Betty's "I want to be a mule" progress log thread

The new turd mobile. 2000 Mountaineer v8 awd.



The bad:

Was living it's prior life on a dusty road. Must tear out interior and deep clean.
Driver window off track "or something" and will not roll down. It tries but the rear part wants to stay up.

3 out of 4 door handles have issues. I have 4 new outer handles on order.
Cracked passenger side tail light housing. ( Ebay for some cool tail lights)

Compass-Thermometer thingy lit up and went out--idunno bout that yet

Door locks seem sticky, probably has to do with the handles.
It has a funky purple color trim with red metallic ( you'll have that every now and then)

The good
Gas tank was full
109k miles
I am the 2nd owner!!
Is from the local area, which means no salt!
The undercarriage is fairly clean
No dents to underside panels
Good rubber
Camber shims already installed
Looks like good service records, all recalls were completed.
Clean carfax believe it or not.

The "maybe" bad

The original owner, told the dealership it had a bad "heater core" however I have run it for several cycles, over an hour each idling in the driveay and see no leaks.
However, there was evidence of a windshield leak or the like,I saw condensation on the inside of the windows this AM. The moisture smell is that of water only-no anti freeze smell. I am thinking it could also be a cowl drain which is clogged???? but she did say the passenger carpet got wet.

I tried to get heat, however it is an auto climate control. Being 90 degrees outside, I doubt it would have given me heat.The heater core hoses were hot, and the coolant bypass valve does operate. AC blows Ice cold.

Maybe she meant to say "heater door"???

Anyway--here are the pics.



My intent is to drive this and use it as a tow rig for a light weight off road toy. Mods will be minimal. Edit: This plan did not work out so on to plan "b"

Current visual status

Progress pictures

Now, let's clean it up a little


Herculine'rd rocker panels. Rock sliders installed

BW 4406 True 4x4 Manual transfer case ( AKA Mouse entry point) installed 8-27-2012
Installed newer Tcase from a 2003 11-14-15

Saw a rainbow in Colorado so yeah, time for a picture

And here she is, on top of the highest pass road in North America. Careful tire placement a must!!!

2-2-2013

Changed "color scheme" of the Dick Cepek DC1 wheels. New Falken Wildpeak AT 31x1050x15

Then I decided Maroon washer on the wheels would look better

Update 6-6-2013

New bumpers, winch and Pro LED light . Front Bumper from RLC, Skid plate from RCI, rear bumper from Kert307

Rear anti sway disconnects

Update 9-2-2014
A cracked radiator at 70mph led to engine failure. Replaced with a freshened up a bit 80k mile engine starting on page 23

Found another rainbow in Kansas.

 

[Turdle]

Evil only sat by her for 2 days. She didn't have time to educate Betty on how to piss its owner off....I think
If it ends up being a fuel rail or the lines coming off it going to you fuel lines let me know. I have a couple kicking around you can have

Thanks Tim. I appreciate the thought.


I have a spare fuel rail, and some new o rings. I even have 2 spare upper intake gaskets. My spine has been giving me extra special treatment lately, beyond what a snickers bar can fix. I'm gonna need to enlist some help getting the hood off, but I am going to get started on the little thingy's I guess.

 

[Turdle]

So as usual the can of worms has been opened Thankfully Bryan showed back up and helped right when I really needed it.

so, to get the upper plennum off you have to remove the egr nut on the manifold, to get any angle and leverage on the egr nut we needed to remove the alternator, in order to get good angle and leverage on the belt tensioner we had to remove the fan and shroud-and so on.

Removing the throttle linkage support so I could remove the coil pack so I could get to the upper intake fasteners was also a joy.

We did manage to get the plennum off, low and behold the bank 1 rear fuel rail securing screw had either backed off or been neglected when the engine was swapped a while back. There was a bulge of blue o ring showing between the top of the rear (#4) injector and it's fuel rail socket , key on ( with my face right down there so I could see it for certain) confirmed that was the leak and sprayed me in the face. Ah, good times.

At this point the o rings have been replaced and the fuel rail has just been secured.

Question. The O rings on the top of the injectors were blue, but I used black "fuel injector or rings" as these were easily available without a trip to orielly's. will these be ok?

 

[gmanpaint]

Must have come loose. The rail was pre installed prior to engine drop. They always break at the wrong time. Glad you we're close to home, and was only a one day ordeal.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

it doesnt matter. the o rings are the same size. i think they do that just to make them look pretty

 

[ahodges]

All the O-rings I've for injectors are black.

 

[Turdle]

it doesnt matter. the o rings are the same size. i think they do that just to make them look pretty

All the O-rings I've for injectors are black.

Thanks for the insight.

So far all seems well, and no leaks.

Earlier in this story I mentioned the coolant lines which flow into the upper intake from the metal crossover tube. Since the engine swap I have had this bypassed, with a loop.

I'm going to re connect them as the factory intended, just to see if this helps with fuel economy.

 

[Turdle]

Got everything back together, fired it up and it was running a tad rough. Went under the hood and heard the hissing of a cracked PCV "F" fitting.

Nothing like taking it all apart and doing it over. There is absolutely no way to repair the double vauum lines to the pcv without getting under the upper plennum.

I'm hurting so bad I began to start getting frustrated, and now I snapped the egr-fpr- vacuum dealio lines. I broke the white line and the green line. Kids-turn away it's about to get nasty in here/

 

[vroomzoomboom]

if you broke the hard plastic vacuum lines, grab them firmly with your left hand, and toss em over your right shoulder and replace them with your standard rubber lines. i did that when the m90 went on, and i like them much better

 

[Dono]

Do you mean that pvc T? being bent over an engine bay and gaving to lift that upper intake straight up. Laying the upper intake back down?

Doing this while your in pain and short tempered? Ugh.

Wish you were closer.

That special feeling of your blood pressure rising, the pain, and the growing stress of keeping your self from throwing a temper tantrum, tossing anything you can as far as you can (usually tools) and hurting yourself more in the process. Nah, Iv'e never felt that . LOL

 

[Turdle]

Do you mean that pvc T? being bent over an engine bay and gaving to lift that upper intake straight up. Laying the upper intake back down?

Doing this while your in pain and short tempered? Ugh.

Wish you were closer.

That special feeling of your blood pressure rising, the pain, and the growing stress of keeping your self from throwing a temper tantrum, tossing anything you can as far as you can (usually tools) and hurting yourself more in the process. Nah, Iv'e never felt that . LOL

Believe it or not, mine was an "F fitting. I had to modify shiz to use one of the 2 "T" fittings I had on the shelf.

Here's and earlier picture of my "F" fitting for the PCV . Weird huh? I think 2000 up are like that.

For the fix I used a '98 "T" fitting which uses a short elbow hose instead of the short straight one in the picture, to allow a "T fitting to work.

[MENTION=61294]vroomzoomboom[/MENTION] I found some grey plastic vacuum line. Lots of it. I can't explain why but it is flexible and doesn't break. I found another FPR line so I'm going to give that a shot.

 

[Dono]

That's it! F fitting. I couldn't come up with the right letter. So simple.
I remember mine breaking when I breathed on it the wrong way. Very brittle. Mines gone with the turbo/trickflow intake anyway.

Hope your backs holding up ok. For me, alcohol helps.

I wonder what size of vac line it is? I'd sure like to ebay some silicone vac hose of the correct size. Overkill, until there is a crack/break that you can't find.

 

[traveler]

I'd be happy to lend a hand, but can't get away until tomorrow after work. Holler if I can help. Bad enough to have to do things twice... Let alone when your hurting. Hang in there.

Sent from my LGL15G using Forum Runner

 

[Turdle]

That's it! F fitting. I couldn't come up with the right letter. So simple.

In describing the fitting verbally I added some letters to the "F"

I'd be happy to lend a hand, but can't get away until tomorrow after work. Holler if I can help. Bad enough to have to do things twice... Let alone when your hurting. Hang in there.

Sent from my LGL15G using Forum Runner

If I am still hung up tonight I will surely give you a shout. Thanks!

 

[mr cribb]

In describing the fitting verbally I added some letters to the "F"

I have added letters behind an F before, many many times.

I understand back pain. I live with it daily. It was the reason I was medically retired from the Army.

 

[Turdle]

well, the gray flexible line worked out pretty well. Just heat up the end with a lighter and push it against the floor, reopen the hole with a dental pick and you have a barbed fitting.

Back together for now I think. I'm counting on better fuel economy without a leak.

-still working on the front diff.

 

[traveler]

Need any help with the front diff?

Sent from my LGL15G using Forum Runner

 

[Turdle]

Need any help with the front diff?

Sent from my LGL15G using Forum Runner

Hi Mike.

Tell ya what. How about next weekend? I want to paint the housing and let it dry.
Then what is left is to press in the bearings-seals and swap it out. There should also be added help here.

 

[traveler]

Everything looks good. What time do ya think you'll get started?

Sent from my LGL15G using Forum Runner

 

[Turdle]

Replacement front diff with new bushings has been fitted, and this cured all 4wd thumping and jumping woes!

 

[gmanpaint]

Congrats!