Author: Mike

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Exhaust Manifold Replacement Jeep Cherokee

Exhaust Manifold Replacement Jeep Cherokee

After removing the old manifold and finding it too broken to repair, I ordered another one form my parts supplier Crown Automotive. I get great service from Crown and they supply quality parts. Their parts are near duplicates of the original Jeep parts and I can order with the Jeep part number.

I received my boxes early in the morning. However, one of the boxes was crushed. The box with the gasket was damaged as were the main manifold gasket and the air filter I had ordered. The doughnut gasket was fine as were some of the other parts in the box. I returned the damaged parts.

I compared the manifold to the original just to make sure it looked the same. It seemed well made but with some kinda sloppy welds. Just like the original.

I began by installing the EGR pipe in the new manifold. I had to heat the old manifold to get the EGR pipe out and the fitting at the end still did not want to swivel. I screwed it in the manifold and lined it up with where it would need to point to attach to the intake.

I cleaned off the head using a Scotch Brite wheel mounted in my drill. Luckily I had a spare gasket so I installed that. I then mounted the new manifold. It is way easier to get to the mounting bolts with the intake out of the way.

I then cleaned up the manifold mounting surface and sat it in place. Since it is very hard to get the bottom manifold bolts started, I tried setting them in place and loose hoping I could slip the manifold in behind the thick washers. I forgot about the dowels that the manifold has to slip over. So, I had to pull the manifold back out and pull the bolts.

Once the manifold was seated into place, I began the tedious task of getting all the bolts lined up and started into their threaded holes. The ones on the bottom were very hard for me. Once I finally got them all in I remembered to finish hooking up the EGR line. I had slipped the tube into the hole as I set the manifold in place but not started the nut.

I tried every possible angle and I could not get the nut to start. It would go in a thread or so and then pop back out. I tried from above and below. The tube looked aligned but it was obviously just a hair off. And with it seized in the exhaust I could not move it much to try to align it.

After struggling for an hour or so, I gave up and pulled both manifold back out. I found I could easily thread the pipe in with the manifold laying on the floor. I hoped that if the exhaust end freed up that I could attach it in place in the truck. So, I heated the nut cherry read and sprayed AFT on it until I could spin it around on the tube. I bolted the exhaust back in place and tried again. I tried it with the nut started in the intake but then it would not thread in the exhaust. I tried it with the nut started I the exhaust and it would not start in the intake. I wiggled the intake around every way I could but I could never get the nut to start.

So I took both manifolds off again. While I had the exhaust out this time I decided to remove the air warming tube because I don’t use it and it is really in the way for getting to the bottom bolts. I laid the manifolds on the floor and hooked up both tubes. I tightened the nuts almost snug but where the tube would still move a bit.

I then set the entire assembly in place as a unit just like I had taken it out. Putting the back nut on the exhaust mounting stud was a real struggle that involved some yelling and throwing wrenches before I finally worked my hand into the correct position. Eventually I was able to get all the bolts started into their threaded holes. I snugged up the EGR tube nuts and hooked up the down pipe to the new manifold.

I was tired and sore by that time so I called it a night and I will finish tightening the bolts later. Then I will have to hook back up all the vacuum and electrical connectors.
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Broken Exhaust Manifold Jeep 4.0

Broken Exhaust Manifold Jeep 4.0

I have been hearing an exhaust leak in my off road Jeep Cherokee for a couple of years. Knowing that the 4.0 manifold is likely to crack, I did not think much about it. However, the noise has been getting worse and I am starting to see some indication that the leak was causing some cooling problems under the hood.

So, I decided to take a look to see how bad the crack was. I began by using a mirror and a flashlight. I pulled the air box to get more room. I was able to look over the front four runners pretty well and found no visible cracks. I know that the later HO manifolds tend to crack where the two section join. But this is the older style manifold that has one main tube and the runners are welded to it. No matter how I twisted the mirror, I could not see the back two runners.

So I decided to pull the intake and take a look. In some ways the old Renix manifold is easier to remove and in some ways it is not. One of the things that makes it easier is that the whole injector wiring harness can simply be unbolted at the firewall and stay with the manifold. There is no need to disconnect the individual injectors.

I did have to disconnect the three sensors below the engine. The O2 sensor, the block temperature sensor and the knock sensor all had to be disconnected to let the wiring harness stay with the manifold.

I had to remove the power steering pump from the bracket to access the bolt that holds the bracket to the manifold. Then I removed the fuel and vacuum lines. I was not able to get the EGR line to break loose so I had to remove the intake and exhaust manifolds as a unit.

Once I had them out and on the shop floor, I was able to get the EGR line to break free from the intake. I immediately saw severe cracking on the last runner near the O2 sensor bung.

I flipped the manifold over and saw cracking around the number five runner as well. I pulled on the pipe sand the last two runners separated completely from the manifold.

I had planned to re-weld the cracks but after seeing how broken up the pipes were and how brittle the surrounding metal was, I decided to order a replacement. I looked into getting a header but there are few to choose from for the older engine. I also thought about retrofitting the HO manifold but that would have meant redoing the down pipe back to the catalytic converter. I decided to simply replace it with a stock type manifold from Crown.

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Off Road Communication

Communicating Off Road

When driving a Jeep off road, it is helpful to be able to easily communicate with the other Jeeps in your group. There are several options that can be considered.

Traditionally the Citizens Band or CB radio was the communication device of choice for off roading. CB radios are easy to obtain and easy to operate. CB radios no longer require a license to operate. However their range is limited due to the four watt output limit. There is also now a lot of RF noise in the CB bands so that the effectiveness is even more limited. However, the CB radio remains a viable alternative for off road use.

In modern times, people like to rely on their Cell phones for communication. However, in remote areas where off road areas are normally located, cell phone towers may be out of range. Also, if there are more than two Jeeps in a group the cell phone only allows two to communicate at a time.

Another excellent choice for off roading is Amateur Radio or HAM radio. Often in the areas where off roading is popular, there are radio repeaters that extend the radio range significantly. Both hand held and mobile radios can be used. Amateur radio however requires a license to operate. Getting a license requires passing a test on the rules and safe operation of the radios. Ham radios have been gaining more and more popularity in remote areas due to the ability to summon emergency assistance quickly if needed.

Another common choice is the Family Radio Service or FRS radio. These are small hand held radios with limited power. However, they tend to have excellent range in the frequency band they operate in. FRS does not require a license and there are no restrictions on the types of conversations that can be made on them. This makes them excellent for off road use.

Also, there is a new option for off road use, the GMRS radio. GMRS has a slightly better range and allows larger antennas. GMRS repeaters are also popping up around the country extending the range even more. However, GMRS requires a license to operate.

My favorite radio for off roading has become the FRS. I use a Motorola weather resistant hand held radio. My radio is actually a FRS/GMRS hybrid but I use only the FRS channels since I don’t have a GMRS license. The hand held portability make sit easy to always have with me in or out of the Jeep. It is handy for use while driving or spotting.
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Trying to move an old bus with air brakes

Trying to move an old bus with air brakes

My friend Ed has an old School bus that he uses mostly as a mobile storage shed. However it has not been very mobile for the last couple of years due to a problem with its Holley carburetor.

Last fall we pulled the carburetor and over the winter he rebuilt it. I put it back in place yester day. We expected the bus to start right up and he was going to use it to move and store some furniture. Well as many adventures in repairing old autos go, things did not go quite according to plan.

The carburetor was easy to install and hook back up. The fuel line was no where to be found so we made a run to the hardware store for some copper line and a fitting. Ed showed me how to use his flaring tool to make the proper flare to fit the inlet of the Holley.

We rigged a temporary fuel supply with a rubber hose and a gas can. He hit the starter switch and nothing happened. The battery voltage just went down. I moved my Jeep in position and hooked up the jumper cables. Still, the starter would not turn the engine.

So we added the battery form his tractor to the mix. There was very little voltage sag when all three batteries were in parallel but still no rotation of the starter.

We tried turning the engine over with a socket on the crank but the nut just turned without turning the engine. We then decided to try to rock the bus with it in gear.

The trouble was, the bus has air brakes. You can’t move it without having air pressure. The compressor is driven by the engine, so with out the engine running there is no air to release the brakes.

We finally figured out how to rig and air line and a small compressor to air up the air tanks. This procedure however involved lying under the bus while holding the air chuck on the filler valve.

We finally got the brakes to release, but the bus was pretty stuck in the dirt. It took quite a bit of tugging with my Jeep and pushing with his tractor to get it to move. However, we did finally get it to move. I pulled it up the hill with the Jeep.

The idea was to let it roll down the hill and pop the clutch to get the engine to turn over. Well all the time spent towing and working the brakes had used up all the air. So we had to run cords and hose up the hill and refill the air tanks for the run down.

We finally go the bus to roll free, but we were still not able to get the engine to rotate. We knew by then that we would need to pull the spark plugs and lubricate the cylinders to get it to go. We were once again out of air and energy. We used the tractor to get the bus out of the driveway and called it quits for the day.
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Real Estate Mortgage – Seven Important Questions

Real Estate Mortgage – Seven Important Questions

When shopping for a real estate mortgage, many questions arise. Often the advice from friends and family is confusing and misleading. There are many rumors and old wives tales concerning real estate financing, so I asked a mortgage broker to get the real answers.

1. Are there any programs that can help a single parent get a loan?

Yes, there are. One program in our state is the THDA or Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Other states will have similar programs. The THDA provides grant money to assist with making a down payment on a home loan. Another program which helps single parents is the USDA. The USDA provides 100% financing in some situations. Your mortgage broker can give you more information on these programs in your situation.

2. If a single parent has had an FHA loan before, can they qualify for another FHA loan?
Yes, but restriction may apply. You will need to discuss the qualification requirements with your mortgage broker. A good broker will help you through the qualification process.

3. What is an FHA loan?

An FHA loan is a standardized mortgage loan that is easy to obtain. The advantages of the FHA loan are no prepayment and it is backed by the US government making it easier to qualify at a lower interest rate.

4. What items do lenders look at when someone is applying for a loan?

Al lenders will look at the same qualifying factors: Credit history, Income and Assets. When applying for a loan, you will need to give the lender access to your credit reports and provide proof of income and your assets.

5. How long after a bankruptcy does someone have to wait to get a home loan?

Typically the wait is two years. However there are many variables and the rules have been changing lately. Contact your mortgage broker for the latest information.

6. How can someone rebuild credit to be able to qualify for a home loan?

One suggestion is to add a secured credit card and leave it at a zero balance. Check your credit report and dispute any negative items. But, the most important step is to just be patient and let the negative items fade away with time.

7. What is the recommend down payment for a home mortgage?

Three and a half percent is generally the minimum. That would be $3500 on a $100,000 loan.

Knowing the answers to these common questions can help you be more prepared when you contact a loan officer about a home loan or other real estate mortgage. There are many online resources that can help you determine you collect the information needed to prepare to apply for a loan.

To learn more about a mortgage or refinancing, contact Hometown Lenders of Clevalend