new guy and new to old jeeps have questions on my new 1978 jeep golden eagle

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

Hi im new and new to these old jeep pick ups just love how these old trucks look and just picked one up it had an originally a 401 but it smoked badly so the guy offered me a 304 to put into the truck for now so i can at least drive it as is and fix up the body and lift it as its going to be my mud truck im think im also going to keep the 401 to rebuild and needing some tips on that as well and where i can find parts for this old beast as nothing here in canada stays rust free:p.
the truck comes with a bunch of extra rims and tires hes also offered me another tranny with tranfer case and some axles from a 78 wagoneer.
What things should i look at and do first as im not sure how long its been sitting i think im gonna do new fluids every where new brakes and shocks but may just get a lift for the shocks then i dont waste money buying shocks twice any thing else should be looked at ? any help will be really appriceated:thumbsup:

the cabs in good shape as the cab corners and rockers are solid:) floors got some pin holes on passenger floor, it has bucket seats and some quadra trac system as it has a nob in side the glove box you trun it for it to work any one with more info on this that would be great

any tips as what i should do will be really appriceated thanks

[PlasticBoob]

Hey there, welcome to the club! Sounds like you have a good handle on things. The first thing you should do is look up "ammeter bypass" and get that taken care of, I've seen many FSJs get taken out that way. Also, if it's been sitting for years you might want to drop and clean the fuel tank, or at least drain as much as you can and then throw in some HEET and top it off with good gas.

Oh and definitely keep that 401. ;)

Search this site and you'll find plenty of info, we've debated and improved upon just about everything on these great trucks. :D

Tip: Go to Google and type what you're looking for, then add site:ifsja.org to the end of it... you'll get much better results.

[azpackrat]

Welcome from far Southwestern Canada, at least from October to May!. If your going to install the 304 you will need a 304 to a TH-400 flex-plate and probably a crankshaft bushing. The AMC V-8's are externally balanced so the flex-plates/fly wheels, and harmonic balancers are specific to the displacement. The bushing is for the torque converter snout on the TH-400 and goes in the crankshaft much like a pilot bushing on a standard trans. If your careful you can remove the bushing from the 401 and reuse it, I use a slide hammer with a hooked adapter that I made and a lot of patience. Both of these items are hard to locate, but can be found if your persistent. Be warned many vendors sell the 360 flex for the 304 while it can be used it might cause vibrations, you could also have it rebalanced for the 304 if you can find someone who knows how.
Extra tranny and T/C could be a plus depending on what models they are, in 1980 the drive train changed and very little of it would be usable for a pre-80 truck without changing the front axle. Pre 80, passenger side drop front, 80& up driver side drop. But don't refuse them free is always good and at the very least they're trade bait, and if they're correct for your truck extras are always good, they haven't made any new ones in thirty years after all. The Waggy axles are too narrow for your truck but they could be used for parts hubs, rotors, stub axles, gear sets, knuckles from the front axle both should be D-44. In 1980 the rear axle also changed to the AMC 20/23, this axle has a round cover. These axles are popular with the baby Jeepers, front driver side drop with the XJ crowed, passenger drop with the CJ crowed. If the rear is a D-44 that is centered with both, if it's offset, not so much.
One of the first things to check is the chain in the QuadraTrac T/C, the QT is fully chain driven both front and rear, so the chain becomes a weak point if it fails the damage could be catastrophic, think small bomb inside the case. There is a small plug on the bottom of the case if you drain the case and remove the plug you can insert a probe into the hole and check the chain deflection, half inch or more and it's time to replace. These cases also use a special lube. I'll put a link to a web site at the bottom of my post for a very good QT site, he's this forums QT guru. One other thing the QuadraTrac name has been used on other cases, yours is the Borg Warner 1305/1339, 39 with low range, 05 without. It is unique and not related to the other cases labeled QT.
Here are some links I find helpful and I'm sure others will add more.
http://jubileejeeps.org/quadratrac/index.htm

http://www.bjsoffroad.com/default.asp

http://www.bulltear.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=36

[davidrodriguez6769]

:worthless:

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

sthanks for all the info :thumbsup:
so i do have to change some parts for the flex plate to allow the 304 to work in the truck.

also theres some pictures for you guys let me know what you guys think . thanks for the help :thumbsup:

[Josh D]

I spy a browless wrecker in the first pick!

Nice find on the GE. Looks like she'll need some work......

[fireman91186]

Looks like you have your work cut out for you.

Well good luck and welcome to the addiction.

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

yes thats a wrecker j 20 i think ? it may be going up for sale as well he said.
yes i sure have work cut out for me as well it'll get done at one time hopefully this summer so i can take her mudding and offroading:drivin:
im going to make patch panels for it in my weling class at school as i need a project for welding and may build me some tube bumpers front and rear.
any one make bumpers for theres ?

i just wondering would a 360 engine be a better choice than the 304? its just the 360 amc smokes a bit probably could use a rebuild? or just a freshen up?
should i just get the 304 put in and drive it that way and rebuild the 360 as he said the 401 is a very expensive engine to rebuild i would like it but not sure about it. :confused:
as the 360 is just about the same for performance and power i dont care about gas miledge as i know its going to be bad for any truck!

[PlasticBoob]

should i just get the 304 put in and drive it that way and rebuild the 360 as he said the 401 is a very expensive engine to rebuild i would like it but not sure about it. :confused: as the 360 is just about the same for performance and power i dont care about gas miledge as i know its going to be bad for any truck!
Uh oh...here comes the 360 v. 401 flame fest. You can build up a 360 and be very happy with it, but there is just something special about a 401. Not to mention it has a forged crank and forged rods, along with huge displacement which all makes for some extremely impressive numbers. Once you get bitten by the 401 bug, you won't even look at a 360. :D

That can end up being a very special truck. If it were mine I'd keep what came with it, which means sticking with the 401. Unless your block or crank are shot, they're not that expensive to build up. Either way you're going to be shelling out more money than if it were a Chevy 350. I had a quality rebuild on my 401 for around $1,200 in 2002, so maybe things are a bit different up there or your engine is trashed. :huh:

So for now I would just tow it home or get it home any way I could, and then rebuild the 401. Having a running FSJ will just make you want to put off working on it (that's how it is for me, anyway :p).

[azpackrat]

The 401's are not really any more expensive to build than the 360's, it's just that people tend to take the 401 rebuild a little farther. the only real difference is the bore, rods, and crank and some internal block differences that don't affect the rebuild. The difference in price between pistons, and bearings from 360 to 401 is negligible and the machine work is the same for both. Heads, camshafts, sheet metal, oiling, timing chain and cover, and intakes are all interchangeable and will cost according to your wants and needs regardless of the displacement.
As far as running the 304 vs 360 the rule are the same, new flexplate, so if the 304 runs good, run it and rebuild the 401. 360's are good motors and I have no qualms about running one, but they're not 401's and not really even close.

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

if i where to get a 401 is 400.00 bucks not bad? this includes block ,heads i think, crank,rods, pistons, and it needing machine work and a full rebuild ? or what is a good price for a 401? thanks

[azpackrat]

Buying a used anything is a risk, if the seller will stand behind the engine and refund you if the block or crank is bad, and it's complete. I could see 400.00, but I'd still try to bring him down. It also depends on availability and demand in your area.

[Mikel]

I spy a browless wrecker in the first pick!

Nice find on the GE. Looks like she'll need some work......

Good eye!

Where are the pictures of the wrecker!!! :thumbsup:

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

Buying a used anything is a risk, if the seller will stand behind the engine and refund you if the block or crank is bad, and it's complete. I could see 400.00, but I'd still try to bring him down. It also depends on availability and demand in your area.



well i'll see and see if i can take a look at the engine. he says the crank needs to be machined .020 over same with rods got to clarify with email. not sure on it but i'll look into it

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

Good eye!

Where are the pictures of the wrecker!!! :thumbsup:
not sure if he has any of it but if your in saskatchewan canada or canada i'll see what he wants for it when he plans to sell it if any ones interested

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

Well looks like im changing up the engine insted of the 304 im getting a 360 smokes a bit but no worries as if its valve guides thats not had to fix, gonna inspect the engine before put in clean it up and give it some paint, gonna change the oil in the diffs and the trans and transfer case,

What kind of diff is in the rear of a 78 jeep ? like a 10 bolt? or ???? i think the fronts a danna 44. no pics so cant confirm this?

Will be making new floor pans and body panels to replace the rusty ones in my welding class what think ness of metal should be used? 16g or 18g ?

Then my lift after i get some more money getting it from this place looking at getting the 6 inch kit http://www.hellcreeksuspensions.com/ what size of tires work with the 6inch kit? and the 4 inch? if any ones have this kit
all help will be appriceated

[azpackrat]

Dana 44 in the back and front are factory on a 78', probably 3.54 ratio, 4.09 was optional. 35's are about as big as you can run with a 6" lift and no trimming and probably as big as you'll want to run with stock gearing.

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

Dana 44 in the back and front are factory on a 78', probably 3.54 ratio, 4.09 was optional. 35's are about as big as you can run with a 6" lift and no trimming and probably as big as you'll want to run with stock gearing.

thanks i didnt even think it could be that and thanks for the ratios that will help me lots.:thumbsup:
anyone know the thickness of metal that should be used for body repair?

[J.J.]

Welcome aboard guy.

[woodfar]

little trick for removing pilot bushing. find something round the same size as bushing on inside( I use old broom handle and grind it down till it fits snug), fill inside of bushing with axel grease, put handle into bushing and strike with hammer. works every time and will not damage bushing. grease gets behind bushing and pushes it out.

[68J2000]

thanks i didnt even think it could be that and thanks for the ratios that will help me lots.:thumbsup:
anyone know the thickness of metal that should be used for body repair?

I just got done not long ago repairing the floors of my brother's CJ-7 I used 16-Gauge steel, its a bit harder to form and without the right tools it's a pain to cut. When I got done though you could jump up and down on the floors and it wouldn't flex at all:thumbsup: . Good luck with the truck it's got great potential.

[1978jeepgoldeneagle]

thanks :thumbsup:

thanks for the trick on the pilot bushing:thumbsup:

thanks i think i got some thicker stuff but no big deal as long as it works lol its not going to be a show truck:p and yes lots of protential hopefully soon it will be driving down the road:drivin: :fsj: , going to take the back bumper off tomorrow to either fix or build a tube one at school for the truck proabably a tube one, its gonna be my welding project,
:thumbsup: