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91 Storm Trooper rebuild project

6K views 30 replies 8 participants last post by  cmf5 
#1 ·
Ok so here I go. Had an '88 a '94 and a '98 over the years. About to dive into my new '91 that I picked up in Nor Cal for $2k with a bad rod knock and no power but still moving. Clean body, nice 2" lift and great rubber.
Specs: '91 Trooper with 4 cyl 4ze1 and manual transmission. Plan is to start pulling the motor this weekend and get it up to Reno to Shawn Anthony for a complete rebuild. Lots of "Might as Wells" to happen. Will pull the tranny and have a local shop go through it. Definitely a new clutch and then put it all back together.
I have reasonable diy mechanical skills and great internet. Lol. I have pulled and a replaced an engine in an old CJ5 back in college 30-years ago. I'm less flexible but more patient now...
Following an old Chilton removal instruction and extra tips gathered from the forum and YouTube.
Fingers crossed! Will post updates and pics as I go for those interested. Tips and advice welcomed!
 

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#2 ·
Weekend 1 up; radiator, shroud and fan out, all the electrical and vacuum labeled and disconnected, exhaust tailpipe pick up removed, PS disconnected, Next weekend I'll borrow a cherry picker and go for the pull. Leaving the Itec on. Will wrestle the tranny bolts and cross my fingers. Working slow and methodically with only a few hours each day per weekend. Final removal will determine if I have the balls to attempt re-install. Like the built not bought approach... fingers still crossed
 
#3 ·
Nice rig! Welcome!

I recently put a 4ze1 crate motor in my '89.

If you are going for a full rebuild anyway, I think it is easier to pull the head and itec combo as a complete unit. That way you don't have to try to get to the intake bolts underneath the plenum on the itec. You can just take the whole head off and the itec comes with it. It makes pulling the block easy after the head/itec is off. I have pics of pulling the old motor on my Project Thunderbolt thread.

You can do it!

If you have access to a lift, I found I was able to stand under the transmission and reach up on either side like I was giving it a hug and was able to reach those bolts pretty well. Otherwise, the trick of removing the motor mounts and dropping the engine and transmission tilts down a couple inches gives you more space. (it rests on the crossmember) J5 has a vid on youtube on it.

Kind regards,

-BoiseTrooper
 
#4 ·
Nice! From your college timeframe I think we are ~ the same age. Not trying to take $ away from Shawn but you can rebuild it yourself if you have a reasonable machine shop in the area. I am not as flexible as I once was either but managed all the work alone. I had done a fair amount of peripheral auto work; brakes, water pumps etc. but had never dug into the guts of a motor. With the help of people here I rebuilt mine. I have a thread called 2.6 rebuild if you are interested.

Alan
 
#5 ·
Baby steps... I'm going to leave the internal rebuild to the pros this time and see if I can try and not screw up the rest, lol. Lots of knowledge out there to help me through it hopefully. Now I get to do my day job all week and prep for next weekend

giusedtobe said:
Nice! From your college timeframe I think we are ~ the same age. Not trying to take $ away from Shawn but you can rebuild it yourself if you have a reasonable machine shop in the area. I am not as flexible as I once was either but managed all the work alone. I had done a fair amount of peripheral auto work; brakes, water pumps etc. but had never dug into the guts of a motor. With the help of people here I rebuilt mine. I have a thread called 2.6 rebuild if you are interested.

Alan
 
#6 ·
Docloucks said:
Baby steps... I'm going to leave the internal rebuild to the pros this time and see if I can try and not screw up the rest, lol. Lots of knowledge out there to help me through it hopefully. Now I get to do my day job all week and prep for next weekend
I'd make sure the pros are pros before sending it to the pros. If you take my meaning...
 
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#7 ·
mudoilngears said:
Docloucks said:
Baby steps... I'm going to leave the internal rebuild to the pros this time and see if I can try and not screw up the rest, lol. Lots of knowledge out there to help me through it hopefully. Now I get to do my day job all week and prep for next weekend
I'd make sure the pros are pros before sending it to the pros. If you take my meaning...
Agree. You do it yourself then you know its done right.
 
#8 ·
That looks like the one that had a build thread on here some years ago. https://www.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74710 The owner dumped ton of time and money into it and then sold out of isuzu after getting frustrated with it and his other projects. If that is the same rig, it looks like it was partially parted out. I don't think the photos still work but it was same very nice white with round eye grill, but the owner had black interior done. The wheels and tires look the same too.
 
#9 ·
Nope. Similar but not the same one. Carfax mileage and owner history doesn't add up. Plus it's got stock brown interior. The guy I got it from did switch out the grill and lights to the round but have tons of paperwork and receipts. Great recall though. I'm impressed
 
#15 ·
Ziplock bags with pre-printed labels tape on hoses and ends with corresponding numbers etc.
biggest current issue is wrestling with a couple mechanical issues like getting the fricking starter out as well as the ac compressor off...!
I know that come rebuild it's the block and the head that go to the shop so I'm ok taking off extra items during disassembly knowing they either come off while in the engine compartment or off on the engine stand later.
Slow, gradual, no rush steady progress is the mantra. It's supposed to be FUN is what my wife keeps telling me and I want the fun to last for a while, lol
 
#16 ·
This week's lesson to myself was that time a little research and patience are huge! Was struggling to get the starter out and the ac compressor. Found an old post on the forum that said to pull the canister for better starter access, will have to find that post again and thank them! Was able to get a breaker bar with socket onto the starter stud and walla! That then gave me long extension access to the compressor bolt I was struggling with by coming across and under the Itec.
Both came off in 30-minutes! Seemed so easy afterwards, like wtf was so tough about that, lol.
Lesson 2 is the night as wells... while I've got some of these bitch to get to parts off as definitely am going to replace them just to have it done while I'm right there. Extra few bucks today well worth the saved headaches tomorrow.
 
#17 ·
My first question, and it's a dumb one.... Where on the driver's side of the engine does the hoist attach? Nice big factory Plate on passenger front but nada on driver's rear. Assuming I pull the manifold or a rear manifold bolt and attach there? Anyone? Thanks
 
#18 ·
Docloucks said:
My first question, and it's a dumb one.... Where on the driver's side of the engine does the hoist attach? Nice big factory Plate on passenger front but nada on driver's rear. Assuming I pull the manifold or a rear manifold bolt and attach there? Anyone? Thanks
Hey Doc,

Towards the rear of the driver's side (midway down the block) there is an unused threaded boss. Some use that but you will have to scrounge up a big fine-thread bolt. Access isn't great.

Most, myself included, use the furthest rear exhaust manifold bolt. It worked fine.
 
#19 ·
Thanks. I saw that threaded spot you're talking about and was trying to figure if I had pulled something from there lol and thought I was losing my mind already. I wasn't planning to pull the exhaust until the motor is out so as to give myself lots of room with the egr.
Appreciate the tips!
 
#20 ·
Docloucks said:
Thanks. I saw that threaded spot you're talking about and was trying to figure if I had pulled something from there lol and thought I was losing my mind already. I wasn't planning to pull the exhaust until the motor is out so as to give myself lots of room with the egr.
Appreciate the tips!
I hear ya. I gave that threaded pipe connector a shot of penetrating oil every time I walked by it for quite a while. Also make sure to use the big fatty end wrench like the ones for brake lines. They got a better purchase on it than my open end. Even a bit of heat might be needed if it is particularly stuck.

I left the pipe connected to the iTec on the other side and it came out with it when I took the motor out.

I pulled the exhaust manifold and downpipe as one piece. That flange at the downpipe is notorious for not being a great seal. I just unbolted at the second flange under the floor boards.

With the exhaust manifold and downpipe out, there is a lot of room to work.

Good luck!
 
#21 ·
I think I used the threaded hole back of the block. One of the bolts that held the engine to the stand fit perfect. When I pulled it I used head bolts but that would require pulling the head and defeat the whole purpose! Did make it much easier to pull though as bell housing bolts were much easier to get to.

Now that I think about it that is by far the easiest way IMO. Disconnect the exhaust and the EGR tube from the exhaust. Remove the head and intake as one assembly. From that point pulling the engine is a piece of cake.
 
#22 ·
Making some progress this weekend. Taking a "path of least resistance " approach. Pulled the head intake and exhaust as one piece today. Figure since I'm rebuilding it all it's all gotta come out and the more things I get out of the way the easier it will be. It will be wayyy easier to wrestle the Itec and EGR with it out of the engine compartment.
 

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#23 ·
So the engine is out! Nothing broken... pulled the head, intake and exhaust first which gave GREAT access to those upper bell house bolts. Getting the Itec separated from intake is a bit of a pain even outside of engine compartment. Finally getting the engine to fly was 30 minutes of messing around with the leveler on cherry picker and a lot of up down wiggle to get the oil pan to roll over front differential. All in all wasn't too brutal.

Now comes my decision of proceed with doing it myself or tow it and be done... feeling like I need to try to reassemble and then push comes to shove pawn it off to a shop for final dial in. The fact that I made it this far without any real issues makes me want to forge on.

How much harder is reassembly?
 

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#24 ·
Not hard at all if you labelled all your stuff and take your time. I'm telling you from experience putting the engine back in with the head on was a bear compared to head off as you've seen from the bolt access.

Would be hard to pull the head from a reman though. I put mine in assembled by myself (first rebuild, engine pull/set etc.) The hardest part was the bolts behind the head. My forearms looked like hamburger.
 
#26 ·
Well....know your limits is my current philosophy. I got the engine pulled without any real problems but have opted to tow it to Reno, NV and give Shawn the work. Met him this weekend and will report back in a couple months how he did. Gave him my build specs, he will tear apart the motor and have his local shop do the machine work then will put it all back together and I will have it turn key ready to drive home. I will still get to have lots of fun fixing 30 years worth of odds and ends and doing the interior etc. Thanks to those who gave me tips and advice along the way. Full time real job just wasnt going to afford me the time to feel comfortable putting it all back in and having it actually run.
 
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