Eagle

I've always read that people who convert to the one-piece shaft remove the seal at the CAD and install a seal at the diff housing -- where there isn't one from the factory with the CAD. Some have found a seal that fits there (possibly the NAPA part number you cited) and others reported that they had to modify the diff housing to accept a seal at that point.

I haven't checked the respective wiring diagrams, but in the years when there was a Wagoneer model of the XJ, the Wagoneers had all-red taillights and functioned like the MJ. The only difference I could find was in the tailight harness at the back, from a connector somewhere over the left wheelwell to the tailights. So the trick would be to compare the wiring of the XJ Wagoneer to that of the MJ.

FIFY

I'm seriously considering doing exactly that. Either that, or installing four cheap amber fog lights and a separate switch and flasher to create my own hazard warning system. The problem with the MJ setup is that the brake lights override the hazard flasher. Since they share the same bulbs in the rear, if you step on the brake when the flashers are on, they stop flashing. That, IMHO, is a stupid arrangement. It's especially stupid because they could easily have set up the Comanche the same way they did the Cherokee -- and, in fact they did -- for Europe, where it's required.

They are not even close to being the same size and shape. It would be far easier to do as the OP did here, start with flat acrylic and use a heat gun to bend it to shape.

There are no changes needed to the wiring. At the cluster, it's plug-n-play. Your oil pressure sender and your engine temperature sender are simple on/off switches. You will have to replace those two senders with the ones for use with gauges.

If you get a cluster from a 4.0L you won't need to reset the tach -- six cylinders is six cylinders, and the tach doesn't care if the engine is a V6 or an I6. What you need to be aware of is that Jeep changed the way the speedo cable attaches to the speedo head, either between the 1986 and 1987 model years or midway through the 1987 model year. The old ones have a metal clip at the top end of the cable that's held onto the speedo head with a screw. The later ones (basically 88 thru 90) have a white nylon retainer that you just squeeze to release. You can use either, but if you use the late version you'll need to also replace the speedo cable.

It doesn't go to the block, it goes to the exhaust manifold. The purpose is to draw heated air over the manifold while the engine is warming up. There is (or should be) a thermostatic damper at the point where that hose enters the air box. Can you get by without it? Most likely, yes. Most of them crumble and collapse after ten or fifteen years anyway.

But there weren't there to combat death wobble. They were there to prevent (or to alleviate) steering wheel "kick back" in off-road situations where the terrain grabs the front wheels.

Nicely done. Where did you buy the checkered plastic, what kind of plastic (acrylic?), and how did you bend it to fit? Keep in mind that on the European versions the amber is for turn signals and hazard flashers. Our U.S. trucks are wired so that both bulbs operate as dual filamant brake & turn lights. I think the european arrangement is better, and it's what Jeep used on the Cherokee so I don't know why they went retro on the American MJs.

I'm voting for CPS. It's a 2-wire connector, and it's located behind the intake manifold.

It hasn't been mentioned in this thread, but it has been discussed numerous times in other threads. When I used to wheel the '88 MJ with the 4-inch lift that was a normal occurrence. It didn't hurt anything, just left stripes of black rubber on the inner wheelwells when the suspension got twisted up. It wouldn't be an issue in street driving, and probably not even mild "wheeling" such as fire trails.

In this case, you are correct. The sensor in the side of the block is what provides data to the ECU in the Renix system, and relocating it to the thermostat housing might result in a difference in reading. The question is what that would affect. In the HO (Chrysler) system, the temp sender in the t'stat housing provides all the data to the ECU, and the ECU controls (among other things) the auxiliary fan. The Renix system has a stand-alone sensor to activate the auxiliary fan, so that's not a concern. As far as I know, the only things the ECU uses the temperature data for is to switch from open loop (warm-up) to closed loop (normal run) mode. That change takes place at something like 165 to 175 degrees, which is well below the normal operating temperature. If the change in mode takes place a few degrees cooler or a few degrees warmer, I doubt the driver would even notice. Interesting -- I started this post with the idea that it wouldn't work, then as I walked myself through it I came to the view that it just might work.

Even a 3" lift won't help unless you extend the bump stops to prevent the suspension from stuffing the tires into the flares and sheet metal.

Not a big deal to you, but could be a big deal to someone else (like me, for example) -- which is why I took the trouble to point it out before he has the tires mounted and then finds out he has to remove the flares and trim the sheet metal. If that's not a problem for him, at least he'll know what to expect. If it IS a problem for him ... at least he'll know what to expect.

Whereas '97 and newer Cherokees have the latch located at a different height, requiring alterations to the latch position on the door posts.

What rims? How much backspacing? 15x8 MB Razors. I'll have to check with Discount Tire for the backspacing, but they do stick out past the flares some. Then you will have a problem. 31x10.50s on factory rims fit inside the flares and sheet metal, and rub on the lower control arms. No aftermarket rims have as much backspacing as Jeep factory rims. That means your tires may not rub the lower control arms (which we can live with), but WILL probably smash into the flares and maybe the sheet metal when you turn. In addition, on those rims the tires almost certainly won't tuck up into the fender when the suspension compresses, they'll hit the flares. There's a reason why I have a shed full of factory Jeep rims ...

Dear God! What a mess. Whoever did that should never be allowed to pick up a wrench ... If at all possible, I think you should try to get someone with a '95 XJ to park next to you so you can see how/where all those wires and tubes are supposed to run, and start cleaning up that rat's nest.

What rims? How much backspacing?

Pushing the clutch peddle to the floor doesn't engage the clutch, it DISengages it. You're saying the truck runs with the clutch engaged, and stalls when it's DISengaged?

From the site: This says to me they are selling 2-door XJ flares for the MJ. Looks like they can work, but probably require some fitting and adaptation.

??? If the block was replaced at 151k, then are you saying it has gone 180k since the replacement, or are you saying that the engine really only has 29k on it?

If the ECU and injection system is still the '88 Renix system, use the O2 sensor for an '88. If you swapped in the newer Chrysler ECU and injection when you swapped the motor, then use the O2 sensor for the year of the vehicle from which you took the wiring harness.

31s on factory rims will rub the lower control arms on sharp turns. The cure is to use LCAs from the WJ Grand Cherokee.

You can't patch it. The tank is pressurized. Anything you try to stick onto it will be blown off the first time the engine gets up to temperature.