- Thread starter
- #81
Anybody had any GOOD experiences removin this stuff? If so, any tips?
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- Thread starter
- #83
I said “good” experiences!!
I tried that and I don’t think I had a good enough hrs plastic scraper. Ended up with metal one that scratched the “ceiling”. Will have to spray some clear up there or something before covering in hushmat.
Some guys use a wire wheel on a drill.. that would remove the paint I think. Without using a chemical of some sort, like a paint remover, using a scraper is about it.
Just spray some primer on it and let it dry real good, then slap on yer hush matt.
Just spray some primer on it and let it dry real good, then slap on yer hush matt.
- Thread starter
- #85
welp, THAT was a garbage job! I tried all kinds of different things, ended up with a sharp metal scraper to get it off. Took ALL of my patience to not just go nuts and get it done as quickly as possible. Even taking my time there is plenty of missing paint now. I hit it all with a good coat of clear enamel almost immediately, so hopefully that will inhibit rust well enough for the next few decades. Hushmat should be here today, that won't take long to put up, then I can get the new (to me) late model headliner up and figure out what to do with the sunroof hole (in the headliner, not the roof).
I also plan on adding some thinsulate insulation up there too, in an attempt to keep some of that heat out! IR thermometer of the bare skin on a 92* afternoon.
I also plan on adding some thinsulate insulation up there too, in an attempt to keep some of that heat out! IR thermometer of the bare skin on a 92* afternoon.
- Thread starter
- #86
used an entire tube of 3M windshield goop to reconnect all of the cross members to the roof/ceiling as well. It has become completely separated, so the roof was one gigantic steel drum. Could get some pretty sweet Caribbean sounds out of it. I will also be "bridging" for lack of a better term the hush mat from the roof piece to the cross members in an effort to add some support as well.
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- #87
Hushmat stuck up there. Drove around for a while with a few pieces up to see how it reacted to serious heat, no issues apparent so I went ahead and covered the whole thing. A LOT less noise and very nice.
Went ahead and stuck a nice big piece of thinsulate on the rear most panel as well to help with stabilization. Even with sound deadening, the panel moved a bunch (like a speaker cone). Putting insulation on it got rid of that almost completely.
Went ahead and stuck a nice big piece of thinsulate on the rear most panel as well to help with stabilization. Even with sound deadening, the panel moved a bunch (like a speaker cone). Putting insulation on it got rid of that almost completely.
- Thread starter
- #88
Installed cruise control last night. JUST KIDDING. But it is a way to maybe keep my idle up since it has never come back to normal after changing the accelerator cable.
- Thread starter
- #89
rebuilt the knuckles a month ago and am very glad I used the trophy truck style locknut. was able to very quickly adjust new wheel bearings this weekend.
don't know why, but when I did the knuckle job I decided to paint the knucks with some gun paint I had sitting around. turned out pretty ok. paint is still there so I'm happy.
going to have to rebuild the front diff here real quick, will put in new front axles at the same time.
this cheap rig has gotten spendy quick.
don't know why, but when I did the knuckle job I decided to paint the knucks with some gun paint I had sitting around. turned out pretty ok. paint is still there so I'm happy.
going to have to rebuild the front diff here real quick, will put in new front axles at the same time.
this cheap rig has gotten spendy quick.
- Thread starter
- #91
+1 for locking hubs, no interference there
- Thread starter
- #92
Me: I’m going to just swap out this valve cover gasket and plug wires...
Also me: I wonder if I should just swap out the head gasket while I’m in here...
By NOT READING FAR ENOUGH AHEAD, I got myself:
OEM plug wire set
OEM cap/rotor
OEM plugs
OEM valve cover gasket
Now, if you’ve gone down this road before, you can either skip over, or laugh at my lack of foresight. Pulled into shop Friday after work (just when everybody else closes too) and started tearing things apart. Wasn’t long before I found out I have to pull the throttle body too (to get the VC off). And that needs a metal gasket. And in the process of pulling valve cover off, some weird plastic things looked like they broke (also valve cover gasket literally fell out over cover in pieces).
Oh ya, and when pulling the distributor cap off, there was a smashed huge o-ring/dust seal there. And since that far in, may as well check the o-ring on the distributor shaft right?? Well, it was completely fried, shattered, and only after pulling it did I realize how bad it was leaking (looked clean as can be from the top side).
Well, might want to get the engine to TDC before pulling distributor (who’d a thunk??), luckily that’s pretty easy when following @OTRAMM ’s walkthrough, just have to line up dots on backside of cam gears, easy peasy. Since the valve cover is off, may as well take to neighbor and have them put in dish/parts washer and paint it, RIGHT? Well, better investigate these weird plastic things. OH, they are supposed to be rubber gaskets. Lame. Rubber isn’t supposed to shatter. Anyway, turns out there are spark plug tubes in this engine (first time I’ve ever had the valve cover off an overhead cam engine). These tubes have spark plugs in them and must seal against holes in the valves cover. So “spark plug tube grommets” are born. Oh ya, since VC is off, going to get cleaned and painted, now would be a great time to replace the PCV valve grommet that is the equivalent of hard plastic pieces inside the valve cover at this point...
So, after ALSO getting:
6 OEM spark plug tube grommets (dealership had ONE on Saturday)
OEM distributor cap seal
OEM distributor o-ring
OEM PCV and associated grommet
OEM throttle body metal gasket
via express shipping, I was ready to go after work today.
Painted the cover with a couple coats of my favorite army tan color then couple coats of clear, then sanded the letters off the top, cleaned and cleared again, then started putting everything back together. Found an old thread on here where either @cruiserdan or @Onur said proper gap is 0315 so I went with that. Used a large socket to gently tap the new tube grommets in, pushed new PCV grommet in. VC on (being cardeful not to overtighten/snap the little VC bolts). Cleaned up the wire covers. Continued cleaning throttle body (been hitting it with cleaner and scrubbing a little every day while waiting for parts) Installed new distributor o-ring. Connected the wires to the cap on the bench so it was a little easier and I could see what was going on (not so limber in old age). New cap o-ring and push wires into place. Throttle body back on with new steel gasket. Everything double checked, hoses on, fire up!
Weird noise coming from engine.
Oh ya, in that video from OTRAMM, he pulled the wrench he was using on the crank off as soon as he was done with it. I didn’t, so I forgot about it.
Fire up again. High idle for a few seconds then settled down to a nice quiet purr that sounds WAAAAAY better than before. Old plugs certainly didn’t look bad, but engine just sounds happier.
Curious how the rattle can paint job is going to hold up.
Next up:
Timing
Fuel filter
Oil pump seal
Maybe new front seal
Also me: I wonder if I should just swap out the head gasket while I’m in here...
By NOT READING FAR ENOUGH AHEAD, I got myself:
OEM plug wire set
OEM cap/rotor
OEM plugs
OEM valve cover gasket
Now, if you’ve gone down this road before, you can either skip over, or laugh at my lack of foresight. Pulled into shop Friday after work (just when everybody else closes too) and started tearing things apart. Wasn’t long before I found out I have to pull the throttle body too (to get the VC off). And that needs a metal gasket. And in the process of pulling valve cover off, some weird plastic things looked like they broke (also valve cover gasket literally fell out over cover in pieces).
Oh ya, and when pulling the distributor cap off, there was a smashed huge o-ring/dust seal there. And since that far in, may as well check the o-ring on the distributor shaft right?? Well, it was completely fried, shattered, and only after pulling it did I realize how bad it was leaking (looked clean as can be from the top side).
Well, might want to get the engine to TDC before pulling distributor (who’d a thunk??), luckily that’s pretty easy when following @OTRAMM ’s walkthrough, just have to line up dots on backside of cam gears, easy peasy. Since the valve cover is off, may as well take to neighbor and have them put in dish/parts washer and paint it, RIGHT? Well, better investigate these weird plastic things. OH, they are supposed to be rubber gaskets. Lame. Rubber isn’t supposed to shatter. Anyway, turns out there are spark plug tubes in this engine (first time I’ve ever had the valve cover off an overhead cam engine). These tubes have spark plugs in them and must seal against holes in the valves cover. So “spark plug tube grommets” are born. Oh ya, since VC is off, going to get cleaned and painted, now would be a great time to replace the PCV valve grommet that is the equivalent of hard plastic pieces inside the valve cover at this point...
So, after ALSO getting:
6 OEM spark plug tube grommets (dealership had ONE on Saturday)
OEM distributor cap seal
OEM distributor o-ring
OEM PCV and associated grommet
OEM throttle body metal gasket
via express shipping, I was ready to go after work today.
Painted the cover with a couple coats of my favorite army tan color then couple coats of clear, then sanded the letters off the top, cleaned and cleared again, then started putting everything back together. Found an old thread on here where either @cruiserdan or @Onur said proper gap is 0315 so I went with that. Used a large socket to gently tap the new tube grommets in, pushed new PCV grommet in. VC on (being cardeful not to overtighten/snap the little VC bolts). Cleaned up the wire covers. Continued cleaning throttle body (been hitting it with cleaner and scrubbing a little every day while waiting for parts) Installed new distributor o-ring. Connected the wires to the cap on the bench so it was a little easier and I could see what was going on (not so limber in old age). New cap o-ring and push wires into place. Throttle body back on with new steel gasket. Everything double checked, hoses on, fire up!
Weird noise coming from engine.
Oh ya, in that video from OTRAMM, he pulled the wrench he was using on the crank off as soon as he was done with it. I didn’t, so I forgot about it.
Fire up again. High idle for a few seconds then settled down to a nice quiet purr that sounds WAAAAAY better than before. Old plugs certainly didn’t look bad, but engine just sounds happier.
Curious how the rattle can paint job is going to hold up.
Next up:
Timing
Fuel filter
Oil pump seal
Maybe new front seal
- Thread starter
- #93
Replaced fuel filter today, a lot easier than expected. Old filter was not nearly as bad as the one on my 92 when I changed that one. Two 12” extensions made it super easy to get the block side bolt from below the swaybar. Even though it was in decent shape, she runs a lot smoother, idles nicer, pretty stoked.
Swapped the rear hub too, since when I put the Nitro axles in I stretched the threads out of one hole a bit, and it’s been leaking since. That took a lot longer than expected because I had to make a socket to get proper torque on the 3-pronged dealy.
Swapped the rear hub too, since when I put the Nitro axles in I stretched the threads out of one hole a bit, and it’s been leaking since. That took a lot longer than expected because I had to make a socket to get proper torque on the 3-pronged dealy.
- Thread starter
- #94
And this has me SUPER concerned about the passenger side... 
- Thread starter
- #95
Word directly from Nitro, twisted axle is a NON issue. "Put it back in and expect years of use moving forward"
I really am worried about the other side though
Member @RFB posted pics of twisted Nitro’s recently too. I run Nitro’s and broke one at Moab a couple years ago. Your post tells me I need to check mine for twist.
RCV just came out with an axle set for the rear of an 80. Each axle consisted of two pieces; the shaft and flange are separate. If I’m not mistaken, the flange end is 32 spline.
I don’t dig the idea of running a known twisted shaft either.
RCV just came out with an axle set for the rear of an 80. Each axle consisted of two pieces; the shaft and flange are separate. If I’m not mistaken, the flange end is 32 spline.
I don’t dig the idea of running a known twisted shaft either.
RFB
97 FZJ80 LIFTED SC DUAL BATTERIES,37s
I had a tough time swallowing that as well. the Nitro rep texted me "our axles are amde for what you do" I dont do pritchett canyon or #sendit none of that I do wheel it most defintely. and I switched to 300M and am making all needed changes in rest of driveline to deal with the axles no longer being the "weakest link" so to speak. OEM axles never twisted, but I did go throught birfields pretty regular.Word directly from Nitro, twisted axle is a NON issue. "Put it back in and expect years of use moving forward"
I really am worried about the other side though
- Thread starter
- #99
not that much money or time. few hundred bucks in parts, learning about the engine and what is required (so I can properly help customers with them). few hours here and there of time, I mean total amount of time spent on engine is less than 8 hours at this point (post swap obviously), and I'm still planning to do front seal and oil pump gasket, I have the parts and I don't want it dripping all over the driveway/parking lot and I have to drive this thing to events, etc so I'd like it to look at least halfway decent. most of my time spent has been on things other than engine.
- Thread starter
- #100
Of note, my low idle issue has been resolved after doing the tune up (plugs/wires/cap/rotor/pcv/pcv grommet/valve cover gasket/spark plug tube gaskets). All plugs looked good, so maybe there was enough vacuum leak through all the bad gaskets?? Not sure. Pre-new parts when I opened the oil fill cap the idle dropped a little, post-new parts, idle drops 200 rpm or so when I pull the oil fill cap.
