Drovers Return to the world of Jeep

Drover

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Mate been looking at them for years, jaw dropped way back then too..............


Well actually Booties, its a choice forced upon us as we did not want to loose the Colorado and hopefully we can keep up our travelling lifestyle, if not Big Mal will be next and that won't be good.

Today it got a full detail, best way to find things, pulled apart panels, followed wires and dug around in the engine bay to investigate some ideas, well on the way to knowing this American Import, wish I had my big ramps so I could walk underneath, hoist would be nice, this thing is lower than the ute and I don't fit.
 

Drover

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Yes, he's going all mod-con, and Im going all olde world ...

Everything just goes in a circle, the story of life I'm afraid but doing it in a Jeep just enhances it all ....................
Hey, I'm getting back into this " It's a Jeep Thing "
 

Drover

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Here is the News .................:couch2:
My old Ute lasted for 6 days on the lot and was snapped up, dealer only got $5K more than he gave me for it, I wonder did I get ripped off on the jeep, too late now...............Must say I do like this engine, very nice ........... I certainly miss my walk under ramps as I may not be able to do my own tranny service as I need the vehicle level and front ramps don't cut it and I dont fit without them, bummer, today I ran out some cable to run 12v power for Big Mal runs fridge and Camera, the WK2 has handy terminals under the bonnet and 7 mts of cable later, numerous zip ties we have crawled :Cry: to the rear and mounted an Anderson next to the 7 pin, up front its set up to have a Anderson jumper cable in case I want to plug in a compressor or something....... Did I mention I miss my walk unders, I'm too old for this rolling around on the floor....:crutch: ..... While I was testing it all I located and checked the connection from the tow harness that I discovered that I will connect the P3 to, it works all I have to do is run a 12v to P3 and then run 2 wires under the carpet to the socket in the wheel well, nothing under the vehicle, just my thing.......................

The observant and dedicated would have noticed I mentioned my Colorado fuel filters will fit, WRONG, they don't (swearing deleted) while under the Jeeperific I though since its only done 40K km and I doubt they have been serviced, so thought I would swap them, bugga me the things hadn't been changed (so much for service book stamps) they are black and the bluddy filters I had are too long, proper check and the numbers are similar but one is longer than the other, bum, Repco have a 30% off this weekend so a big filter buy up which will save me $50 from my usual online suppliers..............

Overall its a great vehicle, just a few more additions to get it up to speed on towing and hopefully I wont need to get air bags, a big re organise of gear to carry as a lot of my stuff will have to stay behind so wandering from desert to beach may be problematic as I can't carry the gear for such meanderings.....add a water bladder, toss out the Weber and Genny and add heaps of cunning............................eventually the Rig will be as versatile as the old set up, think outside the box.......................

" It's a Jeep Thing" people, embrace it................................
 
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Boots in Action

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Here is the News .................:couch2:
My old Ute lasted for 6 days on the lot and was snapped up, dealer only got $5K more than he gave me for it, I wonder did I get ripped off on the jeep, too late now...............Must say I do like this engine, very nice ........... I certainly miss my walk under ramps as I may not be able to do my own tranny service as I need the vehicle level and front ramps don't cut it and I dont fit without them, bummer, today I ran out some cable to run 12v power for Big Mal runs fridge and Camera, the WK2 has handy terminals under the bonnet and 7 mts of cable later, numerous zip ties we have crawled :Cry: to the rear and mounted an Anderson next to the 7 pin, up front its set up to have a Anderson jumper cable in case I want to plug in a compressor or something....... Did I mention I miss my walk unders, I'm too old for this rolling around on the floor....:crutch: ..... While I was testing it all I located and checked the connection from the tow harness that I discovered that I will connect the P3 to, it works all I have to do is run a 12v to P3 and then run 2 wires under the carpet to the socket in the wheel well, nothing under the vehicle, just my thing.......................

The observant and dedicated would have noticed I mentioned my Colorado fuel filters will fit, WRONG, they don't (swearing deleted) while under the Jeeperific I though since its only done 40K km and I doubt they have been serviced, so thought I would swap them, bugga me the things hadn't been changed (so much for service book stamps) they are black and the bluddy filters I had are too long, proper check and the numbers are similar but one is longer than the other, bum, Repco have a 30% off this weekend so a big filter buy up which will save me $50 from my usual online suppliers..............

Overall its a great vehicle, just a few more additions to get it up to speed on towing and hopefully I wont need to get air bags, a big re organise of gear to carry as a lot of my stuff will have to stay behind so wandering from desert to beach may be problematic as I can't carry the gear for such meanderings.....add a water bladder, toss out the Weber and Genny and add heaps of cunning............................eventually the Rig will be as versatile as the old set up, think outside the box.......................

" It's a Jeep Thing" people, embrace it................................

@Drover , make sure all your mods are worth it in the real world. I think I have heard those words before??
 
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DRW

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I ran my 12v straight from the battery, shortest run no voltage drop ( but I am an auto electrician by trade) they come standard with self leveling shocks but I would recommend air bags around $100 delivered from Trump land I have a spare set if you want them they just need air hoses which I destroyed in the Cameron corner to Birdsville run I thought the bags might have been damaged running flat but they are fine I wouldn’t worry about the tranny with such low mileage but the diffs need changing regularly they hold bugger all oil and it’s really cheap NOT don’t be misled and buy Mopar diff oil for $110 per litre either if you need I’ll travel through my records for the alternative not everyone lists it as the are Mercedes diffs from memory
 
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Drover

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It looked too hard to plug into the battery under the seat then I would have to exit the cabin, I just ran from the jump points under bonnet and along the cable run to rear, no voltage drop noticed and with a maxi fuse up the front also allowed me to have an anderson there for plugging other stuff in if needed. I might tap the battery direct for power to the brake controller though have to look to see if easier power pick up under dash.

I looked at my fuel filters, very black will do the diffs next service they will get Penrite in them , ZF Diffs I believe and the ZF 8 speed gets Penrite ATF BMV no need for expensive rebadged Mopar oils.
The air bag sounds good have to see when I can get up your way be good to compare the 2 vehicles and have a catch up, but it would probably entail stopping in HB to go to Spotlight, bum.
 

Drover

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This vehicle has been fully serviced, stamps in the book and all, even an extra service at 30K, last service at 40K, the service book says 40,000km change oil, oil filter, air filter and fuel filters, I bought the thing with 41,000km on the clock, air filter had bugs and grass in it, obviously not changed, while the oil looked okay I changed the filter anyway and the fuel filters, mine obviously weren't, so they got changed of course and will be done every 20K and some wonder why I do it myself, mind the last service wasn't by a Jeep dealer but still if I used a mechanic the fuel filters would have had to go another 40K before changing, no wonder vehicles stop.........and the genuine Mopar filter was made in china, I used Ryco filters.
and my damn soldering iron has died so instead of being in my shed I'm at my desk...............

IMG_20190824_130417.jpg .....................No one isn't an Oil Filter they are both Fuel Filters......
 

DRW

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the diffs are due at 40K intervals, Jeep dealer used LSX90 Castrol SAE90, API, GL6, the last service was done at the bay and he used Castrol SAFXA 18W 140?
The jeep dealer refused to dervice the tranny till 140K, obviously i havent used them for a few years, happy with the Castrol in the diffs I always use castrol engine oil as does the Jeep dealer, IMO Castrol is arguably the best oil available

@Drover dont even drive past Spotlight at the Bay, they charge the Hervey Bay tax, wait till you're at the sunny coast or go to Lincraft at Maryborough ;)
 
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Drover

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Yes I know Lincraft at Maryborough, easy parking and good mobile signal while I wait...........Quite handy to Dans as well...

My Jeep book says GL5 75-85 diff oil, so I will throw in the Penrite stuff especially as I have it already, I plan to use Penrite ATM BMV in the tranny as its a match for the ZF 8 speed oil and since they recommend ATF +4 for the TC I'll use Penrite ATF FS which does the same job, the engine will get Castrol Magnetec Diesel 5W40 its on the list, and I can usually buy it bulk cheaper than Penrite and I happen to have 15lts on the shelf....unless this engine eats it like my WG did with Castrol oils................... Having scoured the filter catalogues and cross reference lists I will probably just use ryco filters, have never had problems with them before other than price......Most servicing will be eng oil/filter @10K, air/fuel @20K, diffs and auto @50K or once a year for them, depends on my auto parts shopping but once a year at least is usual .....My Jeep book says 80K for diffs and 100K for auto, not a chance.........

MIght throw some bug killer in my fuel tank just to be sure, 4 yrs and 40K means not a lot of fuel has gone thru this system..........
 

DRW

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Yep I use Magnatec and with 148k is never uses any between changes, by the way where is the dip stick??
I buy my Ryco oil filters at Auto Pro Hervey bay, they keep them on the shelf, its what an auto shop used to be, trade based but really helpful unlike some others
 
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Drover

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I do like those sort of shops, walk in with shopping list and they go get the goods and quite often know what their talking about..............Been spending hours researching part numbers, prices and locations, my old favourite Rockauto comes up trumps again .... and trolling thru the 8,000 page workshop manual, print a few pages for my ready reference folder, no dip stick at all on this 8 speed box, not even a plug for one, has a fill plug on side and you sort of check the level just like a diff, BUT you have to put it up on stands and run the engine in various gears, for a certain number of seconds, temp must be right though, then you can check the level and add more if needed and the filter is part of the pan .......... The jury is out but I think a reputable Tranny Shop in Gympie or Maryborough might be getting my business, I will supply pan and oil though...as I could see them charging over $500 for parts, a quote may decide me.....

It damn nice to drive though.
 

DRW

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I meant where is the engine oil dip stick lol

My tranny service cost $58.50 for the filter kit, $98.50 for the oil total invoice was $1370, labour was $575 parts $671 plus gst of course
work done:
fuel filter
Genuine Mopar colant replacement
Trans service
diff oil change
oil change with filter and new sump plug
cabin air filter replacement
Air filter replacement
brake clean
degrease motor (from faulty intercooler hose)
machine aluminium intercooler tube (temporary repair)
replace brake fluid
park lamp globe lol
injector clean
tyre rotate

so this puppy is not buying a set of ramps any time soon, I do the inbetween engine oil and filter but i don't touch anything else, my hands are way to precious now
 
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Drover

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My tranny service cost $58.50 for the filter kit, $98.50 for the oil total invoice was $1370, labour was $575 parts $671 plus gst of course

Well thats just confirmed for me not to lock the tool box, no way could I afford that, though I suppose for what was done you obviously didn't use a dealer, the oil in the inter cooler hose is from the stupid PCV system and the reason mine is getting a catch can which will stop about 250ml per 10K going into the engine, I wiped the hose to see and it is only a smear so still good at least Jeep has upped the grade to a 5W40 oil in this engine as the 30 was too light,something I found in the Colorado Motori engine and used 5W40 in it....

How about some pics under the bonnet of the mine truck @Crusty181 , can you still climb into the engine bay to play ???? Need a dedicated Mine Truck thread.
 
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Drover

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You wouldn't believe what needs to be done to check the oil in this 8 speed auto and change the oil, a hoist is a must have, so it will have to go to tranny shop, jack stands won't cut it as you have to run engine and turn the wheels, very complicated typical German/Italian stuff.................. see the Jeeperific is very multi cultural, Yank body, German running gear, Italian engine in fact the body pan is also German, at least the filters are Chinese, Driver is Aussie and at the moment the tyres are Yank...................

Oh and no dip stick on the auto at all, ever @ Crusty181 so your safe...
 
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