My 1995 Jeep YJ Rio Grande

maddvector

maddvector

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Messages
58
Location
Walker, LA
I just recently purchased this Jeep from a neighbor for $500. It was originally her father's vehicle and it only has 150K miles on it.
It hasn't been used or run since 2016 and it needs a ton of work because in August of 2016 my neighborhood flooded badly.
The motor had about 3 gallons of water in it and it was seized. I drained the water out of it and filled it with 3+ gallons of diesel mixed with transmission fluid and let it soak for approximately 3 days. I then pulled the spark plugs and sprayed a mixture of 70/30 transmission fluid and acetone on each piston. I let that soak for about 6 hours and I slowly began working the crankshaft back and forth. The next day I drained I pulled the spark plugs back out and began fully rotating the crankshaft. I filled the engine back up with 10w30 motor oil and changed the oil filter. I will not know if the engine has suffered permanent damage until I run it.

I have now dropped the gas tank and I am replacing the fuel pump assembly, fuel filter and I am refurbishing the fuel injectors. The gas tank only had a trace amount of water...

Jeep Rio Grande 2_sm.jpg
Jeep Rio Grande 3.jpg



I have also drained the rear differential and I am replacing the cover in order to get rid of the rubber plug. It leaked and allowed water into the rear end.

Next is the transmission and the front differential.

Eventually I am going to convert the rear brakes to disk brakes and replace the leaf springs.
New front suspension to include ball joints and new shocks.
I am going to put in the black vinyl carpet and black seat covers with tan inserts. I am also going to replace the soft-top and go with a black one.
I am going to go with slightly larger tires on black rims.
Finally a new front windshield frame and a new white paint job...
 
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Not a bad looking YJ!
For $500, at least you got in cheap!

The most likely damage will be to cylinder walls where the rings meet it.
After 5 years like that, I wouldn't even try to start it without tearing it down first and inspecting it.
At this point, you may be able to get away with just honing the cylinders and a GRaB.

Though being full of water may have protected the bottom end from serious oxidizing.
If water went down the intake, all bets are off.

I wish you the best on your project!
 
maddvector said:
I just recently purchased this Jeep from a neighbor for $500. It was originally her father's vehicle and it only has 150K miles on it.
It hasn't been used or run since 2016 and it needs a ton of work because in August of 2016 my neighborhood flooded badly.
The motor had about 3 gallons of water in it and it was seized. I drained the water out of it and filled it with 3+ gallons of diesel mixed with transmission fluid and let it soak for approximately 3 days. I then pulled the spark plugs and sprayed a mixture of 70/30 transmission fluid and acetone on each piston. I let that soak for about 6 hours and I slowly began working the crankshaft back and forth. The next day I drained I pulled the spark plugs back out and began fully rotating the crankshaft. I filled the engine back up with 10w30 motor oil and changed the oil filter. I will not know if the engine has suffered permanent damage until I run it.

I have now dropped the gas tank and I am replacing the fuel pump assembly, fuel filter and I am refurbishing the fuel injectors. The gas tank only had a trace amount of water...

View attachment 117304View attachment 117307


I have also drained the rear differential and I am replacing the cover in order to get rid of the rubber plug. It leaked and allowed water into the rear end.

Next is the transmission and the front differential.

Eventually I am going to convert the rear brakes to disk brakes and replace the leaf springs.
New front suspension to include ball joints and new shocks.
I am going to put in the black vinyl carpet and black seat covers with tan inserts. I am also going to replace the soft-top and go with a black one.
I am going to go with slightly larger tires on black rims.
Finally a new front windshield frame and a new white paint job...
Click to expand...
I bought me some 5-Star Jeep Rims like yours already, but they are in a pretty crappy condition. If yours are still in great shape, I can't tell in the photo, I can purchase them from you if you are wanting to sell them.
 
jeepjoe43 said:
Not a bad looking YJ!
For $500, at least you got in cheap!

The most likely damage will be to cylinder walls where the rings meet it.
After 5 years like that, I wouldn't even try to start it without tearing it down first and inspecting it.
At this point, you may be able to get away with just honing the cylinders and a GRaB.

Though being full of water may have protected the bottom end from serious oxidizing.
If water went down the intake, all bets are off.

I wish you the best on your project!
Click to expand...

The owner left the water in in the engine to purposely keep it from seriously oxidizing.
Hopefully this worked... I am pulling off the intake and exhaust manifold today.
I should be able to get a better idea if I should run the motor or not.

Thanks!
 
jeepjoe43 said:
Not a bad looking YJ!
For $500, at least you got in cheap!

The most likely damage will be to cylinder walls where the rings meet it.
After 5 years like that, I wouldn't even try to start it without tearing it down first and inspecting it.
At this point, you may be able to get away with just honing the cylinders and a GRaB.

Though being full of water may have protected the bottom end from serious oxidizing.
If water went down the intake, all bets are off.

I wish you the best on your project!
Click to expand...

The owner left the water in in the engine to purposely keep it from seriously oxidizing...
Hopefully this worked, I am pulling off the intake and exhaust manifold today.
I should be able to get a better idea if I should run the motor or not.

Thanks!
 
SirDoopYJ said:
I bought me some 5-Star Jeep Rims like yours already, but they are in a pretty crappy condition. If yours are still in great shape, I can't tell in the photo, I can purchase them from you if you are wanting to sell them.
Click to expand...
I had not really looked at them. I power washed them and they don't look bad for their age.
When I get around to the tires and rims, I will let you know.
 
jeepjoe43 said:



The most likely damage will be to cylinder walls where the rings meet it.
After 5 years like that, I wouldn't even try to start it without tearing it down first and inspecting it.
At this point, you may be able to get away with just honing the cylinders and a GRaB.
Click to expand...

You were right about tearing it down!
After I removed the exhaust and intake manifold it was apparent I needed to remove the head to see what was the condition of the block.
After removing the head, the engine block turned out to be okay. I cleaned the piston walls with royal jelly. The crud came off easily. I am going to do a valve job on the head and I probably will replace the valves on the # 2 cylinder. I am also going to remove the lifters and check them out. Finally I am going to drop the oil pan and inspect the bottom half of the motor which includes cleaning the oil pump...
 
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Hadn't thought about the crap that might be in the oiling system...Sure don't want to be pumping that through the engine!
The lifters will be the tell as to how far it's compromised.

Had a similar water experience with a motor I pulled out of vehicle and later decided to use in another.
It sat outside for just 1 year, but rain got down one of the cylinders and rusted the rings in one of them.
Also had to do a valve job for the ones that were closed (of course I did them all), fortunately I was able to just hand lap them.
The cylinder that froze did NOT completely clean up after honing, but I put it back together anyway.
The block was already bored to the max.
This was a high compression (11:1) 2.0 pinto motor I put into my '43 military jeep.
About 6 years later she started to smoke a little after the rings on that cylinder got tired.
 
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SirDoopYJ said:
I bought me some 5-Star Jeep Rims like yours already, but they are in a pretty crappy condition. If yours are still in great shape, I can't tell in the photo, I can purchase them from you if you are wanting to sell them.
Click to expand...
My 5 rims are in very good shape. Let me know when you want to take a look at them.

I figured out what I want to do with rims and tires...
 
Rear Disk Brake Conversion!
I was able to get the parts off of a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee at Pull A Part for $150.00
Rear Disk Brake conversion 2.jpg
Rear Disk Brake conversion.jpg

I have order caliper kits to rebuild the calipers.
 
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The cylinders look very good! They have very little wear for 150K. The camshaft and crankshaft are also okay.

The oil pump was full of the brown creamy slime that the oil and water mixture tuned into after 5 years. Even though it was pumping the new oil I put in the engine it still had water in it, so it was a good decision to drop the oil pan.
 
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maddvector said:
The cylinders look very good! They have very little wear for 150K. The camshaft and crankshaft are also okay.

The oil pump was full of the brown creamy slime that the oil and water mixture tuned into after 5 years. Even though it was pumping the new oil I put in the engine it still had water in it, so it was a good decision to drop the oil pan.
Click to expand...
You're not going to know for sure until you get the pistons out, but this sounds encouraging!
I would hone the cylinders and re-ring the pistons anyway, while you're there.
And definitely flush the oiling system.
Hope you get her Purring again Soon!
 
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