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Hey guys, I bought my first Jeep this weekend! A 1976 Jeep J20 for $675! The VIN says that it is factory equipped with the 401 V8 and TH-400. I got it running yesterday, video below, and I'm excited to drive it! When I got the truck the brake fluid reservoir was bone dry, so the brakes will need bled. The fuel lines are not moving fuel, so I have a Fireball bottle acting as my fuel tank . Accelerator pump also leaks. I'm looking forward to learning more about these trucks and wrenching on it. I'm confused on how to engage and disengage the 4wd on it, as there is no transfer case shift lever or locking hubs. Pics and Video below!
Yeah, a 70's 401 came with the quadratrac. The "Emergency Drive" switch is in the glove box. Switches between AWD (OK to drive on dry pavement) and part time 4WD (not OK to drive on dry pavement for long periods of time).
If it has low range, the shifter will be on the transmission tunnel by the driver's seat. You have to engage "emergency drive" and then shift into low range. If there is no low range, the shifter won't be there.
Welcome, 76 may still have the prestolite... distributor with dual white vacuum unit... also called presto no lite for its failure rate... make sure that you have healthy grounds... otherwise time for HEI conversion, after swapping the distributor base gears...
The low range was optional, but can be added... for 76 it is a lever on the floor by the driver's right side on the hump, or could be a T handle under the glovebox/dashboard
HEI is really simple, it'll come with instructions, but basically you use any 12volt hot-in-run lead to trigger a relay that powers it from the battery. HEI is a one wire distributor. That said, there may be slack in your timing chain or wear in the distributor drive gears causing your spark timing woes.
It may be worth you time to crawl under it with a flashlight and scraper. The engine displacement is cast into the block right under the motor mounts. At these vehicles age, engine swaps aren't uncommon.
Welcome to the madness!
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
EDIT>>> if you have more time than money, you can make a duraspark distributor with any capacitive discharge box (MSD, HiFire, Summit, etc) or use an HEI control module to get the same/better ignition than a drop in HEI, but it takes some learnin' which takes more time.
79 J-10 (Honcho Mucho) KE0LSU
304/Performance Fuel Injection TBI/MTA1/SP2P/Magnum rockers
T18/D20/D44s&4.10s/33" Mud Claws
Grizzly Locker Rear
4" front spring drop, 5" rear shackle flip
Chevy style HEI (ECM controlled)
Dolphin "Shark" gauges in a fancy homemade oak bezel
3/4 resto, rotting faster than I've been fixing it.
Awesome! Thanks for all the info guys. Right now I'm working on making sure everything has fluid and works. Plans for the future will be a 4 inch lift with 33's or 35's, maybe some Line-X for paint, and some custom fab bumpers and sliders
1976 Jeep J-20
401 V8 w/ CRT HEI conversion
Blown TH-400
--------------------------------------
1989 Grand Wagoneer
360 V8
727
REDONE wrote:HEI is really simple, it'll come with instructions, but basically you use any 12volt hot-in-run lead to trigger a relay that powers it from the battery. HEI is a one wire distributor. That said, there may be slack in your timing chain or wear in the distributor drive gears causing your spark timing woes.
It may be worth you time to crawl under it with a flashlight and scraper. The engine displacement is cast into the block right under the motor mounts. At these vehicles age, engine swaps aren't uncommon.
Welcome to the madness!
Just a bit of clarification. You want the power source to be hot-in-start-and-run, not just hot-in-run. Getting the right kind of power source will save you a bunch of in the long run.
REDONE wrote:HEI is really simple, it'll come with instructions, but basically you use any 12volt hot-in-run lead to trigger a relay that powers it from the battery. HEI is a one wire distributor. That said, there may be slack in your timing chain or wear in the distributor drive gears causing your spark timing woes.
It may be worth you time to crawl under it with a flashlight and scraper. The engine displacement is cast into the block right under the motor mounts. At these vehicles age, engine swaps aren't uncommon.
Welcome to the madness!
Just a bit of clarification. You want the power source to be hot-in-start-and-run, not just hot-in-run. Getting the right kind of power source will save you a bunch of in the long run.
I used the wire that powers the idle stop solenoid on the 74 that has the HEI -it has power on all settings- From older post, it is recommended to get the fattest wire to the HEI at least 12 gauge... the solenoid wire is not that much, but it works for me.
Michel
74 wag (349 Kmiles... parked, next step is a rust free body)
85 Gwag (229 Kmiles... the running test lab)
The truck is now starting, running, driving, and even somewhat stopping through it's own resources. There is a low range! Thanks to Le Tank's info I was able to locate the shifter for it, awesome! The awd/4wd vacuum switch is present and, from what I can tell, still functional. The indicator is gone though, so I have no way of telling what mode it is in
1976 Jeep J-20
401 V8 w/ CRT HEI conversion
Blown TH-400
--------------------------------------
1989 Grand Wagoneer
360 V8
727