Eagle

Well done. I salute you. Photos, or it didn't happen.

I know that. And, since Pirate's signature says his MJ is an '86, the transfer case didn't match the vehicle and that's why I asked the question. We're all here to help, but it gets difficult when people ask about problems and then don't explain what has been changed on the vehicle.

Start by just removing the valve cover and starting the engine. See if either valve for cylinder #4 doesn't appear to be going through its full range of motion.

What year and model transfer case is that? It doesn't look like any '86 transfer case I ever saw.

What type of fluid did you use, ATF or Dexron/Mercon?

The Dana 30 had 3.55 gears. The Dana 35 had 3.54. Functionally, they are the same.

You could leave the tranny cooler outlets open, but that's an invitation for bugs to nest. Just plug them.

Hee, hee, hee Really? There was never a factory rear sway bar for any Comanche. I think Don had an Addco on the rear of his MJ. Does anyone know if it was this model?

:sigh: That post was nine years old. But that post was "only" three years old when the thread was last active. The thread had been inactive for six years when it was resurrected a couple of days ago.

Another vote for the above configuration.

Pete posted in that thread on June 27, 2013. The next post was yesterday. According to my "old" math, 2019 - 2013 = 6. Does the new math generate a different result?

^^^ This. Have you run a compression test? Leak-down test? Results?

^^^ This. It's a bulb, not an LED. It generates heat.

You can get away with a lot if you just want it to run for another year or two. I once bought a well-abused old Javelin for $50 when my daily driver had been injured in an accident and I needed wheels. The Javelin I-6 engine was the predecessor for the Jeep 4.0L. The one I got had been sitting for so long the valves were sticking and the pistols were stuck in the bores. I pulled the head, got the valves loose, cleaned them up on a wire wheel and just re-lapped them onto the seats. I used a length of 2x3 to knock the pistons loose after soaking with penetrating oil. I reamed the carbon ridges,, rotated the pistons as far down as they would go, honed the cylinder walls, wiped them down with assembly lube, and put everything together with a new head gasket. No new pistons, not even new piston rings. It ran just fine for two years, after which I sold it for more than I had paid for it. What's your budget, and what do you really want out of this rebuild/whatever?

Go to any of the auto parts chain stores and buy an automotive stethoscope.

Just noticed that. I wish people wouldn't revive threads that are six YEARS old. Most forums have something set that doesn't allow that to happen.

Your best option is to not run 31-inch tires. With those tires, performance will take a serious hit and gas mileage will take a serious hit unless you regear, and then you're talking $$$ unless you know how to set up gears yourself. As already commented, on factory Jeep wheels you can run 31x10.50-15 tires and the only rubbing will be the tire on the lower control arm. What wasn't mentioned was that e a 3-inch lift doesn't resolve this. Grand Cherokee WJ lower control arms resolve it, though.

"It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive."

To be clear: In addition to swapping in the 98 XJ engine, you also converted the electrics to the '98 engine harness and PCM?

The tachometer is plug-and-play if the cylinder count matches between your truck and the donor vehicle. Otherwise, you'll have to use the potentiometer to calibrate the tach. The tach signal comes, IIRC, from the ignition module. Doesn't matter -- you don't need to know where it comes from because it already goes to the wiring connector in the dashboard. Plug the connector onto the cluster and the tachometer has a signal. If your original cluster has idiot lights, the oil pressure and temperature senders are ON-OFF switches that turn on the idiot light. Those two switches have to be replaced with the correct senders to operate the gauges. That's it.

Not much research needed. "Type 2" clusters, used from 1988 (or late 1987) through 1990 have a potentiometer on the tachometer that allows calibrating it for 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder. There is no need to change the speedometer gear unless you change the axle gearing, or make a LARGE change in tire size.

Are you certain it's an AX-5, not an AX-4? Virtually all 2.5L XJs and MJs with the AX-4 (4-speed transmission, no overdrive) had 3.54 gearing. The AX-5 has an overdrive 5th gear -- it's the trucks with the AX-5 that had the 4.10 gearing.

There's a thread on this forum discussing that exact issue. I want to say it was earlier this year, but not certain about that.

You are aware that Cruiser54 used to be the service manager at a Jeep dealership, right?

Yes. No.