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Thread: The chronicle of the VX, a day in the life

  1. #1
    Member Since
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    The chronicle of the VX, a day in the life

    Well, I havent been able to post for some time, for reasons uknown I wasnt able to reset my password. Ill reintroduce myself, im now a proude 30 yearold owner of a 2001 proton. Ive owned my VX since 36,000 miles on the OD and its never left me stranded, thank god. It now has 81,000. I noticed it just wasnt running rite at around 45,000 so I used it only when needed till around 60,000. I made a trip from my house in Florida to MD. I got there and checked my oil wich I changed before I left home and thought, OOO Noo, that isnt rite. My oil was almost sludged, not good. Id made the 1000 mile trip often and never this. I checked the fuel preassure just incase I had a leaky injector, nope, dammit. That would have been to easy. Compression check found 1 bad hole, it still made ok psi but was more then 40 psi short of all of the others. #4 if I rember correctly. Well, I was 1000 miles away from home and had a semi dead cylender. Ok, 30wt, some lucas and a light foot home, also to include a change at 500 miles. Once I got home I pulled the motor and found a cracked ring after tear down and that hole 4 was worn way beyond spec. I ended up doing a stock to .2 over bore with a rebuild kit that cost me $850 plus machine costs and ended up close to $1400, I coulda gotten away without new bearings but I had it appart so why not.
    Well, after I got the beast back together I turnned the key on and of 3 times and turned it over and it fired like it should and was running like a clock, a really load one, now what. I listened to the noise and I figured it out rite away, the shop who did my head work didnt set the springs to take up my gear lash in the heads. Man, well 4 hours later [ I had trouble with the last allen on the right bank valve cover] Its just purring at start up. Job well done. Since that event ive been up to MD 2 times and made the trip cross country to Glamis CA for newyears 2007/2008. Ill get to that in more detail later.

  2. #2
    Member Since
    Jun 2002
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    1999, Ebony, VX, #1679
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    Welcome back and glad to hear you were able to keep the VX up and running!
    Glammis? Hmmm! Thats probably about the same drive time as Moab!
    Hope you got some pics to post of the VX throwing some sand roostertails from all 4 wheels!
    Billy Oliver
    15xIronman
    My Sponsors:
    Accelerate3Coaching
    TriSports.com (PM me for 1 time use 20% off code)

  3. #3
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    Na, I have postcards, T shirts and stickers but no pictures, just memorys.

  4. #4
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    I have to say that the beast held up VERY well. 6 ft jumps were fun, I took the rear seat out and layed a twin in the back. Some crazy guy wanted to ride in the back on the mattress since he blew up his quad. It was great, we were all lit. We were in 4 low in 3rd tacking about 5500 off the steep side of the dunes.He would be airborn, stick to the roof and when we landed he would get catapulted into my mattress, classic, after the first one he opted to put on his helmet, smart move. After dune 6 or 7 he was complaining that he was about to puke, end of that. Plus everything I had with me was all over the back, laundry, computer, tools, you name it.

  5. #5
    Member Since
    Jun 2004
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    99 Astral Silver VX #1872 + 99 Ironman WIP
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    Sounds like a fun trip, good to hear your rebuild is running strong.

  6. #6
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    Yes, between 80 and 90 cross country, threw 1 code and it ended up as bad gas, cleared it and didnt come back. Got a new one, EGR, isnt causing any troubles but ill replace it at a later date. I just noticed my transfer case seals starting to leak so I ordered parts to rebuil that, my cost $1100, new transfer case $2800. The parts include clutch pack, 2 gears, a chain, bearings, and seals. I bought all of the parts so I dont need to order any if they need replacing. I hear the gears are pretty hard and dont usauly need to be replaced but I bought them just incase.

  7. #7
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    I pulled a H-3 out of the mud over the weekend, so thats the 2nd one, +2 Jeeps, 1 landrover, 2 F-150s a bronco and a F-350.

  8. #8
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    I just replaced the passenger side set of boots last month, 81,000 miles. Noticed the drivers side open yesterday, note to self, if 1 side goes replace both sides ASAP. I rember inspecting the drivers side and it didnt look dryroted or cracked so its a were issue. Keep in mind if you ever need to replace the whole CV on either side your cost will be between 5 and 600 each, so look at your boots often, im lucky I spotted them in time. Theres a place around here that rebuilds them for around $150 so if anyone needs yours rebuilt they grind your old ones and replace the balls with bigger ones. The place is called Florida Front Wheel Drive 407-845-6872. I purchased my CV boots from them and they do pretty good work.

  9. #9
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    Ow, almost forgot, I made the mistake of towing a large trailer (boat) and it blew a seal in the rear. I replaced the bearing and seal. I happened at around 50,000 miles. NOTE, dont tow large stuff.

  10. #10
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    Ok, noticed coolent temps rising a few days ago, especialy when I had the AC on. I figured out it was the fan clutch that went bad. I replaced the clutched system with a nice electric fan kit from murrys speed and custom. It cost $300 but it has all the hardware and an isolated system with a thermal prob. Imediatly when I started the VX I noticed it was running smoother. The *** dyno feels a little more TQ also. Mostly I notice the AC is alot colder to. It also dosnt make all the fan woosh noise, that was annoying. I recommend you do this mod wether your fan clutch is bad or not. If you have ever put your VX under water id check out you fan buy seeing if you can stop your fan with the AC full tilt completly warmed up. Watch you fingers.

  11. #11
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    Well, at 91,000 I just replaced the power steering pump, its been whinning for a year now and the AC clutch needed replacing so I had that done as well. I would have done the work myself but I was freezing my ***** off in MD. Had a good time a few weekends ago. Showed the FJ guys what was up with a VX, I made it over the hill 2 or 3 times before getting framed out. Keep in mind the first FJ that tried got stuck, then got stuck again, then the next one got stuck also, even a jeep came along and got stuck trying to make it back over, good times.

    http://www.fjbruisers.org/forum/index.php?topic=2193.0

  12. #12
    Member Since
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    2000 Proton VX - 0776
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    "I just noticed my transfer case seals starting to leak"

    "6 ft jumps were fun"

    Hmmm - imagine that
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

    Put a smiley after you say that Bub.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by tom4bren View Post
    "I just noticed my transfer case seals starting to leak"

    "6 ft jumps were fun"

    Hmmm - imagine that
    Yeh they are leaking a little but id say mudding and driving through sandy water would be the cause of the leaks, it would make more sense since the bearings arnt bad. I top off the fluid every 5,000 or so miles till I can get around to rebuilding the case, its easy to do, takes 5 minutes, only takes a few ounces of fluid and the fluid inside isnt contaminated.

  14. #14
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    This is the most work I've heard of, going into a VX

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chopper View Post
    This is the most work I've heard of, going into a VX
    Yeh well, I take good care of it but I dont baby it. I plan on keeping it a long time.

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