Episode 748 – Are RED Jeeps Sexy?

This Week In Jeep

Jeep’s Full-Sized Wagoneer Ready To Off-Road Race in The Desert! 

We all know by now that Jeep has resurrected the infamous Wagoneer line of full-sized Jeeps. And when I say full size, I mean behemoth. The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are arguably the largest vehicles that Jeep has ever made and their focal point has been from the start, more luxury than capability. That being said, Jeep didn’t skimp on what the Waggy is capable of. Its towing prowess is admirable, its tech is cutting edge, and with the available 500+ HP AND Torque, from the twin-turbo inline-six Hurricane engine, these new big-body Jeeps are nothing short of amazing. But how much “Jeep” are they still at the core with all that luxury and tech?  With a price tag that STARTS just under $70K, the full-size Wagoneer probably isn’t the first Jeep people think of taking off-road, let alone turning into a modified and more capable off-roader.

Despite its cost and overall size, the Wagoneer still has the off-road prowess that has made the brand what it is today. Certainly more capable than virtually any other SUV in its class. Would you disagree? To find out what this giant Jeep is really capable of, Lubricant specialist MOTUL decided to make some modifications to a 2022 Series One Jeep Wagoneer. But we’re talking way more than just some bigger springs and tires here. In fact, this build became a tribute to the 45th running of the infamous Dakar Rally. If you should know anything about the Dakar Rally it is this. It is a race that takes place over the course of 10 to 15 days consisting of nearly 10,000 miles across some of the most brutal desert terrain you can imagine. It started in 1978 and is still today considered one of the most grueling off-road rally events on the planet. Now despite the Jeeps, you see in events like King of the Hammers, The Dakar is rarely run with production-class vehicles. However, the precedent was set with Jeep and the Dakar back in 2012 when Mark McMillin, a decorated racing champion, drove a WK-generation Grand Cherokee in the world’s grandest rally. Still, this Wagoneer won’t be the first vehicle in the minds of North American fans of both Motul and the race this year. Ok so let’s get into the build itself. They started with a 2022 Wagoneer Series I Carbide 4×4 in white. Going with this particular model allowed the team to take advantage of its conventional suspension system, rather than the air suspension system found on the more premium Wagoneers and the Grand Wagoneer. That makes sense, right? Why try to mess with all that crap, and “Keep It Simple Stupid”…. They then modified a 2.5″ RAM 2500 lift kit from Readylift to work on the Waggy front end. Oddly enough, they’re not too dissimilar. The rear suspension was completely custom to provide enough carrying capacity for the amount of onboard support gear this Jeep may end up holding, all while still eating up the terrain found in desert racing.

Along with the custom MOTUL-themed graphics wrap on the exterior, the Modified Waggy needed some new shoes. The team went with a set of 18″ Black Chase wheels from Rhino wrapped in 35″ BFG All-Terrain KO2 tires. An UltraSwing Multi-Fit Spare Tire Hitch Mount was installed on the back, along with a jerry can mount and license plate relocation kit. Unfortunately, this Waggy isn’t likely going to see any ACTUAL race action and is instead going to be used as a promotional vehicle for the MOTUL marketing and media teams that are out covering desert events like the King of the Hammers, Overland Expo, and the like. There are rumors, however, that they may potentially use it as a chase vehicle for the upcoming Baja 1000. Now that would be pretty cool. What do you think Jeeper? Check out these pics of this incredible full-size Jeep and let us know what you think!

Jeep Was #1 In This Category For 2022

This month, Jeep’s parent-company Stellantis reported Jeep’s annual sales in the U.S. slid in 2022 by 12% compared to 2021 but noted that roughly 1 in 4 Jeep Wranglers sold last year was a plug-in hybrid, Wrangler 4xe. That amounted to more than 43,000 Wrangler 4xe models sold in 2022, which was up 46% compared to 2021. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe was introduced in 2020 for the 2021 model year and pairs a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors—one engine-mounted motor and another transmission-mounted motor—powered by a 17-kWh lithium-ion battery pack to make 375 combined horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The EPA rates the 4xe’s all-electric driving range at just 22 miles and a 20-mpg combined rating. It’s the least-efficient non-luxury plug-in hybrid but that didn’t stop buyers from picking it more often than any other PHEV on sale from any other automaker. Making the 4xe Wrangler, the best-selling hybrid in America for all of 2022. If you’re considering getting a 4xe for yourself, here’s something you should know that may help… at least for now.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe will qualify for the revised EV tax credit, passed last year as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. However, time may be running out, because battery-sourcing requirements may end up reducing the incentive past March. 

For now, though, the 2023 Jeep Wrangler qualifies for up to $7,500 back from the feds (plus any applicable state incentive), thanks to its $56,530 starting price, including mandatory destination fees. So is America’s best-selling hybrid vehicle for all of 2022 destined to be in your driveway in 2023? Let us know!

Do the Crime – Do The Time

So Tony… I imagine down in Texas, the authorities down there don’t take too kindly to people stealing the mail, do they?…………. Well, about two and a half hours east of you, In Beaumont Texas, the local Postal Service began receiving mail theft complaints regarding various collection boxes in January of 2022. Responding to the complaints, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) installed security cameras back in February of 2022 so that some of the blue deposit boxes could be monitored at all times. The cameras saw everything and recorded mail thefts on nine days throughout February. The surveillance footage showed that the thefts were being conducted by at least two individuals, working as a team to steal mail and packages from these USPS blue deposit boxes. The thieves appeared to be utilizing a key to access the contents of the boxes, allowing for quick removal of the contents of each blue deposit box. 

The cameras also got a good look at the getaway vehicle, a dark, newer-model Jeep Cherokee. After discovering a pattern, the Postal Inspection Service coordinated a live surveillance operation in late February 2022 with the cooperation of the Beaumont Police Department. At about 1:45 a.m. one morning, police spotted the Jeep near a post office facility. Unfortunately, the Jeep sped away and was able to elude officers before they could pull it over. Now I don’t know about you, but after a long night of felony mail theft and eluding, I get a mighty big hankering for a big mac. Less than an hour later, officers spotted the Jeep at a McDonald’s restaurant in Beaumont. Officers entered the parking lot, leading the thieves to gain speed away in the Jeep. Officers chased the Jeep, continuing onto parts of Interstate 10 at over 130 mph. The men inside the Jeep were seen throwing mail and at least one gun from the vehicle….like that was going to stop them. Oh shit, dispatch, that was a greeting card from somebody’s grandma! 

STOP THE CHASE! END PURSUIT!

Spike strips were eventually deployed and proved to be successful in damaging the fleeing vehicle’s wheels, but like we have heard so many times before, that ain’t gonna stop a Jeep. The vehicle continued to travel for some time without tires, though the Jeep was eventually stopped without a single patrol car being rammed to the point of being completely out of commission. The driver’s name is Dontae Dewey McGee, of Houston, and he was sentenced on Jan. 11th to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $55,372 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail theft. He admitted to buying a key from someone to unlock the blue mailboxes and to stealing mail. He also admitted to throwing stolen mail from the stolen Jeep. 

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

TOPIC/QUESTION: Finding Exhaust Leaks – Tip/Trick

One of the most common issues with Jeep motors as they age is leaks in the exhaust system. Aside from the occasional oil leak, this is arguably the most common issue found on used, especially older Jeeps. In fact, it’s one of the most common problems with the venerable 4.0L Inline Six. Leaks in the exhaust system on a Jeep can happen in any number of ways. One of the most common ways for an exhaust leak to occur is simply driving your Jeep. Whenever you cycle a vehicle’s engine on and off, by driving it for a while like on a run to the store, on your way to or from work, or even on the trail, it experiences extreme temperatures. Over time, this expansion and contraction from the engine and all the exhaust components heating up and cooling off can lead to small leaks in your manifold gasket or other components. So what exactly is going on with a Jeep when it has an exhaust leak? The exhaust system is for all intents and purposes a sealed system, one way in, one way out, much like your digestive system. The intake takes in the air, mixes it with fuel, and burns it in the engine, which then takes that burnt air and fuel and pushes it out of the exhaust system. The pressure within this system is called back pressure, and it serves many important roles. First, it helps generate load on the engine creating a specific power band where HP and Torque are at their highest and most efficient. It also serves part of the role of keeping the engine temperature in its ideal range. The cooling system may do the lion’s share of this role, but how well the engine breathes or doesn’t breathe also has a great effect on its operating temperature. If the exhaust system has a leak this perfect balance is interrupted. Now on older Jeeps, this can mean something as simple as a rough idle, maybe some loss of power, and a change in the exhaust note.

For newer Jeeps with multiple sensors throughout the exhaust system, a leak can cause all sorts of havoc if left untreated for too long. The system will see the leak and the onboard computers will try to compensate for the imbalance of back pressure. This can cause engine overheating, poor fuel economy, and severe power losses, and in severe cases, it can prevent the Jeep’s engine from idling or even starting. The check engine light may come on as the o2 sensors will be all out of whack and this may cause you to fail a smog inspection if your state requires them.  Ok so now that we know what exhaust leaks are, and what sort of issues they can cause, how do we track them down so we can figure out how to fix them? Oftentimes the culprit is a known area of concern like on the 4.0L it’s the exhaust manifold or header. For the 3.6L it’s the collector flange.

Every Jeep has its known exhaust problems, but if you know what to look or listen for, the fix is easy if you catch it soon enough. Exhaust leaks may also be able to be tracked down by ear, by simply listening to where it’s coming from. Is it front or rear, left or right or center? Is it up high or down low? Does it go away when it gets warmer?  These can help you narrow it down, but the leak may still be in an area where you can’t see or get to easily. For this, we need to pinpoint the leak and for that, I give you the shop vac hack. You’ll need a good size shop vac for this, so if it can fit in a grocery bag, it’s probably too small. And no, your home vacuum isn’t going to cut it either, but if it’s all you got it may be just barely enough, and something is better than nothing. Also, the Jeep will need to be dead cold for this, so let it sit for a good long time if you’ve just driven it. Besides, most exhaust leaks are worse on a cold Jeep than a hot one, so you’ll have a better chance of pinpointing the leak anyways. You’ll want to take the shop vac, and swap the hose from the sucking port to the blow port, basically turning the vacuum into a blower. Then with the other end of the hose, you’re going to shove it up the tailpipe of the Jeep and tape it up good and tight. 

It’s ok, it’ll only be for a moment. Whisper sweet nothings to it first if you have to. Caress it gently, whatever it takes. Then turn on the vac-turned blower. Using a spray bottle of water and dish soap, go around from the muffler to the manifold and spray the soapy water on every inch of the exhaust. And I mean douse it, don’t be stingy with this, really soak everything, to be sure you don’t miss something. Don’t worry, it’s just soapy water and it will rinse or burn off easily. With the pressure being generated from the blower vac, the leak will create a positive pressure situation that when combined with the soapy water will create suds, giving you a pinpoint visual identification of exactly where the exhaust leak is. 

Now the fix may be something as simple as re-torquing the manifold bolts or replacing a gasket. It may be more serious than that and require welding or replacing something to fix the leak for good. Using this method could potentially save you hundreds or thousands of dollars at the repair shop by having most of the work done for tech before you even roll in. Well Jeeper, I hope this helps you fix that noisy Jeep exhaust once and for all. And if you end up using this tip, give us a call and let us know how it worked out for ya. 

81 Scrambler Leaf Springs

Alcan.  Custom leaf springs.  Orbit Eyes allows the leaf springs to rotate.  https://www.alcanspring.com/newpage

AMC 20 U-bolt conversion kit

https://www.bjsoffroad.com/AMC-20-U-Bolt-Style-Yoke-Kit_p_1618.html

Dana 300 U-bolt conversion kit

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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