Perfect color, and nice job, looks great.

 

Thanks! I figured the engine paint would also hold up well to GA heat and whatever I happen to come across.
Taking the picture made me realize that the headlight washer piece is missing and the passenger-side lights are taking on water! I guess that will need to be addressed next. There's always something....

 

Yeah I went ahead and added 20% coolant back.

 

This was a complete pain in the *ss and probably the messiest job I have ever done. Because the transfer case drain plug was so close to the cross member, I had to make an adapter with enough clearance to remove it. Glad this is over. Now onto the idler pulley and cleaning up the rain gutters.



1/2 adapter cut down


Cleaning the gutters

Bearing is rattling and looks shot.
the idler pulley.

 

While you are messing about with your pulleys, check your tensioner pulley. I found my plastic tensioner pulley was so bad that I could see through the cracks and made the bearing rattle.

I replaced it with a metal pulley Gates #ER6439.

 

Why didn’t you just remove the cross member? It’s only 8 10mm bolts

 

or just use a wobble extension.

 

I tried that but started stripping out the bolts. Seem like they weren’t moving.

 

There was not enough clearance for a socket wrench let alone a wobble extension.

 

Started this the other day. I had some 11guage steel laying around so I’m using that. It is heavier than I’d like but it’s 39 lbs and I don’t have the spare on the back anymore which saves about 90 lbs so..