Newbie from Raleigh

dmw319

New Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Location
Raleigh, NC
Hey guys, newbie here. I picked it up last week..

99 Jeep Wrangler TJ, 2.5L I4, Intense Blue, fresh motor (less than 500 miles on it), 76k on body, 33" bfgoodrich all-terrains. new exhaust, bestop, PIAA lights, detroit locker front and back, 3.5" suspension and body lift.

atwitpic.com_show_thumb_23gsfv.jpg

full size pic: full res. pic here

honestly, I don't know the first thing about Jeeps (I am a chevy guy) other than what I have been reading online and on jeep forums the past week or two. im trying to find out more about my lockers, and need to do some basic work (brake lines replaced, fuel pump issue? (still havent diagnosed it), some under the hood cleanup) and he also gave me a new steering stabilizer when i bought it that I need to install. I guess I will learn as I go..


Good to be here! :driver: I wonder if the guy I bought it from was on this forum at all?
 
birdman - whats up!

about my lockers.. my wife is going to be driving this car as her DD. I dont know if they are automatic lockers or manual.. and what kind of problems she may run into on the street.

Here is my issue... I bought the car from the guy who said the fuel pump needed to be replaced (he got it diangosed at some shop). When I got the car, it would run for a while, and then not be able to start once restarting it. Or it would run for a while then die while idling or shifting into first to get rolling. So I figured no big deal, I could get the car cheaper and install a new pump myself to save some $. But when I got it in the garage, I checked (manually) the fuel pressure at the fuel rail and it was coming out strong/per usual as on any other car I've had. So I started to unplug some sensors to test around (it wasnt throwing any codes at this point). I unplugged the MAP and IAC and the car ran fine, no issues, starts up and runs fine every time (but started throwing codes obviously). So I thought maybe it was the MAP, so I replaced it and plugged it back in and now same issue.. runs fine for a while then dies or wont start back up after being ran. I guess it could be the pump afterall? Not sure.. just want to get it diagnosed so I know what to fix on it.
 
dmw319 said:
birdman - whats up!
about my lockers.. my wife is going to be driving this car as her DD. I dont know if they are automatic lockers or manual.. and what kind of problems she may run into on the street.
Click to expand...

If they're detroits, they're automatic lockers. The front one shouldn't be much of a problem in 2wd on the road, but the rear may take some getting used to, especially while cornering.
 
cj777 said:
If they're detroits, they're automatic lockers. The front one shouldn't be much of a problem in 2wd on the road, but the rear may take some getting used to, especially while cornering.
Click to expand...

could you give a brief explanation? is it similar to a spool? lol.
 
In regards to the Detroit locker(s), they are automatic. The front locker should be almost unnoticeable on the street since they do not engage unless power is applied. The rear is another story, since it is the drive axle it will always be engaged unless you are coasting. The on road characteristics will greatly depend on lift/suspension, tires and driving style especially in a short wheelbase vehicle. My TJ with 4" lift and 33" tires, previous setup, would lift the driver front in a moderate left turn acceleration. But I know others who don't have the same issue but have different setups. Anytime you are driving with lockers on the street care should be taken when accelerating quickly, turning or changing lanes. You, or your wife, will get used to it given time and will hardly notice it, just make sure to tell anyone else who may drive it about the lockers.
 
Here's what the business part of a Detroit looks like:

Detroit_Locker_big.jpg

The axles slide in from left and right, and the pins you see sticking out in the middle go into the carrier where the cross pins would normally be.

The Detroit is almost always engaged. Those dog teeth on each side lock each axle to the center section, which is fixed to the carrier with the cross pins.

There's some slop in the dog teeth, so a Detroit always makes the diff feel like it's got a lot of backlash.

When you're on the throttle, the dog teeth bind up and remain engaged. But if you blip the throttle in a turn, one axle (and only one) can disengage at the dog teeth and spin faster than the carrier. There's a little piece on each side that will kick the side gears out.

So it behaves like a spool when you're on the throttle... pushes in corners, binds up on tight turns, etc.

As for the front... it'll be less noticeable. It'll probably make the steering feel a little heavier than if it wasn't there, but it's not a big deal.

Daily driving on dry pavement, you'll get used to it and not really notice it's there. Every once in a while, it'll get bound up and then disengage one side.... makes a big bang, sounds like something broke, but it's just the axles and everything releasing the stored energy. Driving on wet pavement and especially 1-2" of snow requires more finesse than with open diffs.
 
saf-t scissors said:
Here's what the business part of a Detroit looks like:
View attachment 27555
The axles slide in from left and right, and the pins you see sticking out in the middle go into the carrier where the cross pins would normally be.
The Detroit is almost always engaged. Those dog teeth on each side lock each axle to the center section, which is fixed to the carrier with the cross pins.
There's some slop in the dog teeth, so a Detroit always makes the diff feel like it's got a lot of backlash.
When you're on the throttle, the dog teeth bind up and remain engaged. But if you blip the throttle in a turn, one axle (and only one) can disengage at the dog teeth and spin faster than the carrier. There's a little piece on each side that will kick the side gears out.
So it behaves like a spool when you're on the throttle... pushes in corners, binds up on tight turns, etc.
As for the front... it'll be less noticeable. It'll probably make the steering feel a little heavier than if it wasn't there, but it's not a big deal.
Daily driving on dry pavement, you'll get used to it and not really notice it's there. Every once in a while, it'll get bound up and then disengage one side.... makes a big bang, sounds like something broke, but it's just the axles and everything releasing the stored energy. Driving on wet pavement and especially 1-2" of snow requires more finesse than with open diffs.
Click to expand...

thanks, thats a big help!
 
Hello, and welcome.
 
so i never got my car issue resolved. and i checked the fuel pressure today while driving around and it sat at 49-51 the whole time so its not the pump. any ideas??? :shaking:
 
Is it throwing codes? If it was a carbbed AMC 360 I'd say it was vapor lock... When the Jeep fails to start, can you check the pump pressure then? The pump should be pressurised as long as the ignition is on.
 
When you find a good place let me know. My ZJ has been doing some strange things for a while now and I haven't been able to resolve it either.
 
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