Eagle

how is that? Becauese the surge tank/bottle on the firewall is part of the pressurized system, so that capacity is in addition to the capacity of the radiator.

The installation of the Mac's aluminum tank does, indeed, convert the system to an "open" system. The Mac's bottle is not set up to function as an overflow recovery bottle. The only advantage to buying a new radiator with a cap is that you'll have a new radiator. Personally, I would (and have) replace the leaking radiator with a radiator made for the Renix years, and keep the Mac's tank that you spent good money for. If you installed a Mac's tank, you should already have added a coolant recovery bottle.

The purpose of bump stops is to limit the distance the suspension can travel in compression, so it won't damage other components. If you add a 4-1/2" lift, you'll almost certainly be running longer shock absorbers, and their compressed length will be longer than the space available if the suspension is fully compressed to the original, factory bump stops. So in order to forestall damage to the shocks, you want to limit the suspension travel so it stops before you reach the compressed length of whatever shocks you're running. If you're not going to take it off-road, which are you lifting it?

I've never seen an aluminum storm door with rounded corners, but I didn't say "door," I specifically said "window." Maybe two of these (to get enough pieces with enough length): https://www.lowes.com/pd/Comfort-Bilt-Single-Glazed-Basement-Aluminum-Storm-Window-Rough-Opening-14-1875-in-x-32-1875-in-Actual-32-in-x-14-in/50374468 Not long enough for the bottom rail, so splice two pieces together and add a stiffening rib of small aluminum angle across the inside. You could also look at low-end shower doors.

Get your new control arms installed first, so you can reposition the axle. Then install the springs, using spring compressors.

Why not take your existing locks to a locksmith and have them rekeyed to a newly-cut key?

I think I'd be tempted to buy a length of piano hinge at whatever the Canadian equivalent is of Lowe's or Home Depot, get a sheet of Lexan and a latch, and make my own. Since you already have the piano hinge ... If the Lexan is too floppy for you, what about buying an aluminum storm window, taking it apart, and using the parts to make a frame for the cap window?

Go to the Monroe web site and look up the shock numbers for a stock MJ. Then go to their dimensional charts and find the actual dimensions and end fittings for those shocks: http://www.monroe.com/downloads/install-instructions-guides/MonroeMountingLengthSpecifications.pdf Then look through the listings for shocks with the same end fittings but 3 inches longer. If you're happy with Monroe shocks, your research is complete. If you want a different brand -- look up what vehicle those longer Monroes fit, then search shocks for that vehicle.

I hear what your saying but I just feel like it's a lot of work for something that comes stock in a jeep at that point it would literally be cheaper to buy a 4.0 Comanche and swap my lift and 4.10 rears over But the reality is that a 4.0L (or a stroker) swap is a LOT less work than a V8 conversion from another make.

Castrol Syntec. I ran 5W-50 when they offered it. That seems to have disappeared from the shelves, so now I run 10W40.

Then don't do it. Do a Jeep stroker I-6.

As you might guess from my signature, I'm interested in preserving MJs, not butchering them. I admit to being an olde pharte as well as somewhat of a purist,-- IMHO, swapping any V8 into a nice MJ is butchering it, not preserving it. If the job is done well, it will appeal to a small number of prospective buyers. It will also instantly elininate a number of prospective buyers, because they won't be interested in an MJ that has been highly modified. (That would be me, for example.) FWIW, I have seen multiple XJs and MJs with small-block Chevy conversions, and they ALL had cooling issues. That problem has been discussed here, and some people seem to have found solutions that work for them, but just be advised that it will be something you have to address. Another concern is the amount of horsepower an LS1 puts out. The front half of an MJ is a unibody, and it wasn't designed for that much power. I think it will need to be beefed up, and that's another modification that detracts from the value of the MJ as an MJ. There's an old saying that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." If that's what appeals to you -- it's your truck, go for it. Personally, I don't see the point and, if I encountered an LS1-powered MJ for sale, I wouldn't even answer the ad.

... don't seem to have any understanding of what "restored" means. https://maine.craigslist.org/bar/5988654090.html

X3 It all depends on what you want to accomplish. IMHO, the best donor for an '88 Comanche would be an '88 Cherokee, with the same engine and transmission, because that will provide the maximum number of replacement parts. However, if your goal is to update a Renix-era Comanche to completely new running gear and electrics, then the '98-'99 XJ is probably the best choice.

The OEM hazard flasher was not load sensitive, the standard flasher was. If the truck had a tow package, then the turn signal flasher was also the non-load sensitive type.

That's correct. A lot of people complain about it, but the OEM downpipe has a flat spot in it.

SV Pete is correct. The turn signal flasher is load sensitive, and the LEDs don't use enough current to make it flash. Get a flasher that's rated for trailer towing -- those aren't load sensitive and should work with the LEDs. (I think.) Any of these marked "Variable Load" should work: http://www.autozone.com/electrical-and-lighting/turn-signal-flasher?filterByKeyWord=turn+signal+flasher&fromString=search&isIgnoreVehicle=false

The MJ rear window is glued in. The "gasket" you see from the outside isn't a weather seal, it's trim. You need to have your window cut out and reset.

Backspacing is critical, and spacer/adapters are the same effect as running wheels with less backspacing. Stock XJ/MJ 15" rims have 5-1/4" backspacing, allowing tires up to 31x10.50-15 to tuck up inside the fenders when the suspension compresses. Run spacers or wheels with less backspacing, and then even 31x10.50s bang into the sheet metal and/or flares when the suspension compresses. 31s are a tight fit. In the rear on an MJ, the inside sidewall is VERY close to the leaf spring and body. When I would get home from a weekend at Paragon with the MJ, the inner fenders in the back would be black from the sidewalls rubbing when the suspension got twisted up. The bottom line is, especially considering that those wheels won't fit an MJ without adapters, I just don't think it's a good idea to try to use them. Between the cost of a list and spacers and whatever else that might lead to -- it's cheaper to just buy tires that fit the stock wheels and skip the lift.

Correction - about the largest size tires that will fit an MJ with no lift and no cutting of the body are 31x10.50 -- and that's only on factory Jeep (XJ or MJ) rims. On the factory rims, the fronts will fit up inside the fenders when compressed, but the tires will rub on the lower control arms at full steering lock. In the rear, the inside sidewall comes VERY close to the leaf spring and the inner fender liner. Just about all aftermarket rims have less backspacing so they're better in the rear but create more problems in the front. Bolt pattern aside, I don't know what the wheel width or backspacing is for those Wrangler rims so I don't know how they fit into the picture. I would not think that a 277/75-17 is likely to fit an MJ without both a lift and some cutting of the sheet metal. If it's a nice, solid truck, it would IMHO be a shame to start chopping it up just to use some tires and wheels that don't belong on it.

What year Comanche? Considering that 1992 was the last year of manufacture, I think we are starting off on a bad footing here ... Just to get you started, the bolt circle on all years of the Comanche was 5 x 4.5". The 2014 Wrangler wheel bolt pattern is 5 x 5". In other words, those wheels won't bolt onto a Comanche without adapters -- which push the wheels out beyond the bodywork.

I thought I remembered that he was a retired AMC engineer, but his profile/bio says he retired from the Air Force. Wrong again, eagle -- that's at least twice this year, and it's barely more than a month old.

Another vote for bad ground.

Keep in mind that 155k miles on a 2.5L equates to more miles on a 4.0L. The 2.5L typically came with 4.10 gears (except the early 4-speed manuals -- and they didn't have overdrive). Using the more popular automatic 4.0L for comparison, those had 3.55 gears so the engine turned fewer revolutions for every mile driven. In terms of engine wear, that's equivalent to 179,000 miles. Still not "worn out." I have a 2.5L MJ that has 209,000 miles on it and didn't burn oil the last time I drove it. But I wouldn't just drop in an engine with 155k or 179k miles, without going through it and at least replacing the bearings. Better would be a complete rebuild.

That line does NOT open every time you step on the brakes, and it has nothing to do with proportioning. As I posted previously, the XJ has the same shuttle valve, but the XJ also has another plunger and spring to handle the proportioning. How could the shuttle move every time you step on the brakes? The pressure is the same on both ends. If it moved, it would trigger a warning light every time you step on the brakes. The shuttle does two things: 1. It triggers the brake warning light if either end loses pressure; 2. It opens the bypass circuit (XJ or MJ) in the event the front brakes lose pressure There's a reason why the factory refers to it as a "bypass." Obviously, nobody is going to convince you. We've posted the bleeding procedure from the factory service manual, and I've posted cut-away photos of the actual units from both the XJ and the MJ so you can see how they work and how they are different internally. Feel free to continue to believe what you believe. Hopefully, other members have learned something about their brake systems from all this.