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View Full Version : 1990 2dr. Build/Rebuild



bluedragon436
04-17-2014, 12:17 PM
So, there I was.... no but seriously that is how the story of my 90 XJ came to be.. So, there I was about three years back enjoying my 98 XJ, when a co-worker of mine asked if I knew of anyone selling a XJ.. So I drove him down to the border of DE & MD to take a look at a 90 XJ.. He bought it and drove it back up to Dover following me with no issues... The same day he drove it down to the bottom of VA, where he promptly blew the engine.. So it was towed back up to base where myself and another co-worker swapped the engine with one out of a 91 that the owner picked up from a PNP.. Got it almost completed when the Jeep disappeared from the shop on base.. about 9 months later another person I know from a local Jeep club asked if my co-worker still owned that Jeep, and I said yep he does but we don't know where it is... He informed me that it had been stored behind the shop in a storage cage... Needless to say the guy who owned it didn't want to have to pay for that storage fee, so it sat there for a few years, where another co-worker of mine (just happens to be the one that towed it back to base when it blew up in VA) picked it up a few months back to use on his farm... He gave up on it (his wife told him he needed to thin his herd of vehicles) after getting it somewhat running.. (all he did was install the distributor and the CPS)... and then he contacted me and said since you did all the work for the engine swap I'll give you first dibs at purchase of it... So this is what I purchased:

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/bluedragon436/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/1217131533.jpg (http://s267.photobucket.com/user/bluedragon436/media/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/1217131533.jpg.html)

Got it towed down to a storage unit close to where I live so I could work on it, and have a "garage" of sorts, not to mention can't have any vehicles that aren't registered within city limits... So after a little bit of work I have this:

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/bluedragon436/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140414_164441.jpg (http://s267.photobucket.com/user/bluedragon436/media/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140414_164441.jpg.html)

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/bluedragon436/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140414_164451.jpg (http://s267.photobucket.com/user/bluedragon436/media/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140414_164451.jpg.html)

bluedragon436
04-17-2014, 12:19 PM
Ordered a new vacuum line harness for the engine and got that installed, def help the engine run smoother, but still was running like it had a cam installed and it was smoking out my storage unit within a minute of it running...

So I took a portion of the old vacuum harness and took a "plastic" line and ran it from the TB to the MAP sensor (now mind you this line wasn't there when the engine swap happened).. and now it runs far smoother, and doesn't try and kill me within a minute of it running... Now the only thing I need to take care of is track down the O2 sensor harness which apparently decided to hide itself somewhere in the engine bay, cause I can't seem to find it.. and I need to install the EGR tube that I ordered when the engine swap first started three years ago...

XJ Wheeler
04-17-2014, 01:23 PM
Finally we get to see this thing! Looks like a good project, and already got some parts on it. What plans ya got for it?

Sent via messenger pigeon - i talk, he types.

Rocco83
04-17-2014, 02:34 PM
I'm jealous. Would love a 2 door XJ.

bluedragon436
04-17-2014, 06:57 PM
I'm jealous. Would love a 2 door XJ.

Would love even more to have a 97+ 2dr..

Well found the O2 harness finally.. Someone at some point in time plugged it into the ignition control so that is why it blended in the past couple times I was looking for it.. So now I got the O2 sensor hooked up and installed and running.. then I go to move it out so I can sweep the floor, and it now decides it doesnt want to start, or even kick on the fuel pump.. so guess that'll be a project to hopefully get solved tomorrow.

Pookapotamus
04-17-2014, 08:16 PM
Me likey the 2 door!

4.3LXJ
04-17-2014, 08:52 PM
Me likey too

Brasscatz
04-17-2014, 10:50 PM
Glad you have a Jeep again!

bluedragon436
04-18-2014, 09:41 AM
Glad you have a Jeep again!

Me too... Now if I can just get it to stop shitting out on me, and be able to continue to build it up and fix the parts that are not done yet after the engine swap out... I got plans for additional parts/upgrades, and then it just wants to take that money for other items it chooses...

bluedragon436
04-19-2014, 11:22 AM
Well since she decided to run for a little bit today, while I let her set outside and run for a bit to check to see if she'll overheat or anything (it didn't after running for about 45 mins)... I decided to start ridding her of the much hated chrome trim... Since all the grill and light surrounds were removed during the engine swap I took and bedlined them all with some Rustoleum bedliner... I think it looks far better just with that small change.. can't wait to get the rest of the chrome taken care of...

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/bluedragon436/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140418_184310.jpg (http://s267.photobucket.com/user/bluedragon436/media/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140418_184310.jpg.html)

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/bluedragon436/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140418_184821.jpg (http://s267.photobucket.com/user/bluedragon436/media/XJ/1990%20Cherokee%20Laredo/20140418_184821.jpg.html)

Now I just need to take care of the rest of the chrome and the crappy looking cracked up lights...

bluedragon436
04-25-2014, 08:17 PM
Finally we get to see this thing! Looks like a good project, and already got some parts on it. What plans ya got for it?

Sent via messenger pigeon - i talk, he types.

Once I get it running properly again, which I have gotten taken care of, just got to get it to actually want to start now.. since I turn the key and it has nothing, almost like it's a completely dead battery, but all the lights work like a champ, just no click no power to the dash, radio never cuts on, nothing.. While I'm slowly working on the no starting issue, I'm going to keep working on covering the rest of the chrome trim on the front, and the chrome bumpers will be replaced with some aftermarket bumpers. I want to get the drivers side rocker rust taken care of, and any other rust I find, then I plan to spray the exterior and the floor in bedliner. I want to replace the front axle with a HP30 w/out disconnect, and upgrade the rear 8.25 to 29spline, rear disc brakes, and probably be doing a set of luncbox lockers since this will mainly be a trail only rig... At some point in time I want to get a set of LA's, and would like to pick up some armor or maybe even tube fenders for it eventually!!

ballen0351
04-25-2014, 08:56 PM
Im not to far from you if you ever need a hand

bluedragon436
04-25-2014, 09:07 PM
Im not to far from you if you ever need a hand

Can always use a hand... Are you by chance on Military Jeerers?? If so, I'm on there too, same SN..

ballen0351
04-25-2014, 09:20 PM
Can always use a hand... Are you by chance on Military Jeerers?? If so, I'm on there too, same SN..

Yes I am But I haven't been there in a while. same name also

bluedragon436
04-25-2014, 10:06 PM
Yes I am But I haven't been there in a while. same name also

That's cool, I thought I had seen that SN before, and was pretty sure it was on there... lol.. I don't get on there too often, but like to check it out when I get a chance too, or think about it...