Not enough time to work on the Jeep recently, but I've made some progress!
Got tired of having to slam rear doors to close and finally adjusted strikers. Closes way easier and I think new weatherstripping cut down road/wind noise just a bit.
After enjoying quite ride for a couple days I started hearing very loud rattling from pass side of engine bay when driving, sounded like I had a dozen empty tin cans hanging there. Turns out that heat stove shield on the new manifold was barely riveted and half of rivets undid themselves (heat expansion probably helped). I don't have warm air intake anymore (vacuum motor at the flap leaks and temp sensor is dead), so ripped that thing off and it's quiet again. Can't wait to get my Edelbrock MPFI and get rid of all that vacuum contraptions!
Now onto the big thing - electrical upgrades as a preparation for EFI. Reclocked and installed Powermaster alt, made new charge wire (6ga wire with 10ga fusible link) and cut 2pin connector off as new alt doesn't need it.
Also replaced battery lugs with "mil spec" ones like these, makes easier to connect several thick wires directly to battery. 100 amp fuse in the pic above protects wire going to fuse/relay box.
I never liked factory "power distribution" point on a starter relay stud - looks messy and when I added relays for headlights that are powered off the same stud it made it look even worse
Tidied it up with busbar and looks much better now! Would be easier to hook up anything later if I need to
I've removed factory cruise control and installed Bussmann fuse/relay box. Designed and printed mount for the box to be sit where cruise vacuum canister used to be
Box itself is amazing - has 2 busses (each rated at 100A), easy to build (uses Metripack 280 terminals/seals) and waterproof. You can see a lot of green plugs on the back as for now it's just 4 relays and 6 fuses, but I'll add more as I'll be installing EFI, electric fuel pump, DD cruise control, etc. There are two busbars next to it - ground (bigger with clear cap) and ignition (black caps).
So far I've moved headlights and fog light relays to the box and ripped out factory headlights wiring behind the grille. Moved power feed for USB/aux socket and DD remote to the box as well, they were spliced into wiring behind fuse panel before. Last relay is supplying power to AC/heater blowers - I've noticed that every time I've turned heater or AC on needle on dash voltmeter would dive towards red zone. Figured better/cleaner power supply wouldn't hurt and that was right - dash voltmeter now reads exactly the same voltage as under the hood and heater blows stronger. As a bonus heater fuse is in more accessible location now.
To pass wires through firewall I used the hole previously occupied by cruise hose and wiring, but unfortunately old grommet disintegrated
Couldn't find new grommet for 1 inch hole in the stores and on amazon. Only option was to pay $16 for this piece of rubber and wait for a week. Screw that, spent couple hours and designed/printed a new one from TPU
I've routed power to the relay box along existing wiring behind the grill using the same 6ga wire for both 12V and ground feeds straight from battery (12V comes through 100 amp fuse).
While doing that saw that my transmission oil cooler is weeping a bit, will have to get back to it later and replace old hoses (cooler itself looks fine). Also broke one of the tabs on park/turn light, hence the temporary repair with clear RTV while I wait for BJs to reopen in January
And when I was almost done hood release cable decided to let go
One more thing to order from BJs
And finally I've found the source of strange squeaking sound that was appearing from time to time when steering (wheel was getting a bit heavier at the same time). Turns out front axle vent hose was getting stuck between frame and rag joint and got halfway eaten through
Moved it away and securely zip tied along with all new wiring - I'll make it all pretty after I'm done with EFI and cruise as there will be more wiring.
Now waiting for Edelbrock kit to arrive, so I can get O2 bung welded in (and do something about loud exhaust at the same time) and it's MPFI time!