By July 2002, I was finally finishing up the engine rebuild on the AMC 401 V8 in my ’77 Wagoneer. This vehicle was a bit of a basket case, especially under the hood. It had had 10 owners in the…
Diagnostic Trouble Codes
When a late-model, computerized Jeep is having engine problems, one of the ways it communicates these problems back to the driver is to turn on the “check engine” light on the dash. One idiot light isn’t very descriptive, so Jeep…
401 V8 Camshaft Selection
While rebuilding the 401 V8 from my ’77 Wagoneer, I found that the camshaft it had (which appeared to be aftermarket, since the measured lobe lift was higher than stock on many lobes) was quite worn. Since I had the…
’74-79 Wagoneer 2.5″ Exhaust System
When we first bought our ’77 Wagoneer, it was missing half the exhaust pipe and leaked fumes everywhere. What remained of the stock exhaust system (just a couple inches past the muffler) was very rusted and beat-up. I could have…
Premier Power Welder
Once I started making custom upgrades to my Jeep, it quickly became apparent that either I’d spend many paychecks paying professional welders to do my work for me, or I needed to learn how to weld myself. I opted for…
York On-Board Air – Shopping List
The actual list of supplies required will vary from one rig to another, but this is what I used and what it cost me. Much of the stuff came from the Surplus Center, a national mail-order place specializing in hydraulics,…
York On-Board Air – Air Fittings and Electric Connections
I chose to mount the hose connectors and stuff on the inside of my front right wheel well near the factory jack. That location provides easy access and also keeps everything above the water line should I decide to ford…
York Air Compressor Lubrication
All A/C compressors need to be lubricated in some way, whether they’re pumping freon or air. Most compressors are lubricated by the liquid freon that they pump. The York, on the other hand, has a separate oil reservoir that it…
Mounting a York Compressor in a 2.5L YJ
The York compressor can be mounted vertically or horizontally to either side. However, if mounted horizontally, the manufacturer recommends that the suction port be on top. This is most likely due to the internal oiling system locating an oil return…
York Air Compressor Acquisition
York compressors are easy to find because they were so common on older vehicles. From the mid-1970’s to the mid-1980’s, they were used on Ford, AMC (including Jeep), International Harvester, Oldsmobile, Volvo, and Porsche vehicles. I know Jeep used them…