Re: Twister Jeep Build
Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2019 10:20 am
I REALLY need to work on providing more regular updates. A lot has happened since the last one. So picking up right where we left off:
Got the transmission and transfer case pulled off. Found out what that awful noise was when pushing in the clutch. Looks like the input shaft sleeve was rubbing on something creating a lip, one that prevented the throw out bearing from coming off. I ended up having to grind it down to change it out.
Video here -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/hRegMnNrA8vBnL2z9
Clutch and pressure plate out. The heat markings are mesmerizing.
Pilot bushing is completely effed.
New parts in. Went with the cheapest set at Autozone, about $100, and bought a new flywheel from Amazon. All in, about $250 in parts. I cheaped out since I will be converting this to an automatic, I only needed it to last about 4 months.
After that, she ran great.
THEN, she starts running a little hot…at least according to the gauge. Before this the gauge didn’t work, but I narrowed it down to a wiring issue and got it up and running. The needle tended to live right in this area, occasionally creeping into the red. Either the sender is bad, the ground is bad, or the gauge is bad.
I testing the resistance at the sending unit and everything seemed to be ok. It did hesitate a bit when the gauge read hot, but everything was within spec. I had read somewhere if the timing was off, it could cause the same symptoms. So I got out the trusty timing light and got to work….until that is, Jo gets hungry and decides to eat my timing light…
So reluctantly I bought another one and was a little more cautious with the routing of the wires. Timing was off by a couple of degrees. Once that was done, I got my newly acquired muscle grill installed! Took me the better part of a year and parts from 3 grills to get the mustache, chrome muscle combo I needed.
Next up was tackling the install of the correct mirrors. I had bought these about a year ago and have been waiting for the right time to install them. One of my friends had picked up a rivnut tool awhile back and I was fascinated by it. So I ordered one of my own off of Amazon thinking it would be perfect to install the mirrors with. $60 later and it was at my door.
Took off the old mirrors, masked off my holes, drilled them out, and installed the nuts with some silicone. Came out pretty good.
Things were good for a while, then about 2 weeks ago, disaster struck. I was driving home from work and it just dies while driving. I had to push it into a gas station. I was getting no spark at all. So I had to call my tow service through Hagerty and about an hour later, I was on my way home.
I dug into it the next day after work. Not knowing exactly where I was going to start, I figured the ignition module would be the best place to begin. Organized rats nest was the best description of this setup. While acceptable, the previous owner had installed the MSD 6A piggybacked off the stock ignition module’s tach output. It works, but if the stock unit fails, the whole thing fails.
Ewe…
So I took a look at the distributor while I was in there. Something tells me this reluctor is not supposed to be digging in to the pickup…
Got all of the ignition parts replaced, new reluctor, cap, rotor, pickup, and plugs. I was finally able to get it to fire up, but the starting was very laborious. Eventually my solenoid started glowing red hot and started sparking. I think its time to replace all of the battery, starter, and solenoid wires.
Fired right up….then it died. Ugh… the brand new reluctor split in half. Most likely due to a poor casting.
Once I got that squared away I started work on the roll bar. There needed to be a tab welded on for the cb antenna. I just happened to have something that would work perfectly in my scrap box.
Added a few coats of paint.
Got the bar mounted up and installed the 6x9 and 4x6 lights.
So that’s it for now!
Got the transmission and transfer case pulled off. Found out what that awful noise was when pushing in the clutch. Looks like the input shaft sleeve was rubbing on something creating a lip, one that prevented the throw out bearing from coming off. I ended up having to grind it down to change it out.
Video here -> https://photos.app.goo.gl/hRegMnNrA8vBnL2z9
Clutch and pressure plate out. The heat markings are mesmerizing.
Pilot bushing is completely effed.
New parts in. Went with the cheapest set at Autozone, about $100, and bought a new flywheel from Amazon. All in, about $250 in parts. I cheaped out since I will be converting this to an automatic, I only needed it to last about 4 months.
After that, she ran great.
THEN, she starts running a little hot…at least according to the gauge. Before this the gauge didn’t work, but I narrowed it down to a wiring issue and got it up and running. The needle tended to live right in this area, occasionally creeping into the red. Either the sender is bad, the ground is bad, or the gauge is bad.
I testing the resistance at the sending unit and everything seemed to be ok. It did hesitate a bit when the gauge read hot, but everything was within spec. I had read somewhere if the timing was off, it could cause the same symptoms. So I got out the trusty timing light and got to work….until that is, Jo gets hungry and decides to eat my timing light…
So reluctantly I bought another one and was a little more cautious with the routing of the wires. Timing was off by a couple of degrees. Once that was done, I got my newly acquired muscle grill installed! Took me the better part of a year and parts from 3 grills to get the mustache, chrome muscle combo I needed.
Next up was tackling the install of the correct mirrors. I had bought these about a year ago and have been waiting for the right time to install them. One of my friends had picked up a rivnut tool awhile back and I was fascinated by it. So I ordered one of my own off of Amazon thinking it would be perfect to install the mirrors with. $60 later and it was at my door.
Took off the old mirrors, masked off my holes, drilled them out, and installed the nuts with some silicone. Came out pretty good.
Things were good for a while, then about 2 weeks ago, disaster struck. I was driving home from work and it just dies while driving. I had to push it into a gas station. I was getting no spark at all. So I had to call my tow service through Hagerty and about an hour later, I was on my way home.
I dug into it the next day after work. Not knowing exactly where I was going to start, I figured the ignition module would be the best place to begin. Organized rats nest was the best description of this setup. While acceptable, the previous owner had installed the MSD 6A piggybacked off the stock ignition module’s tach output. It works, but if the stock unit fails, the whole thing fails.
Ewe…
So I took a look at the distributor while I was in there. Something tells me this reluctor is not supposed to be digging in to the pickup…
Got all of the ignition parts replaced, new reluctor, cap, rotor, pickup, and plugs. I was finally able to get it to fire up, but the starting was very laborious. Eventually my solenoid started glowing red hot and started sparking. I think its time to replace all of the battery, starter, and solenoid wires.
Fired right up….then it died. Ugh… the brand new reluctor split in half. Most likely due to a poor casting.
Once I got that squared away I started work on the roll bar. There needed to be a tab welded on for the cb antenna. I just happened to have something that would work perfectly in my scrap box.
Added a few coats of paint.
Got the bar mounted up and installed the 6x9 and 4x6 lights.
So that’s it for now!