So, I picked up my 88 Trooper about 6 months ago off Craigslist for $1500. 185k original miles. It ran a little rough, and the original suspension was sagging. I planned on making this my new offroad rig (had just sold my LX470 for something I could build and beat up on).
Previous Owner had replaced the distributor and fuel pump. Timing belt had been replaced years ago. Rear brakes were dragging, and the front brakes were pretty much useless. I removed the smog pump and all the old emissions stuff that is now obsolete with new style catalytic converters and put on a new exhaust. EGR removed, plugged intake side. Headers EGR port plugged. 02 sensor still hooked up. EGR blockoff plate installed. AIR pump removed, smog rail removed. Rail holes plugged with M14 x 1.25 drain plugs ground down (as per this forum)
Replaced and labeled all vacuum lines, T stat, and PCV valve.
I did the following over the next month:
New tires - BF Goodrich All Terrains KOs all around, including spare
Pacesetter Headers
New exhaust from the headers back
Old Man Emu nitro charger sport shocks front and back
Ole Man Emu leaf springs
Indy 4x4 rear leaf spring bushings kit
Indy 4x4 HD shackles
Indy 4x4 leaf spring u bolt set
Indy 4x4 braided SS brake lines front and back
Indy 4x4 Premium CV axles
Indy 4x4 Ball joints, greaseable upper and lower both sides, with balljoint flip and Indy 4x4 BJ spacers
Indy 4x4 HD tie rod sleeves and poly booted greasable tie rod ends
Indy 4x4 greaseable sway bar bushings and sway bar end links
Indy 4x4 low pro bumpstops up front
Energy Suspension bumpstops in the rear
New calipers all around
New Bosch rotors all around
New Bosch pads all around
New Wagner brake master cylinder (Firestone machine bleed the system while doing my front end alignment)
Front wheel bearing repack and seal replacement
ECM relocated to behind glovebox
Seafoam engine treatment
Oil and filter change with Mobil 1 synthetic
Transmission fluid change Mobil 1 synthetic
T Case fluid change Mobil 1 synthetic
USB charger cigarette lighter installed
Carpet gutted, floor wire wheeled and Herculined
Rocker panels and fenders Herculined
Included, but not installed:
Superwinch manual locking hubs (Indy 4x4)
Rear door latches and mechanisms
4 new window roller handles
5mm plastic lining cut to fit all carpeted door/cargo panels behind covers (weatherproofing)
Truck is in great shape underneath.
My problem now is I think the truck may need some engine work. I think it needs valve adjustments, or it may need a new head gasket. The engine runs, and cruises perfectly at highway speeds, it is just a little sluggish below 3000 RPM.
Compression test numbers were 150-125-130-125.
I am in an apartment now though, and can't do the work in my parking lot, and don't really want to sink even more money into the truck than I already have. The truck is completely built for some pretty serious off-roading, it just needs a little more TLC than I can/want to give it (doesn't help that I recently picked up an Land Rover LR3 which I am now obsessed with...)
If you know anything about off road rigs, then you know the list of everything on this truck is a steal, even if you ended up doing a V6 swap. Hell, the tires are worth 800 alone now that I think about it....Losing my *** on this one, but the longer it sits within eye sight of my GF, the more pissed she gets that I spent so much $ on it.
Again, truck runs and drives, and can be used as is as a daily driver, just needs valves or head gasket to make it run perfect at low RPMS. Just came take a look and drive it and you'll see.
$3500
Previous Owner had replaced the distributor and fuel pump. Timing belt had been replaced years ago. Rear brakes were dragging, and the front brakes were pretty much useless. I removed the smog pump and all the old emissions stuff that is now obsolete with new style catalytic converters and put on a new exhaust. EGR removed, plugged intake side. Headers EGR port plugged. 02 sensor still hooked up. EGR blockoff plate installed. AIR pump removed, smog rail removed. Rail holes plugged with M14 x 1.25 drain plugs ground down (as per this forum)
Replaced and labeled all vacuum lines, T stat, and PCV valve.
I did the following over the next month:
New tires - BF Goodrich All Terrains KOs all around, including spare
Pacesetter Headers
New exhaust from the headers back
Old Man Emu nitro charger sport shocks front and back
Ole Man Emu leaf springs
Indy 4x4 rear leaf spring bushings kit
Indy 4x4 HD shackles
Indy 4x4 leaf spring u bolt set
Indy 4x4 braided SS brake lines front and back
Indy 4x4 Premium CV axles
Indy 4x4 Ball joints, greaseable upper and lower both sides, with balljoint flip and Indy 4x4 BJ spacers
Indy 4x4 HD tie rod sleeves and poly booted greasable tie rod ends
Indy 4x4 greaseable sway bar bushings and sway bar end links
Indy 4x4 low pro bumpstops up front
Energy Suspension bumpstops in the rear
New calipers all around
New Bosch rotors all around
New Bosch pads all around
New Wagner brake master cylinder (Firestone machine bleed the system while doing my front end alignment)
Front wheel bearing repack and seal replacement
ECM relocated to behind glovebox
Seafoam engine treatment
Oil and filter change with Mobil 1 synthetic
Transmission fluid change Mobil 1 synthetic
T Case fluid change Mobil 1 synthetic
USB charger cigarette lighter installed
Carpet gutted, floor wire wheeled and Herculined
Rocker panels and fenders Herculined
Included, but not installed:
Superwinch manual locking hubs (Indy 4x4)
Rear door latches and mechanisms
4 new window roller handles
5mm plastic lining cut to fit all carpeted door/cargo panels behind covers (weatherproofing)
Truck is in great shape underneath.
My problem now is I think the truck may need some engine work. I think it needs valve adjustments, or it may need a new head gasket. The engine runs, and cruises perfectly at highway speeds, it is just a little sluggish below 3000 RPM.
Compression test numbers were 150-125-130-125.
I am in an apartment now though, and can't do the work in my parking lot, and don't really want to sink even more money into the truck than I already have. The truck is completely built for some pretty serious off-roading, it just needs a little more TLC than I can/want to give it (doesn't help that I recently picked up an Land Rover LR3 which I am now obsessed with...)
If you know anything about off road rigs, then you know the list of everything on this truck is a steal, even if you ended up doing a V6 swap. Hell, the tires are worth 800 alone now that I think about it....Losing my *** on this one, but the longer it sits within eye sight of my GF, the more pissed she gets that I spent so much $ on it.
Again, truck runs and drives, and can be used as is as a daily driver, just needs valves or head gasket to make it run perfect at low RPMS. Just came take a look and drive it and you'll see.
$3500