Oddmodman

Alright! The wealth of information and help here is far more than I expected to receive when I checked on my post :clapping:. Thanks all very much. Oh, one question though: the short metal tubing that protrudes just a bit above where the line from the master cylinder meets the transmission, that is the bleeder valve? It's only about 3 or 4 inches long.

Does anyone have a DIY around for removing the tranny without removing the engine? I can't seem to find my service manual :oops:. I displaced it :doh: . Just don't know if it's actually possible to get all the Bell bolts out without moving the engine. The top bolts, if even possible, look like a serious FPITA to remove. FYI I believe it is a Pukegoat 5spd. Also, where the line from the master meets the tranny underneath, the short dead-ended 4in-or-so dead-end line is the bleeder correct? Just don't want to get anything wrong. Having to ask and getting correct info DOES beat making a stupid mistake, at the expense of sounding like a noob *sigh. Thx.

Changed my plan so as to lessen complexity and chances of screw-ups. Rather than cutting/trading/welding tops, I'm simply going to pound out the damage and seal it with a few beads.

Thx for the help everyone, I kinda rely on you guys :bowdown: . So, update. Bought ANOTHER comanche :fool: . *Sigh. Like I need more projects. Bought this '87 for $325 and talked him down from $350. Came with 4.0 at 190k :ack: miles , black interior, seized tranny (though had replacement 5-spd in the bed), 4.5in backcountry lift kit installed, custom bumpers, bunch of steel and random stuff in the back, oh, and comes complete with roll damage. Apparently the PO hit a snow berm about 5 years back and flipped it on its side. The top of the cab is crunched and messed up, but I figure the lift alone (which I will steal and put on my current 2.5 to 4.0 conversion project) was worth the $325. My plan with this one, is to take the black interior, bumpers, lift, and axles, and put on my main comanche, and return this new one to stock. My 2.5's donor was a truck I got with no title, so what I figure I will do, is measure and cut the new one's damage off the top, and do the same with my donor comanche, which has a nice clean top. Then I will weld the top onto the new truck (I'm a superb welder if I do say so myself, though admittedly haven't done much with this thin of metal), clean it up, grind it down, and primer it. The point of buying and fixing this new one, is to take the running gear I want, fix it up into running/relatively nice condition, turn around and sell it, and hopefully recoup my losses into my 2.5/4.0 conversion/upgrade project. That way I can still say that my truck was free! (For those of you who don't know, I got my original, nice condition comanche for free, minus an engine). What do you guys think about my body work idea? Good, bad, sell for parts...? I'll take some pics when I go out there today (it's at dad's place).

Wow, seeing the factory pic really changed what I thought about it actually. I liked it more! These things actually really remind me of LWB Samurais with hard tops.

Thought some of you might enjoy this, or be appalled. Either way. Think this is a Scrambler hardtop. Anyway, the body actually looks great, though it only takes up half of the whole machine :shake: . Btw, it's in my hometown of Fairbanks, Alaska. http://fairbanks.craigslist.org/rvs/3201443393.html

Can anyone help me out with the transfer case issue? :( What I need to know is, is it worth fixing, and if so, where do I get parts like the chain, etc. Also, what tcases mate to the ax-15, and last of all, how to tell what tcase you have. Anyone??

Thank you Hornbrod 8)

Oh, I forgot to ask, should I take the 4.0's front bumpstops and put them into the 2.5 (which will be getting the 4.0)? If so, how in the heck would I do that, there are no bolt/nut/screw heads showing or anything. If I don't have to that'd be nice too lol.

That's great info, thx for the help everybody :thumbsup: Btw, I came up with a theory about how that crack formed, which goes like this: the PO, or the PPO perhaps, broke the TC's chain, which then slammed into the top of the cover, which created the crack, and also explains why it looked like it was bulged outwards. Also, the cover looks to be aluminum, which can be fixed/welded, but it would be a pain, not to mention that I'd have to replace the chain itself and anything else that was potentially damaged, so I'd like to know what people think concerning whether I should fix it or simply get another TC (possible upgrade). Having said that, how do you tell what TC you have, and what TC's are compatible with and desirable for the AX-15?

Is there also a tag on the rear axles to tell the ratio, or do you actually have to crack it to inspect the gears themselves?

Bummer about the ratio, thx for the info though. And yes, I'm positive it's a crack, I can look through it and see gears. Sorry I don't have a camera, so inable to post pics up, otherwise I'd show you!

Oh, gotcha. Seems I mixed up the ratio formula from the diff gears and the diff tag :oops: . My bad. Ok, so what's so bad about 3.07? Wouldn't that be a good thing for mpg? And thx :cheers: PS, I realize I'm coming across as a :dunno: :help: , but can't help it, sorry :doh:

Ok, another update, and some more questions. I'm closing in on my goal. After I pulled the 4.0's engine/tranny/tcase all together, I noticed that there was a crack in the top of the tcase, it's about an inch from the seam that meets the tranny. The crack itself is about 3 inches long, and doesn't spider outwards. My question is, can I weld it and use it? It is at the top of the case, I don't see any reason to discard the case if it works, all the crack does is make me worry about leaking fluid. Also, which numbers do you use from the front diff to tell what ratio you have? The numbers I got are as follows: on the 'top' line 53005574 and on the 'bottom' line 3 07 610317-5.

Well, I realize this topic died 3 years ago, but what the heck. I live in Eagle River for the moment, come winter will probably be in Chugiak. Was born in Fairbanks and am part Eskimo. My mother was actually born in Tanana, and I've lived in North Pole, Fairbanks, Anderson, Healy, Chugiak, and Eagle River (though half those places I was too young to remember actually living in). My MJ is somewhat of a story. I got a black '88 MJ for free oh... 4 years ago I think. The reason it was free was because the PO lent it to his buddy to go to Wasilla, and on the way back threw a rod through the block. It was a 4 cylinder, 4 speed, 2x, and I believe it used to be some sort of postal jeep, though it had the normal driver's side. It was painted black when I got it, though you could tell it used to be white (cheap paint job), and somebody had put bedliner in the bed and on the bottom and sides of rockers, VERY nice to have, since it's prevented rust in those places, so, not including the cab floor, it's about 90% rust free. Summer of '08 I bought an '87 cherokee for 150 bucks for the engine (4 cyl), tranny (4-spd, oh and TC), and the axles to convert it to 4x4. So, since I had just graduated and gotten my first job and didn't have time or know-how, my dad ended up swapping everything over, though since the vacuum cables were all fubar'd, and dad didn't know how they went, it stayed 2x, though with a 4x front axle. At the time I had been driving a diesel Isuzu pickup (I loved that thing and want it back!!), and didn't need the jeep, so it sat for a year. Then, after my Isuzu's transmission seized, I drove a chevy cavalier that I was given for free by my friend, who damaged up its nose in a fender bender. So, drove that for a year or so until it decided to blow a head gasket, and when that happened I noticed that the engine bearings were going, as well as finally taking into account that the ignition wiring was all burnt up and bare (which was nasty), so I sold it for parts, and only then did I start driving the jeep. So, drove the jeep for just over a year, and besides the fact that it was 2x and my passenger door wouldn't open, absolutely loved it. Until, one winter day last year, in December I believe, I was headed home to Eagle River from parents' house in Chugiak, and right in front of Chugiak High School, it simply lost power. Listening to it when I turned it over, decided it was a broken timing chain (rather, Dad decided), so, it got pulled a short distance, with a SUZUKI SWIFT!!! That was pretty impressive, in the snow no less. It got left in a parking lot for a couple weeks until people complained, and I had to move it, so in moving it my friend put it in gear (we were going down hill), and it made a terrible ratcheting, shrieking, grinding sound and the wheels locked up. After that I just said screw it, it's dead. Now, (and I started another thread concerning this), I'm putting a 4.0/5spd in from a '90 MJ that I bought for $300 without a title. I'm about half way done and trying to finish before snow flies. Only been in 3 other states besides AK, and can't say I want to live anywhere else! This is the 907, the AK, the Last Frontier! Don't forget, bring a 4x4!

I do have a question for Mountainman though. What do you mean by saying that I should switch to a "normal" cooling system? Is this the distinction between "open" and "closed", and if so what's the difference? Or, if you prefer, refer me to a thread describing what you mean? I'd appreciate that, thx :thumbsup:

I saw what you mean by the different fuel line styles, but don't worry about the pics, I already got it done. Thx :D

That would be great, thanks :wavey:

Alright, to continue my post, I'll let you guys know where I'm at. To keep it simple, I'll refer to the 4.0l (donor) as the 'blue' one, and the 2.5l as the 'black' one. So, I have the engine/tranny and gas tank out of the black one, front clips taken off of both for ease of access, the blue one has engine unbolted and gas tank almost ready to come out (I'm really peeved at the metal armor tub on the blue truck's gas tank, it's a real :headpop: , the black's was easy), both truck's driveshafts are disconnected (the blue truck didn't have a front DS, I'll have to get one), and so now I have a couple more questions for anyone that can answer them. Mjeff87, you mentioned splicing gas lines. What exactly did you mean :help: ? Did you mean you actually combined them, or just took the 4.0's lines that go from the tank to the engine bay and put them in the 2.5, or what... I'm just :???: on that point. Also, there is an undershroud type thing that was on the 4.0 (under the front clip) that wasn't on the 2.5. Far as I can tell it's just metal plate that doesn't do much and could be done away with ( :no: ??) unless someone knows and will tell me the point of it? Oh, and the last and most important question: when you say I have to swap the underhood harness, that means all the wiring connected to the firewall and wheel wells, etc have to be taken out and put in the 2.5's bay, correct? As in, when I look at blue's bay, it should be virtually empty, correct? Oh, and probably the most gratifying, yet small, update is that my dad managed to open my passenger door :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: which has been perma-shut since 2 winters ago, that stupid :wall:. Though that could easily be attributed to my impatience... ahem, like slamming the door because it wouldn't close and it was like -40. I deserve a :thwak: . Also, found that the Lumina's radiator is far too deep in any case, which leads to another question: are 4.0 XJ rads the same as 4.0 rads? If so I'll see what I can find at a junk yard (which in AK are :cry: few and far between, and don't have much in them anyhow. Just a :dunce: asking questions, please :help:

Thanks everybody for the help. If someone does have those pics of the connector's that would be great. I'll be starting my long haul on this project either mid-week or this coming weekend. Wish me luck, and insights/advice from past experience always welcome :thumbsup:

That's actually a HUGE help Mjeff87, thank you :bowdown: If anyone else has any comments, questions, or advice for my post I'd greatly appreciate it, thx.

Alright, so to start off with, I'm new to ComancheClub. I'm no amazing mechanic or anything...let's just say my dad didn't teach very well. So, I know alot more than the average joe, but a heck of alot less than you respectable persons. So, my position here is thus: I have an '88 2.5l, 4 speed, 2wd that I blew the engine on. Now I bought a '90 MJ for $300, no title, no glass, 4.0, 5 speed, 4x4. I bought it for its guts and drivetrain, to swap into the 2.5. The '90 does run and has good compression. The 2.5 I have the title to, and it has a decent body, which is why I'm using it for the body/chassis. My situation is such that I don't have a running, legal vehicle, and I need one badly, don't have more than a couple hundred to spare every month, and this is my best bet for a cheap vehicle. That being said, I've read a ton, done research, compared diagrams...etc, but the simple truth is that I don't know what I'm even looking at sometimes. I've read Mjeff87's write-up, and it helps, but doesn't spell out for ME what to do with my set up. Sorry to repeat what's already been gone over so many times but I need someone to rectify my ignorance. So my question is: What all do I have to swap over? I've heard such things as having to swap the entire vehicle wiring system over, to the underhood and underdash harnesses, to only the underhood harness, and nobody says where to start, for example: should I pull both engines/transmissions, and swap the drivetrain, then do the guts, or should I do engine/tranny first...all "writeups" I've found are more like documentation of what they did, not actually a write up of what they did, in what order, and how they did it. So, just not nearly detailed enough for me, and very detailed is what I need. I live in Alaska, and perma-snow will be coming down as soon as October, and that is when I need to be done by. I also have some other questions, mods I might make since at some point almost everything will have been removed atleast once anyway. (I hope only once!!!) The radiator from the 4.0 is in bad shape, so I was interested in knowing if anyone knows if a second gen. Chevy Lumina rad and electric fans would work, and if so, how you wire such a thing up (all fan writeups simply say 'install', but nothing about what's involved in the install). Also, I have a moderate interest in knowing if anyone has put a double tranny setup in their MJ, and if it worked. Emissions have been done away with here, so I'd like to know if anyone knows if there would be a benefit to entirely removing the cat out of the exhaust line. I'd also like to know what any of you would suggest I do mod or replacement-part-wise while I do the swap, outside of a rebuild, which I won't be doing, atleast not now anyway. Long-winded post and subject that's been hashed and rehashed, so I apologize, but any help would be huge for me. Thanks in advance.