mjeff87

Guy over on NAXJA (I think it was....) reinforced a stock one pretty nicely with some plating. Run a search over there for it, it's a good writeup with alot of good pics. Wasn't too long ago, IIRC. Jeff edit: here's the post.... http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=77601

I did the same to my 2.5 a couple years ago, and used some kind of bio-degradable purple stuff I got from an Agri supply store. Pulled everything, including the lifters, out and put it in a shallow pan (in order) and covered it all with the stuff and let it sit for half a day. Then hit it all with a toothbrush, and they cleaned up all purty...looked brand new. Jeff

already replaced those on the current hatchback, unfortunately, and I think the passenger side one is about to take a crap again......

I'm in the market for a second gen Escort wagon, stick, at the moment. That's how much I like them, and a wagon will let me haul even more Jeep crap in the back of it (if that's even possible :D ) Jeff

The first ratchet wrench I bought was a 1/2"X9/16", specifically for the TC bolts. I now have a full set, metric and SAE...they rock. Jeff

Haaa....not my 2.5. Get's about 15-17 with a good stiff tailwind :oops: That's why I love my Escort, even though it's ghey looking. Just turned 180K on it yesterday, and it still gets right around 40 mpg (even better on roadtrips). It's about $3.05-$3.10 down here in the Richmond area. It gets cheaper the farther off I95 you drive. Jeff

If you have a manual tranny, and have the carpeting/cargo mat removed, you can access them from the inside. Pull the shifter boot, shifter, and metal plate that's screwed to the floor out and the two top studs are right there. But the big problem is the bottom bolt/stud....it's hidden by the tranny crossmember :cry: Jeff

not a 242, but a 228/229....old school Selectrac. Sounds like the linkage is out of adjustment. There is an adjustment procedure, but I'm not familiar with it. The vaccuum switch is actually what engages the case, not the lever, which only selects the range (H or L). I'd start by checking the vac line to see if there's any leaks, and once you've confirmed that, I'd check the diapragm attached to the case to make sure it's functioning correctly. If it is, then check the adjustment per the manual. HTH, Jeff

isn't that what's referred to as "overclocking" or something like that?

Welcome.....eh! (sorry, I just spent a week with two Canadian couples on vacation, and they rubbed off on me a bit :D ) Jeff

I'm glad you decided to embrace the sawzall :D Are you able to get that thing out of the garage, or do you need to sawzall the top of the garage door off, too??? :D Jeff

all that, and you forget to put 80/90W in a new differential???? :D (sorry, had to bust yer stones a bit there :jump: ) Jeff

3300 3581 from the dealership .pdf I have. That's the only hose I haven't replaced yet on the cooling system on my MJ. If you order it from the stealership, lemme know how much it was. Jeff

I'll be in King of Prussia for a long weekend in about 3 weeks....keep it cold (but not TOO cold) and I'll oblige your request :D Jeff

Notwithstanding the fact that you were doing 50, your post brings up a question I've long wanted an answer to..... at what specific point does the speed limit change, at the point where the sign is visible to oncoming traffic, or literally at the point the sign is sunk into the ground? Is there a concrete ruling on that, or does it vary according to jurisdiction? I don't have tickets, but my wife just got nabbed in almost the same situation as you. She was coming out of a 35 zone to a 55 zone, and had started accelerating before the sign. Po po got her for 55 in a 35 (but dropped it to some b/s thing like "not obeying posted traffic control devices". He wasn't in a talkative sort of mind, so she just signed and paid (I wasn't with her). To me, when you can clearly see a speed sign, is what the posted speed is at that point, not where the sign physically is. Anyone know for sure? Jeff

Do the old bottle-jack-between-the-frame-and-axle trick, thusly..... Image Not Found

creo que si :D Jeff

http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/view ... &start=255 last page of the (never-ending, hopefully) post, about 1/2 way down. He's got some good pics of what he did. Jeff

:drool: dat's a nice looking MJ...... (even has chrome mirrors for ya, Don!) Jeff

any 2.5 MJ/XJ from 87 onward, and earlier 4.0/AW4 combos (pre-91 from what I've seen). My 231 came from behind an 89 AW4. Stay away from YJ cases....some of them have long outputs vs. short but the AX5's they were bolted to had a recessed output, and they won't seal completely on an XJ/MJ tranny, plus there's barely 1/8" spline engagement. Also, 231's behind 904/909's are short, but they're 23 spline for some unknown reason :nuts: Jeff

Move down to VA, and it'll all come back to ya, quick. I had 5 years of it many moons ago, and thought I forgot most of it....'till I got here. And I had tacos for dinner last night, too... :D Jeff

235's on what used to be a 2WD chassis. For quick lift in the rear, either use the drop shackles or swap in a set of 4WD leafpacks. The packs will net 2-3" (depending on how sagged your 2WD packs are :D ) I got a hair over 3" on mine (and am spacing the front to match) and installing 31"s and a set of WJ LCA's. I only have rubbing with the 235's on the driverside LCA at full left turn. Jeff Image Not Found

Should just bolt right in, assuming the input matches (21 spline, short). IIRC, the 207 is about 1/2" longer than the 231, not enough to matter. And the linkage is the same, or similar enough to work (?) Jeff

It may be hard to see, but there's a small dot on the cam sprocket and either another dot or a "^" on the crank sprocket. At TDC, they do NOT line up. The crank mark should be at 12:00, and the cam mark should be roughly at the 10:00 position. They are only used for reference if you remove the chain/sprockets.....you align them to take them back off and put a new set back on oriented the same way, and count pins between the first pin off the right side of the cam sprocket to the 6:00 position on the crank sprocket. There must be 20 pins or else the valve timing is off. (The cam sprocket has a dowel pin hole that lines up with a dowel in the front of the cam, and the crank sprocket is keyed, so you really can't mess that up anyway). Make sure the tensioner isn't worn out. If it is, it's possible for the chain to skip a tooth (although not likely). Here's a pic of my old set, and you can see the timing marks before I removed the set, tensioner removed: Jeff Image Not Found

I've got Gabriel something-or-others on mine and am running sleeveless. They came with lower sleeves, but they were too small to fit so I chucked them. Although it may not be correct, there've been no problems here.... Jeff