Update on fuse issue, I pulled the open circuit relay and it cleaned up the fuse problem. I had by-passed the fuel pump circuit a long time ago and ran a completely new circuit with relay and switch. Apparently the old circuit decided to start working again and grounded out somewhere on the frame.

Took it hunting over the past week and no problems. It had plenty of power and torque to spare. I was able to pull up hills in second gear low range that previously required first gear low range and high RPM's. As well in first low range I could let out on the clutch with no gas and it wouldn't bog or even sputter. Pretty good for stock gears and 33's.

I did notice however that I could tell when it would bog down (rarely) that you could "feel" where it was building its power at. I spent most of the weekend at <2k rpm and noticed no issues until reaching approximately 1.2k (bog down, steep grade), but it would always jump right up at the slightest touch of gas.

I am extremely pleased with this little beasty. I was thinking that if someone wanted to put this setup into a racer, (celica and the like) it would only need the cam timed in retard to send the torque range into the upper rpm limit. In present configuration the red line is at 5k rpm's and peak HP/torque around 3.5k. So with a few degrees retard you could bump that to probably 6k red and 5k peak.

Next on my list is a Zuk mod, I think I hit a rock and bent my left rear spring (military wrap leaf) plus a I have a very bad case of sag-ass. But my problem is I don't have the rubber bump stops anymore. So I will need to get U-bolt flips as well as the springs. I want to keep it a relatively stock height, very little lift, if any. It has more then enough clearance for any trail that I would go on.

As well I need to move my spare. The 33x12.50 under the bed is just a little too low and a possible puncture problem (I scraped it more then once) So I look into HitchGate's their really pricey, as well as the TAG (tactical Armor Group) bumpers. So I think I'm going to make a bumper with a swing on it. I found a forum write up with a design I like (on another site, can't remember) and I will make one similar, for cheaper then the store bought bumpers/HitchGate's.

 

the 200* problem was fixed with 2 things, the 12" pusher fan I installed. And a small 3/32 hole drilled next to the original pressure release thing on the thermostat. I now run 195* under heavy load and roughly 185* highway and elsewhere.

Many Thanks to 4Crawler for the thermostat over shoot write up on his site :wink: