1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Area to show off your Custom Build threads.
User avatar

jpswapmohn
Posts: 656
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 6:08 pm
Location: CO

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by jpswapmohn »

How long was "for a while to get hot and circulated around before flushing that out."? We use ZEP products around the house (don't think have used the degreaser..at least not hot). If it was not in there and hot for a long time, it really surprises me it would do enough damage to require complete replacements.
Did fluid start streaming out of the radiator core or something?

I love everything about the look of your rig. The colors, the bed, the wheels, the stance..everything. Looks capable, no-nonsense, mean as he//
One day I will wake up and realize that my jeep is complete...one day, I just know it.
88Wag, LT1/4L60E/NP242, J20 axles, etc. http://imgbox.com/g/rNuIasKYrS
95YJ, STaK, D44's, SOA, ARB's, Bilstein 5150s, 35" KM2's
50 CJ3A
77 J-10 (sold)
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

jpswapmohn wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 9:39 pm How long was "for a while to get hot and circulated around before flushing that out."? We use ZEP products around the house (don't think have used the degreaser..at least not hot). If it was not in there and hot for a long time, it really surprises me it would do enough damage to require complete replacements.
Did fluid start streaming out of the radiator core or something?

I love everything about the look of your rig. The colors, the bed, the wheels, the stance..everything. Looks capable, no-nonsense, mean as he//
It was in there for maybe 30 minutes. When I first started it up the coolant funnel, which was full of water, started to bubble as it circulated and I thought it was just the air bubbles coming out from filling it back up but then I was worried that the head gasket was still leaking as the bubbles were not slowing down after running for a bit. Well 15-20 min later I shut off the truck and the bubbles didn't stop for a while. I now know those bubbles were the aluminum radiator reacting and creating gasses. The radiator might be able to be rebuilt with a new core but the cost of that vs a new one wasnt much different. It did the same thing to the heater core.

I am a little worried about the aluminum water pump and heads but those are all much thicker metal so I'm just crossing my fingers that those are fine.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
User avatar

Stuka
Site Admin
Posts: 11789
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:53 pm
Location: CA
Contact:

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by Stuka »

With an LS, a head gasket leak won't typically put oil into the coolant since the oil pathways don't pass through the head gasket. Its typically caused by the oil/PS/trans cooler in the radiator. Small crack or void in the radiator between the two coolers will let them mix.

Bummer to hear about the degreaser :(
2017 JKU Rubicon
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Well after a long break with a busy summer I've been back working on this quiet a bit.

I got the new radiator installed and new heater core.

Image

I got back to tuning the LS swap with the new cam and parts etc. I still have a ways to go with this and for some reason the torque converter does not want to lock up for me. So to keep the transmission alive while I work on that issue, I installed a beefy transmission cooler with fan and temp switch

Image

Image

And since I have significant ADHD I started working on the last major component for the interior, the AC. My truck has a Clardy factory original unit that I am going to use so I flushed out the evaporator with a whole can of brake cleaner and compressed air etc, it was coming out disgusting brown and green at first but eventually was clean fluid coming out so I think its in good shape. I got the interior parts all installed and hoses run through the firewall with bulkhead connectors. Most of the engine bay hoses are completed but I had to rethink my plan a bit on routing and order a few more adapters. I didn't very good photos of all of that but here's the completed dash.
Image

The blower motor resistor which was functioning well blew out the low speed resistor while I was testing the AC clutch wiring so I'll have to see about fixing that. I'm thinking I can buy a "universal" blower motor resistor and remove the resistor coils from that and solder them onto the switch in this unit. Its not like I can go buy a Clardy part any more. So if any of you guys have any other ideas on that I'm all ears.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Image

Well it runs! 80 mph on the highway and the trans still isn't locking the converter but I still have some things to play with on that. With the big cooler its holding a decent temp I just need to get the engine tune straight so I can focus on the trans issue.

I drove it ~100 miles last weekend and it did well. Only a couple minor things to fix up. One being the air vents in the kick panels. My foot was freezing till I stuffed it with a rag. Heat works great and the radio is great. I do need to get the back window figured out but for now, thats how the wideband O2 sensor is getting into the cab so I cant close that all the way.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
User avatar

Yeller
Posts: 1521
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:54 am
Location: Rogers County Oklahoma

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by Yeller »

Driving is always such a great feeling :D

On the lock up my guess would be the brake switch wiring, it thinks your stepping on the brake.
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

1970 J2500 Resto Mod
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

1974 Bronco “Broncno”
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Yeller wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 6:10 pm Driving is always such a great feeling :D

On the lock up my guess would be the brake switch wiring, it thinks your stepping on the brake.
I thought that was the issue when I started tuning it as well since I had forgotten to hook that up but I have since corrected that and with HP tuners I can track that tag "TCC Brake Off" and its working properly so the PCM knows I'm not on the brake. My theory is it has something to do with the tune being in open loop while I correct the MAF and VE tables.

This weekend I'm going to put the tune all back to "normal" stock tune and see if it locks up.

On Saturday when I changed the parameters to work on the VE tables it did finally throw a DTC for the TCC circuit which it was not doing while tuning the MAF curve. I have checked the wiring from the PCM to the trans and back to the PCM but I haven't confirmed the grounds from the PCM to ground yet (although everything else seems fine so I doubt this is an issue). If that's all fine, I'll have to rig up a volt meter to track what the TCC voltage is and maybe hot wire it to confirm if its an internal issue.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
User avatar

Yeller
Posts: 1521
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:54 am
Location: Rogers County Oklahoma

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by Yeller »

Running in open loop is quite possibly the issue. If that’s not it, I’d lean to a loose pin in the harness or faulty solenoid.

I’ve been chasing a cold lockup issue and just conceded that it will be fine and I just need to let it warm up more lol
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

1970 J2500 Resto Mod
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

1974 Bronco “Broncno”
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Yeller wrote: Thu Feb 09, 2023 6:07 am Running in open loop is quite possibly the issue. If that’s not it, I’d lean to a loose pin in the harness or faulty solenoid.

I’ve been chasing a cold lockup issue and just conceded that it will be fine and I just need to let it warm up more lol
Yea the thing I don't understand about the lock up for me is if I can't get it to lock in open loop then I can't really tune for cruise conditions but I guess the long and short term fuel trims will take care of that for me.

I did Ohm check the solenoid and its within spec but that doesn't always mean its not broken.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Well I figured out the lock up after a whole lot more time working on it which really didn't fix anything, until I realized that the pin was broken off inside the PCM plug!

I was able to open the computer up and push the pin further out into the plug from the backside so we'll see how long that works. If it makes an issue again I'll likely end up pulling out one of the unused pins and move it to that spot. Its the second pin in in the second row up from the bottom in this photo you can see where I bent the pin to be further into the plug.

Image

So that's a huge win and now I just need to actually tune the shift points. Which shouldn't be too hard with the tools available online.

I have also decided that I need to fix the seat. With the new seat belt retractor and the wider seat arrangement I can't get this seat far enough back to be comfortable at all. It would be fine for someone whos 4-5" shorter than I am but my knee is in a horrible angle while driving right now. So I'm going to cut the seats apart and give up on the power functions most likely to have a more useable seat positioning.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
User avatar

Yeller
Posts: 1521
Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:54 am
Location: Rogers County Oklahoma

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by Yeller »

Man that had to be frustrating to locate.
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

1970 J2500 Resto Mod
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

1974 Bronco “Broncno”
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
User avatar

Topic author
TurboJ4000
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:47 am

Re: 1970 J4000 RestoMod Americana Build

Post by TurboJ4000 »

Yeller wrote: Thu Apr 20, 2023 3:35 am Man that had to be frustrating to locate.
Frustrating and the money spent wasn't a lot but I've dropped the pan and replaced solenoids all for nothing. I knew the parts worked once I wired in a switch to do what the PCM should do and I could flip the switch driving and it would lock up so I was actually pulling the PCM out to find another one because I thought it had to be the PCM. I checked every bit of wiring etc. over and over.....but never noticed the broken pin.
1970 J4000 / Chevy Frankenstein in progress
Soon to be Lq4 6.0 and 4l80e on 35s
Post Reply