These Go to 24!

In Spinal Tap, Nigel Tufnel is always bragging about his amplifiers "These go to 11!" We all know that the markings on the knob have no effect on the actual ability of the amp to put out high sound pressure levels (SPL) but it does give Nigle bragging rights and maybe helps him feel better on stage.

Some of us with military G's have similar distinction because the old military G-Wagons were outfitted for radio gear and feature 24V power. Unlike their British cousins that have 24V just for the radio gear and 12V for the truck, the G-Wagons feature a 24V throughout. This means, we have 24V starters, blowers, lights, alternators, wipers and glow plugs. I've owned both 12V and 24V 300GD wagons and while the 24V is kind of a pain to maintain, it does have some advantages.

First let's talk about the challenges.

• If you leave your lights on and the batteries drain, you will need two cars or two batteries to jump start the truck. (I keep two sets of jumper cables in my car.)
• When replacing the battery, you will need two rather than one.
• Just about every electrical part from the light bulbs to the starter are harder to source and expensive to replace.
• There are a limited number of 24V entertainment options. 
• You will need a to charge your batteries one at a time if using a wall charger. 

Now the advantages.

• The 24V starter seems to be better at turning over the engine. 
• I've always been able to start the car even when it super cold, even when it below zero fahrenheit. Do the glow plugs work better, I'm not sure. 
• I had two batteries wired in parallel with a quick disconnect relay in a 12V 300GD so it always had current to spare, but the dual 12V batteries in the 24V G wired in series seem to perform better. 

The electrical system in the 300GD is very simple. That is why many of us like it so much. Once started, an OM617 engine does not even need electricity to operate. There are no computers, no fancy electronics, and no ignition system. In fact, a vacuum system is used to turn the engine off. So having a 24V 300GD is really not a big issue. You would think that having a 24V car and getting accessories is a big deal, but when you think of all the 24V tractors and trucks on the market, it is really not that big of a deal.

Need a 24V phone charger? No problem. Need a radio? Simply get a 24V tractor radio. There are even options with bluetooth and USB interfaces. Want to upgrade to LED headlights? Many LED kits support 24V. Here are some resources to help.

Dash Lights

Dash lights seem to go out on just about every G-Wagon. While I have not been able to find a good 24V LED replacement, I was able to find 3rd party replacements. CEC Industries #2741MF Bulbs, 24 V, 1.2 W T-1.5 shape fit right into the back of any of the instruments for illumination or indicators on your G. They are a great value and look the same as the factory originals. 

24V Tunes

Hitachi, Komatsu and Kato tractors all feature 24V electrical systems and owners need music. So a quick search for tractor radios will show many options. The Esperia Heavy Duty 2 Way Car Truck Radio Excavator Radio is a good option and maintains the utilitarian look of your truck. Even though it is a single DIN radio, it will take a little work to mount, but it is rugged, sounds pretty good and will look great in your dash. Note that it has a strange wire harness that I could not find a plug for. I ended up cutting the wires and installing my own harness for easy quick disconnect. Also there are is no EQ at all. I mounted a couple of waterproof outdoor patio speakers behind the seats and it sounds pretty darn good. 

LED Headlights

Simply look for any H4 headlight that supports 24V. I found the Gppower 80w 6400LM car Cree Led Headlights bulbs 12-24V and they work great. They are not any brighter than 12V LED options but they are WAY better than the standard halogen bulbs and use a LOT less current. 

I've heard some 24V G owners converting their trucks back to 12V. It would not be that difficult but after owning a 24V version, I would say the advantages are way better than the inconveniences. Sure you can probably update the entire truck to 12V for the price of a 24V alternator and heater blower, I'll keep mine at 24V thank you. Because while my 24V 300GD does not run any faster than a standard 12V version, Like Nigel, I do feel superior to everyone else because let's face it, "This One Goes to 24!"

My Other Car is a G-Wagon

The 300GD is a great car to drive around town, and even better when there is a need to check out the back country here at Rocky Point Preserve, but for a trip down to the valley or a longer road trip, the OM617 can be a little loud, cold and underpowered.

I just can't get a new car and was in need of something that can get back to the preserve up Tollgate Canyon in the winter. For a while I was driving a Jeep Wrangler, but it just did not feel right. Years ago I owned a Jeep Cherokee, the old XJ version that was made from 1984-2001. It was the first Jeep to feature unibody construction and had the most awesome 4.0L fuel injected inline 6. In my mind, the early Jeep Cherokee bridged the gap between the G-Wagon and other early capable 4x4s and the new breed of family SUVs. The thing is, the Jeep XJ still has the drivetrain, engine and capabilities of a great 4x4.

According the the Wikipedia entry:

Automotive journalist Robert Cumberford, writing for Automobile, called the Jeep XJ one of the 20 greatest cars of all time — for its design, and "possibly the best SUV shape of all time, it is the paradigmatic model to which other designers have since aspired". The XJ was also selected in 2011 as one of "10 cars that refuse to die" by Kiplinger.

Since so many were produced and because of reliability of the 4.0L engine, there are a bunch of these around and they can be had for such a low price that many feel them to be a disposable 4x4. I decided to start looking for one to be my next 4x4 project car. I was lucky enough to find a 2001 accident free automatic with just over 100K miles that drove well but needed some TLC. $2500 and I had my next Jeep XJ.

First I gave it a quick 3" lift, replace all the springs, put in new bushings, new steering damper, had all the fluids flushed and replaced, replaced the failed thermostat, breaks and replaced the radiator and hoses. The car ran pretty good but it looked like hell. There was surface rust and the interior was in pretty bad shape. Once the mechanicals were sorted out, it was time to focus on the body.

I decided to try out the newest local body shop Cascade Collision and started to come up with a plan. We would sand blast the car, cover it with epoxy, get it straight, prime it and repaint it... YELLOW. I took the car home to remove the interior and get it ready for the shop. The one thing I was most worried about were the floor pans. But GREAT NEWS, there was absolutely no signs of rust under the carpet or anywhere on the interior.

Once back at the body shop and sand blasted a quick look over showed just a couple of minor spots that needed attention. The body was very serviceable.  The guys at the shop quickly started pulling the car apart and working on the body, replacing the front door hinges and getting it ready for primer.

It took the shop almost 3 months because winter is fender bender season and the shop got very busy, but finally we got some color on the car and it looks great.

Pulling apart the car for painting allowed us to make sure it would look more like a full restoration rather than a respray. Once the car is together, it will be very difficult to figure out the car was ever blue. More importantly, there will be almost no place water and salt can penetrate and cause rust. 

While at the shop, I had cascade assemble and install the Smittybilt XRC front and rear bumpers, the rock sliders and application of the black matching coating along the bottom of the body.

Once I picked up the car, it was time to rebuild the interior. Over the next two weeks I installed new carpeting, seats, dynaliner, stereo, speakers and headlights. I worked with my little guy, Delynger to get the winch installed and add a bull bar. I also ordered new wheels and worked with Discount Tire to fit serious all terrain tires. I also added a new larger throttle body, throttle spacer and Airaid filter system. I feel like I'm getting about 10% more HP out of the 4.0 L inline 6.

Now my "Yellow Jacket" is mostly complete (are they ever really complete?), it is be ready for a sticker on the bumper... "My Other Car is a G-Wagon"

2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ At Rocky Point Preserve, Park City UT

OM617 - Every Engine Needs This

Readers to this blog know that I have had a couple of OM617 engines both turbo and naturally aspirated. I love these engines! While they don't put out much in the way of power, they are extremely reliable, easy to work on and virtually bullet proof.

If you have one, here are four simple things you should do:

1. Keep the fuel filters clean. 

When I got "The Turtle" it was way underpowered and seemed to lose power on even the smallest hill. This is common for the little 3L diesel, but it just felt starved. Replacing both the primary and main fuel filters was an instant cure. Remember older cars may have small flakes of stuff in the fuel tank so changing at least the primary filter often is a good idea. This is easy to do and does not cost much.

2. Clean Prechambers

Prechamber Reamer

Removing the glow plugs and reaming the prechambers is kind of a pain, but a couple hours under the hood and you will see a huge performance in cold starts and much smoother running engine.

3. Adjust those Valves

These engines don't self-adjust like newer engines do. I've gotten into the habit of taking my trucks into a good independent local Mercedes shop and having them adjust the valves couple of years. You could do it yourself but my shop does not charge that much. The engine sounds better, starts better, runs smoother and gets better gas mileage.

4. Diesel Purge

Running some diesel purge through your engine, especially high mileage ones, will clean that carbon from the fuel system, help keep the prechambers clean and restore performance. When you first get your OM617 powered car, run two cans through it and do a single can purge again every year thereafter. Remember to change your fuel filter after the purge. There will be TONS of gunk freed up during the process. CLICK HERE for detailed instructions on how to diesel purge an OM617.

5. ALDA on the OM617a Turbo

If you have an OM617, make sure the ALDA is clean and working. You can even look at doing an adjustment. CLICK HERE for instructions and more info.

I bet the previous owners of the trucks I've purchased would have never sold them if they performed these simple four steps on their OM617 power plants. Together, these simple maintenance tips will make you fall in love with your 300 again.