So this Jeep I got (related stories) last month has a hard time starting in the morning. Neighbours know when Im leaving because it takes forEVER to get started. As soon as it's started, it runs fairly smooth aside from the odd misfire here and there, but it seems to suck a lot of gas for a 4cylinder.

Today (well yesterday really) I decided to crawl under it and give her a little TLC. I got parts for an oil & filter change, fuel filter change, air filter change, new spark plugs and eventually new spark plug wires. I drained the goopy oil out (I'll probably have to do it again shortly, use this fresh oil to pick up the goo and take it with it when I drain it)

After the air filter, oil filter and oil drain & fill, I moved on to the fuel filter. After I found it (it was tucked up under it's own skid plate behind the left rear tire) it was a cast-iron motherflower to get off. Turns out that those were probably the factory original hose clamps on it. Johnny Rotten came over to give me a hand with it and we eventually got it off without spilling too much fuel and got the new one in. We fired the jeep up (which is still in need of a name.. I'll post a pic and take suggestions later this weekend after I wash it) and it ran pretty smooth, and we checked for leaks anywhere, and there were none.

Ya think this might be part of the problem??? So much for .035 gap!

Finally, while I was putting the skid plate back on over the fuel filter, John went to start taking the plugs out. I heard him swearing that it was on there good and then heard the “SHIT! MOTHER-F---ER!” and just KNEW that he broke the wire. :) so we pulled the rest of them and took the plugs out and then ran back into town to get a new set of wires (they really needed to be replaced anyway...) We gapped the new plugs and installed them and the new wires. We fired it up and it started RIGHT AWAY. I'll see what happens tomorrow morning when I start it after it's been sitting overnight. When I fuel up tomorrow I'll dump in some fuel injector cleaner and then that should be all she wrote.

It's Paulie's birthday today, the big four-five. He's probably started already, but we're having a big piss-up at Rackham's tonight around 7:30 or so. It seems like to long ago, but I remember when he turned 40... I think his final count of shots was in the range of 35, plus beers. He was SO WRECKED, but he showed up for work the next day, looking like he was run through the proverbial wringer and pulled his weight all day. In getting him so soused, we got pretty messed up as well. I'm going to TRY and take it easy tonight, but I might end up leaving my Jeep at Rackham's and hitching a ride home if it gets ugly.