Eagle

Does the starter relay click when you turn the key to START? Turn on the headlights -- when you turn the key to START, do the lights dim at all or do they stay bright?

Yes -- PS155. It says right under it that it's for use with gauge. If your engine didn't even have a sensor for the oil pressure, how do you know the original wiring doesn't work? have you located the pigtail in the harness that's supposed to attach to the sensor? The quick and dirty test of the gauge doesn't even need the sensor. With the ignition on and the pigtail disconnected, the oil pressure gauge should read 80. Touch the pigtail to a good ground and the gauge should read zero.

The description says that's a switch, for use with a light. You don't need a switch, you need a sensor. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/standard-ignition-5753/lighting---electrical-16777/sensors-16480/engine-sensors-25049/oil-pressure-sensor-switch-12875/9a4df8f34742/standard-ignition-1-terminal-oil-pressure-switch/ps155/5815758/1986/jeep/comanche?pos=1

The sensor is a variable resistor, rated from 0 to 88 ohms. It should have a single contact. Power goes through the gauge, then grounds through the sensor. Oil doesn't touch the contact -- there's a diaphragm of some kind inside.

Here's an insider tip from an olde pharte who remembers what steering was like in the days before everyone had power steering. For reference, the steering box ratio for the XJ and MJ (with power) is 14:1. In the old days of AMC, the standard manual steering ratio for the Javelin and AMX was 20:1, the optional QRM (Quick Ratio Manual) was 16:1, and the power steering was a variable ratio that went from 17:1 to ... something. (It was horrible). The thing was that, with manual steering, even the slower 20:1 ratio (which gave more advantage to the driver), you could not turn the front wheels unless the car was rolling. It didn't have to be rolling fast, but it had to be rolling. Now, with power steering, it's easy to just crank the wheels lock to lock while the vehicle sits still. Well, guess what? That puts a TREMENDOUS strain on the entire steering linkage -- the steering box itself, the tie rod ends, the drag link, the steering column u-joint, even the ball joints. So, if you want to keep your steering tight as long as possible, DON'T crank the steering wheel unless your vehicle is rolling. The original track bar in my '88 XJ lasted something like 200,000 miles -- and the '88 didn't have a grease fitting. By contrast, the track bar in my late wife's 2000 XJ lasted about 80,000 miles. But my wife was from the "crank it before you move it" school of driving. Take it for what it's worth. The '88 XJ is now approaching 300,000 miles (if I ever get to replace the leaking injectors). It has a replacement track bar, but the tie rods ends and ball joints are all still original.

Great Falls was on my list. What's wrong with Great Falls?

First up is track bar, then tie rod ends, then drag link, then steering box adjustment ... and sliding in for last place is ball joints. Control arms for wandering steering? Nope.

I would love to move to a free state, but preferably not in the hurricane zone or tornado alley. States I've been considering include Tennessee, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho, and Nevada. I'm not a city guy. I'd like to be near fire roads and places where I can shoot handguns and rifles.

Off all the things that might cause loose, wandering steering, control arms is among the things that I would not even put on the list. You need a different shop.

That doesn't look like the right cable for an '86. You need the one that attaches to the speedo head with a metal clip and a screw.

As some of you already know, I've been out of work for two years. Last year I applied for a job at the local VA hospital. I was notified in December that I had been tentatively selected, pending completion of a background check. I passed that and I was scheduled to start work on April 13. Then along came COVID-19. The hospital mostly shut down, except for emergencies, and they stopped doing the New Employee Orientations. My start date was moved to June 8, which was two days ago. So I started work on Monday -- and on Tuesday night I e-mailed my resignation. Problem: The job I applied for was computer drafting. The job they want performed is construction inspector -- i.e. "clerk-of-the-works." And that means walking and being on your feet most of the day. One of the other Engineering Technicians (the job title) took me on a partial tour on Tuesday afternoon, which left me so crippled that I couldn't make it up the stairs to my bedroom last night. I slept on an unmade bed in the ground floor guest bedroom. (I have an artificial hip, and I haven't fully recovered from the surgery.) So, I'm back to looking for a job. Even better would be if I could find a job in a state that's less expensive and less restrictive than Connecticut. If anyone knows of an architecture or engineering firm looking to hire a well-qualified architect, code consultant, specification writer or drafter (except Revit), please let me know.

Nor normal. Not safe.

The AMC Model 20 is FAR stronger and better than the Dana 35. The AMC Model 20 was the optional, heavy-duty axle under XJs and MJs from 1984 through 1986.

"Trunk"? Are we talking about a Jeep Comanche?

I can't think of a single reason why a down pipe for an '87 wouldn't work in an '86, but the connection to the catalytic converter may be different.

Three here.

Big end goes to the front.

Google "pilot bushing" You have a mongrel. The truck is an '88, the engine is a '94. What year is the transmission? What year did you ask for when you bought the clutch kit? The input shaft and pilot bearing/bushing specs changed over the years. You may have to source a plot bearing or bushing from some other year and model.

I didn't know anything about this until I just saw your post.

That's what we should be running in our older XJs and MJs. You can't find that in Walmart, though. Where can you actually buy it?

I'm coming to this late, but my guess is that either the flex hose between the master and slave ruptured, or the slave itself ruptured.

20 years ago XJ Dana 44s were going for $500 a pop. I agree that $750 is a bit on the high side, but it's not as outrageous as it seems.

For comparison, I just looked at Mobil oils. Mobil now offers EIGHTEEN different, full synthetic oils. "To make it easier to choose." (Their words, not mine.) I searched on three different vehicles: '88 Cherokee (287,000 miles), 2000 Cherokee Classic (125,000 miles), and 2000 Cherokee Sport (50,000 miles) All three searches returned the same seven oils. SEVEN. This is making it easier for me to choose? Somebody's been smoking bad dope ...

GTX Magnatec isn't a blend -- it's full synthetic. I wouldn't even consider using a blend. IMHO that's even dumber than buying pre-mix anti-freeze.

At one time, Castrol offered ONE type of full synthetic motor oil ("Syntec"), a synthetic/conventional blend, and conventional oil. Castrol now offers at least two full-synthetic oils, "Edge" and "GTX Magnatec." The Magnatec is several dollars cheaper in the 5-quart size. What's the difference?