Old Jeeper, New to FSJ's

[araknid75]

Hey guys been lurking here quite a while, your enthusiasm for FSJ's actually inspired me to finally purchase one...have had a CJ or Two in the past, currently run a Rubicon and now a '77 Chief...darn good condition and got a good deal on her from a guy who bought her off ebay sometime back. Lookin' forward to getting her a little more trail ready :fsj: and I have been talking to the guys at BJ's and figuring out where to go from here....I am glad to be part of the family.:)

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/f561_3.jpg
http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/f661_3.jpg
http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/DSC02458.jpg
http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/DSC02463.jpg
http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/DSC02469.jpg

[krek]

You have been hanging out, congrats on photos in your first post! :thumbsup:

Sweet Chief!

[suzq044]

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/DSC02458.jpg
twin-tank.. fuel cell .. flag-holder ? (noting the two metal things)

[araknid75]

http://i577.photobucket.com/albums/ss220/araknid75/DSC02458.jpg
twin-tank.. fuel cell .. flag-holder ? (noting the two metal things)


Dual tanks...got a switch on the dash...to bad I can't fill either more than 3/4 full without them puking all over the ground and rear quarter panel.

[PlasticBoob]

That's a MIGHTY fine Chief, you should be very proud! :thumbsup:

Pretty soon you'll find the Rubicon collecting dust. ;)

[men in black]

Nice looking Chief :thumbsup:

[araknid75]

That's a MIGHTY fine Chief, you should be very proud! :thumbsup:

Pretty soon you'll find the Rubicon collecting dust. ;)


It already is....the kids choose the Chief over the Rubi just about anytime we go anywhere. They get a huge kick out of the auto rear window and tailgate, and are often asking to play in the back when it is parked in the driveway...I am amazed at their fascination with the flip-out windows, the horn, the center dash glovebox and the Chief emblems on the rig. My son asked when I first bought it if "was this the car the Indian Chiefs used to drive?"

BTW I am very proud...
Even the wife loves it (after some warming up):D and calls it the "MOCHA JEEP"

[COLOFIREMAN]

VERY NICE W/T/, AND WELCOME!!!! http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd218/COLOJEEPGUY2K/Emotions/welcome-2.gif

[Wayne]

Wow, that sure is nice :thumbsup:

[vintagetrks]

Welcome. Thanks for the pics. That is one clean rig Great find. I like the dual hood ornaments in your last pic hope thats not where they ride when your wheeling. LOL :fsj:

[Danbert]

Welcome to the group and great pictures of it.

[joe]

Dual tanks...got a switch on the dash...to bad I can't fill either more than 3/4 full without them puking all over the ground and rear quarter panel.
Good chance the fill pipes vent hose has rotted away...common issue on 30+ year old FSJ's

Beautiful clean Cherokee too!

[araknid75]

thanks for all your comments! It was a great find, A little more than I wanted to pay, but well-taken care of. I couldn't believe she only had 43000 original miles on her. Had been a Montana/AZ car forever. Was always parked inside or under a car cover. I have all of the original receipts from the previous owner. He took good care of her. I am ecstatic and cannot wait to do some updating and mods (mostly suspension/engine and recovery). I plan on keeping her pretty much as she looks here though albeit more lift and some engine upgrades/tuning. Look forward to showing y'all the progress. Thanks:D

[araknid75]

Good chance the fill pipes vent hose has rotted away...common issue on 30+ year old FSJ's

Beautiful clean Cherokee too!


Thanks for the insight, I need to look into that. It is by far one of the most annoying things that I have ever encountered in any rig or vehicle for that matter, makes you look like a complete idiot at the fuel pump...Need to inquire with BJ's I guess.

[PlasticBoob]

Oh, I almost forgot: BYPASS THAT AMMETER ASAP!!! I'm not kiddin'! :eek:

[vintagetrks]

Oh, I almost forgot: BYPASS THAT AMMETER ASAP!!! I'm not kiddin'! :eek:

I keep hearing bypass the ammeter. What gives. Is there some type of problem with the ammeters? And why should they be bypassed.

[PlasticBoob]

If you have an ammeter and it's never been tampered with, you'll eventually win the ammeter lottery. If you're really lucky, the entire truck will go up in flames. At the very least you'll melt a bunch of essential wires behind the dash. When the ammeter breaks, resistance is increased and the alternator starts pumping out lots of juice right on up through the dash and THEN to the battery. A temporary fix is to put the two separate wires on ONE terminal on the ammeter, effectively bypassing it.

However, you still have all the alternator power going up through the dash and then out to the battery. IIRC I just ran 4 gauge wire from the alternator to the + battery post with an appropriate sized fuse. Then I connected the original alternator wire (red one that goes to the fuse block) to the battery post at the starter relay. Remove the (yellow?) wire that runs from the ammeter out to the rest of the truck. Double check via a search before following my advice, this isn't something you want to get wrong and I did this fix years ago!

Again, I highly stress doing a search; you'll find tons and tons of info. The mods should really sticky some of Joe Guilbeaus excellent threads, FSJs seem to catch fire all the time from this. :fsj:

[araknid75]

Oh, I almost forgot: BYPASS THAT AMMETER ASAP!!! I'm not kiddin'! :eek:

I found this fix on a wagoneer website (about 7 years old)..they state you can do this WITHOUT PULLING the gauge cluster...does this work without screwing with the ammeter itself?

http://www.wagoneers.com/FSJ/tech/bypass-amp-gauge.html

Disconnect the wire from the "batt" post on the back of the
alternator and insulate the connector well - electrical tape with heat
shrink tubing over that - and zip tie that wire back up the harness to
keep it out of the way. Don't change anything on the plastic plug that
plugs into the side (back) of the alternator. Get some good quality 8
gauge wire, get a fuse block and blade fuse that is typically used for
high end audio gear (I use a 100 Amp fuse for a mostly stock electrical
system with a stock alternator because 50 is not enough and 200 is too
much). Mount the fuse holder to the inner fenderwell near the starter
solenoid. Route the 8 gauge wire from the post on the back of the
alternator to the fuse holder on the firewall keeping it clear of the
exhaust manifold. Route a wire from the other side of the fuse holder
to the battery side of the starter solenoid. The dash will get power
fine with the original alternator output wire disconnected and if it is
insulated and protected well you don't need to worry about a short
through the ammeter.

This will bypass the ammeter entirely, and the amperage you will then be
running through the dash will be only what the dash requires. Your
charging system will be protected by the 100 Amp fuse on the inner
finderwell and your charging system should also be much more efficient
as well.

[Chrome]

Welcome aboard! That is one super nice Cherokee! :eek: :thumbsup:

[Al Johnson]

After following the above procedure for disconnecting the ammeter, you will no longer have any gauge to keep tabs on your electrical system. I suggest installing an aftermarket voltmeter, maybe along with a mechanical oil pressure gauge, on the bottom edge of the dash.

Nice super-clean Cherokee. Good find.

:drivin:

[araknid75]

After following the above procedure for disconnecting the ammeter, you will no longer have any gauge to keep tabs on your electrical system. I suggest installing an aftermarket voltmeter, maybe along with a mechanical oil pressure gauge, on the bottom edge of the dash.

Nice super-clean Cherokee. Good find.

:drivin:

Thanks, I appreciate your comments...could you just replace the stock ammeter with a new AMMETER?

[JPSwapMohn]

Hey from across da bay!
That is one very clean engine bay! I am working on getting mine cleaned up while the engine is at the spa..

Welcome to the group!