Virginia

I use Valvoline 10w30. Changed oil, put in new thermostat and new oil pressure sending unit and this appears to have rectified the problem. Haven't taken it out on the interstate yet but will tomorrow. Drove around the cithy for a bit and the temp guage reached about 190 then stayed stead and the pressure guage needle stayed steady around 35 while driving at 1500rpm. No jumping around. It was about 62 ambient temp when I cranked it and the pressure guage went to just over 40 then dropped to about 25 at idle after the engine warmed up.

The temp creeps up even when driving at speed, not just when idling or going slowly. I have an infrared thermostat so can check that in the morning. I assume I need to let it warm up. Don't know about the lower rad hose but will check. Will also do the easy things first and work up and will find an oil pressure guage. Will keep you posted.

Sorry, but this is going to be a little long but I think I need to give some history. Back in the summer I helped a friend move a mattress and box spring. Nothing heavy. Now, he's about 300lbs. We were driving to his house and had been for about 30 minutes when I noticed that the truck was struggling a little to go up some hills. Nothing major, just over passes. I can't imagine that he would have caused that. Then I noticed that my oil pressure needle dropped to 0 and stayed there for a few seconds but the engine temp was normal as rain. I pulled over and checked the oil and yes, it was low. Maybe 3 quarts low. I added and went on our way. We got to his house and unloaded the mattress and box springs then when I started the truck and stepped on the brake it went completely to the floor. No pressure no nothing. I did notice that the engine compartment smelled a little like wire melting but I couldn't find anything wrong. I had the truck towed home. I came out the next day and the brake worked just fine and has ever since. What I've noticed since then is that my oil pressure seems lower than it used to be and that if I'm driving on the interstate at 65 to 70, after a while my oil pressure needle starts fluctuating all over the place. I check the oil and it's fine and the engine temp is fine. So, I'm thinking the pressure sending unit is bad. Yesterday, driving home and after only about 8 minutes of driving, the engine temp is creeping up. never actually gets in the red but right on the edge. 2 minutes later I'm home. In the driveway, I pop the radiator cap and add water until it's full. While the truck is sitting there idling, the temp needle gets a little into the red. I shut it down and let it sit over night. I check the oil level and it's fine. This morning while driving to work in about 35 degree weather, the engine temp gets hot fast and by the time I get to work, it's right at the edge of the red. Normally, since I only drive 3.5 miles to work, the engine would just barely even be warming up on a day like this before I got to work. The other thing I noticed this morning is that at one point, the heater stopped blowing hot air, the temp guage crept up some then the air turned hot again and the temp guage dropped just a tiny bit. The oil pressure was operating at about 40 psi while driving at 2500 rpms. At a stop, the oil pressure would drop to about 25psi. I've never heard the engine ticking even when my oil pressure needle dropped to 0. I do hear a slight ticking when I first start it in the morning but that only lasts about a second then it starts running quiet. I don't know if these two things are related. oh, when I popped the radiator cap in my driveway the water coming out was nice and rusty. this truck is a 91, 6 cyl, 4.0, 5speed 4wd with about 189K miles on it. I have no idea where to start to fix this. NEW: I just went down and was able to spin both cooling fans with the motor off. I'm thinking that should happen.

OK, so a new TPS, new O2 sensor, vacuum lines checked, new plugs and wires, new air filter has fixed a few of the problems but the random dying is still happening. It acts is if it's running out to gas then sometimes will catch and idle back up where it belongs or run like it should and sometimes it dies completely and there seems to be no pattern to it. Don't know what else to check.

The key is turned off and in my hand while the air conditioner is still running and blowing cold air.

OK, so the fuel pump relay is the one that got hot enough to melt the negative cable to it. My guess is that wouldn't have anything to do with the airconditioner still running after the motor is turned off or the lights and air blower going off while the engine is running.

Does anybody know what these boxes are and would they have anything to do with why the air conditioner would still run when the motor is turned off? They're on the passenger side behind the battery.

Yes, it fit perfectly. The bolts are really stuck though.

Whew....ok. That's a project for next weekend.

So, I put a new TPS and that seemed to do the trick. I drove it pretty hard and had no problems. My son got in it and says it died on him once and did the thing were we get no lights, no air blower and no radio, nothing electric but the engine runs. I have NO idea what that would be.

No idea. I'm going to assume original to the truck and it's an 89. I get no backfires when I let off the gas and the sounds I'm hearing may not be backfires at all. Maybe more like misfires.

That looks easy enough to replace.

I'm still fighting with this. One of the torx bolts stripped on me. How idea how I'm going to get it out.

Turns out it was a stuffed up muffler and bad catalytic converter. This truck had been sitting in a field for a while. Apparently, critters got up in there.

I now have an 89 4.0 6 cyl 4wd automatic comanche that has begun chugging down and sort of softly backfiring almost when I give it gas. I have to floor it and it will eventually catch and accelerate normally. Usually within a few seconds. Doesn't do this all the time though. I've had a new muffler and catalytic converter put on it but don't think these two things are related. The vacuum diverter is toast. Melted and is not connected to the egr valve but had a mechanic tell me that this would not cause what I'm describing and in fact, should make the engine run better. He said it could be bad gas and to check my spark plugs. I've sprayed carb cleaner in the throttle body and cleaned that out as best I could. I've run some techtron through the gas line. The air intake is clear and the air filter is in decent shape. No blow by but some dust. I've also had someone tell me it could be a sticky choke. I don't know what else to check or do. Suggestions?

I'll try that.

Unless I let up on the gas. I've been told to check the vacuum modulator on the transmission but can't find a picture of what it looks like. I have a switch on the dash that says power or economy so have been told that it's an electronic transmission. The fluid is good. Any suggestions?

I'll start soaking the bolts on my mj today.

I know they're off a 4 door cherokee but the person that gave them to me doesn't remember exactly what year. I'm trying to find that out. Still, can I just take the pins out that hold the hinges together then replace the pins?

So, I'm trying ot take the hinges off the cherokee door and have managed to strip out the torx heads on all but 2 of the screws. I know I can grind the heads off then use get the rest of the screw out but I have NO idea how to get my comanche doors of without cutting the hinges. Don't want to do that because I need to reuse the hinge. AND, I'm reading that doing the wiring is a pain so a couple of questions. 1. Is it worth the swap? My comanche is a 91, 6 cyl, 5 sp 4whd. Not sure of the exact year of the cherokee but the doors have power locks, windows and mirrors. 2. How do you get the doors off the comanche? Can I just take that pin out that holds the 2 parts of the hinge together? Are the hinges on the cherokee and comanche the same? 3. Give it up and live with me current doors but fix where my lock was popped and just get a new lockset so I can lock my truck again?

Not my jeep but my Element is sitting in water up to the bottom of the car. Should I let it sit for a while after getting it out of the water?

Yeah, not really looking to sell at all. He just showed up. Nice Dart, btw.

Is there and instructable on how to lock it in the engaged position or is replacing that vacuum harness hard?

I must have done something wrong because my truck didn't smoke. A third in the gas tank, a third in the oil and a third through the BB. No smoke.

Yep. I'm keeping her. My cousin sold his 88 for 4500 recently in Texas. Besides, I think dude was going to cut it up for pieces. No thanks.