Pete M

Yup. Check your lines and check the vacuum ball in the front bumper for cracks.

Out of the factory shop manual I think (back when my scanner worked).

A quick and dirty technique is to raise up one tire (with the transmission in neutral) and rotate it twice while counting the driveshaft revolutions. If it spins around just over 4 times it's 4.10, 3-1/2 times is 3.55 and somewhere in between is 3.73.

I swapped a regular 2-core from a later model XJ into my 88. Fit right in and now I have a radiator cap. :D I retained the rest closed system.

That makes me think that the cap or bottle is cracked and leaking. The bottle should be sealed and hold pressure, meaning it should hold in the air and never "fill up" with antifreeze.

Personally I'd keep the Renix wiring you already have and adapt the new engine to it. To swap to the Chrysler electronics you'll need just about everything in the newer XJ (including the wiring in the dash). :(

I would try and devise a way to keep the swing arm on the prop valve approximately level with the ground.

I assume you know, but I'm just making sure, the perches are also a different distance from each other in an MJ. Don't just weld the new ones directly below the old ones on the XJ axle. :thumbsup:

My 90 was a real pain in the keester to shift when I bought it. Turned out to be rust in the handle assembly. :(

Will do. :D

Unfortunately, tying it to the frame is fairly pointless. The showbars are not designed to take any sort of abuse and will generally just collapse in the event of a rollover. :( Having said that, MJs that came with a bar from the factory had an extra piece that bolted to the bed mount that helped tie the bar into the frame.

I'd go for it. (but then I'm not married) :D

Shorter shackles can limit your suspension travel. Just an FYI. :D

The overall length from hole to hole is your best bet.

I wouldn't assume that. They could be idiots and selling 2" lift XJ shackles or even advertising shackles that are 2" longer than MJ shackles (thereby netting only 1" in height). Never assume any company knows the ins and outs on an MJ. :D

I bought the gearwrench stubbies. I know they aren't guaranteed like craftsman, but I figured the fact that they were stubby would keep me from over-exerting on them. Plus I didn't have any stubby wrenches yet and MAN do they come in handy. If they are on sale, I highly recommend them. :D

If I remember right, my 1 1/4" was the right size on the TJ axle I was messing with.

Are you sure it's the fuel pump and not the relay or wiring?

Regearing is one of the few things I would gladly let the experts do for me. It's part art and part science and since I'll never be doing it all that often, I care more about it being done right the first time than trying to save a few bucks. Other guys have other opinions. :D Shop around for labor prices and warranties. You want it done right, but there are some shops that charge an arm and a leg for it. Make sure the warranty is just as good as the cost.

I almost ran over my dad doing about the same thing. :roll:

Hosting? On my budget I doubt we could afford the bandwidth to host it here and that's a fairly tall labor order if we try to use a non-ComancheClub site. It's a good idea, but just not practical quite yet. :thumbsup:

Couldn't you get the bad one fixed?

The 86 brochure says that the posi was an option with any trim level and included a fullsize spare and 4.10 gears (this is for the Comanche at least).

So when is Sears going to start carrying them? :D

Since the shocks on the shortbeds mount behind the axle, I would build a strong mount that sits flush with the lower edge of the axle tube and then after I knew what the travel would be, get a shock that fits the bill. I'm using the stock shocks and am short about 1 inch of uptravel and 1 inch of down so I'm guessing that with a bit more length afforded by a lower bottom mount and a better shock, you can get the full amount of travel. Can't say for sure though as I don't have a ton of experience with a shocks.