Pete M

The easiest swap for a Jeep 2.5L is a 2.5L. Get yourself the newest one you can cause the blocks are pretty much interchangeable but the newer ones are built better. Jeep on! --Pete

Mine was so bad I gave up trying to cure it and ended up adding a catch bottle to collect the oil. This was the first one: But I found I needed to upgrade it slightly: It's an incredibly common problem with Jeep engines. Sometimes the simple things can cure it, sometimes you just need to work around it. Jeep on! --Pete[/img]

Every 87-90 MJ owner should invest in an 89 or 90 factory shop manual (89 was the first Chrysler re-write). The electrical diagrams alone are worth the cost. :D 91/92 owners should get a 91 or 92 manual. Jeep on! --Pete

Are we talking about an 87 2wd 4.0 or an 86 4wd 2.5? I'm confused by the poll question. Jeep on! --Pete

The Caribou are AWESOME! :D I did over 3000 miles to Moab and back this summer. Long trips in the MJ are infinitely better than long trips in the minivan. Jeep on! --Pete

I got pictures! It ain't anywhere near this neat today. That's the hoist I built for taking the Bronco apart. Now-a-days I have an engine hoist, but the timbers are back in the landscaping and I can put it back together if needed. It was capable of lifting the entire front end of the Bronco in the air. One of my previous employments required that I have my own tools so I have a much larger collection than I should. Not even close to enough though, but as a need arises I tend to prefer to invest in the tools than to invest in someone elses labor. The exception is welding. I have a weak $65 stick welder that works on what I call the "bubble gum" principle. It's not powerful enough to penetrate, but it sticks to this piece and it sticks to that piece, and if you build enough little blobs between the two, It hold well enough to remove the part from the truck and take it to a professional. I found a couple local pros that do a great job and don't charge much. I don't normally pay for someone elses time, but I will pay for my own piece of mind. 8) Jeep on! --Pete

Home at last! I'll start putting the pics together tomorrow night after class. Or maybe during class if it's boring. But right now I'm off to enjoy my nice warm bed in anticipation of NOT waking to the sound of ATVs in the morning. :D Jeep on! --Pete

I uploaded 20 more pics from my harddrive to pituretrail so I finally have more to offer. :D Jeep on! --Pete

You guys can probably park your trailer and tow rig at the campground if you wanted to avoid congestion in the Badlands parking lot. Might cost a couple bucks to be a "visitor", but maybe not since the campground will hardly be crowded. The old guy running the grounds last year had a really nonchalant attitude about everything. 8) What were we doing for lunch? I was just going to bring along peanut butter and honey for sandwiches. Jeep on! --Pete

That's proving to be a tall order. I've gone through about a thousand MJ shots so far and the closest I've seen is a couple lighted sun visors. If I get some more time after I finish packing I'll look through more. I can't imagine I don't have at least one. :( Jeep on! --Pete

Well, it looks like I'm stuck at home tonight. Mike has a stupid quiz tomorrow morning and we'll be leaving as soon as he's done. Should arrive in Attica sometime around 7 or 8 on Friday, hopefully before dark. If anyone that's camping arrives before me, I'll be picking an electrical site furthest away from the majority of the other electric sites (so as to avoid the RVs). Camping is nice and all, but the extension cord for my electric blanket is only so long. 8) Jeep on! --Pete

Oh boy! 57* and rainy! 8) Don't forget your sunsceen! :roll: Jeep on! --Pete

Oil pressure is good, spark plugs were pulled and they are good too. I haven't done a compression test yet since my kit is missing. Visual tests haven't produced any clues as of yet. The fan was my first thought but nothing is making contact (I don't have a shroud at the moment). I don't have to be moving to have the noise. Just sitting there with the clutch disengaged and the noise may appear. The first time I was driving when it appeared and there was no change as I came to a stop and got out of the truck. I actually wish it would come back. That way I could do a more thorough diagnosis. It's not a "marble" in a coffee can, more like a single large bolt. Right now it usually manifests itself as a single thwack, like a snap. I've had plenty of bearings fail on me and this, well, this is different. I wish I could let you all hear it. :( Some of you may get your chance at the PowWow. I think today I'll put it all back together and try my luck getting it to a mechanic to let him hear it. Knowing my luck the noise will go away. :( Jeep on! --Pete

I feel the same way. Lots of skids under there and I'm not done yet. I like the way that the solid Ford tierod easily bends back. :D Jeep on! --Pete

88 MJ, 190k+ mile 4.0L It's sounds like a cross between a bolt being shaken around in a coffee can and a spoon in a garbage disposal. It doesn't have a particular rhythm to it and it isn't obvious as to precisely where it is being emitted from. I've pulled the oil pan and valve cover and everything looks fine. Nothing broken or loose as far as I can tell and no metal shavings in the pan. The worst part is that it's intermittent. During the first occurrence it was persistent at all rpms, the second time only above idle, now it usually only happens for a short time, sometimes only a single thwack. It sorta sounds like the time when my water pump allowed the impeller to eat away at the housing, but I just now went out and pulled the belt off and it still does it. I'm stumped. Short of stripping down the block, any ideas? Anything else you guys need to know? The truck runs fine before, during and after the noise. It doesn't stutter or anything. I need the truck this weekend for the second annual Comanche Club PowWow. I'm flat-towing it to The Badlands, so I only need it to perform when we're there. But I also don't want to have the block blow up on me in the middle of a trail. I can't fix anything if I can't find a problem! : Jeep on! --Pete Some more back story if you want it: It happened a month ago at a local wheeling event. I hadn't gotten a 1/4 mile away from my tent before the noise started. I pulled over but couldn't precisely locate the source of the noise so I told everyone in my group to carry on without me while I limped back to camp to diagnose the problem. I was thinking the starter gear was maybe touching the flywheel so I pulled it. Everything looked fine so I put it back together to try something else, but the noise had now vanished! I took it for a test drive and everything checked out, so I hooked up with the last group. The truck ran great all day. A couple weeks later (maybe 3 miles later as far as the truck knew since I flat towed it home) the noise came back while in an Autozone parking lot. The shmucks inside came out and were stumped (big shocker there). It drove ok last time the noise happened so I figured I could limp the 1/2 mile home. Before the noise was omnipresent, now it only happened above idle so I tried to keep the rpms as low as possible. About half way home the noise suddenly stopped with a quick squealing sound. Now another week has gone by and I've pulled the valve cover and the oil pan. Everything looks nice and tight. The noise happens only occasionally now, but without finding a problem, I can't fix it or predict whether it'll get worse again. :(

My trans is much higher than 1/2" over stock so I imagine that it'll be fine. Watch the angles and clearances of the t-case shifter linkage. I built a custom bracket setup for my TJ trans, so I don't know how the rise will affect a stock situation. I've never heard of people having problems with the t-case drop kits, so I think you'll be ok. Jeep on! --Pete P.S. I'm genuinely shocked that Rustys hasn't tried it on an MJ!! :shock: They are usually pretty good with their stuff.

I'd never thought about a Renix rev limiter, but I'm quite familiar with the limiter in my mom's PT cruiser and it cuts the power pretty abruptly. Feels like I pushed the clutch in and let off the gas, but I haven't yet. Angers me to no end too 'cause that turbo 2.4 really likes to sing and the limit is found before the tach even gets to the red. Jeep on! --Pete

The computer does different things at WOT, but only above 3k? Thats odd for sure. Jeep on! --Pete

While we're sharing our exhaust systems: Mine is a Borla. Biggest one they made for 2.5" tube. Makes the truck pretty quiet until I step on it. I used to have a flexy pipe for the crossover and tucked it up close to the trans, but that bit the dust (they literally fall apart when even partially crushed) and I've since put in a stock one back in. The pipe is attached to my new trans crossover here: And obviously ends at the rear hanger. I tucked everything up as far as possible and only the very bottom of the muffler hangs below the frame. When I finally get around to building the stroker, I'll have the front half of the exhaust redone by a shop so it doesn't hang down and eliminates the restrictive factory bends. I've had the muffler since before the 4wd swap and lift, and even then saw no reason the exit needed to be behind the rear axle. It's just so much simpler this way. And I like simple. :D Jeep on! --Pete

I took my peugeot apart and it was a blast! Oh wait, you'll probably be using wrenches and pliers, not the sawzall and sledge. Oh well, I'm sure your teardown will be fun too. :D Jeep on! --Pete

MJs and XJs will share that part. As to year, well, I'm betting that it's the same 87-96 and the same 2.5L and 4.0L. Take yours to the yard to make sure. Jeep on! --Pete

How about everyone meet at my tent? Seems to me that the campground was pretty empty last year but the Badlands parking lot was crowded. They open at 9:00am, so that seems as good as any for a meeting time. Can everyone make that? Anyone remember if there is any cell phone coverage there? My number is 313-510-9100 and I have nationwide coverage so feel free to call. How about channel 14 for the CB? Jeep on! --Pete

I'm not certain about the Mobil 1, but AX-15s require a GL-3 rated oil. Or more precisely, they require that we NOT use a GL-5 rated oil. Unless the bottle specifically says something to the contrary, GL-5 rated oils contain sulphor compounds that will eat away at the synchros. GL-3 stuff is hard to find though. Dodge and Jeep dealerships sell it in bottle labeled "for AX-15s". Some synthetic oils are said to be OK too, but they should say something about being safe for yellow metals. This is all compounded by the fact that Jeep put Gl-5 in the older shop manuals. :( Jeep on! --Pete

This is what I did to my Peugeot: I made little trophies! Seriously though, if topping off the fluid level doesn't help, start looking for that AX-15. The Peugeot is notoriously hard to take apart, expensive to fix, and rarely lasts very long after even a complete rebuild. My theory is that the case deforms over time (or from abuse) and so after all the new parts are installed, the case is still deformed and it's only a matter of time before something goes BANG. I'm basing that theory solely on the incredibly weak looking case though, no actual measurements and data. Jeep on! --Pete