Eagle

Yes, on the MJ distribution block I cut open the bypass port was not drilled all the way up to intersect the main fluid passage. If the front brakes had failed on that truck, there would not have been a by-pass circuit. But that's only one sample. I don't have any other MJ blocks that I'm willing to sacrifice to find out whether or not the hole is drilled all the way. It's the same unit that's shown in the first photo of my opening post in this thread, but this time I edited the photo to show the passage the way it's supposed to be drilled. It's a straight passage, so you could check it by removing the shuttle valve (the horizontal plunger across the top) and probing the bypass orifice with a piece of fine wire.

I don't understand your test results. Did you run a compression test, or a leakdown test? You're saying that two non-adjacent cyliders have significant leakdown but the other four have ZERO?

If he has been using synthetic, I would continue to use synthetic. Keep in mind that with synthetic you can do longer oil change intervals. When my '88 Cherokee weas new, I changed the oil at 2,000 miles using conventional. My brother was service manager at a BMW dealership, and he told me that the BMWs were running full synthetic and that the factory recommended oil change interval was 15,000 miles. I figured I could certainly go 5,000 if they were going 15,000, so I switched. That was probably twenty years ago. At first I used Mobil-1, then I changed to Castrol Syntec.

Assuming you are asking about one of the several Renix-era trucks listed in your signature, it's not possible. The only odometer on those trucks is the one in the speedometer. If the cluster has been replaced, you have no way of knowing whether or not the odoemeter was set when the "new' cluster was installed to report the correct mileage.

Controlling the auxiliary fan.

Fuse panel, from automatics (manuals may be damaged by clutch leaks). All sensors. ECM & TCM.

Correct. There is no need or reason to run spacers on the front, and you'll be creating more problems for yourself if you try. On factory rims, you can run 31s in the front with no rubbing on the flares or sheet metal (there will be slight rubbing on the lower control arms at full steering lock). Run rims with less backspacing, or spacers, and the tires will hit the flares.

31s with 3.73 gears is the exact same overall drive ratio as stock tires with 3.55 gears (in other words, stock with automatic). My personal view is that 3.73s are perfect with 30" tires (and 235/75-15s, which are almost the same as 30s), 4.10s are right with 31s and maybe 32s, and 4.55s for anything larger.

Not possible. The heavy-duty axle in 1986 wasn't a Dana 44 it was an AMC Model 20.

Incorrect. The normal fluid route in the XJ valve enters from the top right (in my photo of the XJ valve). This port is to the right of the cup washer on the plunger, directly into what you refer to as the spring chamber. From there, the fluid departs by going around the cup washer and then turning 90 degrees down, to the outlet port. The port that I circled and labeled "Emergency Bypass Circuit" is exactly that. It is normally blocked by the right-most O-ring on the shuttle valve. If the front circuit fails, pressure to the rear pushes that shuttle valve to the left, and wnen the O-ring has cleared the emergency port the emergency bypass circuit is fully open. There certainly IS an emergency bypass circuit in the XJ valve.

Gimmick.

Ummm ... WHAT CB radio are you asking about?

What was your method for removing the window without damaging the gasket?

A friend of mine had the same issue. After gluing the window back in, he, too, was left with the open channel surrounding it. My suggestion was to cut a piece of plastic (like maybe an expired credit card) into a scraper with the profile of the gasket, then just go around the window with back sealant and use the scraper to form the sealant into the shape of the gasket. But ... he sold the truck before we had a chance to try it, so I don't know how successful it would have been.

You do realize that both of those links are for universal tachometers that use a magnetic pickup (the reference to "Hall sensor") rather than picking up a signal from the ignition system ... right? It means you would have to mount some kind of bracket, probably near the crank pulley/vibration damper, for the sensor to "read" the rotational speed of the engine. Hijacking. Is there decent analog display tachs like this? Like what? This thread seems to be about digital tachometers. What analog tach are you asking about?

What empty spaces under the radio? The video link doesn't work for me. "404 Not Found" You do realize that both of those links are for universal tachometers that use a magnetic pickup (the reference to "Hall sensor") rather than picking up a signal from the ignition system ... right? It means you would have to mount some kind of bracket, probably near the crank pulley/vibration damper, for the sensor to "read" the rotational speed of the engine.

Yep - I can't count how many tune-ups I've done using Filko points and condenser sets.

Wasn't there a write-up a year or so ago by someone who had refurbished his taillights? Did you check the DIY discussion area?

Send them back.

Bob Salemi's Pro Stock Comanche is a Renix ... http://comancheclub.com/topic/17726-drag-comanche/

Hoo, boy. Getting old ain't for sissies. This was the summer I was going to clean up the yard, paint the house, and get at least one of the MJs back on the road. Update: Not gonna happen. Last Wednesday (the 15th) I felt poorly after lunch and left work early. Still felt badly the next day. Called the doctor around noon, they said to to the emergency room. The emergency room confirmed my suspicion -- gall stone attack -- and admitted me. Since then I've been through two laparoscopic procedures to install drains and clean out the gall stones. I just got released this afternoon, but it's only temporary. I'm wearing one of those external drainage bags, and I'll have to back in six weeks to have the gall bladder removed. Meanwhile, I'm not allowed to lift more than fifteen pounds while the drain is in place. Not a happy camper ...

Agreed

I don't use anyone's calculator. I made my own spreadsheet, using actual revolutions-per-mile data from the tire manufacturers. With all (un)due modesty, I think it's the most accurate RPM to speed chart available. There's a sticky post somewhere here with a link to it on-line.

31" tires and 4.10 gears should only turn 3020 RPM at 65 MPH with an AX-4. Tell us more about this 2.5L stroker. I'd be very interested in a stroked 4-cylinder but, unlike the 4.0L, there aren't any other versions of the engine around that had different displacements and cranks with longer throws. How did you stroke it?

I don't think 1" of steering wheel movement is excessive for a recirculating ball steering setup.