Project Upgrades!
After the exciting trip at Windrock I made a list of things I wanted for Princess. I definitely wanted a lift, about 3", new shocks, new tires and black rims.
In the future I wanted a nice ARB or similar bumper, possibly a winch and of course rock sliders.
Mike made plans to put my 3" lift on though it would take him a couple of days after work to do. In the meantime it was back to driving Bertha, the trusty Suburban.
Bertha had been out of comission for awhile due to her transmission finally giving out. Bertha had done quite well hauling the beloved Jeeps to a fro countless times. So it was understandable why she was so wore out. In fact, the mechanic was quite surprised while rebuilding the transmission how badly wore out it was. The parts were all in pieces.
This time Mike had done research and wanted to make sure there was a band put on the fourth gear just like the Corvettes in order to handle the extra work when pulling the trailer.
Once Bertha came back into comission we were able to continue work on Princess.
Mike put on the 3" Rough Country lift and Rancho shocks which I was very happy with. I couldn't wait until I bought my new Maxxis Mudder Buckshot Tires and black rims.
However, as Janice and I were driving down the road in Princess, something wasn't right. As I would let off of the gas or attempt to get up and go after stopping, we kept hearing a grinding noise.
When we stopped to eat we told Mike about it. Mike drove it around for awhile to no avail. I was aggravated. As usual a vehicle acts fine for him!
After eating, Mike rode with me. Low and behold it finally made that horrible grinding noise.
It wasn't a surpise to Mike though. He had suspected that would happen with the lift being put on.
Turns out it was the drive shafts being out of alignment with the tranfer case. After consulting with the guys on our XJ list it was suggested we put spacers in on the cross member to lower the transfer case. Mike helped fabricate some rather than spending $100 or more on new ones. What a chore that was though it got done.
One of the biggest pains in the rear end by far had to have been when the radiator began acting up. It leaked and leaked then took us forever to figure out why. We then went through two more Mike had laying around from his parts Jeeps with the same thing happening. Where the tank was crimped on all three were leaking there!
Just before our trip to the Bahamas I ended up ordering a new radiator off of Ebay.
A few days after we came back we replaced the radiator. So far so good.
In January 2008 I finally got to buy my Maxxis Buckshot Mudder tires. They are 31" and I love them. At the same time I bought the Cragar black rims. When they came in Mike showed me how to put the tires on the rims then had me finish the job.
In December just by a whim I had seen my Uncle Mark. We started talking about my Jeep when he mentioned my cousin Jessica's ZJ (Grand Cherokee) was for sale. Apparently (or supposedly) the tail light caught fire and burned the back of the Jeep. The engine among several other items had been recently worked on/upgraded.
After mentioning this to Mike he thought it would be a good thing if I could get the ZJ since Princess was in need of a better engine. First though he would have to look at it.
I called my mom who in turn talked to my uncle to see if he would wait a few weeks until mid January so I could purchase it.
Once I got my new tires and rims I was ready to buy the ZJ. Mike decided he would help me by going in half with me as he could use some of the parts as well. We decided the other parts not used would be taken off and put on Ebay.
When we went to look at the ZJ both of our jaws hit the ground. The fire was worse than we had pictured it. The back end was completely melted, drivers side back glass and rear glass were gone. The headliner was burnt to a crisp as was the overhead console. Mike wanted to hear the engine. After having to jump it off (battery was dead due to the radio being left on) he cranked it. What a beautiful sound. He was just as excited as I was.
About a week later we came back with Bertha and the trailer to pick it up.
We had to make room in the barn for "Smokey" as Mike chose to name it. Mike an I spent a few hours removing the grill, a/c condenser, radiator and alternator before calling it a night.
Since Janice and I were heading out of town to a retreat Mike decided he would take that time and get the engine out of the ZJ.
While Janice and I were away Mike text me a picture of the engine after he got it removed. What a refresing sight.
Once I got back Mike asked me when I wanted to begin working on Princess. As painful as it was to part with her I knew I had to get it done so I had him put her in the barn right away.
For two weeks solid I drove Bertha.
Every other day I was out at Mike and Janice's house working on Princess. I was covered in grease countless times and it took days for it to come off. I had made the mistake once of rubbing my itching nose on my arm...
I had put my hands in places they shouldn't have went. My hands cramped so much along with the stinging from the nagging, pestering bolts sticking out of places I had to put them.
It was as if angels were singing when we finally got the old engine out of Princess. It was amazing how badly Princess had been suffering.
Mike was able to turn the flywheel. There had been no compression at all. It's no wonder Princess had very little power.
After once again consulting the XJ list about putting in a ZJ straight six engine the real work began with some of it being unnecessary though a lesson learned.
As we were attempting to bolt up the ZJ engine it was discovered the flywheel was not fitting into place. Mike wasn't happy at all. So we had to go back removing the motor mounts and bolts we had already put on.
While the engine was hanging from the cherry picker Mike switched flywheels. At that time I had noticed stains underneath two of the freeze plugs though I didn't mention it to Mike out of concern he'd get upset.
It was fun trying to hold on to the engine while Mike properly torqued the bolts on the flywheel. I looked like I was hugging it.
Once we got the engine back in along with the bolts and motor mounts we called it a night. It was obvious Mike was still annoyed by the whole situation.
It was on the following Saturday that it was going to be the big day. The day Princess would finally be cranked!
I was very excited. Mike had already put back and connected many of the fairly easy things. All that was left was putting the fuel injector plug ins, starter, drive shafts, alternator, water pump, a/c condensor, radiator, muffler and battery back in place.
Janice and I were heading to a workshop later in the day so I was hurrying as much as I could to get things back together. I didn't get to help finish up and I was so very disappointed. All that was left was the muffler which Mike had originally thought would have to be welded back in place.
I stayed upset for a time since I wanted to be the one to first crank her.
I was happy though to have my beloved Princess back again.
The only flaw was that sometime when we had put the ZJ engine in we broke the temperature guage sensor. I vaguely recall hearing a cracking noise when we put the engine back in the second time.
Mike managed to replace it after a struggle and suggestions from the XJ list. It still doesn't read the exact temperature though it works.
For a few days Princess was doing so much better.
Then one morning I was horrified to find radiator fluid leaking from the middle of the engine. At first I thought it might be from the water pump. Didn't see any fluid around the pump area. Mike came by and looked. Couldn't see where it was coming from.
On a Wednesday evening over at my mom and step dads house I was waiting on Mike and Janice to pick me up for our class at church. I got down with a flash light to look underneath hoping to see where it was coming from. To my horror it was a freeze plug (the one I had seen the stain on when putting the engine in).
I mentioned it to Mike. One of his temporary cure all suggestions was to put pepper (yes, pepper) in the radiator so it would float to the freeze plug, expand and stop the leak.
I made a few calls around to part stores who told me we would have to take a plug off and bring it in to properly size it.
Janice picked up the plugs then Mike went at it. He had such a time putting them in wishing he'd done it while the engine was out. They weren't obviously leaking then.
Mike was so frustrated he quit and met with a longtime good friend of his. That was the best thing he could have done. His friend Ed told him how to get the plugs in which worked.
Once Mike got the job done he brought one of the bad plugs to show me. Pepper wouldn't have done a bit of good.
Turns out they two of them) had holes that had rusted through about the size of a dime.
Mike brought Princess back to me one evening after test driving her. I was so happy to once again have her back.
All that we lack now is changing out the rear wheel bearing and the fuel pump..
Princess and I have had long conversations about acting like a good Jeep and running well as we depend on her.