learned. Observe & analyze all the options before doing anything stupid

Brakes have been working fine since we got it all buttoned up Sunday afternoon. We need to replace the MC that leaks, but it is a very slow leak and my wife is happy to have her wheels again. I wanted my wife to drive it for a few days before I call back the rebuild shop in Cali - but it looks like everything is fine despite my goof up. I'll be calling them later today to work out some kind of payment.

And it looks like another Saturday under the hood for us.

 

[BMThiker]

We've put two spanking new (not reman) MC's on Bertha in the past couple weeks and both have been leaky. We've checked our hoses/fittings and they all look fine, so not sure why the MC's are still leaking. It appears to be leaking from the back of the MC where the rod from the HB pushes the cylinder. At a stall with this aspect.

On to more encouraging news. My wife has been dying to replace the front grille with an older style. We first looked at doing the older Rhino grille, but they are hard to come by without paying big bucks and would have required more modification. Here's a chart for reference:

We finally got a hold of a Razor grille and had it powder coated a dark metallic gray. We trimmed up the old (Final type) grille to fill in the gap between the hood "scoop" and the top edge of the grille. We also had to find new light buckets since we were going from a rectangular headlamp to a round. That came sort of spontaneously when a friend working on a Samurai project told us to check his pile of parts. Low and behold the light buckets were the perfect size. We only needed to line them up and tack weld them to the front clip.

We powdercoated the headlamp frames in "chrome" and the valance that will eventually fill the gap at the top will match the grill. Waiting for the powder to be done on it.

 

[BMThiker]

Finished off the Razor Grille last night.
Here's a shot of the section we "recycled" and then one of the finished look.

 

[BMThiker]

The Hydroboost drama continues...

After going to a local brake shop in Atlanta (BSC, Inc.) to get the leaky MC replaced, it still kept leaking. We were buying brand new units, not remans. After BSC gave us the 3rd MC under warranty, he told me that if it still leaks to call him for some recommendations before returning it. I did and we did his little tests to no subsequent change. So he said bring me the whole assembly (Hydroboost and MC still together) so that he could check it out firsthand. He then tells me that they can rebuilt HB's (wished I had known that back in April).

So I take it all in to him and he keeps it for a couple days. I call him back and he says it is definitely the HB leaking and not the MC. He says he feels funny going behind somebody else's work, but wants to check out the HB himself. I say do it to it! So 3 hours later he tells me that the previous rebuilder left out an O-ring in the dump valve assembly. I really don't know what that is, but he point at it on the unit - its right behind the sight-glass on the top of the unit. Certainly an area I did not take apart when I overextended the push rod.

The sucky part is I have now paid twice to have this HB rebuilt. I have contacted the first rebuilder for a refund. Will keep y'all in suspense until I hear back from him...

But for now, all related parts are leak free.

 

[robustbambi]

Thats one badass wagon! I had the pleasure of taking a peek at her a week or so ago while i was at ACC picking up some parts. That razor style grille looks MEAN on that thing and i really like the worn look of the wood on the sides.
Awesome work