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First, welcome to the forum! Second, please post the VIN number so we can add it to the registry, one or two of our members can pull some information about its origin and a high-level list of original specs. For the AC: first big item you'll need is the air box assembly inside the dash. I'm in the same boat as you, my 87 also came with no AC. The boxes are different, as there's no room/ provision for a location for the evaporator. Best advice there is to look for an AC equipped donor XJ. From that you'll need the dash controls, possibly the vacuum harness that'll be attached to the HVAC box. Also of course a new pair of low & high pressure hoses, compressor, condenser, plus more things I'm not thinking of at the moment. There should be a capped off plug on the driver's side inner fender well that could be used to essentially copy a dealer-installed AC setup and run all the digicals: Others should chime in and add all I'm forgetting. And again, glad you're here.

CRUISER'S MOSTLY RENIX TIPS HO INTO RENIX SWAP OCTOBER 31, 2015 SALAD 86 COMMENTS EDIT This swap is easier than some will lead you to believe. And generally Pooh-poohed by those who have never done it. Those of us who have done it, like myself, will share with you the things that need to be done for a successful swap. Just think of it as swapping in a long block. XJ Cherokee and ZJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange. 2000+ TJ Wrangler and WJ Grand Cherokee 4.0L engine blocks interchange. YJ and 1997-1999 4.0L TJ blocks will interchange in XJ/ZJ XJ/ZJ blocks, and the 2000+ TJ/WJ blocks do not interchange without significant modifications. TJ/WJ 4.0L Engine blocks underwent clean sheet design changes effective in the 1999 WJ Grand and 2000 TJ Wrangler. These blocks are not interchangeable with XJ/ZJ engine blocks. The reason is motor mount bolt holes and belt driven accessory mounting bolt holes are in different locations, or not present at all, TJ/WJ vs. XJ/ZJ. Now that we know which engines we can use, let’s get down to business. The HO and Renix have some differences but none that can’t be overcome very easily. One running change was that the rear of the head was no longer drilled and tapped for the temperature gauge sender beginning in the 96 model year. The sender can be relocated to the threaded hole in the thermostat housing taken from an HO engine. You’ll have to extend the wire to that location. Some brave souls even drill and tap the HO head at the rear for the sender. You will be using the intake and exhaust manifolds from your Renix, along with all your sensors and wiring. Since the intake ports of the HO are slightly different, you use a new Renix gasket. Exhaust ports are identical. An alternative on exhaust manifolds: As far as exhaust, you can use the Renix exhaust manifold and be fine. If you want to use the HO exhaust manifold, you must go with an HO headpipe and screw your O2 sensor into that headpipe. Standard Renix harness is plenty long to do so. A bung can be welded into the HO manifold to accept the EGR tube. You will need to use your Renix distributor as it is different than the HO design. See Tips #12 – Setting Your 4.0 to #1 TDC and #13 – Distributor Indexing to be sure you get the distributor installed correctly. The flywheel or flexplate from the Renix must be used so your CPS gets the correct signals. The valve cover from the Renix allows you to keep your CCV system intact and requires no modifications. The HO block will have a plug in the coolant galley on the driver’s side of the block, closest to the front, which needs to be removed so your Coolant Temp Sensor can be installed in it’s place just as it is on the Renix. It requires a 5/16” square drive or a modified 3/8” drive that has been ground down to fit. Do this before installing the engine. As for the knock sensor, which is located just above the oil pan on the driver’s side of the engine about mid way, all the blocks I’ve seen are threaded for it. If not, I’ve heard they may be drilled but not tapped. Tap the hole if that’s the case.

I've got a guinea pig in my driveway if you want to box 'em up. you might even get a few extra on the return trip.

After 2.5 summers of no A/C I've finally decided to bite the bullet and install it in my truck. Problem is I can't seem to find a consensus on the stuff I need to complete it. Some posts claim I need certain plugs on my engine side wiring harness and other don't even mention it at all. I know I need the new switches to control the system on the dash but I assumed that's all I needed to tell the ECU to idle higher when the compressor is on. Simply put: do I need certain connections and relays on the engine side of my truck? To make sure an A/C install would work correctly and not break anything. If I can avoid having to swap the entire wiring harness I would like that very much but if not it's just another thing to grab from the junkyard I suppose. SPECS: 1987 jeep comanche base model 4.0 I6 5SPD Manual No factory A/C but it has the brackets and mounts for compressor and I have the parts list ready otherwise.

Mine hasn't been a daily driver for 10 years and has been torn apart for resto-mod for 7 or so with another 2 years (min) to go. I figured out a while ago that I had to find satisfaction in enjoying the project - learn new skills, involve your kids (if you have them), etc.

Here is a pic of the driveshaft installed after it was shortened. A lot more compression available. There are 3 inches of splines on the transfer case out put shaft. Plenty of room for compression and extension.

I put the slip yoke on the transfer and left the u joint off the pinion. Then I pulled the yoke away from the transfer case so that it would have 1 inch of compression and measured from the center of the cap on the yoke to the flat on the pinion and got 48 inches. I took my driveshaft in today and had it shortened to 48 inches. The shop was way faster than I thought they would be. Only took them 3 hours to get it done. My truck does drive better now but it still shakes a bit. I am going to get some pinion shims ordered and get them installed. I also did drive around in 4 high with the rear shaft removed and my issues were gone so one problem fixed and on to the next one.

Beautiful!

Had a good sunset this evening.

I end up watching some car shows like B*tchin Rides or Texas Metal. One project at a time. I like working in segments also and don’t move past that segment until I get it just the way I want it.

I tagged DB Offroad's official page.

It was buried back on page 7. Here you are:

Finally got the engine started, after chasing a no start problem for 2 days. Turns out I had not pushed the common rail pressure relief valve connector all the way in Found a 2.5 diesel radiator, so now I don't need to route the cooling hoses in a stupid way. Its damn hard getting the 2.5 inch intercooler pipes to fit between the lights and the body 150C33E3-EC8C-4ED6-95E9-5BA721AFFA94.mp4

Thanks

I've looked over Cruiser's page but I can't find your write up in Tech. Know where I can find it?

I keep meaning to look into that. But also I haven't had anyone willing to help me test them so that I can go forward with something like that and sealing them up again.

Ah sweet, man. Thanks. He's going to assemble a complete short block for about $2500.

Use all of your Renix parts on the HO block. I’ve done a write up on this in Tech and Cruiser has it on his website. It’s entirely bolt in, but you’ll have to use your Renix accessories, distributor, intake, exhaust, etc.

Sounds like a plan!

I forgot about the distributor, which is different and I just so happen to have one for the 91-01 engines my my garage. I assume it'll plug and play with my existing renix ignition parts.

So my 89' Renix engine essentially took a dump. Cracked cylinder head and now I discovered a bad piston/cylinder. I had bought a 1994 cylinder head (7120) and had a valve job and resurface done on it before I discovered the bad cylinder wall/piston (yea, I know...dumb mistake of not catching the bad block). I had port matched the 7120 head to mate with my 89 Renix intake manifold. My 89 block is a 53005535 by the way. There's a dude nearby that has a freshly machined, ready-to-go 53008405 block. Its my understanding that these blocks are from 91-01 XJs. It's bored .40" over. I've got pics and video of it. Will this block fit in my 1989 Comanche? I'm trying to think of what would not make it a plug and play...Motor mounts, Knock sensor, oil filter housing, water pump, maybe? If it'll go in with no problem, then the plan would be to put on my 7120 cylinder head and run my Renix intake setup. Anything come to mind with this idea, fellas?

Another Central American beater, this one is on rt 13 in Coatepeque, Guatemala at what is now a heavy equipment mechanic. I couldn’t find anyone there, or I might have tried to trade grills or wheels. The factory roll bar is missing, and the body is in rough shape, but it’s registered, and looks like it’s been moved recently. its been there for at least 7 years according to google street view.

Oh, that's awesome! I've updated my post, but I'll go ahead and shoot him the originals too

Walk-Around and current status of the build:

Once you have the rear driveshaft out, you can take it for a rip in 4hi, see if the rear shaft missing makes a difference. If it’s been hammering against the transfer case it may be bent or something, and out of balance. I’m also not sure the standard driveshaft length charts we have necessarily apply to the later sealed output style transfer cases. And I don’t know either that the 242 is a perfect length match for the 231, or just close enough to not be a problem in most cases. I want to say when I swapped my 231 to an early-style 242 the seal was cleaning off more of the yoke than before, possibly by as much as 1/2”. But that was a long time ago. The BA10 vs AX15 may not be a perfect exact match either, Advance Adapters only guarantees their swap kit to be within 1/4”. But with as many variables in configuration as you have changed from stock, I think it’s important to do your own measurement instead of relying on a chart of stock lengths. 1/4 or an 1/8” from stock here or there might not matter individually but together the accumulated error may be too much.