Episode 593 – Jerry Huber – Toledo Jeep Fest Founder
This Week In Jeep
Do you Want That Super-Sized?
As if the return of full-sized Jeeps to the lineup wasn’t news enough, there are now even bigger Jeeps coming. For the 2023 model year, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are getting super-sized with the introduction of new long-wheelbase variants.
For many Stretched “L” versions of Jeep’s three-row SUVs felt like an inevitability after the regular models were revealed last year, mainly because all of Jeep’s domestic rivals in this segment offer extended-wheelbase versions. Not to mention all the attention the stretched wheelbase Grand Cherokee has received. Both the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L see their wheelbase grow by an identical 7 inches to 130 inches. Likewise, their overall length is extended by an entire foot to 226.7 inches overall. While this growth spurt doesn’t really affect their interior passenger volume, it does contribute to considerably more cargo space. I won’t bore you with the numbers, but all that extra body means literally dozens of cubic feet more cargo volume.
Not only do the elongated Wagoneers have more space in the back for storing stuff, but they also come standard with that new Stellantis twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six we’ve talked about here on the show before. Dubbed the Hurricane, the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L mark the formal debut of this engine. It pairs exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-, all-, or four-wheel drive, but output varies between the Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L.
The former model has the standard-output (S.O.) version that makes 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque, while the latter has the high-output (H.O.) version with 510 horses and 500 pound-feet of torque. The 510-hp version is also currently available in limited quantities as a $2000 upgrade on 2022 Grand Wagoneers. As with the standard wheelbase, the stretched variant can tow up to 10,000 pounds.
…with an in-line six!! We all wanted to know about the MPG so here we go.
The S.O. Hurricane engine is rated at 19 mpg combined, while the H.O. Hurricane engine is rated at 16 mpg combined. Jeep says long-wheelbase Wagoneers come with fuel tanks that are four gallons bigger, and the company says the stretched models weigh about 200 pounds more than their shorter counterparts. A distinct blacked-out appearance will be available only on Wagoneer models as part of the new “Carbide” package. The kit coats the wheels, grille elements, mirrors, and more in gloss black paint, and the interior features black seats and special trim on the dashboard. It’ll be available on the regular 2022 Wagoneer this spring and join the 2023 Wagoneer L lineup when it goes on sale in the second half of this year. The 2023 Grand Wagoneer will also hit showrooms at that time, but Jeep hasn’t yet announced pricing for either of the new long-wheelbase models as of the time of this recording.
Jeep Parts Used To Hide Drugs
A traffic stop on Interstate 20/59 in west Alabama led to the seizure of 4 kilograms of heroin hidden in the tire well of a Jeep Cherokee. It is becoming a trend, according to federal court records, for criminal organizations to conceal drugs in the tire wells of Jeeps for transport. That is apparent, records state, based on recent interdiction seizures of vehicles traveling from Mexico through the Northern District of Alabama.
The traffic stop – for following too close – was made on March 25 in Sumter County by 17th Judicial Drug Task Force Interdiction officers. The driver, via a translator, gave authorities permission to search the Jeep, and officers quickly spotted tamper marks in the tire well near the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Officers also noticed that rivets had been replaced with after-market screws that were not consistent with the rest of the vehicle. Officers were aware based on prior training and experience, according to a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, that vehicles with tamper marks and after-market screws are common indicators of vehicles being used by drug trafficking organizations. The driver was traveling with multiple young children, federal court documents state. Everyone was removed from the vehicle, and the children were turned over to the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
He is charged with possession with the intent to distribute more than 1 kilogram of a substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. AL.com is not identifying the suspect because authorities said their life would be placed in danger. At a safe location, officers removed the vehicle part in a question and drilled it into it.
“When drilling into it, they observed a powder on the drill bit,’’ the special agent wrote. Officers broke open the vehicle part and found multiple packages wrapped in cellophane. The packages were consistent with the way drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine are commonly wrapped for transport. The weight was approximately 4 kilos – or 8.8 pounds. A field test was positive for an opiate and authorities believed the drug to be heroin. Investigators determined the driver crossed into the U.S. on March 24 and was stopped in Alabama the following day.
Tech Talk with Jeep Talk
TOPIC/QUESTION: Fan/Serpentine Belt – Maintenance/Replacement
Over the years I’ve covered a lot of topics in our Tech Talk segment. Everything from electrical and audio tips, to in-depth knowledge about a particular topic, like shocks, or fuel systems. From top to bottom, I’ve covered so many aspects of so many Jeeps over the years that I’m surprised I can still find topics to cover that will not only be helpful and educational but also at least someone relevant and interesting to your listener.
So this week, I thought I’d cover something I’ve never really given much thought to, and chances are, neither have you. A version of this part is on every Jeep ever manufactured from the first Willy’s to the ones rolling off the line right now. We don’t give it much thought until it starts making noise, and by then we realize we have neglected the maintenance on such a critical part of our Jeep’s engine. The neglect is done at that point and all that’s left is to do is replace it. It is a part that goes out overtime after all, and if hasn’t happened to you yet, it still might. Have you figured it out yet? I’m talking about your fan belt, or in more modern Jeeps, a serpentine belt.
They are the same thing really, just different geometry. Now there is however a difference between a timing belt and a fan belt or serpentine belt. Timing belts are a whole different beast, and we’ll get into those in another show. Serpentine belts are designed to transfer the rotational movement of the engine to multiple peripheral accessories in your Jeep. The belts themselves are relatively inexpensive and in most cases are relatively easy to change. Belts turn the pulleys for things like the power steering pump, the alternator, and the air conditioning compressor. Belts also turn the water pump to circulate coolant from the engine to the radiator, and yes, in some cases, they still turn a fan. These accessories have very little to do with engine combustion, but in many cases, the work performed by the belt is critical to maintaining the engine and keeping it running. So like with anything else that is critical to your Jeep’s performance, it’s a good idea to do what you can to maintain it. So in this installment of Tech Talk, we’re going to go over some basic maintenance tips, cover some of the most common symptoms of a belt going out, and give you an idea of what you might be looking at to replace it. Ok, so no matter the age of the Jeep, the belt it needs will be made from rubber, and over time belts will stretch, dry out, glaze over, and eventually start to crack and split. The first thing you should know about taking care of this is to know where the belt is located. Now I know this is a “well duh” moment for a lot of you, but you’d be surprised how many Jeepers there are out there that don’t know the difference between throttle body and carburetor, let alone where certain parts may be located. The exact location of the serpentine belt may 
vary depending on the vehicle. But for Jeeps, the belt will be located at the front of the engine. When checking any belt on any vehicle, always make sure the vehicle is switched off and cooled down. Here’s what you’ll be looking for, and it’s important to look at both sides of the belt, not just the side you can see from one angle. You’ll first want to make sure the belt is aligned on the pulleys correctly. If the belt slips off the pulleys, your Jeep may not run properly or important components may lose power. This directly correlates to the belt’s tension, and its tensioner. Not all Jeeps have a tensioner, and in this case, the tension applied to the belt is done by the movement of the alternator. The tensioner is a spring-loaded pulley, and its job is to regulate the amount of tension placed on the belt to make sure it stays on the pulleys.
There is also a difference between a tensioner pulley and an idler pulley. An idler pulley is just a static location, meaning it’s just a pulley that sits there and does nothing, but is there to aid in the routing of the belt.
Now if the tension on the belt is too loose, the belt can slip off the pulleys and cause components powered by the belt to lose power. Checking the tension of a belt is pretty easy, look for the longest span between two pulleys, and press from the outside to the inside of the belt. It shouldn’t move more than about 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch. The less the better, but too much can cause strain on the engine and the bearings of the shafts that hold the pulleys. Now you’ll want to look for any signs of degradation. A common problem of older belts is called glazing. This glazing happens as the belt is polished from slipping on the pulleys. This is usually due to a lack of grip from the belt being over-worn, or from a belt 
tension problem. Once a belt glazes, it will usually never grip properly, no matter how tight it is adjusted. A glazed belt is not the only telltale that you may need a new belt. If your belt is showing signs of chapping, cracking, splitting, or fraying, then it’s pretty clear something needs to be done. Here’s a rule of thumb that you need to remember when looking at a belt… If there are more than three cracks in a one-inch space on the belt, it’s time to replace it. It’s that simple. Belts don’t need to be changed often unless they are getting old or have sustained damage. So good news for you, right? Your belt should be inspected with each oil change. Mechanics will normally check the belt to ensure no significant damage has occurred. However, checking it yourself is fairly straightforward.
So aside from regular visual inspections, there are no products that can extend your serpentine belts life. There may be stuff you can find on a shelf called belt dressing, but this is more or less snake oil, and with the low cost of a new belt, why prolong the inevitable? The visual cues that a belt is going bad are only one side of the equation. Before you inspect it visually, you may hear something that may give you a clue that the belt is bad. A high-pitched squeal when starting the Jeep or during a hard turn or when the air conditioning is turned on, are all indications that a belt may be glazed or stretched, and a replacement should be planned as soon as possible. Now here’s a worst case scenario. Failure to replace a worn serpentine belt will result in poor engine performance and, eventually, no performance at all. A glazed or stretched belt does not grip and turn the pulleys; instead it slips across them, leading to fewer turns of the pulley than it should have for the RPM of the engine. Water pumps will not circulate coolant as well, leading to a higher running temperatures and inefficient engine performance. Alternators will not supply as much electricity, which will shorten battery life or cause weak spark and poor fuel economy. Air conditioner compressors will not turn as fast and the interior of the Jeep will not be as cool as expected. A frayed, cracked or squealing belt will eventually break, and none of the accessories will function. Your steering will become very difficult, the air conditioner will blow warm air, and the Jeep will only run until the stored power of the battery is depleted or you overheat and are forced to pull over or the engine will just seize. So as you can see, staying on top of your serpentine belt’s condition is pretty important. Ok, so how hard of a job is this? In most cases it’s relatively straightforward. Using a long breaker bar, you’ll get a socket on the tensioner pulley, for 4.0L the tensioner is controlled by a threaded rod, whose adjustment is controlled by a bolt that is on top of the power steering pulley.
Either way, you’ll relieve the tension of the belt as you slide it off the nearest pulley.
Note how the belt is routed, (take a picture before hand if you have to, or if you don’t have a sticker somewhere that shows you the routing of the belt for reference,) remove the belt from the engine, and the engine bay. Putting on the new belt is as easy as routing it to where it needs to go, in the same way the old one was, save for the last pulley, where you will once again, disengage the tensioner and slip the belt over the last pulley, usually the same one that you pulled the belt off of in the beginning. If your Jeep doesnt have a tensioner pulley, then that likely means you’ll have to loosen up the alternator adjustment bracket. Same as before, remove tension, remove belt, replace belt, apply tension. One other note here, it’s a good idea while the belt is off to inspect the pulley’s too. Look for gouges, bends, and get your hands on each and every one. Really reef on it from all angles, and if you feel any play at all, you’re looking at replacing that part. Sometimes it’ll just be a pulley replacement, and sometimes, the whole unit like the water pump, alternator, or power steering pump will have to be replaced. But that’s it, no special tools required aside from a long pry bar. Yes there are special serpentine belt tools, but these are not required for this kind of a job on most Jeeps.
A serpentine belt tool is basically in most cases, just a skinnier version of a breaker bar and socket together, giving you a little more room to work with, making the job a little easier. Again, not required, but if you’re into tools, it’s good to have one around.
The average cost of a belt replacement varies on the engine in your Jeep, but you can expect to pay between $25 and $75 for a belt. If you were to take your Jeep to have this done at a shop, the average labor rate will usually be about one solid hour. Depending on the shop this could be as little as $50 or as much as $120 or more.
Compare the cost of a socket set and a breaker bar against a $200 repair. Uh-huh. The sooner you take care of a bad belt, the cheaper it will be in the long run. Now I suppose some of you may want to know about the “While you’re in there’s” for this. Oddly enough there aren’t too many, but here are a couple that comes to mind. While you have the belt off, consider an overdrive pulley for your power steering 
pump. These are oftentimes frowned upon as they make your power steering pump work harder than it was intended to. But the principle is simple. At lower RPM a smaller pulley will spin faster, giving you better steering response under load at a lower engine speed. This kind of job usually requires a special tool called a pulley puller, and they oftentimes can be rented from your local parts stores for next to nothing. You may also want to consider swapping out the fan clutch or going to an electric fan and freeing up some engine space and horsepower. Note that if you change any pulley, or remove one from the equation with something like an air conditioner delete, then you’ll need to change your belt length. Well Jeeper, I hope this helps, I know I just gave you something else that you have to worry about on your Jeep, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Jeep Talk Show Interview
Jerry Huber
The Man Behind The Toledo Jeep Fest!
Don’t forget, if you want more info about the Toledo Jeep Fest, just go to https://www.toledojeepfest.com/
Coming up next week… Sam Herren from Offroad Airbuddy
Jeep Life – With Jeep Momma
Well, I got my Jeep back finally. It feels good. My Jeep was in the shop for an oil leak. It was weird getting back in the drivers’ seat though. I felt like I was driving a semi. I took my son to Mt. Rushmore this past weekend and I rented a Toyota Camry so I was used to being down low to the road. It took a while to get readjusted to driving my lifted Jeep. The oil leak is fixed which is good news.
What happened was I started to see oil spots on the driveway and in the garage. So I got under my Jeep and looked. UGH!!! I was quite sad. I wasn’t exactly sure what happened. I shared the problem and pictures with a Jeep friend of mine and now a new fan of the Jeep Talk Show, he said it looked like the oil filter housing adapter needs to be replaced. I took it to a mechanic here in Minnesota and my friend was right. The mechanic that is helping me says he sees this type of leak a lot because people over-torque the plastic part and it cracks, plus cold temperatures make it worse. And we got below zero a few times here in Minnesota. Plus it looks like this issue is a design flaw….The Chrysler Pentastar V6 oil filter housing and cooler assembly for 3.2L and 3.6L engines can become warped, brittle, and crack over time with constant exposure to engine bay heat. They say this serious flaw in the design of the Pentastar oil filter housing and cooler assembly often results in severe oil and coolant leaks and can have catastrophic consequences. Over the years there has been speculation that Chrysler cut a few corners with the Pentastar V6 and the original equipment parts. The plastic oil filter housing and cooler assembly are one example. The number of complaints about this part is staggering. There have been so many complaints – with the OE replacements even, that Chrysler has discontinued the manufacturing of the Pentastar oil filter housing and cooler assembly. Even more surprising is that Chrysler has known about this problem for a long time and has never issued a recall.
I called around and three major auto parts stores shared, that the factory part is no longer available and claimed it hasn’t been available for a year and a half. So I tried to go with the Dorman Aluminum upgrade. That part is not available right now. If you suspect this problem in your Jeep you better start hunting for the part now. The Dorman aluminum aftermarket part is very, very hard to get. If one does come in it doesn’t stay in the store for more than a day.
I found the aftermarket part. $259.99. You need to buy the manifold set too, $51.99 is easy to get. It’s still plastic but not the OEM part Standard Autos Part which will also work.
I was informed by a friend who works for a garage that Jeep shows the OEM part is in stock. which I don’t believe it’s truly in stock, but I never checked.
The OEM part is listed at $424 WOW!!! $160 more for the c
OEM. I am hoping my oil leak woes are solved because I still have some work to do on my Jeep fixing unfinished work from the previous garage I was using. Installing aftermarket lower control arm brackets and the one shock mount. Plus, finishing the work on the axle truss.
Links Mentioned in this Episode
NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/
Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver
The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/
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