The Giblet Grinder

[zj-monster]

My name's Justin...

Well, I've been for here on Mallcrawlin' for quite a while now. I figure it's time I keep a journal of my ZJ & and let you guys & gals poke fun at me. It's a '98 Laredo featuring the I6, the 42re tranny, a 242 t-case, and the ever loving Dana 35 axle that this thing is famous for.

It started out as the family ride for the wife & kidz. I come from a chevy family who enjoys modifying damn near everything we own. I've mostly owned Camaro's, the '98 with the ever popular LS1 being the last one I would ever own. The Camaro just plain sucks to haul kids in all the time so I swallowed my pride and traded her in for the '98 ZJ in 2002.

I made a promise to my wife that the Jeep would not be modifed in any way shape or form. Yea...that didn't last long when we started hitting trails in her for the first time. I have a ton of rodding expierence but no wheeling. We learned a lot just riding around the farm my in-laws have back in Kansas.

The first set of modz to come were 2 inch pucks from Kevins and a set of 31's BFG AT's. Shortly after that, DW started showing up while I was on the road in Oklahoma. A quick stop to Sams Offroad to get a set of Rancho 5000 shocks and a sabilizer helped some. When we got home I gave Kevin a call and shortly after, I got the JKS Bar & his Track-bar conversion kit for the front and a another JKS Bar for the rear. Best damn kit ever IMO.





At the time of those photos, Kevins Jeep Parts was new. I had heard of him from a friend and surfing the net. A few months later I decided to fork over my hard earned cash for Kevins roof rack.





Later I would find forums about the ZJ online and eventually found mallcrawlin'. Needless to say that my eyes were opened wide. In early 2005 I would deploy to Iraq, but before that happened I managed to get a set of 15x8 Rockcrawlers with BFG MT's. However I didn't get to enjoy the new set of wheels and wouldn't get to for about 8 months.





Since my return I have stuck to this website like glue and have contributed a few simple write-up's. One of them being the ever loved question about backspacing & a simple tear down of the NV242.



It's now 2006 and since then I've added Kevins Sliderz, installed a better alternator, put in a 160* thermostat and a 3 inch Cowl Hood to help keep the I6 cooled down. So far it seems to work well.

[zj-monster]

Now on to why I am posting this journal. North Carolina has some wierd-o ass spots to wheel in. One thing I can say about the Fort Bragg area is that it is either super sandy or super muddy. The trails we use here are also used to test the HMMWV when they come out of the shops for repairs.

Let me warn ya, I have an awesome sense of humor and at 33 years old...I have no problems letting my innner child shine thru. It keeps me sane with my kidz. Poke me all ya want, I won't cry.

2 weeks ago I got invited to wheel with a bunch of chevy guys from the ZR2USA website. I am proud to say that I held my own and earned some serious respect as I was the only Jeeper that showed up. They did awesome as well, great guys to wheel with around here. Oh yea for those who noticed, my cowl isn't on the jeep as I was letting the fresh paint dry in the shop.

Read up about the event here:
http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.p...ST&f=47&t=6180





Here is a video that I think will be good for a few laughs.
http://media.putfile.com/Justin-going-through-the-water

Well, this past weekend I decided that I wanted to go back out and sling some more mud with the Chevy guys. Here is another link to the ZR2USA site, it has videos of thier trucks & my Jeep aswell to include the death of my engine.
http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.p...pic=6268&st=15







Damn...do I need lockers!!!








Who needs a winch when you have buddies that have one?

Seriously though...I do need to get one. However, that hole you see wasn't the worst one. After I got out of that hole I decided to charge into one that I had gone thru before with no problems.

Well...that hole killed my ZJ.

Knowing that the engine just shit chunks of metal into the oil pan, I still managed to start it up and rev it to 3k rpms and try to get out of the rut which never happened. I lost oil pressure instantly and oil could be seen in the water. I shut the engine down, got towed home and dropped the oil pan. Since I have no ego to bruise, I'll share with you on what not to do to your engine.

Here is the oil pan, them 3 holes were done by the lifters slamming to the bottom.


One of the 3 lifters doesn't look quite right...




The Cam Shaft snapped itself in the middle, the other 2 halves are still in the block.


3 bent rods...


Here is the block looking up from underneath where the oil pan is bolted on. To the right you can see part of the Cam Shaft still in the block. Yes...the Cam snapped into 3 pieces.


Here is the ass end of the girdle all bent to hell...(facing the tranny)






Oh yeeeeeeaaaaa...I have a project on my hands now. I'll be pulling the block out this weekend for sure. I'll end up tearing the block down to see what other damage was caused. I'm hoping that the pistons, crank, & the block itself are good. Everything else will be a snap to replace if need be. Heck...if I have to I can score another I6 from the junkyard for less than $900 and just bolt it in.

I'm only saddened by the fact that I won't get to hit Uwharrie anytime soon. Since it's only an hour or so drive from my house.

I sure would entertain the idea of a V8 swap but I'm betting that the wiring alone will be a PITA. Hell...if I went that route I might as well score a HEMI & a 46RH but I need to know what t-case to bolt in and how much of a pain it is to drop in.

So...I'm up for ideas to include building a stroker. I will be posting more photos for anyone else what want to tear into thier I6.

[BigDaveZJ]

Holy crap!! NICE carnage!

[zj-monster]

And here I was, worried more about dumping my tranny or the D35.

Oh yea, sorry about copying your zebra stripes on my old hood Swampy.

[zj-monster]

Here's the video of my ZJ's death. This is the same hole that I went thru one other time and had no problems at all.

The engine stalled, due to water I'm sure. Knowing that I trashed it already, I at least needed to get myself out of that hole but didn't happen. I did manage to start her up and had to rev her to 3k rpm's, so I can definetly say that the I6 is a tough motor. I figure I was running on 3 pistons at least.

Turn the volume up and you'll hear my engine shit parts into the oil pan near the end.

http://media.putfile.com/Justins-3rd-water-hole



Mega thanx to Chuck for pulling me out, getting me & my Jeep home, and hosting the vidz.

[ILikeMud]

Damn quite the death.
At least it's fixable.

[dads5.9]

I watched the video and I just can't believe the carnage from that! The water didn't look that deep, and you didn't hit it that hard. Did you have the special low intake to scoop water from near the axle and force it into the intake?

[nickzj08]

That is exactly what I did. Went through water too fast and broke and bent the engine all to hell. I just found another I6 for 500 bucks and im swapping it in this weekend.

[BigDaveZJ]

"That did not sound good"

I'm quite amazed at that too, water was not that deep at all. Only thing I can think of is that you hit it too fast?

[ogdak]

that sucks

[NAFTEL]

i can understand the engine dying when hitting the water at speed with no snokel- but the resulting damage doesn't seem to make sense, anyway good to hear you've got a new engine for it. get a snorkel too.

[Skyline]

The water didn't seem to be anywhere near your air intake. I wonder if you had already filled the airbox with water on the previous water holes, (or already damaged the motor) and when you reved it up a bit more it called it quits. Hope you get it back together soon.

[NAFTEL]

^thats a good possibility also.

[DJJordache]

holy crappers batman thats alot of engine carnage! I was really surprised about the engine girdle that thing is beefy, and breaking the cam in 3 peices is just crazy!
nice rack if I had one I'd put a gardening hoe up on it just for fun

[zj-monster]

As far as my intake goes, I didn't think it was all that low. Here are a few photos of my gheto setup.




I got to thinking that the hole you see here probably acted like a scoop when the water came in the engine bay. Water was in the box and the filter itself was plenty wet.


So here she sits waiting for me to pull the motor out this weekend.

good to hear you've got a new engine for it. get a snorkel too.

I haven't got the engine yet but I know where to get it. I use to laugh at those snorkels considering the price tag...however...I'm actually thinking of scoring one or fabbing one like Swampy did.

I just found another I6 for 500 bucks and im swapping it in this weekend.

Sweetness!! If ya get the chance, snap some photos for your journal. I'd like to see your damaged engine & the new one going in. Perhapse you and I can swap info at the same time. As the engine in mine comes out, I'll be posting photos of the carnage. The girdle also surprised me...I'm still scratching my head.

Once again, let me tell ya how awesome it was to have that motor start up not once but twice after that carnage. The second time was to find out how much oil pressure I had. Sure as shit...I had none. It idled rough of course but still amazing none the less.

I am toying with the idea of building a stroker now, I might as well. The info on strokers for the I6 are everywhere to include this website thanks to TrojanMan, plus DJJorache's Intake Swap. As stated before I'm also up for engine swap ideas also. The more info I have on swaps the better.

[DJJordache]

there is a link to this in my writeup but it might also interest you
http://65.42.106.152/forums/showthread.php?t=698310
good luck with the stroker build up!
and that open area under the filter, I made a cover plate for it from hardware flashing that works great

[2jeepsforus]

I just used a piece of aluminum to cover the hole that you were refering too. This doesn't allow massive amounts of water in, but the filter can still get good air through the grill.

My good friend took the time and did a really nice job of helping me with it. You could attach it with rivets if you wanted too, but we made mine so it was attached to the K&N intake box and is easily removable if needed.

Dave

[zj-monster]

Damn, I knew damn well I should have made something similar.

Today the radiator gets flushed, hoses & wiring disconnected, & the hunt for an engine stand.

The K&N will get moved to the family Caravan. I've always wanted to mess with that damn thing.

[2jeepsforus]

The K&N will get moved to the family Caravan. I've always wanted to mess with that damn thing.

Rice that shit out.........

[NAFTEL]

^ if that fails find someone with late 80-mind 90s accord it will fit that too. after i put my snorkel on, had it sitting in the garage- buddy was drunk saw it- threw it in my sister's bf's accord in 5 mins! now it goes so fast the rust falls off!

[zj-monster]

Started on the front grill, unplugging the wires, draining the radiator, and labeling shit. I got to looking at the A/C compressor and I remember that there are high pressure lines that have to be discharged. Any tips on unplugging the A/C lines safely?

[nickzj08]

I need to know this as well. Ive been taking shit apart since last night and labeling everything. Im just waiting on an engine hoist. I still have to pull the donor motor from the yj.

[Skyline]

Started on the front grill, unplugging the wires, draining the radiator, and labeling shit. I got to looking at the A/C compressor and I remember that there are high pressure lines that have to be discharged. Any tips on unplugging the A/C lines safely?

Don't let Al Gore hear me say this, but discharging an A/C system into the enviornment is easy, (illegal for a shop, not sure about an individual).

Easy Free Way:

Wrap a screwdriver tip in a rag to catch the oil overspray, and depress the valve core of the High Pressure valve. (that's the one one the compressor labeled "HIGH"). Oil will spray all over the place, so make sure the rag blocks the spray. When nothing else comes out, you can safely disconnect the freon lines to the compressor.

Politically Correct Way:

Have the broken Jeep towed to a garage that has a Freon Recycling machine, pay $100. Have all the freon pumped out. Pay another $100. Have the Heep towed home. Pay another $100. Then you can remove the compressor lines without releasing freon into the enviornment and into the ozone layer causing global warming and the polar icecaps to melt and a permanent need for SPF60 sunblock to go outside.

[zj-monster]

Don't let Al Gore hear me say this, but discharging an A/C system into the enviornment is easy

causing global warming and the polar icecaps to melt and a permanent need for SPF60 sunblock to go outside.

Great...now I'm gonna feel guilty. At least I'm not crazy enough to dump the oil and coolant into the ground or spillway.

I cant believe that I can score an 4.0L around here for 300 to 500 bonez. Apparently the I6 isn't as popular a motor as other motors are. For example, he did have a Hemi out of an 03 Dodge for about $2000. I about choked. The junk man says at least 2 of 4.0L will work. Not too bad I guess. As long as I can score one to run for now while I build the broken one into a stroker. That is, if the block is still good.

[CurtP]

I thought 134a was supposed to be environmentally friendly so the fucking tree huggers would be happy.

I hate hippies...