I got sucked into the Eagle vortex as it were, from the day I first checked out the car, and have since developed a strong desire to restore the car, and I thought it would take a lot longer than it is... but four months after purchase, I've realized that I'm almost halfway done, which is an awesome feeling, because I live on a tight hourly income and expected to have to spend years saving to do what I've been doing in just a few months.
Ever since owning my 96 Cherokee sport, 5spd 4.0 (perfect condition at 114k when bought) and its sudden demise just before Christmas 06, I had fallen in love with Jeeps. I owned a 1991 Nissan Sentra SE-R for a while as something to highly enjoy driving through the tight curves on 30mph mountain highways, but got a bit too cocky with it. Well, I found this car, hopped in, and almost forgot was an 80's american car because it came with a smooth shifting manual and four wheel drive, a decently efficient inline 6 engine for the time (car makers today boast about 30 mpg, ours gets that stock on the highway, in good condition) and a fairly decent interior for the era. It reminded me of my cherokee, which handled very similarly in many ways, and very closely shares driver ergonomics, so I became familiar with it after driving it around the block once, before realizing it's a station wagon that has jeep capability, and plenty of power/handling potential = perfect project.
In an eggshell, It was bone stock when purchased, no modifications at all that I knew of at the time, and wouldn't stay running, overheated, wouldn't always start, leaked oil like a sieve amongst a host of other issues... I decided after a month and a half of replacing every part of the ignition system, cleaning the carb out (and later discovering it was newly rebuilt) repeatedly, checking and double checking valve timing, vacuum lines, it failed emissions. So I decided it could only be the carb, since replacing the oilpan gasket amongst other things, showed me the brand new bottom end. I ran every line the way it was supposed to be done, set the ignition timing as close as possible, and it still failed. I decided then to convert to the 4.0L head, and efi system, upon finding a 92 4.0 engine with head, mani's, dizzy, valve cover, cam and all for 20 dollars....
,
Pleasant surprise. So was the triple roller timing set discovered later
I figured an Eagle would make a great mix of decent fuel economy, power and all-around usefulness for me and mine to use for a whlie, and maybe fix up. Well, here's the parts list to date (close to in order). Some things were almost brand new, others were not...
Thermostat
vacuum tubes
Oilpan gasket
Rear main seal
Clutch (thanks to my lack of research, costly mistake at a shop, a place Caroline shouldn't be)
Fuel filter
PCV valves
brake master cylinder
driveline fluids
Front u joint and u bolt slipyoke conversion
Manifold gaskets
Starter
All before failing emissions the first time
Motorcraft 2100 carb
HEI dizzy, cap, wires
Failed second time
Now:
Discovered bad cat, clogged muffler
removed old wiring harness
sold head/ignition/manifolds from 4.2L
The general parts (most of)
4.2 head, dirty combustion chambers but new components
Pistons and cylinders are cool but a valve cover and manifolds is a better one, yet to be had. .030 pistons
4.0 head after dipping, before machining, first time around (I managed to dig the welds out, going to go JB and packing peanuts this time)
4.0 manifold with junkyard parts, 5.2l injectors, 98 fuel rail, 94 tb, autozone rice aisle intake tubing
Head/manifold mockup (couldn't resist placing valvecover, I got bored, painted it and wanted to see if it would match)
What it's supposed to look like (leaking water jackets not seen in pic
)
Since I got a little impatient, and didn't leak test the head, I had to drill the welds out (per roomate's suggestion) and I have to have the head dipped and machined again, which might also mean valve stem seals, again, and does mean thermostat gasket, again. I screwed up one head gasket before bolting the head down, before replacing it and trying again. Filled it with coolant two days later, and heard the drip start... three more weeks behind, though I see it as an opportunity to get the head ported this time around as well, instead of kicking myself later.
latest
4.0 cam installed
Head going to machine shop next week, again
Intake manifold complete
Extra 4.0 throttlebody hand-ported
Not the greatest in the world, but the finish is deceivingly smooth. it was done more out of boredom and curiosity than anything.
Exhaust pipe fab/fitting
.
Transmission removed, sold (pending pickup)
Rear driveshaft removed (rear u joints)
Hearing that motor crank over again is my inspiration for finishing my eagle. I'm getting my license back soon, and the driver's seat's been cold far too long...
Topic: The 1300 dollar fixer upper surprise project (Read 108314 times)