Eagle

Or be safe and just use a nut buster. http://www.amazon.com/Nut-Splitter-Tools-2-Pc-Set/dp/B0000AX88Q%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-d-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0000AX88Q Use anti-sieze when installing the new shocks. Of course, I said all that three years ago ...

^^^ Too true. When I first got my driver's license, my grandfather encouraged me to go out in the first snow storm, find an empty parking lot, and intentionally create skids so I could learn how to handle them. Good advice. Nothing succeeds like success -- for many years thereafter I made it a practice after the first couple of snow storms to head off to a parking lot for a skid recovery refresher. It has definitely saved my posterior more than twice.

My thoughts exactly. Back in my younger days, I was a member of the original Javelin/AMX Sports car Club. We "allowed" Javelins, but we were really all about the 2-seat AMX, which was only made for three years, and not very many of them. Sort of like the MJ, in fact. We had one guy in the club who single-handedly totaled at least half a dozen rare, 2-seat AMXs. He never ever tried to repair one, either. He'd wreck one, go out and buy another, and two or three months later he'd show up at a meeting and tell us he had wrecked another. Note: They don't make Comanches any more. Take care of them.

A potential issue with swapping to an "open" type radiator in a Renix 4.0L is that most of the new style radiators don't have a bung for the temperature sensor that controls the auxiliary fan.

30.1", actually. 265/70-16 is closer to a 31x10.50-15, at 30.6" diameter.

Yes, they are. And the latch mechanism in the female end does break, so NEVER throw away a functional seatbelt.

You may be right about that, the folks that is. Although I've never made a bad deal on CL yet. That's because you know enough not to buy a set of tires and wheels that won't fit your vehicle. There really are people out there who think that "15-inch" is the only description necessary. And then there's the aspect ratio -- that's just black magic to many people. Ask them about that and their eyes glaze over.

I'm pretty sure they changed the style of fittings in the box where the hoses connect. Don't remember what year that happened, though.

If it's an '88 with the original, closed cooling system there is no water outlet. The plastic tank on the firewall is an expansion tank, and it's not supposed to be filled more than halfway when cold. As the coolant gets hot, it expands, and the air in the plastic bottle gets compressed to allow for the expansion. Most people don't understand that and haven't read the owner's manual, so they fill it to the top, with the expected result that when the coolant gets hot it blows out around the cap. The closed systems are a PITA to "bleed" when filling. It's actually not rocket science, it just takes a bit of patiece and maybe 20 minutes of time to do it right. If the truck is clean, grab it.

Yes, but it was a 225/70-16. Note the change from 75-series to 70-series. I have a 2000 XJ Sport with 225/75-15s and my wife's 2000 XJ Classic has 225/70-16s. The tires are the same diameter -- almost exactly. 225/75-15 = 28.3" 225/70-16 = 28.4"

As CJ_Sackett already explained, if the other numbers are the same, the wheel size adds diameter. A 245/75-15 is 29.5" in diameter. A 245/75-16 is 30.5" in diameter, and a 245/75-17 should be around 31.5" in diameter. To put this in perspective, a 245/75-15 is already two sizes bigger than anything that came from the factory on an XJ or MJ. At 30.5" in diameter, a 245/75-16 is basically the same size as a 31x10.50-15, which means that a 245/75-17 is roughly the same as a 32-inch tire. I'd say that makes a difference. Going from stock tires to 31s is a difference of 10% to 11%. I've never even figured out the difference between stock and 32s -- probably 15% or more. I think that's significant.

The ECU has no idea when the valves open and close. The valves are controlled mechanically by the camshaft, there is nothing electronic about it. Is it possible that your expectations are unreasonable? An "RV" camshaft is designed for low RPM grunt pulling power, not for drag racing. It produces low-end torque, but not high end horsepower. If you're looking for sports car performance, you may have picked the wrong cam grind.

Connecticut small claims court forms: http://www.jud.ct.gov/external/super/smallclaims.htm You do not need a lawyer. In fact, for small claims court you are not allowed to use a lawyer. Everything you need to know about small claims court in Connecticut: http://www.jud.ct.gov/Search/JudSearch.aspx?col=allconn&qp1=url%3Awww.jud.ct.gov&qs1=&qc=&ws=0&qm=0&st=1&nh=20&lk=1&rf=0&oq=&rq=0&qp2=url%3Awww.jud.ct.gov&qp3=url%3Awww.jud.ct.gov&qs2=&qp=url%3Awww.jud.ct.gov&qs=&SinglePane=Y&qt=small+claims+court&Search.x=16&Search.y=4 The filing fee is $90. You can serve notice on the defendant by priority mail with delivery confirmation or by certified mail with return receipt requested.

This thread has been up for almost a week. Several people have asked what happened, and so far ... crickets. I'm glad nobody seems to have been hurt, but I'm also curious as to what happened.

I've never heard of an impound yard that would cut any deals, but you can always ask. IMHO you should sue your FORMER friend. He certainly didn't do you any favors. You won't get anything, of course, but it'll send a message. It only costs a filing fee to sue in small claims court, and I believe you can have notice of the suit delivered by registered mail. (I'm not sure about that.) More than likely he won't bother to appear at the hearing, since he's in another state, so you'll win automatically. The problem is, you'll get an award in Connecticut, and then you'll have to do something to have it enforced in New York. I don't know how that would work, and that's why you probably won't actually collect anything. The legal costs of transferring the judgment to New York could be as much as whatever you get in the award. Overall, it sounds like a hard and expensive lesson.

2 MPH faster at what speed? If the tooth count is off, the speed difference will not be the same at all speeds. In actuality, +/- 2 MPH is about as close as the factory ever came anyway. They typically set them up to read slightly fast, so that people could blame speeding tickets on a speedometer that reads slower than the actual speed.

Oil Pressure: 84 - 85 . . . . . 5300 0834 86 . . . . . . . . .5300 4550 86 - 90 . . . . . 5300 5218 91 . . . . . . . . .5602 6782 92 - 93 . . . . . 5602 6779 Coolant Temperature: 84 - 85 . . . . . J324 2662 (4-cyl) . . . . . . . . . . . 3300 1543 (6-cyl) 86 . . . . . . . . .5300 4681 (4-cyl) . . . . . . . . . . . 3300 1543 (6-cyl) 86 - 90 . . . . . 5300 5309 91 . . . . . . . . .5300 5309 92 - 93 . . . . . 5602 7012

87 thru 91 The parts manual I was looking at is the 86 - 90 manual. I didn't check, but I'd guess it was the same sensors for the 84 and 85 XJs, as well.

You're young aren't you? No, he's right. Pumping just aerates the brake juice. Some years ago I stopped by to say hello to a racing and AMX friend, who was the service manager at the Jeep deaalership when I bought my '88 Cherokee (and my '68 Javelin, for that matter). He was muttering about not being able to bleed the clutch on a Hornet he was repairing for one of the dealership's old customers. He was pumping and pumping, and then opening the bleeder -- and not getting anywhere. I had him do it the way YXMJ describes -- I worked the peddle, Joe opened and closed the bleeder when I told him to. Took about three minutes to get a clutch, maybe less. I was amazed -- Joe is a year older than I am and he had never seen it done that way. I learned from my grandfather.

The 86 thru 90 all take the same temperature sending unit, and they all take the same oil pressure sending unit. This is per the factory parts manual.

^^^ Correct. That's the old style gauge face design, used from 84 (XJs) until mid-way through the 1987 model year. Also my favorite design.

We used to have snow here in Connecticut. I hate ABS. If I could have gotten it for my daughter I think it would have been a good idea, because she couldn't figure out how to pump the peddle or apply the brakes carefully -- or steer out of a skid. For people who know how to drive? Horrible.

What year did Jeep switch back to using an external slave on the 4-cylinder XJs? I have to replace the clutch on an '88 MJ 4-banger, and I think I might try to track down a newer bellhousing so I can convert to an external slave. Don't know what years to look for.

I'm having difficulty comprehending why this might be construed as bad news ...

Not sure yet if I'm actually in the buyers' market, so I'll post here rather than in the Classifieds: My current job assignment is winding down, and the next one will involve travel to two different construction sites. One is a round trip of 150 miles (per day), the other will be a bit over 200 miles. None of the Cherokees or Comanches I have now will break 20 MPG, and even that would have to be on a good day, so I'm thinking about trying a 4-cylinder. But there aren't any available around here, and I have no idea what I might expect to pay for one in decent condition. Do any of you ever encounter 4-cylinder XJs or MJs? I'd prefer a slightly later one, with multi-port injection rather than throttle body. I know Jeep built them -- I just don't know where they all went. What are they going for, if you can find them?