1970/71 Gladiator J-4000 Build

[CameraFinn]

New Year Updates

Happy New Year.

The truck is back from the painter, and it's pretty good. It's got some orange peel, and needs touchup in a few spots, but it's all right. I don't care so much how it looks as if it just stays on. The trans is finished up along with the adapter and the t-case, however I've figured out that the cam hits the rods. The cam isn't that big, not even quite .500 lift, but I'm running Molnar Rods, not factory. I'm working on putting the interior back in now

@bkilby: While the frame did have a front roll bar factory, it did not have the Panhard bar. I added that to make the link suspension work.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Man I love watching this build. You are doing some fun stuff. I can't wait to get the 71 J4000 here going. Nothing like you are doing but it will be good to save it.
And what a nice Commando there! My next project is a gentlemans 68 Jeepster that is here already.

Looking forward to more of your build. That is going to be one sweet ride.

[CameraFinn]

The Engine Spins Now

I called Molnar Tech -- the people who made the rods -- and TA Performace -- where I bought them -- and they both told me to just grind off what I needed to. I'd understood that this was SOP, but I've never built an engine before so I wanted to check. Buyer beware.
I checked the rods, and only cylinders two and six hit the cam. I took about 60 thou off rod six, and forty off rod two. I ended up with about 20-22 thou of clearance on both. Engine is going back together today. Here are the rods:


KaiserJeeps, thanks for the compliment. All the time I've been on IFSJA I've watched your Super Wag build and been astounded by your restoration skill. I think everyone would agree that a little HD welding is easier to do than your metalwork. Also, I can't believe Sadie is for someone else!
It seems like I passed the FSJ disease one generation up, because my dad just got a pretty rough 1970 1414C as well. It's next on the list. It doesn't have it's original front seats though. Does anyone know if the Super Console is right for this model, or was that "D"s and "X"s only? I think he should put one in just because it looks so good.
Final note, If it's a '68 Jeepster, it should have a T-14 transmission. If it has a T-86, be wary. I drove my '67 Jeepster with a T-86 daily for a few years, and I need a second new gear set. They just aren't that strong, and the parts are really hard to find.

[joe]

Getting the engine out with no body was pretty easy. We took the drivetrain apart from the back forward so we didn't have to support the transmission. Everything came apart easily, not much to say about it. I was surprised though to find that the TH-400 had an adapter to go to the BOP pattern. The pattern on the transmission didn't look like a Chevy-90-Degree either. Does anyone know what it is?

Up through 73, the TH400 case is drilled with the Buick "nailhead" bolt pattern.

[SJTD]

Idn't that grinding going to mess up the balancing?

[Kaiserjeeps]

I have spent some crazy hours searching Ebay, Craigs, and the internet in general for last minute parts the last week or so. I have seen some T-86 transmission parts on Ebay lately. Grab them while you can. This stuff is slowly going away. Or maybe just find a T-14 and go with that. I used to blow all the teeth off my main drive gear in the T-14 that used to be in my 69 CJ-5. I was really hard on it and now have a T-18. Never looked back. Keep that Jeepster correct though. They are getting rare. Especially one as nice as yours.

[CameraFinn]

The Engine Is Built Again

Today was consumed by re-assembling the engine.
Moring:


Mid day:


Evening: (Ready for Paint!)


It spins nice, there's good piston to valve clearance and cam to crank clearance. It's funny, I'm more intimidated of rebuilding the carb than the whole engine, or transmission for that matter. I don't know why, I guess I just don't understand them very well. If anyone has good tips for Quadrajets, I'm all ears.
I'll paint the engine tomorrow.

Joe, It's really interesting that they used the Nailhead case -- it's got a few unique features in it because of how deep the flange on the back of Nailhead engines was, like the bulge for the starter. Interesting that GM decided to make the new TH-400 for the old Nailhead.

SJTD, Yes. You are absolutely correct. Grinding the rods certainly does affect the balance job of the engine. The shop said not to worry, I'd just end up with a little overbalance like factory. All in all, I took off about 1.2 grams from rod six, and 0.8 from rod two, and 1 gram is about tolerance for a good balance job, so I hope I'll be OK. The Buicks aren't really revvers either.

KaiserJeeps, I did see two T-86 clusters on ebay, however I haven't been able to find the first slider gear. Back when I had the trans rebuilt two years ago -- because I had exploded, and I mean truly destroyed, first gear -- my mechanic said he had had a really difficult time locating the pieces, and he'd gotten the last ones his suppliers could find. Supposedly, the Jeep factory fix for the issue is just to swap in T-90 gears. They are all the same dimensions, and I think that might be the approach I take since T-90 parts are still made. I'm just not sure what the story on the input shaft is though. I know it's essentially necessary to get gears specifically from one of the three models of T-90, I believe a T-90C, but I'm not sure. My other option is to drop the truck's original TH-400 in there. It is laying around, it would be entirely reversible from an originality standpoint, and it would make mountain passes a little easier (no double clutch rev matching with no tach around turns.) Also, thanks for the PM. Your box is full though.
Here's a pic of the "exploded" transmission:

[Kaiserjeeps]

Wow! carnage... I cleaned my inbox up..

It might be to late for this, but you should really put in a true roller timing chain. Cloyes is a good brand. All American V-8 stock timing chains are not the best and only 30 K miles can show stretching. A loose timing chain will make the timing mark jump around when lit up with a light. You have done some really nice work there. A stronger timing chain would be the icing on the cake. I am a trouble maker huh?

[CameraFinn]

I took your suggestion and grabbed a new timing chain. I'd checked the old one out, and I only had about 5* of slop at the cam so left it, but I was just being cheap. Kinda silly on an engine with new rods. Those Cloyes chains are much less expensive than the roller sets TA sells. And you're not too late at all, I still have to drill out the oil passages in the timing cover, and rebuild the oil pump. I just want to get the engine and trans in the truck to get them out of the way.

[CameraFinn]

They're In!

I've spent the past few days painting stuff, and running around town looking for the snap ring that retains the transmission to t-case adapter inner splined shaft to the bearing. I should have taken a picture for that description, but I didn't. Anyway, I found it at a bearing supply house, Whisler Bearings and Drives in northeast Denver. There are a few nice things that offset living in a bigger city, and finding obscure industrial parts in one day is one of them.
On Kaiserjeeps' suggestion, I grabbed a new double roller timing chain, and because America is amazing, it arrived today.
So here's that:


Additionally, thanks to Kaiserjeeps, I was able to order the mount between the crossmember and the adapter. It is a Crown mount and the part number is: J1370910.

Then I got the engine all prettied up, painted, and off the engine stand for the first time in months!


Hooked up to the tranny:
3


2


1


They're in!


Yes, there is still no timing cover on the engine. The oil pump rebuild kit from TA is in the mail, but still not here yet. Whenever it arrives, I'll rebuild the pump and get the cover back on.

[Kaiserjeeps]

Wow, you are moving right along. Looking just great!

[Frank Ziebert]

I've spent the past few days painting stuff, and running around town looking for the snap ring that retains the transmission to t-case adapter inner splined shaft to the bearing. I should have taken a picture for that description, but I didn't. Anyway, I found it at a bearing supply house, Whisler Bearings and Drives in northeast Denver. There are a few nice things that offset living in a bigger city, and finding obscure industrial parts in one day is one of them.
On Kaiserjeeps' suggestion, I grabbed a new double roller timing chain, and because America is amazing, it arrived today.
So here's that:


Additionally, thanks to Kaiserjeeps, I was able to order the mount between the crossmember and the adapter. It is a Crown mount and the part number is: J1370910.

Then I got the engine all prettied up, painted, and off the engine stand for the first time in months!


Hooked up to the tranny:
3


2


1


They're in!


Yes, there is still no timing cover on the engine. The oil pump rebuild kit from TA is in the mail, but still not here yet. Whenever it arrives, I'll rebuild the pump and get the cover back on.

Looks great. Thanks for the post/pictures.

[CameraFinn]

Thanks guys. I'm getting excited. I'm back in school now, so It's going to slow down again. Oh well. I got the dash all ready to put in the other day.
Have a good day y'all.

[SJTD]

Hope you put some tape over the open holes. Especially the intake.

[CameraFinn]

More Slow Progress

Hey All,

@SJTD: Yes, we quickly covered the holes. I don't know why we'd left them open.

Over the past few months, we've been making some progress. It is slow though, school takes a lot of time.

While I was installing the manifold, I sheared a bolt off in the head. It must have been a bad bolt, because it was Grade 5, 1/2" (I think?) and I was under 50ft-lbs. Anyway, I managed to drill it out and use a bolt puller.



Also, the rebuilt transfer case I'd picked up didn't shift correctly, so I opened it up to find the shift fork was on the rail at the wrong spot. I don't know how you miss the big hole, but it wasn't right. You can see the dent from the previous location next to the hole.



First thing we did was to put the interior in. Under the carpet, we put foam then vinyl to try to dampen some of the sound. Then we put the seats in.



Then I rebuilt the overdrive. It is a Borg Warner R-10 OD that was adapted by Rancho to fit onto the Dana 20. They aren't too common, but I don't think they are extremely rare either. I believe you can buy an entire one from Herm the OD guy.
Back case off:



When you pull this part off, 12 roller clutch pins will also fall out. Put them back in with grease, just like needle bearings.



Re-install with grease:



Keep pulling gears and snap rings. This part is the dog-like clutch that engages the OD. The circular cut in on the right is where the solenoid hooks in.



This is the governor with the top removed. It works by pulling down the internals once the drive hits a certain speed.



And these are the contacts on the top of the governor. I had to re-make the horseshoe piece, and the long straight one. They had fallen into the governor, and were all but gone. I just took a small section of copper pipe, cut it to one layer thick, hammered it flat, cut a small square, and then filed it to the right shape.



Buttoned back up and painted:



Also, the engine originally had a thermostatic spring choke, and it was a bit hard to start. I looked at an electric choke conversion, but I don't like the electric choke we have on our blue Jeepster, it's hard to keep it running for the first few minutes in the winter. My red Jeepster has a manual choke, and I really like it. It's easy to drive in the winter. So, I made a manual choke for the Quadrajet. I used an "L" bracket, and welded a split shaft collar to the top of it. That bolts to the thermostatic choke cover in the manifold. On the other end, I used a spare Vent control knob so that it wasn't obvious it is a choke. And after all, a choke is kinda a carb vent, right?

Here is the carb:



And the choke "Vent" knob:



So that's about where we are. I put in the steering box too, but I still have to get new tie-rod ends. Since I changed axles, the knuckles don't have the extra tapered hole for the drag link, so I'll have to get the passenger side tie rod end with the tapered hole for a steering stabilizer, and put the drag link in there. Does anyone know much about tie-rod ends? I was going to use GM 1-ton ones. I'm not sure what should go back on the Dodge axle, and I think bigger ones would do better with the big tires. Do y'all know about the taper situation? I think I have to buy one of those tapered reamers to change the size of the tie rod ends, right?
For now, we are working on the electrical. We got new connectors, and a Kwik Wire fuse-box and harness. It's kinda sad to run out of the mechanical things, but it's closer to driving each week.
Enjoy.