Gene

Hi everyone, General question about AWD and tire size. What can you actually get away with? Of course for all tires to be EXACTLY the same is best. Is a 2/32" difference OK? 4/32? etc Thanks! Gene

Hi rural, Sounds like this is getting complicated. I found this thread Of yours, so it sounds like there has been quite a bit of rewiring going on. Perhaps you can look at it this way. The alternator output, from the larger stud on the alternator, is 12 V hot all the time. Essentially it is the same as the positive terminal on the battery. If you're running extra wires to a winch or other accessories, there may be several wires, but basically the alternator output goes to the battery. I'm not sure what the additional red wire on the side of the alternator you're speaking of is, a picture would help. Is it possible that is actually a ground wire, if it's connected to the frame? The regulator plug has two wires. Normally both of these have to be connected for the alternator to work. If your alternator would function as a "one wire" alternator, then this hookup would be optional. If you don't hook them up, then the voltmeter in the dash will not work. Again, pictures might help. Gene

Hi rural, This information is based on a 1988 wiring diagram. I imagine yours is the same, but don't know this with certainty. The original equipment alternator had three wires going to it. One, a larger 8 gauge red, goes to the battery terminal. This is hot all the time. The connector at the regulator has two wires coming to it. One is a 16 gauge yellow, the other is a 16 gauge tan with white tracer. The yellow should be hot whenever the ignition switch is on. The tan with white comes from the instrument panel gauge, or idiot light if there is no gauge. This will be hot when ignition is on, but it does not receive full voltage, it receives the voltage that passes through the gauge, or idiot light. I'm not quite sure of the electronics, but for the stock alternator to work, the yellow wire has to get full voltage, and the tan with white wire has to have a 10 ohm load between full system voltage and the terminal on the regulator. This 10 ohm load is either the voltmeter, or the idiot light. Neither of these supply electricity into the ignition switch. Both supply electricity to the voltage regulator, which powers the alternator field, which allows the alternator to produce electricity. To answer your question specifically, view the alternator from the back, so the pulley is facing away from you, and the regulator is facing up.. The left terminal, #1, should have the tan with white wire, and the right terminal, #2, should have the yellow wire. Hope this is helpful. Gene

Hi rural, I am confused. a "single wire replacement" actually is a "self exciting regulator" setup and only requires 1 wire total. Do you mean 1 wire total, or 1 output wire and 1 regulator wire? Perhaps a link to the alternator would help. From Powermasters website How do I hook up a one wire alternator? Simply run a charge wire from the battery terminal on the alternator to the positive terminal on the battery. The onw-wire regulator is a self-exciting regulator, meaning that it has sensing ciruitry for alternator rotation. As the alternator starts to spin, this circuitry connects the internal voltage regulator to the battery and turns the alternator on. When the alternator comes to a complete stop, this same circuitry turns the alternator off. When to use a one wire alternator? Powermaster early style Delco alternators will work either way - as a one wire or OEM style. The main difference between a one wire and an OEM is the method used to energize or turn on the alternator. An alternator using the OEM style is turned on with the ignition switch. The one wire design is energized with a special sensing cicuit built into the internal voltage regulator. This circuit senses the rotation of the alternators rotor. The rotor must turn at sufficient speed to trip the circuit, starting the charging process. This turn-on speed is affected by several things and is typically higher with certain high amperage alternators. Once this circuit is tripped, the alternator will charge at all speeds, even very low ones, until the alternators rotor comes to a complete stop. At that point, the circuit will shut off and wait for the process to be repeated. What this means for the consumer is that in some applications the engine must be revved to 1200 or 1400 RPMs to turn the one wire alternator on. If the wiring harness is available and this characteristic is annoying, then Powermaster alternators can be plugged in like the stock unit and operated with the ignition switch.

Hi pfloyd, Maybe it is just my old eyes, I'm still unable to get real good detail on these pics, when I try to enlarge them the quality deteriorates very rapidly. That said, I wonder whether this could be rodent damage? The damage looks so diffuse and spread over several areas, I'm not sure whether one short would have done this. Then after the rodent created a bare wire, it shorted and did further damage. Looks like one fusible link was "repaired" which needs to be redone. You still need a harness, but there may not be another problem. Once you get the harness in, we can probably give some tips about how to troubleshoot/prevent damage to the new harness. I would think about (temporarily) putting a 20 amp fuse in series with the positive battery cable,between the battery post and the cable end, before first connecting power to the new harness. If that fuse blows you have a dead short which would damage the new harness quickly. I would not depend just on the fusible links, they can take a while to melt, and damage may be done in the process.. Good luck! Gene

Hi pfloyd, Could you post a few more pics, including closeups, of the damaged areas? Might be able to give a better guess about what is going on if we saw more detail. Gene

Did he mean 100 miles a year for the past 2 years that its been sitting around? Gene

I'm not sure if this is true or urban legend, but this is the concern: With the battery in the circuit, voltage from the alternator is "stabilized", if there should be a surge in voltage it will be absorbed by the battery. Sort of a built-in "surge protector". If the battery is disconnected with the engine running, as soon the battery cable is disconnected, the alternator's output may spike upward, before the voltage regulator has a chance to adjust the voltage downward. This voltage spike, at least in theory, could be damaging to electronics. Personally, I would avoid removing a battery cable with the engine running. I have done so, from time to time, years ago, and always got away with it. Looking back at it I probably shouldn't have. Besides, it's really unnecessary. You can get a cheap voltmeter at Harbor freight for about five dollars, and this gives you way more information. If you want a real quick check to see if the alternator is charging, with the engine running just hold a screwdriver or wrench or some iron or steel object right by the alternator case. If the alternator is charging, there will be a strong magnetic field, which will attract the metal. If the alternator is not charging, there will be no attraction. Hope this helps! Gene

Hi Virginia, Didn't you have the thread up, several months ago, wondering whether this was master cylinder or slave cylinder? I happened to think about you the other day and wondered how it turned out. Good work! Gene

You might have someone sit in the truck and move the steering wheel side to side while you are underneath watching the front end components. Tire balance is crucial...and relatively cheap! Gene

Hi jeeppapa, I like your thoughtful analysis. I certainly hope that you are right. However, so often the corporate mentality just looks at this year's bottom line. Especially if the parent company is cash strapped, an immediate infusion of cash might be more desirable than long term profitability. I posted the link mostly to give Jeep fans the heads up.... Gene

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/22/chinese-automakers-bid-for-jeep-raises-national-security-concerns/

Post of the year! Gene

Hi Omega, Did you check the flexible hose between the master and the slave? The only time I lost clutch fluid was when I had a crack in this hose. Good luck! Gene

Hi Pete, Excellent! I would make a contribution to help accomplish this. Thanks for all your efforts. Gene

Hi Alexia, So that's why it doesn't look any different! Thanks for all your efforts. Gene

The overcharge concern would be only if the 9 volt were connected in parallel with the 12 volt Jeep battery for a while. The 12 volts might cook the 9 volt battery. Once the vehicle battery is disconnected this is not a concern. Gene

Hi 8valve, I have not done this, but I'm familiar with this theory. If the system is without voltage for even a brief period of time, the stored memory will be lost. So you have to connect the 9 V battery, essentially in parallel to the vehicle battery, while the vehicle battery is still connected. The 9 volt pos to the positive CABLE, the 9 V neg to the neg CABLE. Then disconnect the battery cables. I would connect it immediately before pulling the battery cable, I imagine keeping the 9 V battery connected to the 12 V would try to "overcharge" and probably rapidly heat up the 9 V battery. You don't have to make the connections right at the battery, in fact I think it would be easier to connect elsewhere. The negative could go to any good ground, the positive could go to any "always hot" terminal, not sure about the HO, on the Renix it would be at the solenoid. Gene

Yup. Leave it alone. Tech is fine just how it is. Agreed. Tech should stay tech! Gene

Hope it turns out well! Gene

Did this engine ever run well since the rebuild? Did it run well prior to the rebuild? And what was wrong with the fuel system earlier this year? Gene

It also looks like you were having fuel system problems earlier this year, as you stated in this thread http://comancheclub.com/topic/52340-89-comanche-pioneer-no-fuel-pressure-at-rail/?do=findComment&comment=533495 How did that turn out? That problem might impact the current problem, if you're not getting adequate fuel delivery you will have problems at higher engine speed. Gene

Hi jrwhite3230, We feel your pain! First, please give more history. This is a 1989, is it a 4.0? Still Renix system? You said you're not running a catalytic converter. Any other modifications to exhaust system, or vehicle overall? You state the engine was rebuilt. Was the engine modified in any way during the rebuild? Have the problems been occurring since the rebuilt engine was put in? Were there any problems similar to this prior to the engine rebuild? The Renix system uses lots of sensors, and connector continuity, as well as ground continuity, is essential. If you're not familiar with Cruisers tips, please see and do all of these http://cruiser54.com/ Unfortunately, it seems like many of the aftermarket sensors are total junk. Just because you replace the sensor does not mean that the new one is working well. There is lots and lots of wisdom on this board. You providing more information will probably help make this available to you. Good luck! Gene

Does it still have a catalytic converter? A clogged cat will cause low power at highway speeds. It actually sounds like a fuel delvery problem, could you leave a gauge connected and check fuel pressures at highway speeds? Good luck! Gene

I suspect that it is the vapor return line back to the fuel tank. It is...well...er...optional. Gene