My 1988 Grand Wagoneer build thread (LS Swap began 3/13/14!)

[ShawnQ]

Current Specs:
-1988 Grand Wagoneer
-AMC 360
-727
-NP229
-6" spring lift
-Mickey Thompson Classics w/simulated beadlocks
-33x12.5 BFG MT


-Hedman Full Length Headers
-3" to 2.5" header collectors, 2.5" magnaflow y-pipe, single 2.5" to Catco catalytic converter, 2.5" thrush turbo muffler, single 2.5" exhaust tip exiting behind passenger rear tire

-Edelbrock 1406 carb
-Edelbrock Performer intake

Future Plans:
-Install exhaust (3-2-13, done, but plan to update for better sound)
-Fix oil leaks
-Fix drivetrain clicking noise (Diagnosed, currently trying to find parts - believe it's the first U-Joint off the front of Transfer Case)
-Get water temp gauge working (3-6-13, done! Purple/violet wire was disconnected)
-Fix high alternator charging problem
-Clean up wiring harness, remove extras I don't need, and fix PO splice jobs done with duct tape (Ongoing)Look at this MESS!
-Fix A/C and Heater (no blower motor power)
-Fix interior water leaks
-Fix interior dome/courtesy lights
-Replace exterior weatherstripping
-Convert grill to Rhino
-Custom front bumper with receiver
-Custom rear bumper with tire mount
-Upgraded roof rack/Cargo Basket
-Paint and Body eventually although it looks decent now
-Original paint or repaint silver. Original color was the dark grey.
-Keep woodgrain, but convert it to the ebony/black wood, and make outside wood trim black

---------------------------------------

First off...about me. I'm a native Texan(dont hold it against me!), from San Antonio. The USCG currently has me relocated to the Galveston TX area for at least two more years. After that, who knows.

Ever since I was old enough to drive, I have been doing trips to and from the coastal TX area fishing spots. Saltwater fishing is my other passion besides cars.

Now that I'm close to the beach, I figured a Grand Wagoneer would be a cool beach buggy/weekend driver and tinker toy.

I picked up this 88 last weekend.

uploadfromtaptalk1362329019749.jpg

It isn't perfect but its a solid start with decent exterior, nice interior, no rust, and just over 80k original miles.

First thing it needed was exhaust. It came with Hedman longtubes and nothing else. I finally got it done, temporarily, just so I could get it on the road. I'm happy with all of the work except for the shortcut the guy did in the center. He couldve made a nice bend instead of joining two pipes like he did. Nothing fancy. Its terribly quiet, which is much better than the open headers. My main concern was getting rid of the exhaust smell from the cabin and my clothes.

uploadfromtaptalk1362328915565.jpg

uploadfromtaptalk1362328941489.jpg

uploadfromtaptalk1362328954590.jpg

I will eventually do something a little louder, but this was cheap and works for now.

Once that was done I fixed a thermostat housing leak. Found the old housing to be out of true/plane so i got a new one. Added a new thermostat as well (it didnt have one in it):

uploadfromtaptalk1362328517409.jpg

[

To be continued...

[lindel]

There's a few native Texans around here, me among them. Welcome, btw. The wife's 87 is the same color (not counting the rust tinge that's beginning to develop...).

[j20owner]

My wife likes your Wag.

[ShawnQ]

So after getting the exhaust installed...I FINALLY got a chance to drive the jeep! It all went well until about 45mph and then it fell on its face.

I stalled and had to re-fire it 3 times on my way home from the muffler shop.. but got it home. On the way, I found that it would go like hell for 3-5sec, then fall on its face like it was out of fuel.

When I got home, I inspected fuel lines for kinks, checked timing, vacuum leaks, etc. I was about to tear the carb off when I realized the fuel filter was installed wrong! He had the main feed line going into the vent/return outlet...and vent/return going to the inlet side.

Once I fixed that, she ran much better. I had it up to and over highway speeds with no issues.

When I brought it home, I heard a light drivetrain click...like a wheel bearing or u-joint I need to look into. It is relative to vehicle speed, not engine RPM so should be nothing major.

Also, found an oil leak...I think its the front of the intake but ill have to look further.

So - to do:

1- fix oil leak
2 - diagnose and fix clicking in drivetrain

Then ill go from there...

[ShawnQ]

Theres the leak.

[ShawnQ]

Duplicate post

[CAPTSmith]

Hi Shawn, nice waggie you have! Similar to my '88 JGW. Currently doing an entire drivetrain swap (see link below) , but after that was looking at upgrading my stock wheels/tires to 33s with the same MT wheels you have. Do you have any driveshaft vibrations or other problems with the 6" lift? Also, do the 33s rub the body any? Thanks! Dennis

[ShawnQ]

Hi Shawn, nice waggie you have! Similar to my '88 JGW. Currently doing an entire drivetrain swap (see link below) , but after that was looking at upgrading my stock wheels/tires to 33s with the same MT wheels you have. Do you have any driveshaft vibrations or other problems with the 6" lift? Also, do the 33s rub the body any? Thanks! Dennis

CAPT,

I do not have any excessive drivetrain vibrations. The only road vibrations I get are what I'm accustomed to when using a mud terrain tire. I was pleasantly surprised at how it drove/rode at up to 75-80mph (I don't cruise that fast, just wanted to see how it reacted once). The spring lift is a little rough on bumpy roads but it is to be expected.

In regards to rubbing, I don't have any fenderwell rubbing. I'm not exactly sure which lift I have, but was told it was a 6". It does appear to be all spring.

I'll take a look at your build thread. An engine/drivetrain swap will be in my distant future if I hang on to this jeep long enough.

Take care,
Shawn

[ShawnQ]

Here's a quick update:

Got my coolant temperature gauge working!

While digging around in the engine wiring trying to figure out why things are done the way they are, and what does what...I found a purple/violet wire without a home. Turns out it was the coolant temp sensor connection.

I double checked to make sure before attaching it to the sensor. Once I checked the gauge function by grounding the wire, and it tested good, I plugged the sensor in and let the Jeep run a while to register a temp on the gauge. Sure enough, she works! I then took the Jeep on a spirited highway drive and the temperature hovered right around the temp where my thermostat is set to open (180*). It was a cool evening for TX standards, so I'm happy with that.

On the other hand, I found an interesting 3-way wire connector:



That isn't the stock 3-way splice for the carb solenoid, choke, etc, is it? I assume it has been 'messed with' before, hence the odd 3-way connection.

Anyhow, I made sure to clean it up and tape it out of the way as I'm not currently using a choke or choke heater.

I also found a few other wires who do not have a home, but I'll have to write them down and ask about them later.

On another note, my brother asked me to get a video clip of my exhaust, so here is one:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bStLKMa93g[/youtube]

I'll post more later once I tear into the wiring harness some more.

[CAPTSmith]

Sweet rig Shawn, boy I love that rumble of the V8 exhaust! For a good '88 JGW wiring diagram, check out the following link:

http://oljeep.com/gw/elec/88/88_FSJ_Wir ... mPage1.jpg

[ShawnQ]

Thanks for the link CAPT. I've been going through his site for a few days now, and some of it matches my jeep and some of it doesn't. I'm not sure if mine is a 'mid year' that has colors from two different schematics, or if it has just been messed with by previous owner(s) and may not all be factory '88 wiring. I know for a fact they have messed with the wiring, but I wouldn't think they would change the color in a whole lay of wire.

In regards to the work I've been messing with today:

1) I had noticed a small pop/thud like a very minor backfire in my exhaust every now and then, mainly at idle. Most everything I've ever read usually relates this to a vacuum leak. So, I Put a vacuum gauge on it, and was only getting 12-15 depending on where I set my idle...definitely looking for a leak. I looked around for a while and traced vacuum lines, and at first didn't see any problem. Everything was hooked up, although some have some minor wear and will be replaced. When I pulled the air cleaner off to try and replace the vacuum hoses going to the Found an open vacuum port on the back of the intake
I put a vacuum plug on it, and get 20-22 at idle now

2) Once I realized I had good vacuum, I started to mess with my 4wd actuator switch again (I did this the day I bought it to make sure 4x4 worked, which it did, but I had to manually shift it from under the truck to make it engage...no prob, vacuum issue I would fix later).
When I switched from 2wd to 4wd with the dash switch, sure enough, it immediately shifted! Woohoo! We have 4x4 now without getting out and crawling under the truck to engage it

3) So, once 4x4 was engaged, I wanted to make sure Lo/Hi and everything worked still (again, I checked this when I first bought it but did it briefly). When I put it in 4x4 high and started driving, I noticed that same driveline 'ticking' noise but a little more pronounced. Checked low, and again, more driveline click. So, I went to the house and jacked up the front left tire. Here is what I found:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAG1kyB6Qdg[/youtube]

I'm pretty sure that U-Joint coming off of the front of my transfer case is my clicking noise. It is obviously loose. I'm not sure if this is considered normal, but i wouldn't think so. Any input?

4) After I was done messing with that, I decided to look into why my Jeep was over charging. I can't figure it out, but I did get a few videos and started drawing out how my truck was wired so I could compare it easily to a schematic. Here is a video from inside the cabin, and under the hood. You can hear the alternator whine when the voltage increases. The minor jumps are directly correlated to the whining noise.

Here's the interior video:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7T95LKCA5Q[/youtube]

Here's the underhood video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NextNeWOtx4[/youtube]

Any idea what to look for with the charging issue? I really can't drive it with it over charging like that. And, for the record, I did check the battery voltage when the voltage gauge was reading high, and it's accurate. If you rev the engine at cruise RPM or higher the voltage goes way too high on the battery. The alternator thinks it is low I'm assuming, and is working hard to charge the battery. I just don't know how to diagnose if it is internal to the alternator, or a wiring issue.

Judging by the look of the previous owner's wiring...I wouldn't be surprised if it was the wiring issue.

Thanks,
Shawn

[ShawnQ]

Here's a quick video showing where I stand with the wiring mess. Should be fun!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rXInH9ioqo[/youtube]

[j20owner]

Small zip ties will be your friend.

[ShawnQ]

Small zip ties will be your friend.

Yes, they already are!

[CAPTSmith]

Hi Shawn, when comes to wiring, I am not your man! I recently got back my engine harness, PCM from being flashed and wires labeled, and it is still confusing. Biochemical pathways are no problem, but electrical pathways drive me crazy!!

[ShawnQ]

Hi Shawn, when comes to wiring, I am not your man! I recently got back my engine harness, PCM from being flashed and wires labeled, and it is still confusing. Biochemical pathways are no problem, but electrical pathways drive me crazy!!

Biochem, corpsman CAPT?

I understand what you're saying. I like to picture DC systems like water. Turn on the switch (faucet) and hope you have the same water pressure (voltage) at the end of the pipe (wire) as you did at the beginning. You must account for any other sinks (loads) in between the beginning and the end that may cause pressure drops.

I'm slowly figuring it out in my Jeep...I have it all mapped out now. I just need to make repairs before I loom it all together. Here's a schematic I modified to match my engine harness color scheme. It was almost identical to the 90-91, just a few differences.

[CAPTSmith]

Yes, Medical Service Corps. Thanks for the diagram as it will help me with my '88 JGW also!

[ShawnQ]

Yes, Medical Service Corps. Thanks for the diagram as it will help me with my '88 JGW also!

Excellent. I'm just an MK, would've gone health services if the wait for school wasn't so long. Instead I'm working on prerequisites and intend to apply for local physician assistant programs. I would apply for the USCG PA program but with budget cuts I'm afraid the numbers will be next to none. So I'll likely separate and go medical as a civilian. My wife is a civilian P.A., Loves it!

Now who knows what will happen with them stopping Tuition Assistance for the military. .

In the meantime ill turn wrenches at work, at home, and enjoy the Jeep!

In regards to the diagram...I'll update it as I go!

[CAPTSmith]

Yes, Medical Service Corps. Thanks for the diagram as it will help me with my '88 JGW also!

Excellent. I'm just an MK, would've gone health services if the wait for school wasn't so long. Instead I'm working on prerequisites and intend to apply for local physician assistant programs. I would apply for the USCG PA program but with budget cuts I'm afraid the numbers will be next to none. So I'll likely separate and go medical as a civilian. My wife is a civilian P.A., Loves it!

Now who knows what will happen with them stopping Tuition Assistance for the military. .

In the meantime ill turn wrenches at work, at home, and enjoy the Jeep!

In regards to the diagram...I'll update it as I go!

Interesting, as a senior adviser for the Navy Surgeon General, I use to manage all the Reserve Component MSC clinical personnel (ie, PA, PT, OT, etc) and have several PA contacts if needed. As prior enlisted, with good evals, I think you would be very competive for Navy Commissioned Officer program as a PA. I didn't know that TA is going away, bummer, as this is what I used for for BS/MS degrees! Nevertheless, anything is possible if you want it bad enough! Good luck.

[ShawnQ]

So here's the latest on the Jeep:

I removed the old alternator that was over-charging and went to have it tested. It tested fine on one attempt, and then failed 3 others. I think something was shorting in the case. It read 27.7v on the attempts that it failed! So, I got a replacement (same size, I'll do a cs-144 some day down the road if needed).

I also removed the upper intake and plan to re-seal it this coming weekend if I get time. I am still not sure if my intake front seal was leaking, my front cocer was leaking, or my water pump to front cocer gasket was leaking. Wither way, I'm going to end up replacing all three in hopes of fixing the leaks on top of the engine. This should allow me to address any further leaks on the bottom and hopefully slow the dripping.

Here's a few pics of the intake removal process:

Leaking areas



Naked front of engine



Valley gasket was recently changed.





Carbon built up around one pushrod, I'm told likely from a stuck exhaust flapper on the heat riser before it was removed. Makes sense.



I also found that the PCV was capped off...not sure why, but I'll have to change that.

I hope to get it cleaned up, re-gasketed with a new water pump and seals. Hopefully the factory bolts come out easy enough and I can have it all back together next week.

THEN I can finish cleaning up my wiring harness (you can see it all un-loomed in the pictures).

Wish me luck!

Stay tuned,
Shawn