2022 AEV Gladiator Rubicon build

[ShadowsPapa]

For those looking for a progress report,

Errr, Ahhh,

Let's just say that Christmas (family) has intervened!

Merry Christmas to all

The project will be there forever, family won't............... my biggest regret is not spending more time while they were alive.

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[Flyin6]

OK, let's get back after this install...

With the correct tool in hand and a bit of wrestling, the old oil cooler finally came off.

 

[Flyin6]

I swapped the parts, including the Baxter oil filter adapter, over onto the aluminum casting.

 

[Flyin6]

After cleaning the dry valley, I reinstalled the oil filter assembly

 

[Flyin6]

Next, I pulled the coils and spark plugs

I gapped the new NGK Iridium plugs to .032" IAW Ripp's recommendations.

 

[Flyin6]

The old plugs gave me a surprise. I have no idea how, but look at how much the gap opened up! I bet the gap exceeded .060"

 

[Flyin6]

With the new plugs gapped, I threaded them into place and popped on the new Ripp coil packs

 

[Flyin6]

I replaced the factory gaskets, then reinstalled the intake manifold.

 

[Flyin6]

Next up, time for the new, larger fuel injectors. I gave the O-rings a light coat of grease and popped them into the fuel rail, then reinstalled that

 

[Flyin6]

At this point, I have completed some of the Ripp supercharger installation and upgraded some parts. These steps would have usually been completed far into the installation, but I jumped ahead because of the Dorman oil filter/cooler upgrade.
With that behind me, I rewound to step #1, remove the factory grill.
That's when I noticed this:

Yup, the bumper and winch need to come off so that I can remove the grill!!!!!
Ouch!
And a good point to call it a day.
I'll get after the heavy stuff when I am fresh tomorrow morning.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The old plugs gave me a surprise. I have no idea how, but look at how much the gap opened up! I bet the gap exceeded .060"

I believe stock is somewhere .040-.044 ?? Something looks a bit off there.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

At this point, I have completed some of the Ripp supercharger installation and upgraded some parts. These steps would have usually been completed far into the installation, but I jumped ahead because of the Dorman oil filter/cooler upgrade.
With that behind me, I rewound to step #1, remove the factory grill.
That's when I noticed this:

Yup, the bumper and winch need to come off so that I can remove the grill!!!!!
Ouch!
And a good point to call it a day.
I'll get after the heavy stuff when I am fresh tomorrow morning.

Wow, on my 2022 I was able to pop the grill off with the steel bumper and Apex winch still in place!

 

[Flyin6]

I believe stock is somewhere .040-.044 ?? Something looks a bit off there.

Concur-
Something happened to open the gap up that far. Perhaps just the age and general use, but I haven't seen plug gaps that large before. It would take a bunch of energy from a good coil to fire across that gap. For reference, those cylinders were powered by stock Mopar coils.

 

[Flyin6]

Wow, on my 2022 I was able to pop the grill off with the steel bumper and Apex winch still in place!

Well, the good news is I have an almost finished Barnes Off-road bumper needing to get installed...

 

[Jteakus]

Are you going to change the oil before startup? Coolant usually finds its way into the pan when the oil cooler is pulled.

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