• Notice for iPhone users: DO NOT use the image size reduction option when uploading photos to the forum. This causes portrait images to post as landscape. We have added a warning to the image insert pop-up as well.

JAREDO

So, I gave up, just plugged the smaller Speedhut threaded insert on the housing and going to a hose mount sensor. Might help if i actually put the thermostat in there before I mount it for the last time though....

So, next question. After that fiasco, I'm really wondering if I need a dual sensor for the oil pressure. Think the computer requires to know the oil pressure? Or think I can only run one and push it to the speedhut oil pressure guage. ?
 
Progress. The engine bay harness is a bit more tidy, made a bracket for the computer to mount in front of the battery, instead of below the battery tray, mounted the hotwireauto engine fuse box on a little bracket made for the fender. Running dual oil pressure, and water temp sensors, and have all the wiring inside the firewall. Upon a good recommendation from bigwalton, I stealth mounted the GPS sensor for the speedo speedhut gauges inside the air vent box, not visible from the outside but clear unobstructed upward view. '

All the gauge wiring have bullet connectors and we've initially got I think everything hooked up to the speedhut gauges. Got a grounding issue I think as the dash lights are not working, but I've got 2 unlabeled CJ wires on the dash that I'm not sure what they are. Both of them have small grounding factory crimp loop. black and white with NO tracers. I'm hoping tomorrow we will have all the guages buttoned up and remounted so I can remount the dash panel. The only things not working, not hooked up yet are

4WD indicator light. - Need to find out if there is any output on the LJ transfer case.
Brake indicator light - assuming this is going to try and use the CJ foot brake switch output
speedhut check engine light - none provided on the hotwireauto LJ side

Still have to calibrate the fuel tank fill level.
 
Didn't really want to start tackling this but I already had some of the sheet metal replacement pieces on hand. The rear floor under the drivers rollbar foot was pretty bad, but limited mostly to the very corner repair piece. So, got it cut out tonite. Wasn't that hard because it was mostly silicone, and most of it was already rusted and gone.

A bit strange, because they are very limited areas. The front passenger floor under the rollcage. So started cutting on that one as well.

Both front floor footwells are going to need to be addressed, but running out of time, so those are probably going to get the license plate and pop rivet treatments until after we get back from Hot Springs. But, the rear ones really need to get addressed now as I already had the roll bar out, and they are structural as they sit under the cage. Plan is to get them all dressed and the replacement pieces already cut and and then just spot weld them in as good as we can but trying to limited heat/etc and limit burn through on the outside. Just seam seal and primer it for now, and bedliner later.
 
Last edited:
Hopefully addressed maybe a grounding issue. The tail lights were the original tail lights and had bulbs in the them that were less than marginal. The grounding was probably the same. Just happen to have some LJ take off tail lights but of course they did not have correct plugs on them. So, removed old tail lights and cut the pigtails off the old lights and crimped onto the LJ ones. Seemed to work ,but only have the brake light issue.
 
All good, onward, the 4wd light and backup lights now work. the parking brake light will eventually work, have to replace the switch.

I've resorted to just replacing all these while we are there...

brake pedal/brake light switch
parking brake switch
headlight/dash dimmer switch
the turn signal and flasher relays

Its been about 18 yrs since this thing ran, and its a 40 year old vehicle. The dash is apart, so hopefully don't want to tear into this again any time soon.

Chris @ hotwire auto had all those ran into the CJ harness, it was all good, we just we using the wrong one on the CJ side for signal of the 4wd and the parking brake.
 
The dash is all back together. Must confess, one of my employees Garret is excellent at wiring, and I put him on tidying up and doing all the irritating, laying on your back, clean up and connection work on the inside of the dash. He fought a couple of gremlins but I think its all there now. We only need to calibrate the fuel gauge yet.

I've got 2 big hurdles both probably outsourced in the next few days. I sent it off to the alignment shop this morning. It really hasn't been driven any so really want to know where it stands. The drag link/tie rod that was on there was slightly bent. Digging through parts sitting around the shop, I found a HD currie tie rod and drag link putting on there, and a brand new rubicon express adjustable track bar. I have some new RE lower control fixed control arms will probably install if I have time. But, really needed find out where it was.

The 2nd big hurdle is getting the rear floor pieces that were rusted welded into place. The rear driver corner floor piece was really bad and I had already cut it out. Also 2 corner spots on the rear fender wheelwells is rusted completely through. Very small spots, but rusted. The front floor pans are also have issues, but we are gonna have to live with those. I have all the pieces cut, just a bit out of our comfort zone welding them back in place. Going to try and minimize burn through on the side panels. rest of it will just primer over for now.

already grinded off the old rollbar rusted nuts underneath and made our own welded nut/brace for installing the CJ8 rollbar with HD grade 8 hardware that is larger.

Still gotta address the seats, but minor. And the rest is just putting it back together, throw the seats in there, I've got lots of seat belts laying around, will put new ones in there.

Had a smittybilt rear LJ bumper new in box sitting on the shelf, kinda like it, and IMO doesn't look grossly out of place. But, because we have a HD rear CJ crossmember, it would not bolt up. So, making an "adapter" bracket that bolts to the CJ crossmember locations and then we are going to weld that to the back face of the LJ bumper. I kinda liked this one because it slightly wraps around the rear corners and does provide a little bit of protection.

Thinking since it is just me and Cooper to Arkansas, we just throw the half top and bulkhead back on there, maybe even dig the sideboards out and put them on.

Yes, let the hatin begin. Those are JLU wheels. Had a set of TJ/JK/JL adapters and these wheels were sitting in the shop so threw them on there. kinda growing on me. The silver/gray is matching the laredo stripes.

Gave up and just bought a steering wheel cover for now. Will eventually have that guy recover the steering wheel, the grab bar is in excellent condition.



Google photos ...

photos.app.goo.gl

Jaredo · Apr 27 – Jun 3, 2024 📸

Shared album · Tap to view!
photos.app.goo.gl photos.app.goo.gl


Enjoy...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top