The SX/4 money pit

[Smitty]

Actually, I found that post last night and emailed on that one too.  Got some more pics this morning and it looks  good.  He says it runs sluggish, probably from not being driven much.  I am following the thread here but it is getting a little off topic.

Driving both cars around the yard and field last night, Skeezix and I came to the conclusion that both cars belong where they are.  There is no more room at the Inn for Eagles so I guess we will stick with what we have for now.  The problem is that the 69 Ambo has not been touched in months cause all the free time goes to the Eagles and I was supposed to take the Ambo to the AMO show in Atlanta next week.  No way is that happening  .  So, the money pit will continue to consume resources until I have so much into it that they will put me into the funny farm.

On a good note, I did find that the AC in the SX/4 works.  Kind of surprised that it still has gas in it.  Those tires and rims look cool on the car but they rub the front fenders at any kind of a turn so I think I will swap them out for the ones on my Wagoneer.



The Wagoneer is headed to Ebay as soon as I get the Eagle wagon ready for a daily driver so the XJ wheels will look natural on it and the wheel wells have more clearance.

[IowaEagle]

Thanks for the great update Smitty.   Yeah, these longer threads tend to take on a life of their own.  But I think we can all relate to the money pit concept.

[ScavengerSX4]

Just make sure that sunroof is on right before you take your first spin. My sunroof is now a bolted-on plexiglass plate. My mechanic fiddled with the original and took it for a test drive. Sucked the sunroof right off and killed it.

[Smitty]

Guess it is time for an update.  I finally was able to take the SX/4 out for a short test spin last night and there are still some issues.  There has been a serious wobble in the driveline at any speed above 15mph so I finally got enough time to run it back into the garage and look it over.  I spun each tire by hand and they appeared to be true.  Next I checked the front driveshaft and it looked straight and the U joints were fine.  Then I spun the rear driveshaft and found the cap for the U joint to be sticking out past the hold down strap.  Ahhh, me thinks I may have found the answer     The PO had put the wrong type of U joint in so I was able to change caps with some used parts I had laying around (why I had them laying around will be another post soon).  Took the car out and did 45mph with no problem so I think that issue is behind me.  I will order a new U joint and put it in this weekend when I change the leaking pinion seal.

What I did notice is that I still need to bleed the brakes more but they are working better than they were and the car has a terrible wander problem, (kind of like my mind when I am at work).  I jacked the right front up and tried to turn the front tire and looked for slop in the steering components.  Just like the wagon, the idler arm has way too much flex in the joint on the stationary arm.  I went to my parts bin and yep, there is a new, in the box, idler arm there so tonight I will change that.  I just was not in the mood to drop the front skid plate last night as it was about 8pm and I still had not had dinner.  I hate to eat late so I called it quits for the night.

What I did notice is that the engine seems to run well and the tranny works like it should so maybe I can run it for a while as is.  I do have another engine and tranny with 32k on it but I really want to put that into the wagon over the winter.  The wagon does have a lot more pep than the SX/4 and I attribute that to the motorcraft carb conversion.

I don't know if I will be brave enough to undertake the 600+ mile round trip to the Chilson show on Labor Day weekend but that is what I am shooting for.  I hope the schedule works out that I can go but am not sure yet of Skeezix's schedule.  She is heading to Italy for 10 days of painting classes and R&R.  I need to get her to JFK either late Saturday (the show date) or early Sunday so that may preclude going to Chilsons.  Anybody from the Nest going?

[IowaEagle]

Isn't it amazing how those seeming little things cause problems.  Glad you caught it while car was stationary.  I tell my wife the same thing about those spare parts -- you just never know?  Italy, some people have it really easy!  Hope she has a great time and gets plenty of R & R.  BTW what style painting does she do.  Or is she learning to paint Eagles!

[Smitty]

Hey, when a good deal comes up on Evil Bay, I buy it and store it away.  Has saved me a few times.

Skeezix deserves her trip and R&R and I am just glad that we can make it happen for her.  She does oil stuff and has not done Eagles..... yet.  She did do one for my office with the 66 Ambo wagon in it.  At least she made me thinner

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v105/Superglider/P1010040.jpg

[way2phastphil]

Nice painting. does she do murals on hoods of Eagles? I plan on going to the Chilson show, not sure when I'm leaving for it. Friday morning, to be there for the cruise ? Saturday at "Oh-dark-thirty?"

[IowaEagle]

Nice painting.  Too bad there is all that other scenery around the Ambassador. 

[Smitty]

Got the idler arm changed out last night.  Helped some but there is still a wander problem that I tracked down to play in the steering box.  I am going to play with the adjusting screw tonight but don't really have high hopes of significant improvement.  At 45mph there is a definite clunk that I think comes from the rear end assy.  Happens every time at the same speed.  I thought it might be in the tranny but the converter is locked up at 40mph so there should not be anything happening in the tranny that would cause a clunk.  Fix the steering wander and the clunk and I think this one will be ready for the road. 

Any suggestions on an alternate steering box?  I think I heard somewhere that one from a Cherokee has a quicker ratio?

[IowaEagle]

Also heard that Firebirds/Camaros from around the same time are a direct bolt in.

[Smitty]

Well, the carnage will begin tomorrow.  I am picking up another motor and tranny for the SX tonight.  This combo only has 32k on it and the set in the car has 132k.  The motor still runs great but the tranny is iffy so I figure I am ahead of the game if I swap in the low mileage stuff.  Ought to be fun, eh?  Also got the steering box from Rockauto last night so when the engine is out I will slip that puppy in too.  The engine that is in the SX now will end up in the wagon as that one has massive leaks from both the front and rear main seals and has a wrist pin slap in one of the pistons.  Eventually that engine will get redone with a 4.0l head and other goodies.  For now I want to get the SX stuff swapped out so I can go to the Chilson show next weekend.  Just some straightforward wrenching so long as I don't break anything too serious.  I am picking up a new front seal for the tranny and other tidbits to put on the new combo before I put it in.

Actually, the real carnage will start Monday morning so wish me luck.   I will be off list most of next week since I will be home and the dial up is a joke.  The antiquated phone lines only handle a 1.5 to 2.2k transfer rate so it takes forever to pull anything up.  Too far out in the boonies for dsl or cable so most of the internet stuff is done at work.  I did just go down the hall and officially registered the SX/4 so it is now legal.

[IowaEagle]

Sounds like fun for Smitty.  Of course I know you will share all the gorey details when you have time.

[Smitty]

No time to post pics right now as I just have a few minutes in the office before I head south to pick up one of the girls at college.  The engine, tranny and transfer case are out and I am in the process of changing over the valve cover and oil pan and pickups since the engine canme from a Spirit.  I took the engine out first but going back in I want to see if I can put it all in as a unit.  If not i will do the engine and tranny and then the T case will go in from the bottom ugh.  Pretty straight forward wrenching and I think I am on schedule for what I thought but today may put me behind.  Depends on how late I want to stay in the garage tonight and I did not plan on having to drive to get one of the girls for a Dr issue.  Tomorrow I hope to try to shoehorn it back together.  I also decided that the entire exhaust will get redone too.  Must as well have everything nice and new before I am done.

[IowaEagle]

Yup do it right and do it once!

[Smitty]

Back from vaca and thought I would update things.  The engine and tranny are still out cause I shipped the tranny out for a rebuild.  I hope to have that back by the end of the week so I can put the car back together on Sunday.

This was pulling the engine


I am installing a new steering box.  I am getting a new return hose and pitman arm today at lunch so all this can go back in tonight.  It is also the perfect time to replace the steeing stabilizer as the bolts are so easy to get at with the engine out.


This is the "new" 32k motor that is going in.  I picked up an Eagle oil pan from way2phastphil at the Chilson show and that is going on tonight along with changing over the new valve cover.
[/IMG]

Hopefully, after tonight I will have most everything ready to go back together once the tranny is ready.  I am putting a new water pump and theromstat on the engine too and generally replacing all the maintenance items when the engine is on the stand rather than trying to do it later when the engine is in the car.  I am seriously looking at the 390cfm Holley 4V carb from summit.  I will probably just go with the same motorcraft 2V setup that I have on the wagon as that is a lot less expensive. 

Lots of possibilities and the longer the engine is out of the car the more I tend to replace as preventative maintenance.