Old 83 CJ7 needs new life

Tnlrat37

Member
Hey Wayalifers, I own an old 83 CJ7 that I drove while I was in the Marine Corps many years ago that I let my dad take to AZ about 10 years ago. Anyway my dad is gone now and my mom told me it hasn't been started in 2-3 years:eek:. Im just wondering what all I need to do to get it running without hurting anything. I know I need to change fluids and filters and probly drop gas tank and clean that out, also new battery I would imagine. Anything else I need to do that will help? Thanks
 

holliewood61

New member
I would pull the plugs and put some pb blaster down the cylinders and let it sit for a while. Crank it with the plugs out to blow it back out. Re install the plugs if they look ok or replace them. Put a carb kit in it. New distriubutor cap and rotor button, then you should be kickin chicken
 

Tnlrat37

Member
thanks ill look into all those. I need to order the parts before I go up there, they live in the sticks and ill only have 3-4 days to get it running
 

Tnlrat37

Member
Whats you plans for it? Build it up to wheel? Weekend cruiser? Restoration candidate?

For now my niece and her husband are moving up there to help my mom, (dad died on Christmas). They own 50 acres with 2 houses on it in AZ and its too much for her to take care of by herself. Anyway he owns a mustang which is useless up there so were gonna just fix it up and let him drive that until he gets something else, then when my boys are old enough it will be a project first jeep for them. I just bought a new 15 JKU that im building up now, thanks ill keep updating and post pics of it Jeep cj1.JPG Here she is
 

USMC Wrangler

New member
Condolences on losing your Dad. It's great you'll still have this around to build with your kids though, maybe telling good stories of grandpa to them while learning how to work on the Jeep.
 

Tnlrat37

Member
Condolences on losing your Dad. It's great you'll still have this around to build with your kids though, maybe telling good stories of grandpa to them while learning how to work on the Jeep.

Thanks, it was rough. theyre will definitely be stories told. BTW Semper Fi brother I was with 3/7 mid nineties.:usa:
 

Tnlrat37

Member
Well I went this last weekend to AZ and got to work on the old CJ7. It turned out to be a challenging but fun experience with great results.
Here's what I did
1. Drop the fuel tank which was fun because the rear bumper where the tank bracket was bolted was bent from pulling who knows what. The bolts drop into a square hole in the bumper and would just spin, but I finally got them out. I'm not sure if I did it or it was already like that but one of the metal spigots for the fuel line was cracked, I fixed it with some quiksteel.
2. Pulled the plugs and put some Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders and let that sit for day and a half
3. Cleaned out old gas and washed out and dried tank-the tank looked surprisingly clean but the fuel looked like Jack Daniels
4. Changed out the sending unit (old ones float gauge didn't work)
5. Replace fuel filter
6. Reinstall tank- This was the hardest part because the stupid way the bolts are attached to the bumper, because it was bent I could only get 3 to line up. To hold the bolts in place I tac welded the bolt heads to the bumper to keep them from spinning because you cant reach them once tank is in place.
7. Replace battery
8. Change oil and filter and add Seafoam conditioner to help clean it up on the inside
9. Turn engine over with plugs out
10. Install new plugs
11. I had my niece get in and try and start her up, I primed the carb with some gas from a spray bottle and she would start for a second then die, I knew it would take a bit to prime the fuel lines again so we tried a few more times but it would only start for a second if I sprayed the carb directly. So to be sure my fuel pump was working I disconnected the fuel line after the pump and before the filter and stuck the hose in a empty bottle and cranked it and it took a couple times but eventually it came out. I then reinstalled the line and had her fire it up and it started like a champ:thumb:. Only problem was it was billowing white smoke. At first I thought it had a bad head gasket:eek:, I checked the radiator for bubbles or the discolored coolant but all looked good. I called a fellow wayalifer and he said that was probably from the seafoam or marvel oil I put in. Or it could be a little water that was not completely dried in the fuel tank. I ran it for another 30 minutes and the smoke went away so it seems all is good. I told my niece it still needed to be taken to a real mechanic to get looked over and tuned up but at least she can drive it there. If it will cost too much ill probably bring it back to Cali and either sell it here or figure out somewhere to put it to fix it up myself.

All in all a good trip, thanks wayalifers for the tips. My face lit up when she started up:rock:
cj7 pic.jpg
Here she is finally out of mothballs with my new JKU in the background
 

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Scoop315

Caught the Bug
Outstanding!

I hope you keep it, or allow the niece to use it until you can figure a way to work on it. I wish I had kept my CJ5, but life got in the way of that. And I'd just about kill to get hold of my dad's mid-50s CJ3, and restore it.
 

David1tontj

New member
Glad you got it going! Te white smoke was almost certainly the oil in the cylinders burning up. Just like a 2 stroke!
 

Tnlrat37

Member
Outstanding!

I hope you keep it, or allow the niece to use it until you can figure a way to work on it. I wish I had kept my CJ5, but life got in the way of that. And I'd just about kill to get hold of my dad's mid-50s CJ3, and restore it.

Yeah I made the mistake of letting her drive my new jku, now she wants one. I really would like to keep it but it will have to stay out there. Trying to smog it in Cali would be a PITA.
 

USMC Wrangler

New member
Keep it! (Until I get a transfer to AZ then buy it off you for "safe keeping") :yup:

Glad you got it going! Seriously though, don't sell it!!! :grayno:
 
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