Project VXOverLand

[Thelgord]

Finally got the steering tightened down. Steering wheel is still off center, but the responsiveness! Holy cow is this little truck nimble!

[bartmanS4]

Did you do this by adjusting the steering gearbox? The flathead screw inside the locking hex-nut? I need to do mine in a big way.

[Thelgord]

Did you do this by adjusting the steering gearbox? The flathead screw inside the locking hex-nut? I need to do mine in a big way.

Yes I did. The nut was majorly stuck. I ended up dousing it with WD40, wait 15-20 minuets, then repeat. Did that 8 or 9 times and it finally gave way. Got the nut backed off and adjusted it down till I got some minor resistance (you’ll feel it) then tightened the nut back down.

Made a huge difference! The VX is super responsive now. No more floating left and right that was more like herding the truck down the road rather than driving it.

[Thelgord]

So my A/C is fixed. Whenever I would turn it on it would make the most gawd awful grinding noise accompanied by a nice rythmic clicking noise that sounded like someone had a hammer inside the pump. However, I have doing been a ton of electrical work on the VX. New Alternator, new battery, removing a small mountain of wires that literally went nowhere under the dash (I think they may have been for an aftermarket amp/sound system that is no longer there), and of course cleaning up all of the OEM wiring and cleaning every connection I can find to include the ground points.

Well, working night shift I havn’t had much need for it, until this morning. I had to be out and about durring the day, and an Ebony VX with leather gets really warm. I took a chance and turned on the A/C. Silence. AT first I wasn’t even sure it was working, then the air from the vents got really cold. Drove it around all morning and checked it over where I got home. It now works great!

The issues was an electrical issue I guess. I am assuming something I was working on, probably a ground or 12 some place, was the issue. But in any case, I have great A/C! Finally! LOL!

[Thelgord]

Yea! The site is back up! Lots of updates.

Changed out even more engine parts with more to go this weekend. IAC, TPS, every vacuum line, FPR, Throttle Body Gasket, Instake Gaskets (there are three).

Also order and received new suspension for the VX. Old Man Emu shocks and springs. Part numbers for the VX are:

Coil Spring: 2912
Front Shocks: 60074
Rear Shocks: 60031

Coil spring 2913 can also be use and they offer a 1/2” less lift in the rear while giving a much firmer ride and increased load capacity. I chose 2912 for the softer ride as theVX has limited cargo space anyway.

I have mocked up a faux tow hitch. I need to buy two pieces (an 8” hitch extension and a 4”x2”x3/16” (36” long) piece of angle, and some grade 8 hardware) for a total of ~$50 to make a hidden receiver hitch. I have the welding the welding equipment. I just need to the time. With everything else I am doing to just to keep the VX going, this is a low priority for now, but not a back burner item just yet.

Started to mock-up a cardboard winch mount / bumper, but I really need to start over as I am not likening the look of my first design. As with the hitch, the is a low priority item for now.

Sanded and primed my plastic hood insert. Still looks like crap, but looks WAY better than it did.

Sanded and repainted my windshield wiper arms. Looks sooooo much better now.

Replaced both “map light” bulbs.

I think that’s about all for now. The down side to the site going down is my build log is here. So when the site goes down I really don’t have a backup. Oh well, moving on! LOL!

[Thelgord]

Pulled an all-nighter getting my suspension complete. The OEM shocks fell down. On each one, I unbolted the top bolts first and they literally fell down. I am not sure they are worth saving, but I will keep them for now.

Before the new shocks and springs:
Font Left - 32 1/2”
Front Right - 32 3/4”
Rear - 32 5/8”

After the lift:
Front: 34 15/16”
Rear: 35 3/4”

Adjusting the torsion bars is part science, part art. I really wanted the front to be an even 35”. But this was close enough, and after being up all night getting it done, it was good enough for me. The heights are measures along the centerline of each tire from the ground to the fender, which I am fairly certain is normal, but just in case

Got everything done, and now the driver window won’t go all the way. Sighhhhh ... it never ends ...

Anyway, I am beat. I am off to bed.

[Thelgord]

Finally got the Fuel Pressure Regulator (the one on the back of the fuel rail) replaced. Idle has gone from 1800-2000 RPM to 1200 RMP and around 980 RPM when in gear, but not moving. Removing the throttle body now for a cleaning and new gasket.

[Thelgord]

Got the intake and throttle body gasket changed out. Also cleaned out the EGR tubes. The one inside the instake was completely closed off with carbon gunk. A lot of work, but no change to the idle speed. I guess this is were the VX wants to idle at. I am done working on that issue. An engine replacement is starting ot sound good, but this one still has some life left, so we will see.

[Thelgord]

Fixed the drivers window! Well, mostly. It goes up and down fairly smooth now, but I really need to change out the track mounting bolts for longer ones and align the lift track. New window motor (which it didn’t need), a lot of grease and spreading the front guild track ended up working the best. I also loosened the two bolts for the lower rear track and pulling it in a bit tighter. Seemed to help more than a little.

[Thelgord]

Got new tires! Firestone Destination A/T, 265/70/16 (Roughly 31”). Also got an alignment done and the steering wheel is strait again! This build has been one challenge after another, but, all in all it is going well.

[ipd]

Ttiwwop

[Thelgord]

Ttiwwop

I have no idea what that is! LOL!

Anyway, I got a new intake manifold gasket installed. Also replaced a bolt for the clamp for the pipe that connects to the engine side of the MAF. Still have the high idle issue. This VX vexes me.

After searching the forum, and asking on the FB page, apparently they is a plug for the power steering that can cause this same issue. When it gets light outside I will try unplugging it and see what happens. If that doesn’t work, I am out of ideas. I have already dropped a bit more than $500 into this motor and it still isn’t right. It is very frustrating to say the least.

Oh, pro tip. The long bolts for the intake manifold? No one carries them. I snapped one durring reassembly. Yes I was using a torque wrench, and no I didn’t over torque it. I am thinking the bolt had been over torqued before and just chose now to fail. Anyway, it was 4:30pm and I was at the last autop parts store that may have had one, they didn’t. Not having my tools in my wife’s car, I purchased a cheap 12mm wrench and flew to my local pull-a-part, which is a twenty minute drive for me. I got there just before they closed and managed to get 4 new bolts from one of the 3 troopers they had in the yard.

I then re-disassembled the intake, and had just enough of the old bolt to get vise grips on the tip, though not very well. Once I got the bolt loose, I just backed it out by hand. I am just glad there was enough of the stud showing to get at it. I suppos I could have welded a nut to the end of the stud if nothing else, but that was something I really wasn’t looking forward to doing. Anyway, I got it, reassembled. The new bolts worked perfectly.

And all that work for nothing. I am starting to think this VX just likes attention and that’s why it so troublesome. My wife calls it my second wife, I call it basket case, but at some point I suppose I am going to have to name the damn thing. Maybe that’s the issue. Without a name, it doesn’t feel welcome yet? LOL!

[Thelgord]

Fixed the high idle issue! Yay!

Apparently there is a “bump switch” on the power steering pump that, when bad, can cause this exact issue. I unplugged it, after a lot of digging (it is buried in there). Started the engine and now it idles around 840RPM, with is ok considering it is just above 40f outside at the moment. Yay! All of that work, which probably had to be done anyway, seems to have paid off. Finally!

Of course, now I need to sort out the power steering pump aand that switch. That can wait, for now....

[Thelgord]

Got a set of OEM Yakima Roof bars from a nice gentleman on FB in the mail today. Went on without a hitch! They look awesome! Now I just need to decide between basket or flat rack for the roof....hmmm....

[Thelgord]

A minor update for today. I tracked down the squeal and excess lifter tap, I need yet another upper intake gasket. The new one failed after only three days. So yet again, I need to take apart the top half of the motor. Yay me.