Belizean’s after retirement excursions - took 40 years after buying my Jeep CJ7 off the truck.

[Belizean]

Well it’s been close to almost 6 weeks since I got back home. About 12 full days being gone from the house. Took at least a week off from the Jeep getting back to the real life and getting stuff put back and taking my road trip 33s off and putting the 31s back on. With all the different problems I was wondering where to start. I talked to Gert and got a little plan together. Out in Moab we had worked on all the main grounds and had installed an extra temporary ground wire into the fuel pump. I started testing all that back there with a meter and cleaned that up and added an additional one wired directly to the negative battery even though the original had one there for the Sniper. Gert and I think also Vaughn were kinda thinking maybe that there might be something going on with the ECU on the Sniper, it not maybe signaling that pump and also not to prime the Sniper sometimes. Those guys know electrical stuff far more than I. I’m pretty poor at it actually.

 

[Belizean]

Vaughn said send the Sniper and Gert said call Holley. I was a little afraid to just send it in, figured they might just say nothing the matter with it since it was intermittent. They might send me a big bill and hold it hostage. So I called and was on the phone with a Holley moma. She was asking me a lot of questions about how it was hooked up and I had to test several things with the meter. That went on for at least 90 minutes or more with her disappearing a few times for a few minutes at a time. I believe she was talking to someone with more knowledge about it than her or me. In the end she gave me homework to check on before getting back with her. That was about a month ago and I didn’t call back.

 

[Belizean]

So there were I think 3 or 4 things that the Holley person wanted me to checkout. I wrote that on paper but can’t find it this minute. 1 was checking the Distributor voltage which I will have to check. The other was to check the coil. I figured that the coil would be easiest of all, so I did that first. Long story short the ohms on the MSD secondary was hosed up. Got a new one replacing the old that was maybe 8 - 10 years old. Has a date of 2013 on the back of it. Anyway I wished that I had checked the primary and secondary before first use because I checked after using and the secondary was not at what I had seen a couple of places on the outernet. Called MSD and they didn’t have or wouldn’t tell me what it should be. The guy checked one he had there and was the same as mine. Who knows. He asked if I had tried using it. So anyway the Jeep did fire right up and worked well. More to come on this.

 

[Belizean]

So I get the Jeep running well with those 2 things, new coil and some new grounds for the fuel pump, this is from not starting or running at all. I start driving some, not venturing very far at first, staying within about 5 miles from the house and 20 - 45 minutes at a time for a few days with no problems. Then I take a few rides 15 miles out and 15 miles back doing 35 to 45 mph out and 55 - 70 mph back. A little more interesting than around the house, out to the Mississippi River Spillway. Everything running well like it should.

 

[Belizean]

It was finally time to venture out a little further and longer. 2 weekends ago I decided to go drive to see a friend who actually helped me get my Jeep back together about 18 months ago. About 120 miles out the long way. I headed out most of the first hour doing around 60 mph with a little of it 35 - 45 mph in the beginning. I stopped for a pit stop a couple of minutes and back at it for about 10 minutes at 70 mph on the interstate, then highway for 45 miles 45 - 65 mph, then back on the interstate for several miles at 70 mph, about 7 miles short of getting off the exit the Jeep just died completely, like the key had been turned off. I pulled off to the side out of the traffic. And lifted the hood. I wait for a lull in the traffic to listen to hear the fuel pump and also to see if the MSD cd box lights functioned correctly. They did. I noticed that the fuel line that crossed over the valve cover over to the Sniper for a couple of seconds kinda moved or danced around a little like fuel was getting back into an empty line is what I was thinking at the time. Not positive about that, just what came to mind.

 

[Belizean]

One thing I failed to mention was I had bought was an Edelbrack coil in Moab. A few days before this test run I had installed it to test it, to see if it worked so I might have it as a spare. Anyway I gave the Jeep about 15 minutes to cool off after the initial try to start, and it didn’t. After the 15 minutes it fires right up and I closed the hood and continued on about 9 miles before it died again about 1/2 a mile short of my destination. I waited about another 15 minutes and it cranked back up again and I continued to my friends house. I helped him for 2-3 hours on a project he was working on while I let the Jeep sit and cool off. After that I decided to change out the coil back to the MSD and fired it back up. This time it ran for only about a minute before it died. My friend Raymond and I checked the cd box and it has a light that is supposed to blink 5 times if it’s working correctly before starting. It wasn’t. We checked the connections and disconnected the box for a few minutes and plugged it back in. Turned the key on and bingo, it started right up. Same thing happened in Moab, almost like disconnecting resets it maybe. Raymond is wondering if maybe somewhere in the wiring maybe there is a bad connection somehow. Just a guess. Anyway he added a wire if it dies again to connect direct to the battery + just to try if I’m out on the road. After that I left for home with him following me 1/2 way. No problem doing that and I haven’t had a problem since driving around. The next trip is planned for leaving this Friday evening, Raymond is heading to the 2024 SOA Event in Hot Springs and he invited me so I’m getting ready for that. Something like 60 vehicles, old Jeeps. Tomorrow I’m taking about a 2 - 3 hour trip to test my Jeep. Fingers crossed. I also ordered tonight a Walbro in tank pump to put in the spares box just in case. There were a few times I thought it had crapped out, but it had not. Tomorrow will maybe let me know, or maybe not. It’s a Jeep. And Jeeps do Jeep things as Gert and Vaughn kept telling me..........

 

[Belizean]

Well I drove the Jeep today around the lake, approximately 3 1/2 hours and AMC 150 miles. No problems and ran great. I’m thinking I probably have most of the problems solved with the coil and grounds added. But I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there is a gremlin in there sometime with maybe the cd box, suspecting maybe with wiring, + or - . Who knows. Going to try and make that Jeep Event.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

Id say ditch the msd box. I'm considering buying the hyper spark from Holley that controls timing as well. My tunner swears by em after doing a few.

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[Belizean]

What’s the hyper spark ? If they can’t make a good cd box, just curious why you think they can make that HS ? Probably same little chinnee guy making that also in chinner.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

From Holley
Holley Sniper EFI HyperSpark Distributors

Do you need to upgrade your ignition system due to a recent Sniper EFI installation, but have no idea which option is best? Introducing Holley Sniper EFI HyperSpark distributors. These billet distributors use a hall-effect crank signal sensor, providing a noise-free RPM signal to the Sniper ECU. HyperSpark distributors include a patented clear installation cap that eliminates any confusion when installing the distributor. They're an easy plug-and play solution to add timing control and complete your Sniper EFI installation. Many options are available; choose the model recommended for your year/make and engine application

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[gert]

I have the hyper spark on my ramcharger, i like it, i would only get it if you were planning on getting it tuned tho, if not you cant beat HEI


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[Manic Mechanic]

I currently have hei just deciding my options. Probably will get it for my 79 with the AMC 304 as the large cap on the hei hits in the front of water hoses

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[gert]

I currently have hei just deciding my options. Probably will get it for my 79 with the AMC 304 as the large cap on the hei hits in the front of water hoses

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Lol ya HEI is a tight fit on an AMC V8 for sure, i have it on my Jeep and havent touched it in 5 years


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[Belizean]

Jeep is all packed up to head up to the SOA Event up at Hot Springs. I will be seeing more Scramblers than I have seen total in my whole life. Looking forward to getting back out 4 wheeling

 

[Manic Mechanic]

Keep us posted. Also as always pics or it didn't happen.

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[Belizean]

Well I left a week ago Friday and got back Thursday. Jeep worked great. I only went out on 1 and 2s out of 5 rated trails. A few said that a couple of trails I had a little difficulty with were probably at least 2 1/2 or more. A couple of times it kicked my Jeep and my butt. On 1 section I made 5 attempts at passing a tough area and finally went around. On the other trail I finally got winched up the really hard area. Arkansas is a completely different animal than Moab. Moab is like driving on sandpaper. Arkansas is a mixture of dirt, shale like rocks and lots of rocks and bigger rocks moving around and then there are the stationary rocks that are fixed like spears sticking out kinda like Omaha Beach ready for the Higgins landing craft waiting to impale your Jeep. Just glad my oil pan had a small skid plate once when I know it hit sliding off a rock. I had a great time at a great place with great people. What can I say more, just a fun time.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

VA is about the same. Muddy rocks don't have the best traction

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[Belizean]

I can’t say enough about the park also. Someone said it’s 1200 acres with one heck of a lot of trails with a few main trails and all sorts of trails off of those. The park was originally owned by Super Winch I believe I heard and was sold a couple of times. The new owners bought 3 years ago and have done a lot of improvements. A great park. First ORV that I have ever been to, so I have nothing to compare to, but all said its a good one. People came far and wide. Something like 57 Scramblers. 1 Overlander, 1 Camando and my CJ7 .

 

[Belizean]

This wasn’t all of the Scramblers.

 

[Belizean]

This was a few on arrival evening at pizza night. My friends is the red one. We drove up together.