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Spankrjs 1985 Spring Special CJ-7

I helped Tommy move Jeeps around a few weekends back. The old Spring Special fired up and drove fine. Drove it about 15 miles. Really miss this one, need to get it back home 😢

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Jeeps been sitting in the garage since Sunday, so far only one small puddle:

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Looks like the oil pan drain plug. Oil pan gasket/rear main seal areas seem dry.

Drove it around the neighborhood to get it warmed up, then maintenance time. Figured after 6 years, time to change the engine oil and filter.

The Jeep had minor puddles under it through the years it was stored in Baton Rouge. I checked both axles, transmission, transfer case, radiator, PS fluid levels while I was draining the engine oil. All fluid levels were fine, nothing low.

Went ahead and greased the steering/suspension/clutch linkage/drive shafts with the grease gun while I was at it.

Quick outdoor shot, was dark by the time I finished up.

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Drove it around the block, no real issues. It did fling either driveshaft or clutch linkage grease on the exhaust, so had that great burning grease smell. Edit to add picture, yep, big ole blob of u-joint grease right on the catalytic converter heat shield, which apparently gets really hot!!!

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Will wash it tomorrow, I did at least clean the windshield tonight.

A few years ago, during one of my visits to Baton Rouge, the Jeep would not start, whatever gas that was in the tank had evaporated out. IIRC I added 5 gallons of ethanol free gas to it, and it started up and drove fine. When I picked it up this time, the gas gauge was reading a hair above the empty line, but it would not start until we dumped about 3 gallons of gas into it. It started up and ran, smoked pretty bad. Grey smoke, not like oil burning, just really exhaust smelly. After that initial start up, no more smoke.

Anyway, I might try to just run it out of whatever gas it has left in it before adding new fuel. It surprisingly starts right up, fast idles, and curb idles perfect. Getting a little low speed jerking in third gear around 1,500 RPM. Definitely not going to adjust anything until I resolve the potential old fuel issue. Might just run it down low, syphon whatever fuel is left out, refill the tank, and change the fuel filter. We will see. One good thing, OEM 20 gallon plastic fuel tank, so hopefully no major rust in the fuel system issues. It does still have all the original steel fuel lines, though...

Only other issue that I suspect: I pulled the air cleaner lid off after it warmed up before changing the engine oil out. I had a little condensation present on the inside of the air cleaner lid, over the pulse air tubes. Stuck my finger in both ports, a little sooty in their. Wondering if one/both of the back flow valves are partially stuck allowing some exhaust gas to reach the air cleaner. Easy enough to check once I start It up again.

Plan on cleaning it tomorrow, maybe work through the fuel issues and drive it this weekend. And check for leaks......

The Jeep was running perfect when I parked it 6 years ago, hope to get it back to that form relatively easy 😆 🤣

Besides the minor jerk/surge, which is hopefully just a stale fuel issue, everything else seems fine. Steering, brakes, clutch, transmission, all electrical (including all gauges) working well.

That's it for now.
 
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Quick wash job this afternoon, cleaned up well.

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Wiped all the grease off the catalytic converter heat shield, got rid of that burning smell. But, still have an engine oil burning smell. Not a combustion burning smell, like an oil leak burning off the exhaust.

Quick drive, valve cover gasket gushing pretty good on the driverside of the engine.

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Hard to see, but it puddles up pretty good in the little cylinder head depressions on this side. Funny thing about it, you can let it cool down, wipe up the oil, restart, no leaks until it reaches a certain temperature/amount of time, then like clock work it starts to leak. Maybe get lucky with a plugged up PCV valve, doubtful. I reckon the cork gasket that came with the aluminum valve cover dried out over the last 6 years? Bolts were still snug. Since it's nice weather this weekend, probably work on this next week after work at night.

I still remember what fun the valve cover sealing work was on this Jeep from years ago...... Drain coolant, disconnect upper radiator hose, remove pcv valve and lines, move steel fuel line and distributor vacuum line out the way, remove pulse air solenoid, remove rear valve cover breather hose, remove heater core to rear intake manifold heater hose, remove air cleaner, and a million other vacuum lines and wires 🤪
Oh, and remove serpentine belt and driver side idler pulley/bracket that covers riverside valve cover flange. Think that's it 😆

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At least this will be an easy fix!!

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That's it for now!!
 
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