New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and needing more assistance! New Pics!

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Topic author
BigM4x4
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:40 pm
Location: Lexington, SC

New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and needing more assistance! New Pics!

Post by BigM4x4 »

Hello everyone! I just two weekends ago picked up what i believe to be an '83 Wagoneer Limited, AMC 360 & Select-trac (i think, it has the hi/lo lever). I am not new to cars working on them or Jeeps (had a '77 CJ-5), but am new to the FSJs. And this will be my biggest project to date! It is currently in pretty rough shape, with a lot surface rust and some bondo in the lower rear quarters. The interior is as expected for the age and the way it looks on the outside. It does not currently run, but was told it has run in past couple years. Really excited to work on turning this into a Family camping/mild off-roading/expeditionish type rig.

Onto my first issue so far, the cargo had some junk in it that previous owner said was in it when he got it. Random junk, (hub caps, a roll of carpet, some kids shoes? :shock:) , anyway i want/need to remove the interior, but to my surprise the only door i didn't open when checking it out was the tailgate. Tried to open it, but the driver side will not unlatch. Checked the linkage, its good. It kind of looked like the catch wasn't backing away from the spring loaded part so i manipulated that, nothing. My assumption is that it is rusted in place, or seized, my be the lock mechanism is broken? Is this a common thing? Is there way a good way or a known way to remedy this problem?

My thoughts were to remove the rear glass, and try to turn the mechanism some how from the inside...but thought i might asked some more experienced Jeepers first!

Edited* got the photos attached! Ignore the blue spot! My wife got our 4yr old son exited about it needing to be repainted, and I just decided to let him throw some spray paint on a rusty spot!
ImageImageImage
Last edited by BigM4x4 on Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:11 am, edited 3 times in total.
'83 Wagoneer Limited - 360

mx71
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:20 pm

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and already needing assistance!

Post by mx71 »

Try a padded pry bar under the tailgate to lift it slightly then open.

1979bettywhite
Posts: 547
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 8:14 am

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and already needing assistance!

Post by 1979bettywhite »

Removing the rear glass is not going to happen with the tailgate closed, since it is inside a track that runs all the way from the tailgate to the roof. But you should be able to remove the access panel (under the carpet on the tailgate if it has it). You will just have to crawl over the back seat to get back there, and I guess across all the junk that is back there as well, lol. Have you tried spraying some penetrating oil on the mechanism to get it to release? Maybe even WD-40.

Welcome to the world of big smiles and empty wallets. As you already know, it is an antique vehicle, so a lot of patience will be required along the way. And when something breaks/fails just remember that this is a learning experience and you will get to learn something new!

Plenty of helpful people here on the board. They have taught me a lot, and I have learned a ton working on my FSJ.

Also, using the Tapatalk app is about the only way to go with adding photos from your phone. It is a super simple process from there. I gave up trying to add photos from the computer. Do it all through the app now.

candymancan
Posts: 3652
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2016 11:32 pm

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and already needing assistance!

Post by candymancan »

You cant remove the glass with the tailgate down but you cab drop the glass with it down.. Open the access panel.. using a big fat philips screw driver and alot of pressure so you dont strip the philips head... they can be a pain to take off sometimes if rusted or never taken off.. They make special philips ends that are curbed sligjtly for removing hard to get off philips screws.. or just drill the sucker out .

Then once the panel is off get a pair of glasses ( so you dknt get frud in your eyes and a flash light with a really long flat head screw drive and lay down looking up inside.. On the left and right on top are the arms holding the glass up.. There are clips one on each side.. pop them off and wiggle the glass frame and have someone else outside to push the glass down.. Eventually with some effort the glass will slide down and you can then use the tailgate handle inside to lower the tail gate.


Then when its lowered pull the glass out and start working on the window regulator.

CAUTION if you pull the glass ALLL the way out you will rip off the heated glass elements soldered to the glass.. So instead of ripping it out all the way just extend it enough to work on on the regulator and use a table with something on it to support the glass while the tailgate is down
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9L Limited 219k
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 I6 laredo 430k
1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer 155k
1976 Jeep J10.. 85k(repaired)

Topic author
BigM4x4
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:40 pm
Location: Lexington, SC

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and already needing assistance! Now with Pics!

Post by BigM4x4 »

So a little update, I have stopped messing with the tailgate for now. Still haven't gotten it open, but will come back to it.

So decided to try and see if I could get it to crank up and run if only for second, before I pulled to much of the interior apart. Throw in a battery and a new starter, a little gas down the carb, crank it over a few times, but nothing. So I check and no spark at the plug. All the plugs look good. (I had found 8 empty spark plug boxes and 8 old plugs in the back seat, so assuming they were relatively new and probably ok) I started looking at the coil, and found that there is a broken wire, but I'm not sure if its needed, or would be causing the coil not to fire. Hoping someone here can help...

I'm probably going to go ahead and do the TFI ignition change over, but want to make sure I understand what everything is going to and for before I start pulling part off. ImageImage

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'83 Wagoneer Limited - 360
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tgreese
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Location: Medford MA USA

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and needing more assistance! New Pics!

Post by tgreese »

That cylinder on the coil is a condensor (capacitor) that reduces ignition noise on your radio. It will have no effect on starting, as long as the wire to it is not accidentally grounded.

The TSM will have a no-start flow chart that you can follow. Also in the TSM is a wiring diagram that will help you trace back the circuits and see where you have a problem, using a mutimeter or test light. I would first check that there is power to the coil and the ignition module when the key is on.

Year/model/equipment? Good to put that in your sig, so it's present with every post.
Tim Reese
Maine beekeeper's truck: '77 J10 LWB, 258/T15/D20/3.54 bone stock, low options (delete radio), PS/PDB, hubcaps.
Browless and proud: '82 J20 360/T18/NP208/3.73, Destination A/Ts, 7600 GVWR
Copper Polly: '75 CJ-6, 304/T15, PS, BFG KM2s, soft top
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Dual Everything: '15 Chryco Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, ECO Green
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Topic author
BigM4x4
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2018 12:40 pm
Location: Lexington, SC

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and needing more assistance! New Pics!

Post by BigM4x4 »

Can someone post a pic of the driver side and passenger side of the factory two barrel carb setup for the 360. I rebuilt mine, and got the waggy running, but the first time i fired it up it was idling pretty high, 1500-2000rpm I'm guessing (no tach). Got to looking and messing, before the next fire up, and noticed the the accelerator pump was being held at about halfway of so in. So pushed back on the linkage connected to the throttle blades and it moves back fine. So held it back and had the wife crank it up, idled fine. I have a spring that i found laying on the engine, but not connected to anything, not sure where it goes, maybe that's the problem. The fast idle solenoid wire is/was not hooked up. Got to find the end it plugs into, and see if even works.

Basically I'm not very familiar with carb setup, and there were a few things disconnected already when I got it. Looking for pics of the way its supposed to be, so i tell what might missing or needs to be corrected/ adjusted. Thanks!
'83 Wagoneer Limited - 360

mx71
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2018 8:20 pm

Re: New Wagoneer owner, saying hi and needing more assistance! New Pics!

Post by mx71 »

http://oljeep.com/edge_parts_man.html

The manual on there is an 82, but should be about the same.
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