May Finally Have Time To Work On The Truck

[Kittamaru]

Aighty, so, I'm learning to drive the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo my father left to me as part of my parents divorce - it's a stick and a VERY finnicky one at that, but all that aside.

 

The pathy runs very rich, MPG is down to like, 12-14 on average, and the rad hose never seems to get fully hot. I have a valve cover gasket leak, at least two broken manifold studs, A/C doesn't work (pressure release keeps going off when the compressor kicks in), figure my MAF and T-Stat needs replaced, and other work.

 

Case in point, if I just take the top half of the engine apart and do a full all out tune up, what should I be looking at doing? Since I won't have to run her as a DD, I can take all the time in the world.

 

Plan thus far:

 

Valve Cover Gaskets

Exhaust Studs -> 350Z Studs

Rockers, Lifters, and other associated parts (still researching this)

Timing Belt

General Cleaning

MAF Sensor

T-Stat

Charcoal Canister

PCV Valve

 

Other Work To Do:

Exhaust System Replacement (from Manifolds back including Cat + Muffler)

 

Body Rot Repair (including large hole trying to eat my rear passenger seat)

 

Strip, Prime, Paint, Clearcoat, and Decals (low priority)

 

Windshield Washer Fluid tank replacement (leaks)

 

Rear Window Defroster (half the lines don't work)

 

 

 

What else would be good to delve into while I'm hip deep in engine?

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited March 17, 2010 by Kittamaru

[jj big shoe]

Well, when you tackle the timing belt job you'll want to replace the t-stat, water pump and cam seals while you're in there and take a peek at the crank seal, too. And once it's all apart there's not much holding you back from pulling the heads to get at the exhaust studs. After that, I'd do the tune-up stuff (plugs, wires, PCV, etc.) and see where you are before swapping out rockers and lifters and buying another MAF sensor.

 

The paint-on defroster repair stuff is what, $20-$30? And likely is pretty tricky to get to look right. I'd check what a "new" rear hatch glass costs at a salvage yard first and take a meter with you to ohm out all the grid before getting it.

[Kittamaru]

There isn't a u-pull-it anywhere near me, but I'll look around

 

I'm pretty sure my MAF and O2 are shot - did a tune up a few months ago and it helped a lot - however, a few weeks ago, things went really wrong - dunno the exact cause of it. However, the trucks' MPG has been going downhill for a while even after the plugs/dizy/cap/rotor/wires/et al. I figure, if I'm going to disassemble the engine pretty much piece by piece, I might as well try to put ALL the parts back like new I'm fully anticipating at LEAST a two thousand dollar price tag - I know it's a lot for an old truck, but for sentimental and personal preference reasons

[adamzan]

If the o2 sensor is original it could definitely be causing the crappy mileage. I was getting about 15 highway with mine when it was bad.

[Kittamaru]

*nods*

 

Well, I will say this - when I start her up, if I let her sit at idle before she warms up, she runs so rich that gas, literally, will be so dense in the exhaust that a little bit will start to drip out - once I've run her a few miles to warm her up, that stops, but she still smells VERY rich.

[msavides]

*nods*

 

Well, I will say this - when I start her up, if I let her sit at idle before she warms up, she runs so rich that gas, literally, will be so dense in the exhaust that a little bit will start to drip out - once I've run her a few miles to warm her up, that stops, but she still smells VERY rich.

 

 

Also check to make sure your fan clutch is not locked on causing the engine to be over-cooled. Generally you would hear a deep roaring sound from under the hood when you revved the motor if this was happening.