PlumCrazy's Build

PlumCrazy · Mar 24, 2015

Rowdy Fitzgerald said:
She's comin along nicely bud! Keep whittling away at her, you'll have her runnin in no time.

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Im itching to wheel.lol I haven't missed St Patty's day wheeling in years :bawling:

Rowdy Fitzgerald · Mar 24, 2015

Aww that's a bummer! I'm hoping to have my exo cage and Saginaw power steering pump in before memorial weekend so I can make it to the local 4wd run.

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kris97ranger · Mar 29, 2015

Such pretty wheels. How goes it now?

PlumCrazy · Mar 29, 2015

Got 3 done...one to go. I have next Friday off. So hoping to get some work done. Need to finish the cross member then track bar...then rear axle time

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kris97ranger · Mar 29, 2015

I got out playin yesterday in the field with a few buddies in stock jeeps and it has not helped the itch lol. Snow cant leave quick enough

PlumCrazy · Apr 2, 2015

Finished the 4th wheel

Some shiny stuff showed up.....

JIA ceramic coated stainless headers and raw stainless y pipe

Miles of room now. Just need to swap back to the 95-97 intake and EGR.

1badexplorer · Apr 3, 2015

Looking good. Did you get that explorer rear off brad?

036speed · Apr 3, 2015

1badexplorer said:
Looking good. Did you get that explorer rear off brad?

I am pulling it with in the next week or so.

PlumCrazy · Apr 6, 2015

Built the driver side motor mount and rough cut the cross member.

Plan is to box the "nubs" with .25" plate then make a bolt in 2x4 box cross member shaped like this \_/

I need to get the plates tacked in, drop the short block/SOHC pan in to check clearance. then pull the motor back out full weld it, put the running long block back in, bolt the bumper (and everything else heavy) back up, pull the axle out, gusset it, add track bar mount, reinstall axle, build frame side mount..then its rear axle time.

Robert_1967 · Apr 6, 2015

you forgot to add right after "build frame side mount" "paint", then "then it's rear axle time".

PlumCrazy · Apr 8, 2015

Got my 95-97 EGR junk from Rick

cut out the plates for welding in and bolting up the cross member.

Tacked them in, plan is to set the short block/SOHC pan in tonight and tack in the cross member, then pull the motor and full weld.

Should go pretty easy.

Ordered some fancy Remflex exhaust manifold gaskets..these things are supposed to be the bee's knees...we will see. I ordered them for the 2.9 application because they don't make them for the 4.0 for some reason. I need to try an open them up a touch to match the ports better.

PlumCrazy · Apr 10, 2015

Cross member is done.

Mocked it up with some scrap rod I had...

Then notched and bent the box tubing..

Tacked in

Miles of room now. The track bar will sit just ahead of it.

Hopefully start putting the engine back in tomorrow.

I used this opportunity to push the motor back 3/4" too. Give me a little more room around the radiator..I hope everything clears the firewall, mocked up the headers with not heads and it should clear.lol

PlumCrazy · Apr 13, 2015

FYI for anyone building an engine cross member for an RBV that plans to run a SOHC 4.0 pan in the future...but wants to continue running their current OHV pan in the meantime....Just because you cleared the SOHC pan does NOT mean it will clear the OHV pan.

I found this out the hard way last night when I tried to put my motor back in...the OHV pan's sump is a bit further forward so it does not clear my cross member......so my new motor is going together sooner than originally planned...

I did get the headers on. Remflex gaskets, Stage 8, JBA 3/8 flanges with the raised ring around the port.....these MFers better not leak...

My last minute decision to push the motor back .75" may have screwed me over for putting EGR back on for the time being.

So…my 95TM short block is now up for grabs.

No accessories, heads, lifters, or push rods included

Has 180K on it, no smoke, no knocks, 3k oil changes with Valvoline or Motorcraft 10W-30

Does come with Comp Cams 422 camshaft (.333 lobe lift, .500 valve lift) and timing set with under 30K

Ran like a champ, planned to keep running it until it puked, but plans changed….

Looking for $250 or trade for something I can use.

I could potentially include heads for the right offer…which would need to be enough to cover most of the cost of replacements….

RangerSVT · Apr 13, 2015

Tempting. By how much does the SOHC pan not clear?

SVT

PlumCrazy · Apr 13, 2015

The SOHC pan hits the pass side of the pan where the cross member angles up at 45*.

Look at an OHV pan, you will see the 45* notched area made to fit the cross member contour.

The sump doesn't appear to be the issue. I assumed if my cross member cleared the SOHC.....it would also clear the OHV....but it turns out they have clearance differences in more than one area.lol

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