2005 Slow Build

Just picked up this 2005 Black Taco 4.0L 6MT 4wd. It’s got 285k on the clock and various modifications from previous owners and some ghetto rigging going on with some stuff. Plan is to figure out what it needs to be reliable and do some preventative maintenance and then slowly un-ghetto it and do it right. May be a boring build thread but I’ll do my best to keep it entertaining.

Priorities is to fix the known issues I have now, then do preventative maintenance, then probably raptor line it and do a little body work, then maybe bumpers and armor, and lastly save up for a legitimate suspension system. In between I’ll be doing little things to it and taking it out and about.

First poser shot:


Got the back end totally stuffed and one wheel peel won’t get me any further haha. The RC lift on the front don’t flex much with the sway bar so that’s coming off next to see if it will help.

 

Got the water leak fixed. Got the windshield pulled and thankfully it came out in one piece. The guys could tell that it was a replacement and it hadn’t been properly glued down. They cleaned it all up and stuck it back in so I can scratch that off the list. Thankfully it wasn’t anything worse than that.

 

windshield less…

 

First mod is some seat recline brackets. Yes there are much cheaper options than these but I do like to support American companies when I can. Also they have the threaded holes for an option to add that bracket down there. Not sure if I’m gonna want that yet or not but have the option. It does put quite a bit of tilt to it which is more comfortable but it also raises it a tad. I’m 6’2” and I only got about 2” until my head hits the top with my seat slightly tilted so beware of that if you’re real tall.

Product:


Removed the whole seat, still cleaning from PO:



Brackets installed, you’ll need a 14mm for factory bolts and a 15mm for their supplied bolts. Factory bolts go back in factory hole. Deep socket and ratchet is probably best.

 

Swapped out this old K/N setup for an oem intake. Picked it up off eBay and got another MAF sensor with it.

 

Well luckily all that was needed for the A/C to work was the compressor speed sensor. I replaced it and all good there. While I was under it though I unbolted the compressor and slid it forward and also replaced the crankshaft position sensor hoping it would fix these other codes I have. No luck though. Codes still there. What should I go after next. I searched the forum and google a bunch but it sends me in all kinds of different directions from a trashed engine to a bad ground to the battery is weak. I can tell there is a weird kind of power blip or surge that happens upon acceleration around the mid RPMs. Idk if that’s normal or not?? Any advice??