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Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
7/28/21 10:10 a.m.

Thanks!

If you're talking specifically about making the VVT operational, I haven't.  It's still at about #67 on the 'to do' list, and things keep jumping the line ahead of it.  If you're not doing a standalone (if you're building a turbo car, and not restrained by emissions, you should), DIYs "VVT Tuner" is what you want:

VVT Tuner

For general VVT swap info, there's a ton of info here:

Definitive VVT Swap Thread

VVT into NB1 coil wiring info here:

NB2 into NB1 coil wiring

If you have another question, just PM me and I'll help if I can.

ZiggyVVT
ZiggyVVT New Reader
8/3/21 12:03 p.m.

In reply to Rodan :

           Oh yes I've studied that Coil wiring thread and am tackling that tomorrow shouldn't be too bad to solder up as long as I take my time and mate everything up the right way. Thank you for that other thread I haven't found that one yet but many others like it. Also I have the VVTuner kit and After speaking with the guys from TrackDog I need to get the pigtail for the VVT solenoid and I'll be able to wire it up. From what I understand its the Cam and Crank position sensor and the pigtail from the VVT solenoid wired into the VVTuner box (which has a base map preloaded) since my 99-00 ECU doesn't know what to do with VVT. 

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/3/21 9:02 p.m.

That sounds correct.

This thread is pretty useful when looking for connector information:  MT.net Connector Witch Hunt thread

Ballenger Motorsports should have the part when you identify the specific connector:  Ballenger Motorsports

 

 

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/4/21 12:40 p.m.

This week marks ten years that I've owned the NA.  We've come a long way, baby! laugh

 

 

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/6/21 6:15 p.m.

Spent the day today get the Jeep ready for "Toad" duty, installing the baseplate for the tow bar mounts, and wiring for lighting.

First up was pulling the bumper cover/front facia, which was easier than I expected.

Next up was removing the factory tow hooks and hardware, and replacing them with the receivers for the tow bar mounts.

The receivers remain on the vehicle, and the hookups have a release pin and rotate 90* for removal.  Once the hard parts were in place, I routed the wiring for the lighting from front to rear, and wired in the diodes at the taillights to isolate the factory electronics from the lighting signal when the Jeep is being towed.  Then it was time to button up the front bumper cover.

Mounts out

Mounts in

Tomorrow I need to cut the grille and wire in the receptacle for the wiring plug.  Then it will be time for a test tow.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/7/21 2:19 p.m.

Got the wiring receptacle mounted and wired.

Went to our storage unit and picked up the tow bar and set it up on the truck.  Grabbed my wife, and we were ready to go to a large parking lot nearby for a test, and I realized I didn't have the pins to hook the tow bar to the mounts.  After looking for them unsuccessfully for ~20 minutes I went online and found out neither kit comes with the pins.

You'd think that if you order a tow bar, and a mounting kit to hook that tow bar to your vehicle, one of the two would come with the pins to hook them together... angry

So much for a test today...  Have a set of pins inbound from Amazon, so they should be here tomorrow.

On the good fortune side of today, I scored a Brake Buddy (towed vehicle braking system) off of CL locally for about 25% of what a new one would have cost me.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/11/21 11:25 a.m.

Parts are still trickling in for the turbo install.  I told myself I wouldn't run the car with a turbo without installing a real fire suppression system, so that will happen first.

Actually 2nd, since I need to do some rewiring for the new fuel pump, but as part of that I want to redo the battery wiring and install cutoff switches, and I want to do that before setting up the fire system.  And to do that, I need to add a switch plate to the roll cage, and make a new center gauge/switch panel.  Gotta love project creep...  cheeky

At least my deadline got pushed back a little.  While working on our fall calendar, I was informed that the first event I wanted to run the car at fell on the same weekend as the annual Halloween party my wife and her best friend throw.  You know how that went... wink

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/11/21 11:27 a.m.

Since the factory tow hook/recovery locations were taken over by the tow bar mounts, I decided to pick up a second set of the quick detatch mounts to use as recovery points.

They showed up yesterday.  They weren't cheap, so it kind of hurt to immediatly cut them up...

Off with their heads!!

I thought they were solid, but didn't know for sure until I cut the tow bar bracket off.  Now that I know what I'm working with, the order is in for clevis mounts to weld on.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/14/21 3:12 p.m.

Since I now have pins, it was time for a tow bar test this morning.

Everything hooked up just fine, got the Jeep T/C in neutral, no problem.  Once we started pulling it around the parking lot, it started making a "playing card in the spokes" driveline noise.  Obviously, something wasn't completely disconnected.  After cycling the T/C a few times in/out of neutral, we still couldn't get the noise to go away.  Good thing I decided to test this in a parking lot, as we never exceeded 5mph and only went ~100 yards.  Never would have heard the noise testing on the street.

Unhooked the Jeep, and now the power steering wasn't working!  Great...

Thank goodness for the internet.... turns out the power steering is turned off by the computer when the T/C is put in neutral.  You have to shut the car off after putting it back in gear, and let it sit for a couple of minutes in order for the computer to reset and turn the EPS on.  If you cycle the key before it resets, it starts over.

I confirm the dealer's service department is open on Saturdays, and off we go.  Took both the truck and Jeep so I could hopefully demo the noise to at least the service writer if not the mechanic.  Fortunately (?) it was now making the noise with the engine running with the T/C in neutral, so we didn't have to attempt to reproduce the problem.  Clearly, something's out of kilter in the T/C.  At least it's under warranty.

And this is why I try to test things long before they're actually needed.... indecision

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/15/21 1:21 p.m.

In addition to all the Miata work, and Jeep issues going on, there's also some truck maintenance that needed attention.  First up was pulling the rubber camper pad (which is really a horse stall rubber mat), and giving the bed a good cleaning.  When was the last time you got on your hands and knees to scrub your truck bed?

Mat is back in the bed, and Tonneau is back on.  Next up is fuel filters and front diff fluid...

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/16/21 12:40 p.m.

Back to the Miata this morning... made the bracket for the cutoff switch and fire pull that will be welded to the cage on the passenger side.

Don't worry, it'll be straight when I weld it... wink

On a minor rant note, a fire pull should not be a location to advertise the company logo.  It should have FIRE printed on it in big white letters.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/17/21 12:25 p.m.

Not a great morning.

Called the Jeep dealer.  "Our tech tried putting the T/C in neutral and it worked fine... you were doing it wrong".  Nope, you tried to tell me to do it wrong, and I had to show you the correct way.  And the problem wasn't getting it in neutral, it was the noises it was making while being towed in neutral...  "Oh, I forgot about that... I was focused on getting into neutral..."  angry

Next, I get the shop's estimate for the trailer repair...

That's about 60% more than the insurance company's "sight unseen" estimate.  I'm 99% sure they're going to total it at this point. frown

Of course, they made it a PITA for the shop to try to get them the estimate, and I'm trying not to waste any more of their time, since they're probably not going to make any money at all on this.  Got my agent working on it.  About time I got something out of them besides sales calls for life insurance.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/17/21 12:31 p.m.

I did make some small progress on other stuff.

Dually got a new cabin air filter... it was definitely time.

 

Also got the clevis mounts for the Jeep recovery bits.

I took an additional inch off the mounts to shorten things up.

I need the Jeep back to confirm alignment, so these are going to sit for a bit.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/18/21 12:09 p.m.

Spent an hour at the Jeep dealer this morning with the Jeep hooked up to the truck, taking it in/out of neutral and pulling it around the lot for the tech to listen.  At least it was making the noise so he could see/hear what's happening.

Hoping to hear back later today...

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/18/21 1:25 p.m.

Just got a call... dealer ordered a new transfer case for the Jeep. indecision

They're saying about 10 days for the part.  That leaves them about a week to have it fixed in time for our upcoming trip.

mr2s2000elise
mr2s2000elise UberDork
8/18/21 1:30 p.m.
Rodan said:

  When was the last time you got on your hands and knees to scrub your truck bed?

 

The composite bed strakes on the bed of my 2021 Tacoma hurts my knees... 

mr2s2000elise
mr2s2000elise UberDork
8/18/21 1:31 p.m.
Rodan said:

I did make some small progress on other stuff.

Dually got a new cabin air filter... it was definitely time.

 

Also got the clevis mounts for the Jeep recovery bits.

I took an additional inch off the mounts to shorten things up.

I need the Jeep back to confirm alignment, so these are going to sit for a bit.

I have the same red rings on my Red FJ Cruiser. Bling bling

mr2s2000elise
mr2s2000elise UberDork
8/18/21 1:32 p.m.
Rodan said:

Just got a call... dealer ordered a new transfer case for the Jeep. indecision

They're saying about 10 days for the part.  That leaves them about a week to have it fixed in time for our upcoming trip.

Aaah beauty of American Jeep ownership.... see it with all my friends. I like not seeing the daeler -beauty of Land Cruiser ownership smiley

wawazat
wawazat Dork
8/18/21 1:58 p.m.

My GC experience will haunt the balance of my days on this planet.  Never again Stellantis, never again.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/18/21 3:58 p.m.

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

The steel bed in the Ram hurts my knees as well... 

I figured the stock tow hooks were red, so, why not? cheeky

 

WRT Jeep ownership... yeah.  Just weren't many options out there that checked all the boxes a Grand Cherokee does.  Lots of folks on the RV forums report many miles of satisfactory ownership, and having owned multiple GCs.  Hoping it's just a bumpy start to a great relationship...

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/19/21 6:31 p.m.

Rollcage bracket for electrical cutoff and fire is in.

Next up is re-doing the center panel on the dash.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/21/21 2:48 p.m.

Maintenance day on the Dually...

New diff oil in the front.  Diff looked nice and clean (as it should) at 36k miles.  Some signs of condensate in the oil, which is not surprising at 4 years.  Oil itself still looked good.  Replaced with Amsoil Severe 75w90.

God bless whoever came up with these oil 'bags'.  So much easier than using a pump!

Also changed front and rear fuel filters.  Truck is now ready for our upcoming trip.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/23/21 8:14 a.m.

Yesterday, I replaced the canopy on the HF car shelter.  If this one lasts as long as the first one, it should get me to retirement, at which point we we likely be moving.  I originally wanted to build something permanent here, but the cost of materials this year caused me to re-evaluate.

Two of the tires on the Capri are now down... I really need to find a decent set of used tires that hold air.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/27/21 9:24 a.m.

Welded the clevis mounts to the QD adapters the other day.

 

Going to the dealer to pick up the Jeep this morning.  Fingers crossed.

Rodan
Rodan SuperDork
8/28/21 4:28 p.m.

Everything seems to be working properly with the Jeep now.  A test tow around the dealership parking lot revealed no problems.  Still planning for a highway test drive soon, but need to get the supplemental brake system set up first.  While the dealer had it, they did an oil change and tire rotation, so it should be about ready to go.

Mounted the camper today.  

Still waiting on the insurance company to get their E36 M3 together on the trailer.  They finally confirmed they received the estimate from the shop, but said the shop didn't include pictures...  Well, you didn't ask for pictures.  Pictures were never mentioned in any of our conversations, so no, the shop didn't take pictures...  Now in the hands of a third party adjuster/arbitrator/whatever... waiting to hear back.  Again...

It was sure easier when insurance companies actually had adjusters that would come out and look at your vehicle instead of doing everything via internet from 1000 miles away...

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