new gal looking for GW advice [Archive] - International Full Size Jeep Association

trixie deluxe

03-28-2008, 01:24 PM

hi y'all,

just joined the forum because this seems like the right place to learn about grand wagoneers from folks who know them from tread to roof and every place in between!

i have long loved grand wagoneers and am finally determined to get myself one. i want to find a pretty one, and then i want to drop a diesel engine inside. i do a lot of highway driving and the idea of driving a gorgeous GW at 20+ mpg is too wonderful!

the only problem being that i am a girly girl and know a whole lotta nothing about working on cars. i can change a tire and even change my own oil, and i even once installed a new alternator all by my lonesome in a auto parts shop parking lot, but swapping engines is something i realize is better left to those who know what they're doing.

so my first question is, how many of you guys have done the gas to diesel in a GW? is there an optimum model to look for when i am shopping? can i do a straight engine swap or does a tranny, etc, also need to go in?

how do i go about finding a garage to handle the conversion -- one that will know what the hell it's doing? and what sort of ballpark cost are we talking about here?

thanks for reading this far -- looking forward to any advice y'all might have to share.

cheers,
trix

Jeepstress

03-28-2008, 01:30 PM

Welcome Sister! You've come to the right place. There are quite a few running conversions here. And there are some other members in your area. You'll get lots of advice and help here.

trixie deluxe

03-28-2008, 03:34 PM

thanks, krista -- i'm happy to be here and looking forward to what folks have to say!

happy friday,
trix

bigun

03-28-2008, 04:57 PM

Diesel swaps are getting more and more popular the two that have been done the most are the GM 6.2 and the cummins 4BT. Right now over on Pirate there is a guy putting an Izuzu in a TJ (baby jeep). From what I have gleaned it is like building for speed " Speed is just a questian of money how fast do you want to go"?

the only problem being that i am a girly girl and know a whole lotta nothing about working on cars. i can change a tire and even change my own oil, and i even once installed a new alternator all by my lonesome in a auto parts shop parking lot, but swapping engines is something i realize is better left to those who know what they're doing.

thanks for reading this far -- looking forward to any advice y'all might have to share.

cheers,
trix

Just for fun look up woodyhank in the tech area and the board trying to help her trouble shoot an electrical problem over the net!

mafos4471

03-28-2008, 06:13 PM

There was a guy on another Jeep website unloading a bunch of 4BT's about a month ago, they already had TH-400 transmissions behind em and all. I want to say he was asking $1000 each. This is on one of the other boards http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=82155

thejum57

03-28-2008, 07:17 PM

Welcome trixie, first of all "girlie girls" rock ! :rolleyes: Next, our beloved beasts are very sadley un-understood by todays "mechanics"/"technicians"/whatever they call themselfs. You have to be carefull when picking a "trusted" mechanic to do such a conversion. I paid $2500.00+ to have a crate motor swaped into my J-10 by a "trusted" mechanic. He did a good job, but did a bit of a hack job on some stuff. In 2000 when I bought my truck, this forum was very young, and parts were hard to find, stock parts. Now things are way more accesable, and there is a wealth of knowledge right here. My point....just be carefull, ask TONS of questions of our IFSJ family, be armed with TONS of knowledge and NEVER show your'e "girly-girl"side to the sharks who are waiting for a feeding frenzie!!! Agiain..... girlie -girls ROCK..... Danicka Patrick comes to mind! :rolleyes:

nograin

03-28-2008, 08:57 PM

If you want milage and are willing to give up some highway umph, look for a wag with a 6. Otherwise, I agree with what has already been posted. Welcome aboard.

El Jefe

03-28-2008, 11:10 PM

Welcome aboard. Hey, you dont happen to be a Clutch fan? Oh, I dont know beans bout diesels.

trixie deluxe

03-29-2008, 03:27 PM

AlsChopShop

03-29-2008, 04:50 PM

don't sell yourself short on engine swaps. i've always had a knack for things mechanical, but the 'deepest' job i had done before my drivetrain swap was change a rear main seal on my jeep. i've done my entire build by myself, the only exception is a buddy of mine helping me solder wires for the fuel injection (because i solder like poo). if i can pull off a swap, anyone can. :D

Al

El Jefe

03-29-2008, 04:53 PM

I heard Shogun Named Marcus on a local radio program about 6 years ago. Been hooked since. Saw them in Salt Lake for the Blast Tyrant tour. And they were on an episode of Ace of Cakes a little bit ago. I listen to them all the time in my Jeep.

trixie deluxe

03-29-2008, 04:58 PM

alex, that is just nuts: ace of cakes AND clutch, you must be from baltimore.

Lindel

03-29-2008, 06:15 PM

Welcome Trixie! You are in lots of good company here. And you'll find any help that you need, from advice to wrenching.

And when you do find one....:worthless:

El Jefe

03-29-2008, 06:30 PM

alex, that is just nuts: ace of cakes AND clutch, you must be from baltimore.

Nope. furthest east I've been is Evanston. But I think I have an east coast soul.

jaber

03-29-2008, 07:18 PM

WELCOME... My wife has an '85 GW thats fuel injected as a daily driver. She loves her lifted GW most. Keep us posted please.:drivin:

HOOT

03-29-2008, 08:50 PM

hi everybody:

this is the GW for sale within 3 hours of me this weekend:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/car/618293814.html

i have a call in to the guy for more info, but no word yet.

any opinions? does it look like i should go see it tomorrow? it's about 2.5 hours one way and i'm working tomorrow afternoon, but if the guy calls back...

any specific questions i should ask the guy, other than the usual buying a used car stuff?

thanks for all the greetings and helpful hints -- and, yes, alex, i AM a clutch fan, but i thought they were a maryland band! how did you hear about 'em all the way in the southwest???

cheers,
trix

That looks like a nice waggy. Sounds like it is road worthy as well. I copied this following link from the Tech Library here on this site. Go at it well informed. You can find alot of other info in the tech library as well.
Here is an in depth check list..

http://www.ifsja.org/tech/misc/buyfaq.html

GWDriver

03-29-2008, 08:56 PM

Welcome, Trixie.......... You'll love this site. Lots of great talent here (not me, but I HAVE availed myself of the talent). Ask ??? and expect lots of answers.

Enjoy the insanity..........:thumbsup:

nograin

03-29-2008, 10:37 PM

You're looking at a later wag, so don't go looking for the Q-trac e-drive in the archives writeup. There will be a 2wd - 4wd switch you can't miss and a High-N- 4 low on the transmission tunnel. Just leave that alone - you can play with it later.

It looks like its worth investingating. Typical things to go are power windows, tailgate window, which are a pain, but not expensive. The most expensive typical problem I can think of off the top of my head is rusting of the gas tank 'skid plate' and frame rail. It can be replaced and fixed - but that's one that will need money and/or time.

The loose tilt steering column is typical for some of the 80s years. Not a big deal unless you are paying someone else who has never done it. First time takes about 6 hours to fix and some patience.

justin'sbig7

03-30-2008, 05:48 AM

definitely check the frame rail under the driver rear door and gas tank skid, those are the biggies :fsj:

fulsizjeep

03-30-2008, 07:10 AM

Welcome and Good Luck with your first Waggy. :thumbsup:

trixie deluxe

03-30-2008, 08:16 AM

hi all, i have been WAITING and WAITING for the guy to call me back. if he's sold it, fine, but the courtesey of a 30 sec phone call to let me know would be appreciated. i have to leave for work at 12:30, so at this point i don't have time to go see it today but i'd still like to get more info (so i have something fun to think about while working!).

i'm using the time doing more research, which only makes me want a GW more than i already do....

thanks for all the advice, esp re gas tank skid. i'm definitely crawling under to get a view of any potossible rust issues, but my hope since it came from atlanta recently is it's a southern car that hasn't seen much snow/salt.

fingers crossed,
trix

ps -- alex: re your "east coast soul" -- i like it! sounds like an obscure genre of music from decades ago. but i know what you mean, though east coast anchored by birth & family i feel like *i* have a southwestern soul, especially for the four corners region and moab.

fulsizjeep

03-30-2008, 08:22 AM

Not sure what your search range is, but you might want to look at this one in Statesville too.
http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=84554

Gambler68

03-30-2008, 08:25 AM

thanks for all the advice, esp re gas tank skid. i'm definitely crawling under to get a view of any potossible rust issues, but my hope since it came from atlanta recently is it's a southern car that hasn't seen much snow/salt.

fingers crossed,
trix

ps -- alex: re your "east coast soul" -- i like it! sounds like an obscure genre of music from decades ago. but i know what you mean, though east coast anchored by birth & family i feel like *i* have a southwestern soul, especially for the four corners region and moab.

I'm a CT transplant that ended up here in the four corners. I miss the ocean but the mountains take care of ya! Plus all the nice rot free jeeps that keep ending up in my backyard..

Hmm I still have a parking ticket to pay in Balty, and $1000 more in tickets from Philly...:p

710 Burner

03-30-2008, 08:27 PM

Yup, waiting for a seller who can't seem to figure out a new invention like the telephone is frustrating. Take your time. The market is still big, and getting bigger with 3-4 dollar fuel. Find the one that fits you, there's no rush.

Mudd27

03-30-2008, 09:42 PM

Welcome to the site. I'm a new member as well and these guys are great. Any thing you can think of has been done here and if not it soon will be. lots of luck finding a good rig.

Mitch

bigun

03-30-2008, 11:00 PM

Hmm I still have a parking ticket to pay in Balty, and $1000 more in tickets from Philly...:p I always knew you were a scoflaw!! Muttering to self Dang Yankee:thumbsup:
As the others have said take your time the perfect one will show when it is ready. I do hope you have a big yard because once you have one you seem to aquire more with out trying. I was over at Black Bart's today and relised since I picked up the beginings of Crom between us we have aquired 4 more!!!
:eek::banghead::banghead:

Wagoneerlover

03-31-2008, 03:32 AM

Greetings Trixie,

There are other members here who are close by! Greetings from a fellow Marylander! Welcome to the board! There are a few of us out here in Maryland. Actually there are many of us as I see plenty of these wags on the road but dont see the members on the board. I gotta make some flyers or something to hand out. Anyway I am in the middle of a conversion myself. (Not deisel, but thinking of swapping in a different trans.) I know of a few shops close to you that definitely could handle the task if you don't feel up to it. They might not be exactly in Baltimore but they are a lot closer to Baltimore than to me.

One very important thing to look for is under the rig. Check the two frame rails and visually inspect them. especially near the fuel tank (On the drivers side) some of them are rusted so badly that that bottom of the frame rust through and the fuel tank may be hanging by a thread or it may have been rigged up to stay under the rig by the owner just for the purpose of selling it. I went with a friend of mine who was considering purchasing one once and the fuel tank had been sort clamped in and there were wood blocks holding it in on points where the frame was still in tact. but right under the tank the frame didnt even exist anymore. Some other things to look for are body rust, there are some that are still in nice shape here and some that have so much rust that it looks like someone shot the vehicle up with a shotgun. There are other things that you will want to test but I am too tired to type them all up right now. I will try to post again in the morning/afternoon

El Jefe

03-31-2008, 04:23 AM

ps -- alex: re your "east coast soul" -- i like it! sounds like an obscure genre of music from decades ago. but i know what you mean, though east coast anchored by birth & family i feel like *i* have a southwestern soul, especially for the four corners region and moab.

This may sound horrible, since I've lived in Utah my whole life. But I've never been down to Moab, Four Corners area. I know. Pitiful. But Ogden is absolutely beautiful. Thats if you like big, tall, beautiful mountains right at your doorstep.

HeavyHauler

03-31-2008, 07:50 AM

Welcome aboard. That looks like a good GW. $2k isn't unreasonable. the first question I would ask is how many miles on it?

trixie deluxe

03-31-2008, 08:23 AM

Hmm I still have a parking ticket to pay in Balty, and $1000 more in tickets from Philly...:p

shoot, gambler, $1000 is more than most of the cars i have ever driven were even WORTH! where do you park, the middle of the street?!:p

trix

trixie deluxe

03-31-2008, 09:11 AM

There are other members here who are close by! Greetings from a fellow Marylander!

I know of a few shops close to you that definitely could handle the task if you don't feel up to it. They might not be exactly in Baltimore but they are a lot closer to Baltimore than to me.

i'm so glad to hear from you! i was hoping to meet another marylander on the board, and i absolutely want your recs on relatively nearby shops that could handle a gas-to-diesel conversion in a GW. i truly do not have the mechanical chops for such an undertaking, not to mention the tools, or the space for a vehicle-in-progress project.

as for looking at this GW in waldorf, it's rapidly becoming a hypothetical situation since i have yet to get a reply to my calls or email. but i'm watching, and putting out the word to gearhead friends, and i'm sure your advice will come in handy soon. at least i hope so!

cheers,
trix

ps -- alex: i have never through ogden, only around that area once, but it looks like a place where you can justify driving a FSJ year round. love those mountains! definitely good background scenery for listening to clutch. but then so is baltimore's quirky, decaying/industrial urbanscape, which i think only speaks to the band's amazing range. i realized that i can't remember a recent clutch gig around here, and i think it's because they';re getting so successful they don't have to play small maryland clubs anymore. bummer. apparently they're gone all summer doing european music festivals.

trixie deluxe

03-31-2008, 09:25 AM

another PS for alex: el jefe! i just got it! i can't believe it took me this long to grasp the greatness of your IFSJ handle. i need more coffee, in general but especially this morning.

CadZan

03-31-2008, 11:00 AM

The only problem being that I am a girly girl and know a whole lotta nothing about working on cars. I can change a tire and even change my own oil, and I even once installed a new alternator all by my lonesome in a auto parts shop parking lot.

You don't "sound" like a girly girl if you can do all that. But you've come to the right place for guidance.