ImNoSaint's 2.5 Thread

[Imnosaint]

Lifter Noise

Just a few miles into ownership and right after an oil change, a lifter began clicking, a high ticking sound. I researched about lifter adjustment and became reacquainted with valve lash adjusters, not to be confused with hydraulic lifters.

These use oil pressure to lube a tiny piston through a spring loaded ball bearing, and they fail when they’ve been sitting for long periods or are subject to dirty oil. I found a technique on another forum of revving the engine while in neutral from idle to 3000 RPMs gradually over a 15-second interval, letting the engine drop back to idle for another 15 seconds, then repeating the cycle until the VLA is flushed.

I cycled the Monty through five minutes when the noise went away, but revealed a more mid-range sewing-machine kind of sound characteristic from my gen III’s 3.8. Valve adjustment time. If you have any insight, I’m all ears.

 

[Imnosaint]

Front End

My first test drive revealed a squirrelly front end which seemed to stabilize a bit with the 32” rubber. The Monty’s first foray on the road was a trip to SLC, 300 miles, pulling a loaded motorcycle trailer. The power was fine, better than anything I’d experienced with the H3, but it was still loose and clunky, a bit unstable on potholes and expansion joints. Slabbing it home I became more aware of a bit of drift and slop in the steering.

Driving it now with the front end work completed (bearings, control arms and ball joints) and aligned, it’s solid, silent, responsive and confidence inducing. One less thing to worry about. Tie rods are next.

While the H3 had a remarkable turning radius, the 2.5 has a quicker, more solid turn-in. Can’t wait to get the OME’s on the corners with new springs.

 

[LibertyFLS]

nice truck, looks like mine

 

[Imnosaint]

Interior Mods Part One

Most of the build hours so far have been dedicated to the interior, not a bad mid-winter project to do, especially without a garage. Many of the existing interior issues have been solved, from replacing instrumentation cluster lamps to installing LEDs in all the interior lighting fixtures, making a remarkable difference. Still to solve is a wiring work-around on the driver power seat - its only functions are seat tilt forward and seat height adjustments. The gremlin is in the switch so I'll trace the 12V power routing to the appropriate motors and add toggle switches to bypass the factory switch.

If you follow us on Cornering Consciousness you know that we journey with two Goldens, Ginger and Maryann. Other than these two, we're empty nesters, so as we've done in the Gen3 and the H3, the middle seat has been eliminated and I installed a dog deck.

This quick mod makes traveling with these two so much more pleasant, easy to clean, and more comfortable for them. It also opens up a lot more room for gear, not to mention lightening the GVW by 140 pounds or so with the elimination of the jump seats as well. (See other linked builds for details on the dog deck construction.)

I have two 41"x28" Safari Straps cargo nets from the H3 build that are now secured to seatbelt anchors, OS handles and installed D-rings creating a barrier between the cargo area and the dog deck,

...as well as a ceiling net to hold the BOB and other lightweight gear and jackets. Keeps things up and out of the dog hairicane.

The 2.5 cargo area lacks the tub used to house the third row seat in the Gen3 or the cubbies in the back of the H3, but the space here is cavernous by comparison.

There's ample room for a drawer system and fridge/freezer (to come in part 2) so for the time being the extra kit for our trips is stowed in pouches and packs pilfered from the H3 build.

One of many changes in this build approach is the axe in the back. Both of the previous 3s had 28" chopping axes mounted to the rear door or interior panel. This from the Gen3,

...and this from the H3.

While they looked cool and served as a great door handle, I used the big axe in the Gen3 only a couple of times in our travels and even then a smaller tool would have sufficed, like this one.

It's a Camillus Camtrax 3-in-1 hatchet with a folding saw blade and a hammer head opposite the blade.

Also making the migration from the H3 is the MOLLE panel with a First Aid and trauma pouch. I'm building a fold-down utility table that this MOLLE panel will eventually mount to.

 

[MrGalantguy]

Wow...amazing build so far. Thank you for sharing...definitely gives me ideas and I am sure others too.

 

[Swank Force One]

Looks great!

How is the ceiling net attached?

 

[jlocster]

Welcome back Saint! I always enjoy following your builds. This one looks like it's shaping up to be another great one!

 

[mapper]

Use a bunch of electronics cleaner on the seat switch. Mine was similar at purchase. After about 5-10 minutes work spraying with cleaner and operating the switch it started functioning 100% and has been fine ever since. I didn't even remove the switch (but maybe removed the switch covers or lower seat plastic, can't recall). Anyway, I read recently how someone took apart their switch and cleaned it with great results...but that looked like a lot of small parts work. My approach was very simple and very effective.

 

[Imnosaint]

Looks great!

How is the ceiling net attached?

Thanks. The Safari net is attached to the middle OS handles and the rear seatbelt mounts.

 

[Imnosaint]

Use a bunch of electronics cleaner on the seat switch. Mine was similar at purchase. After about 5-10 minutes work spraying with cleaner and operating the switch it started functioning 100% and has been fine ever since. I didn't even remove the switch (but maybe removed the switch covers or lower seat plastic, can't recall). Anyway, I read recently how someone took apart their switch and cleaned it with great results...but that looked like a lot of small parts work. My approach was very simple and very effective.

Worth a shot. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Imnosaint]

Reverse Light Upgrade

The back-up lamps on the 2.5 are more of a suggestion of light than actual practical illumination, so I decided to do quick and inexpensive upgrade.

I've had good luck with CREE style LEDs previously, as long as I replaced all the hardware with stainless. I came across these NiLight 18W flush mount flood lights and thought I'd roll the dice and give them a try. Eighteen bucks, why not?

The install required trimming a bit of the opening for the stock lamps since the NiLight height is about a quarter inch taller.

Remove the housing.

Then remove the lamp from the housing. I clipped the the socket off from the wires and stripped them for the connectors.

Before fitting, clean the area around the opening to remove the footprint from the previous housing.

I used a jig saw with a metal cutting blade to score the bottom edge of the opening, creating "teeth" that will be pulled to match the height requirement of the new housing.

Using a pair of ViseGrips, grab a tooth and slowly move it vertically until it breaks off.

Test fit the opening.

I finished prepping the factory wiring with a pair of butt splices. Yeah, butt splices. Sue me.

On the NiLight side of the wiring I put on a sleeve of 1/4 inch heat shrink over the wires and outer sheath.

And then added two more pieces of heat shrink that will shroud the butt connectors.

Finish the splice, black to black.

Slide the two pieces of heat shrink over the butt connectors and heat 'em up.

Slide the remaining heat shrink to create a sheath from the fixture insulation to the connectors.

Add some split loom conduit, picking up about an inch beyond the factory conduit and tape the length back to the fixture.

Install the NiLight housing and mark a pilot hole for the first mounting bolt.

Drill, baby.

With the pilot bolt tightened, drill the remaining three using the housing as a guide. Attach the remaining bolts, which are stainless. Surprise.

I finished the install by zip-tying the conduit in place above the frame and by adding marine silicone around the exposed edge of the bumper (behind the housing) to stave off rust.

 

[Rod]

Great job..........as always

 

[Swank Force One]

$18, huh? Cheap enough i'll steal that idea as a stopgap until i get a new bumper. Great idea and thanks for sharing!

 

[Sabre]

Your projects are, as ever, inspirational. Nicely done!

BTW, I may have forgotten to welcome you back to the Mitsu family. Glad to see you in that great rig!

 

[Atrais]

What size safari nets are you using for the rear partition and the overhead? I like that setup better than my current one.