Build Thread Bi-Centennial CJ-5

[Niedhogg]

New dizzy came in today, and I was a little surprised to see it was electronic.. I thought it would be a points distributor for whatever reason, but I'm sure I will enjoy the trouble free igniting..
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Now this is kind of rediculous, but this jeep came with a battery, and this thing has been sitting a while as you all know, so I thought I would see if it would take a charge, and after 2 days on the charger it shows that it will hold voltage, buuut it has no cranking power as expected. But before it took a total , it did turn over the engine, while it was in gear, and as I was struggling to yank it into neutral this might be where I realized it is STILL cranking! It won't stop, and as I ran around to smack the solonoid and the starter to get it to stop, it wound down and stopped about the same time I got the battery cable off... that was crazy, it actually moved about a foot or so before I got it out of gear..

Anyway, so now I've installed a new starter solonoid too, I had already bought one in anticipation of this, and I see that it has the extra post for the ignition circuit which I don't need, and it made me wonder whether you can restore anything to original when what you get is not always what you where expecting.. and that kinda sucks. Personally, I have never seen one of these solonoids with only 3 posts like this one.
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So now, with all that, IT RUNS!! well, as long as I trickle gas into the carb.. and it runs great! No noises, and purrrrs like a kitten, has about 40 PSI oil pressure while idling and looks like it's charging the battery (from my CJ7 ).. I pulled the fuel filter and it's bone dry, so a new pump will be here tomorrow.. the fuel lines look to be original, as the rubber lines still have the compression clamps. I had put a few gallons in the tank, but none of it made it to the pump.. I'm starting to wonder now, if the odometer is actual miles.. 15,000 +change.. that would be pretty cool..

 

[Niedhogg]

Well, new fuel pump is installed.. but it was too late to try it out tonight.

More to come!

 

[Niedhogg]

Ok guys, giving this thread a much needed bump, to refresh everyone on this build. I have been extremely busy the last few months which means nothing much has been going on with this CJ5 , but I am very happy to annouce that the shop we were renting with four other people came available to me as the primary renter and two of the other guys have moved out, this will free up some much needed space in the bldg. It's a 60x80 space (or maybe a bit bigger), but trying to get into it to get anything done was near impossible with those other guys... derby guys, slobs, uncaring butchers of automobiles, who had no regard for personal space or property, damaging several things my son and I had in there over the years, damaging tools, while others seemed to disappear all together, my tool box had been attempted to be broken into just within the last month or two... but no more, the bad elements are gone for good along with all their ... we will be moving all my jeeps and parts into the shop over the next week, and my wife has told me she no longer wants to see me sitting around the house on my free time. We had recently moved my J20 truck into the shop about a month ago, and I have started stripping it for body work and paint, as well as pulling the original drivetrain to get it all prepped to swap in a '95 Dodge 5.9 magnum driveline (motor, tranny, Transfer Case ), which will be my new DD and tow rig to wheeling events with my CJs...

The CJ5 that this build thread is for, will be on the operating table as soon as we get it moved there and I will start going through the fuel system and brakes, cut down those rediculous lift shackles, and make it a driver again.. then we'll be stripping the layers of paint for a fresh coat of shiny, powder coat the wheels and slap on some new hoops by mid/late spring, so stay tuned!

Dave

 

[tarry99]

Nice to get rid of the Riff-Raf!..............now with the place to yourself we need pictures.............

 

[Niedhogg]

Nice to get rid of the Riff-Raf!..............now with the place to yourself we need pictures.............

Will do! In fact, I have one here for a before pic, just after I got the J20 in the shop..

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I also found out today, that ALL the other guys are moving out! I will have this place all to myself! This pic doesn't show a lot of what I've had to deal with, but from where that truck is sitting to the back wall, and then some space in front, like where some of my bikes and my sled is sitting, is all the space I've ever been able to use. My son told me earlier that they removed nearly 100 tires from around the shop that these guys just toss anywhere... I'm so glad they are all out, and it's all mine!

 

[Petescj]

Oh my! Glad to see you'll be the only tenant now.