Mahindra CJ340 joins Team-BHP family

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

How may times I must have mentioned this but people still pay good money to spoil their vehicles. What can you do except pity the vehicle.

Heh, heh, heh... you make this statement and I go ahead and do the following.





Ok, my CJ340 just got composite fiber leaf sets installed. This is the first set made for a SWB Jeep, I volunteered to be the guinea pig. However, I don't think this is a radical mod. I heard that Boleros did come with factory installed CF leafs couple of years back. I am not sure whether it was from the same CF leaf manufacturer.

When it landed in my office 12 days back, I was quite apprehensive. I knew original U-clamps won't fit, and I was worried about the shackle angle and compression of the shocks at normal conditions. However, I couldn't do much about it immediately since I got busy at work, mahindra workshop got busy with the festival holidays and the rush afterwards to dwell into this experiment.



Meanwhile, I discussed the problem with many Team-BHP gurus and finally decided to go for a shorter U-clamp than use extra shim packs. I even took the help of a veteran taxi owner/driver (the Innova driver who came to Munnar with me) to go U-clamp hunting and finally found something that appears to fit. I just bought a single pair for testing.



Finally the Jeep went to Mahindra workshop today. The leaf specialist there took some time understanding the CF leaf. We still didn't know whether the OE shackle will fit or what is the effect on the shocks.

At 4PM I get the call. The U-clamp fits perfectly and they had similar sized U-clamp in the part shop for the other side. What's more, the OE shackle and OE shocks too fit perfectly. Now the Jeep slightly raised by 3/4 of a inch. The shackle has slightly moved inward, and the shocks maintain their original position.

Now let me do the pics do the talking.















Look at the gap in the wheel arch.



Finally goodbye to the uneven traditional leaf set. Since they were of different strength (old vs new leafs), I always had a tilted rear side. Now it is much better.



BTW, the Service Advisor told me that some Boleros used to come with factory fitted CF leafs. But he is not sure from which CF manufacturer. He also said they used to shed layers along the surfaces. Hopefully this is a newer gen CF leaf.

[Jaggu]

How is the ride now? Is it better and whats your verdict after your exploits at office trail?

[vinod_nookala]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Finally goodbye to the uneven traditional leaf set. Since they were of different strength (old vs new leafs), I always had a tilted rear side. Now it is much better.

BTW, the Service Advisor told me that some Boleros used to come with factory fitted CF leafs. But he is not sure from which CF manufacturer. He also said they used to shed layers along the surfaces. Hopefully this is a newer gen CF leaf.

Samurai, since your CFl's are new there should not be a tilt to right side at all what so ever. If you still notice some tilt do check the body beds, as this might be the cause. Even my 540 has slight tilt towards right, i stopped caring about it. How is the ride quality now? Your jeeps rear is raised, not as per original specifications of CJ 340. I somehow feel they are too expensive for the benefit what you get. Anyway iam awaiting your unbiased input on CFL.

Bolero's never came with CFL factory fitted. I think few sets were provided to area office vehicles to test their performance. Even old gen Scorpio's had them, but never made it to mass producion.

[Samurai]

I haven't done the office trail yet. But then that trail is not harsh at all, it is full of soft mud, grass and green bushes. But I had to drive through Udupi and Manipal roads, which are as harsh as they come. So I let it rip through every pothole while coming back.

Before I continue I have to mention one thing. Just two weeks back, both the rear shocks had been changed since one of them was close to failing. With the new shocks, the ride had become much harsher.

With the CF leafs, I can see that the jerks have smoothened. When I rip through a big pothole I feel undulation, but not the sharp kick in the butt like before. I can drive through a series of pothole at 30kmph without wincing in anticipation of the kick.

I have only done 10kms so far, I'll be able to comment more by the weekend I suppose.

Is it as smooth as a sedan on a highway... NO. But it smoother than a sedan on a potholed road, and you can go faster.

[swastikviji]

Hi Samurai,
Finally you fitted CFL for CL 340, Expecting a detailed report from you,

[Samurai]

This is really weird, somebody has posted the first post of this thread as their own in an Australian 4x4 forum.

How to live with a CJ340 or similar Jeep? - AUSJEEPOFFROAD.COM

[DKG]

Bizzare. I wonder why someone would do that. And the funny bit is a different conversation seems to have started too. How did you discover this? Wouldn't be surprised if that RXD character gets traced to someone who is a regular here !!

[Samurai]

I tried to reach one of my first CJ340 thread, and googling is a faster way to that. There I saw this strange link with the same title.

BTW, my Jeep just had a breakdown in the office parking lot. Yeah, I know it is very convenient. But I am worried. I just took it out to pickup my son from school, drop him home and back to office. As I parked and started walking away, I suddenly hear a loud hissing noise. The coolant was gushing out in a high pressue spray from under the Jeep. Looks like a water hose breakage. I quickly turned on the key and found the temp meter at 120C.

What the hell? How hot it can get in a 4Km on-road drive? I wasn't looking at the temp meter I confess, it was a short drive after all. Is the thermostat jammed... anyway I'll call the nearby mechanic when it cools down.

[DKG]

Wow I thought we had heard the last of that !! Hadn't you put in a new cooling system? Radiator, hoses and water pump?

[Samurai]

Neighbourhood mechanics did a house visit. A cracked water hose pipe, the lower one. They removed the hose pipe. I looked at the spare hose pipe I had, I noticed few cracks. Decided not to use it. I'll get new OE pipes by tomorrow.

Meanwhile the garage owner who had come with mechanic kept going around looking with wonder at the Winch, alloys, composite fiber springs, etc. I can imagine his POV, it must look like an alien.

[svsantosh]

Did you restart it yet?

Remember Behram's 1st post here... (#8). Any increase in temp will lead to Immediate Seizure!! If you saw 120, then it must have gone beyond the 120' mark coz the meter wont gauge more than that. Hope all is right.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Did you restart it yet?

Restart? Without the hose pipes? C'mon.

Originally Posted by svsantosh

Remember Behram's 1st post here... (#8). Any increase in temp will lead to Immediate Seizure!! If you saw 120, then it must have gone beyond the 120' mark coz the meter wont gauge more than that. Hope all is right.

The hose pipe didn't crack until I started walking away from the parked Jeep. I tracked the path taken by the Jeep until the gate, not a drop on the ground.

What follows is pure logical deduction on my part:

Once the engine is switched off, the water pump stops sucking water from the radiator. That change in pressure may have broken the last straw on the dying water hose. I don't know how else to explain the rapture after I starting walking away from the Jeep.

End of deduction.

Now, I checked the the engine temp two minutes after rupture, it was at max 120C. That is when most of the coolant was gone. I don't know the engine temp just before the rupture.

Where is the engine temp really measured? It is the water temperature or somewhere else? Can the meter show higher value if the coolant is lost?

[star_aqua]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Where is the engine temp really measured? It is the water temperature or somewhere else? Can the meter show higher value if the coolant is lost?

Ok you had missed this part for identification. marked is the temp sensor which measures water temp in the water column of the engine head. i dont think it can show higher value if the coolant is lost as the sensing part will be in no contact with water, but steam will be present which will not let the temp go down.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Where is the engine temp really measured? It is the water temperature or somewhere else? Can the meter show higher value if the coolant is lost?

The meter is connected to a electrode that goes right into the block/head and is internally exposed to the water. So yes it measures the water temp which is a fair reflection of the engine temp as the sole obective of that water is to evacuate the heat.

Invariably when a car comes to a halt engine temp rises as the cooling efficiency goes down. A healthy modern engine can run as high as 108 C in city traffic without damage. Your 120 does not reflect running temp just that burst in temp as you switched off.

Chances are the coolant may have leaked out over time and the engine ran hotter because of low coolant. Since you didn't have steam bellowing out while driving chances are this happened only as you switched the engine off and the usual temp rise caused the rupture.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Restart? Without the hose pipes? C'mon.

Oh No, What I meant to write was did you get a chance to fix the old/hard pipe, refill with water and try to restart and check for some abnormal bore/piston noises. Anyways, since you clarified that your mech's are on it, please share progress.