1989 4x4 d-50

[b-dub]

Making a dedicated thread for my little 4x4 project ,... this is my first truck and first vehicle that I plan to keep for more than a month other than my horde of MK3 vw's

picked this truck up about march 1st I got it with a knocking 2.6 engine so it was taken to my mechanic/friend's shop where all the major work will take place.

engine was pulled and a donor engine was dropped in

well when it was sitting at the lot I got it from (he wasn't advertising it to sell I happened to be there looking at a wrecked s10 blazer and fell in love with the looks of the truck.. so it's mine) but anyways it was sitting and the cat was stolen.. in the process destroying the entire exhaust.

I couldn't find a thorley header and I contacted the company who supposedly still has the jigs but they refused to make one at any price.. (maybe I didn't speak with the right person who knows..) anyways I wasn't thrilled with paying so much for one anyways so I grabbed a pacesetter (my mech is a dealer for them) and I'm having it put on...


here is where people will cringe.. at this point in time I REALLY just want to drive it so I admit I went cheap on the exhaust (having that installed at a different shop this coming week)

my plans are.. pacesetter header... 2.25 pipe into a 2.25 thrush glasspack in place of a cat. then 2.25 piping expanded up to 2.5" into a 2.5" thrush "dynamax" welded muffler with a 2.5" tailpipe

I also have a ser of montero upper control arms that will be going on in the future... windshield will be next on the list and I have it arranged already just waiting on next payday to get it (paid every 2 weeks.. sucks)


anyways here are the pics








and my obsession...

[b-dub]

original postok as of my this post I can edit it... I'm THINKING.. as soon as I post this I can no longer edit a previous post


edit- ok I can edit BOTH the previous post and this one but I think they may be time sensitive?

current plans as of now (will be added to as I go)

montero arms (purchased) with t-crank after installing I'll measure to see what the back needs.

new windshield (coming soon)

3" body lift

will measure and see what tires I can do without trimming.

electric fans / mech fan delete

manual hubs

light bar

weber carb electric fuel pump (probably next year)

front and rear gears

front bumper to hold a winch and a winch

I know theres more but it's late and I cant think straight

[b-dub]

can no longer edit I think there is an hour limit

[camoit]

can no longer edit I think there is an hour limit

I think I found it. It was a global setting. It has been disabled.

[b-dub]

yay I can edit again Thanks this will be easier to just edit previous posts with pics etc. instead of reposting.. alright I'm just going to edit my previous post with a parts list I plan to do

ok as of my this post I can edit it... I'm THINKING.. as soon as I post this I can no longer edit a previous post


edit- ok I can edit BOTH the previous post and this one but I think they may be time sensitive?

[b-dub]

header installed but now there is a bad coolant leak coming from around the waterpump .. so currently awaiting for that and then off to the exhaust shop

[b-dub]

waterpump is done.. truck is ready to head to the exhaust shop but it'll be a couple more weeks before I get paid again to get it there.

going over today to drop off money and see how it sounds.

[b-dub]

I actually like the sound with the pacesetter header.. although I'm sure by the time I get it home tomorrow I'll be going insane from the drone..

good/bad/bad news

waterpump swapped and appears to be no more leaking... bad news... heater controls aren't working so the coolant couldn't be circulated completley so I will have to watch the temp and coolant level like a hawk until it all settles...

now for something I'm somewhat uncomfortable with... 2 exhaust studs were snapped off both on the lower back two studs.. he put sealant on the gasket and got it on there but we are still worried about leaks.. think it should be ok ? or am I going to have to have some expensive repairs at a machine shop to fix it.

anyways I plan to drive it home in the morning and park it until next check (2 weeks) and then it's off to the exhaust shop and then probably back for a tune up.

[b-dub]

Well the ride home wasn't so bad. Loud but not overly annoying.. so my exhaust plans should help a lot.

Current issues that I hope are all simple.

Horn, dash lights, emergency flashers, cd player, heater controls, all don't work

Dome light works.. have not checked the blinkers headlights etc yet.


The guages all work along with all the lights (minus the ones that iluminate for night time driving

So far it ran smooth and rode fine.

When at operating temp I'm running about 60 psi at idle and 75-80 while driving under load and probably about 70 at cruising. How's that sounding

[crvtec90]

The broken exaust studs will probably cause the header to leak a little bit. Depending on how much room u have to work with you could try to get them out with an "easy -out" ( its a broken bolt extractor that you drill a small hole in the center of the broken stud/bolt and insert a knurled tool that gets hammered in and then you turn it to remove the broken studs) . Heating the head around the stud helps a lot to free it up and even "pb blaster" is my best friend for loosening rusted parts. The big problem i have with the broken bolt extractor, especially cheap ones is that if u hammer it in there and then bust it while trying to get the stud out then its really hard to drill out the hard material of the tool which is now stuck in the stud.

If you dont have enough room to get a drill in there since its at the back of the head then I have had luck welding a nut onto the top of the broken stud ( kinda hard to do if the stud isnt broke off somewhat flush or above the surrounding surface. The extreme heat of the welding helps to break loose the stud from the head. Then u just back out the nut and the stud comes with it.

[b-dub]

Well at the moment I'm driving it as is since its not leaking yet. I plan to pull it off later on and repaint it wrap it since the crappy coating has already started flaking

Anyways I have my radio, headlights, blinkers, tail lights, dome light, wipers, all working

As of now my horn, hazards, and blower motor aren't working. Fuses replaced with no luck

[b-dub]

double post sorr y

[b-dub]

Well since the heatercore is basically crimped I had to bypass it.. at the moment I'm a little intimidated by ripping the dash out to replace it.

nothing much else is going on.. I've drove it around the yard a couple of times but I still have to wait to get my exhaust on and get it legal.

things I need to fix still are.... horn, heatercore, hazzards , dash illumination (all indicator lights work it's just the ones that make it where you can see at night) all fuses have been checked/replaced so I have some electrical gremlins apparently unless there is a secondary fuse box I don't know about lol!


I'm tempted to take the wiring from that stupid annoying alarm and wiring in a train horn or something stupid like that in it's place since I can't figure out the issue with my horn.

[b-dub]

well the only new updates is I have all of my lights working except reverse

still no horn

AND other than that I finally got the jeep straight 6 out of the bed and washed it...

[b-dub]

Exhaust is done and its super quiet. . Im shocked its 2.25 piped into a thrush glasspack Piped into a 2.5 thrush welded muffler with a 2.5 tailpipe. . Its pretty much perfectly quiet. ..


Which leads me to a nasty surprise. .. I have a drivetrain whine up until maybe 30mph and then it goes away. .. Not sure where Its coming from. .. Bleh

[DroppedMitsu]

What did you find was causing the gauge lights to not work?

[b-dub]

Im guessing a loose fuse i inspected all of my fuses and replaced one or two others and they started working

[lush90]

Pulling the dash really isn't that big of a headache, just use the search on here to help locate some of the less obvious fasteners. Could be that some of the dash bulbs are burned out?