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Ok, Few More Questions

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by Tree cutter 08, Apr 28, 2019.

  1. Apr 28, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    Thanks for all the help so far. Very knowledgeable and helpful group of folks here. Got my brakes working good and went for the first ride today.
    First is I'm having problems with leaking valve cover gaskets. The shop that rebuilt the engine used cork. They did good during the break in period but started leaking yesterday while driving around the house. Sealed for another set of cork. While off I made sure the valve covers were completely flat. They leaked almost instantly. Tighten just a tad more and still leak. Any suggestions? I have around 40 on oil pressure at idle and 80 or 90 at higher rpm. Valve covers filling up to quick and not draining fast enough?
    Second is this thing drives like a ball down the road. I've drove old trucks and wrangler over the years but this thing is a little sketchy. Anything to look for? 2.5 inch lift springs.
     
  2. Apr 28, 2019
    Iandavidh

    Iandavidh Member

    California
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    Sketchy as in how?
     
  3. Apr 28, 2019
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Cork gaskets... back in their day some folks put a schmeer of axle grease on each side, to help them settle in and seat, like the lube on an o-ring does. Others would say use Permatex #2, on one side only if you want to re-use the gasket. (And BTW I personally despise silicone sealant.)

    Oil PSI should not be relevant here, but that sounds too high. Is your pressure-relief operating? Gauge accurate?

    OTR handling can be many things. Check all connections, sway bars, shackles, tie-rod ends, drag-link ends, steering gear adjustment, tire balance, etc etc. Also king pin bearings can be a source of death-wobble, etc. Wheel bearings okay? Then start looking at alignment, caster, camber, etc., especially if lifted.
     
  4. Apr 28, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    A 2.5" lift can benefit from slightly longer shackles, but long shackles for the purpose of achieving lift are a bad idea. Shackle and spring bushings wear out, causing wander. Tie rod and drag links with ANY play will cause "sketch". And the coupling and U-joint in steering shaft will be a likely culprit. Steering gears wear out. There is an adjusting screw but wear is in center of gear so if you take up slack in center it may be tight at the left and right limits.
     
  5. Apr 28, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    Springs, bushings, shackles, u joints in steering, ball joints, wheel bearings, are all new. Only replaced 1 end on drag link since it had a little play. Everything else is good. Just looking at the front end, looks like the top of the tires are out just a tad more than the bottom. It does wander some but seems like the body roll is excessive. Jeep didn't come with away bars so maybe that would help? When you throw it into a curve, after the sway it seems to hold till you straighten it out. i can even feel it on travel driveway going 10mph. As far as the valve covers go, think I would be better to find a set of rubber gaskets? I read on another site using straight permatex solved their problem. As far as the oil pressure, I installed a new auto meter mechanical guage. How would I check the pressure relief?
     
  6. Apr 28, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Valve cover gaskets. The V8s are eeeeasy to seal compared to the inline 6s. Get new gaskets and remove the covers. With a little hammer, a blunt drift and a block of wood, straighten the sealing surfaces so they are perfectly flat. Tap tap tap, measure with a straight edge, tap some more. The worst thing you can do to valve covers is over-tighten. If they leak, and you tighten more, almost certain they will leak more. Very often somebody gets in there and cranks on the cover screws to try and stop a leak, and bends the cover all to heck. They are particularly susceptible to dishing-in around the bolt holes, in response to the over-tightened bolts.

    When you have the valve covers off, you can look that the drain holes are clear. This is unlikely in these days of detergent motor oil. If you had a ton of sludge in the valve covers, maybe they would fill up, but in modern times this is unusual without significant prior abuse (ie no oil changes).

    Back in the day, we used rubber gaskets that Jeep supplied. RockAuto is closing out the rubber gaskets More Information for FEL-PRO VS50001R and that's what I'd get, but I expect the Felpro cork gaskets will work just as well. They also offer a "improved" cork gasket, which is probably cork and rubber composite. More Information for FEL-PRO VS50001C I predict the type of gasket won't make much difference. I would apply a thin coat of silicon sealer to both sides of the gasket and assemble. Lots of opinions about which sealant to use, but I believe the straightness of the cover is the main issue. And don't over-tighten! Realize the spec for these is really light, sp 50 in-lbs, which won't even register on your ft-lb torque wrench. A screwdriver can achieve 50 in-lb. It's in the TSM.
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2019
  7. Apr 28, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

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    Whose lift springs?
     
  8. Apr 28, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    Rough country. On the valve covers, I straightened until perfect. Didn't use any sealer though. I used a nut driver and used 2 fingers to tighten down. Still didn't work. The fel-pros is what I used today. All oil drain passages looked clean and clear. Thinking of trying the right stuff to see if I can get a seal. I've never drove a cj5 until today, road in a bunch years ago. Those seemed to ride better than mine. About 35 or 40 mph was about as fast as I felt like going. What got me was being able to notice it at such a slow speed.
     
  9. Apr 28, 2019
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

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    check the ujoints at the knuckle ends if they bind it will steer funky, and caster has a lot to do with the wandering .
     
  10. Apr 28, 2019
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    Technically, a 4x4 Jeep doesn't have "ball joints." Do you mean tie rod ends, or king pin (knuckle) bearings?

    In either case have you had it aligned since?
     
  11. Apr 29, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    King pins. The po installed them just before he parked it. No, I haven't aligned it. I may take it toto check alignment while in town this week getting the side pipes installed.
     
  12. Apr 29, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    Is it possible the spring setting sideways could be the problem? Rough country send out to short of a u bolt that goes over the dif housing. In order to get the nuts on it cocked the spring just a tad. I found a new u bolt that's longer and ordered it.
     

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  13. Apr 29, 2019
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    You have a Dana 30 axle. It has ball joints. The lift install could have given you the wrong caster. It can cause squirrely driving down a straight road. You could also have loose U bolts or other lose steering components. I suggest you check all your fasteners and then check your caster angle and correct if wrong.

    best way to check and set caster
     
    ITLKSEZ and dane71 like this.
  14. Apr 29, 2019
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    My mistake. I've never owned anything that new.
     
  15. Apr 29, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    Removed valve covers again. I decided to use the right stuff this time. I think I found my problem though. When a was booting them back down the front and rear screws were bottoming out just before it was tightening it down. The middle screws have the half moon spacers and it didn't happen with them. Added a few washers to build it up. I think what was happening is about the time it felt like they were singing down, they were actually bottoming out. Anyway hopeful the right stuff will seal them and I won't half to mess with them for a while. Curious, are there suspose to be the half moon spacers on the front and back corners like in the middle?
    Got under the front end and looked around this evening. Found that the new end I installed at the Pittman arm was just a little loose. Don't know if it settled in or what. Tighten it up but haven't had a chance to drive it yet. Watching the flex of the frame, springs and hangers while someone turning the steering wheel. No wander it don't drive good. No cracks in the frame because I inspected it when it was sandblasted. Just movement. I have heard about the shackle reversal mod and I guess I can see why it would help. Sorta wish I did that while the jeep was apart.
     
  16. Apr 30, 2019
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

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    A steering box brace is a better solution than a reversal. Tighten the shackles and spring eyes a little. They should move front to rear but not side to side. I still vote caster
     
  17. Apr 30, 2019
    Chilly

    Chilly Active Member

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    Shackles will move side to side a bit on my Jeep if I turn the wheel while standing still. And I expect it to. It has new poly bushings, but cranking the wheel without rolling puts a LOT of side load on the suspension.
     
  18. Apr 30, 2019
    mortten

    mortten I can’t put my finger on it 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    AMC 6 valve covers do like to leak
     
  19. Apr 30, 2019
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

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    IIRC there are spacers on all the cover bolts.

    JMO - reversing shackles to cure instability would be a snipe hunt.
     
  20. Apr 30, 2019
    Tree cutter 08

    Tree cutter 08 Member

    Cleveland ga
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    Took another test ride this evening. I could describe the steering and handling as more of a dart than anything. I did notice under heavy throttle it seemed to handle better. Will have to drive more to get a better feel. Going to have alignment checked soon. 99.9 percent sure the valve covers are not leaking. I can't find any trace of oil above the head gasket. Problem is it's still leaking and it seems to be coming out from around the head gaskets on both back corners and the driver side front. I can't believe it. Haven't noticed any smoke out the exhaust, oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.
     
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