‘79 CJ5 Preservation

[StretchASU]

While waiting a long time for the Atlas for the CYJ, we stumbled upon this survivor of a 79 CJ5 at an auction this weekend after the machines we went to look at were shitbeat with absurd reserves. Long story short, like the machines, it had a Gas Monkey’ish reserve didn’t sell. I chatted up the owner for a bit and gave him my info and an offer. He slept on it and we brought it home Sunday.

Overall it’s a solid 10 footer. It’a got some rot in the rockers hidden by the diamond plate but the fenders and floors are pretty solid. The 258 runs well with just a small miss at idle and some smoking which has gotten better the more I’ve run it. Maybe valve stem seals. Maybe just needs to be run, we will see. It did sit for a while as the owner was “too fat to drive it” his words not mine. The gauges work intermittently, and based on the wiring mess behind the dash it’s expected.

The interior is fairly new Rugged Ridge seats front and console that the PO installed. It had a very worn Besttop bikini top on it and a new one in the box in the back. The period correct chrome nerf bars were welded onto the frame. KC Daylighters don’t work but look cool. Front bumper was poorly trimmed down with a cutoff wheel and the chrome tube rear bumper is flaking and rusting a bit. The diamond plate is all held on with self tappers and all seems to be homemade.

It’s lifted a bit but we can’t find any markings on the springs to tell what brand helping it clear the 32x11.50 DryRotAT’s with ease.

 

[StretchASU]

To Do:
Replace dry rotted tires. Probably a 33x10.50 BFG AT
Get the gauges working/clean up the wiring mess.
Fix the brake lights which don’t work right now.
Clean up the shade tree diamond plate work and fasteners.
Upgrade the headlights with a relay mod and get the Daylighters working.
Replace the crusty chrome bumpers with something that will support moving hay implements around.

 

[rodney eppes]

You sure make it hard on Safe Stealers.

 

[StretchASU]

You sure make it hard on Safe Stealers.

they’ll be too distracted by the Austin Healy Sprite behind it.

 

[CasterTroy]

I JUST don't like you right now.


I mean...always happy for a brutha and wanna support you. But at the same time I really wanna relive my youth and have this for like the summer. If we can work something out...I may like you better

 

[jcramsey]

Been a minute since I’ve seen a set of Wide Climbers.....

 

[StretchASU]

Got time today to put some miles on this thing and see what is needed.

(1) Every gauge except the speedo is dead and even that one bounces around pretty inconsistently. Wires are all there and hooked up, sending units are there and I could not find any frayed wires causing a short or bad connection. Oil Pressure gauge is stuck around 20psi and doesn't move. The rest stay on 0.
(2) There is a small oil leak at the front of the valve cover.
(3) Acts like it runs out of fuel and cuts out when running down the road at 45mph and you roll into it for just about any incline. It is fine accelerating up to that point. Sometimes it pushes through and cleans back up, other times it just sputters.
(4) Someone in the past deleted the smog stuff and just pinched some of the lines shut and some of the other caps are pretty well dry rotted.
(5) The hard fuel line running from the pump to the filter before the carb looks like it has been pinched at some point as one of the bends is fairly flat and not rounded like it should be.

I'll start with a good tuneup and cleaning up any air leaks and go from there. Gauges I am debating on trying to fix or just replace.

 

[GMAC]

Grounds all clean?

 

[upnover]

I've owned a "few" of the older Jeeps, to say the least. Oil leak/smoking issue. The heads came with an umbrella type valve seal. Often the guides get worn some and the valve seals aren't much of a seal to say the least, so, it allows oil to pass through the guide into the combustion chamber, thus causing smoke. Best fix when I worked at a machine shop was two fold. Replace the guides with a new liner, and 2. cut the valve guides down to accept a Chevy style valve seal. Since you already said it had an oil leak, when you replace the valve cover, just check out the return holes and make sure they are open. I have seen casting flashing so bad that from the factory they were nearly closed up.
As far as it stumbling, lobes on the cams seem to wear excessively, In my experience, usually the number one lobe. Which I think was an oiling issue.
easy enough to check by just measuring how far the valves open across the board and compare the numbers.

Hope this helps some.

 

[Scooter402]

Oh damn I'm in love. Don't leave that laying around.

 

[StretchASU]

I've owned a "few" of the older Jeeps, to say the least. Oil leak/smoking issue. The heads came with an umbrella type valve seal. Often the guides get worn some and the valve seals aren't much of a seal to say the least, so, it allows oil to pass through the guide into the combustion chamber, thus causing smoke. Best fix when I worked at a machine shop was two fold. Replace the guides with a new liner, and 2. cut the valve guides down to accept a Chevy style valve seal. Since you already said it had an oil leak, when you replace the valve cover, just check out the return holes and make sure they are open. I have seen casting flashing so bad that from the factory they were nearly closed up.
As far as it stumbling, lobes on the cams seem to wear excessively, In my experience, usually the number one lobe. Which I think was an oiling issue.
easy enough to check by just measuring how far the valves open across the board and compare the numbers.

Hope this helps some.

That is a lot of help! Being that the stumble isn't consistent with anything other than it doing it under load when it actually does happen, I'll check the valvetrain when I do the valve cover gasket and just hope its something ignition or fuel related. Haha.

Grounds all clean?

That is the next thing I need to check as I sort through the wiring behind the dash. Its a mild shit show back there.

 

[Infamous1]

That thing is sweet!! Thats about exactly how my dad had his 5 looking in 1983. I was 8 and we started woods riding together on Sunday afternoons.

 

[amcjeepman]

Nice!

 

[justjeepin86]

That's a sweet find!

 

[AdamH]

Think it’s original paint on the outside? Either way looks to be a good starting point. Great find.

 

[StretchASU]

Think it’s original paint on the outside? Either way looks to be a good starting point. Great find.

Pretty sure it is the original paint. Between the fading “clear coat” on the hood and lack of body work found, it’s most likely the original base color.

 

[CasterTroy]

Trade for a clapped out 94 eclipse?

 

[StretchASU]

Trade for a clapped out 94 eclipse?

Let me finish this tuneup and Holley sniper install so it would be a fair trade.

 

[DannyH]

Soooooooo LS swap if the 258 is bad????

I have a CJ5 I bought off here a few years back. One day I’ll get around to working on it..

 

[StretchASU]

Soooooooo LS swap if the 258 is bad????

I have a CJ5 I bought off here a few years back. One day I’ll get around to working on it..

Ha shit no. I already have one of those in the other shitmissile.

Big thanks to @tobaccoroad4wd for the loaner trailer this weekend to do some vehicle shuffling. Brought this one back to the house and got it in the garage last night. Should make a lot more progress not having to drive 2 hours to work on it.

 

[StretchASU]

Got started tonight by pulling things apart for a tuneup and ignition upgrade with the Ford TFI parts. Once I pulled the air cleaner and went to replace the coolant temp sensor I found the issue there. About 4 butt connectors and frayed wires in a few spots going to the sensor. The gasket between the air cleaner and carb was missing and there are still a few vacuum lines either cracked, missing or not capped off so I’ll have to revisit that.

Swapped out the plugs. Wires. Rotor. Cap and cap spacer. The rotor and inside of the cap were pretty corroded. The plugs were pretty fresh but I swapped them out anyway. I need to get some L brackets to finish fabbing up the coil mount and it will be ready to fire back up.

In the meantime I pulled the front bumper and mocked up its replacement.

 

[StretchASU]

Got the coil mounted back in the stock location and wired in tonight then fired it back up. It starts a whole lot easier and the miss at idle is gone. The RPM’s come up a whole lot smoother. The idle itself is still pretty shitty until it comes up to temp but then it smooths out just fine.

 

[grapehead]

That TFI upgrade is a great one on those!

 

[StretchASU]

That TFI upgrade is a great one on those!

Very happy with it so far. It was a noticeable difference right off the first hit.

Part numbers and current cost of the upgrade through Rock Auto. Then whatever coupon you've got at the time.

 

[StretchASU]

Got the rear bumper on. I can’t say enough about the fit and finish of the Motobilt parts I have used on this and the CYJ.

Then I went to get started on the headlight relays and the 42yo plastic for the adjusters fell apart so I’m waiting on the replacement/retrofit adjusters.