Green Mesa XJ

On these old jeeps could be the condenser is enough to change the cooling if it’s new to the set up. 2.5 -2.8 don’t need much of a cooling system compared to the 4.0. Only time my old2.8 xj got close to over heating it was a blown hose. Up steep terrain at high altitude in low gears engine working hard it was fine. Not fast but fine. If the head was off I suppose the block as much as could be seen looked ok. Just leaves the radiator unless the heater core is somehow restricting the flow as well. If it was bearly working before ac was added it might be enough to cause it to over heat Shops around here used to flow test radiators anybody still do that around you? On the other hand the OSC 871 at rock auto doesn’t look bad for the money. I tried to buy that one from summit, rock auto didn’t have it then, waited from March until September to get it in from China. It was wrong, right box wrong radiator. The pictures on summit and rock auto look correct I think I got the wrong radiator in the correct box. I ended up with a three row from eBay for the same money, they are out of stock now. assuming good water passageways, new water pump, thermostat, and it’s burped, bad radiator makes sense, Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Reservoir was clogged? Radiator could be clogged, used to be you could take a radiator out and have a shop test it and recore them if needed. Other thought is passageways in the head and block could be blocked with gunk. How much is money an issue? I found an Aluminum radiator on eBay for the 2.8 for like $150, I dunno it has automatic transmission cooler lines or not. But maybe a new radiator wouldn’t be a bad idea. Still could be clogged in the block or head some where stopping the coolant. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

What he said. (Sorry can’t see the thread when I post with this app) It’s carbureted, only differences would California and federal emissions. Now that engine is common as dirt and anybody could have put whatever that wanted in. But factory it’s carbureted If it’s another Chevy tbi system or the 3.4 fuel injection is another question Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I’ve had a few but only ever saw the 6cyl with the tach, I ended up running with the 1988-89 cluster because the printed circuits I had on the 84-86 kept pealing and failing. Tach was always wonky. wasn’t there something on the early ones that could be adjusted to 4 or 6? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks. It does not have a radiator cap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Just wondering about the 4.0 radiators interchanges. I was hunting a early AMC 2.8/2.5 aluminum radiator. Found one on eBay, and one from summit racing. The summit racing radiator I’ve been waiting on since March, the eBay radiator was in stock and looked close from the picture, it was cheap so I took a chance, when it arrived it was elongated 4.0 style radiator. Assuming it is for a 87 4.0 is that all it will fit 1987-90? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Never knew the headrest were optional in the first years . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

last picture is the mystery tag. Second is the more common tag, not a good picture the serial is in that tag as well, First picture is the fender with the original studs that hold the header stuck in the fender. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

BTW can anybody decide the AMC plates on the frame by the header , one was visible with the vin and other codes, then there is a second thinner plate attached by rivet to visible plate. This plate is hardy to read , seems to have the alphabet going around it maybe with indentation on certain letters Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

What would be a good way to secure the header with different mounting points? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

3.7 & 4.7 can be good motors, but the 4.0 Jeep is legendary. If you can’t figure out what’s wrong with the renix, grab the HO wiring and computer and use those. But you ought to be able to fix the renix. BTW the 3.7 v6 and 4.7 v8 are aluminum heads do not forgive any even slight over heating (like most modern engines) and the pcm will be a pita to work around, I don’t think anybody has come up with a kit or programming to make those swaps easy. Only a hand full of liberty (kj) owners have done the swap and the 4.7 is the 3.7 with two more cylinders, their transmission bolt up and engine bay are closer to being drop in. Also until the mid 2000s the power output isn’t much more than the 3.7 v6. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah the 2.8 emblems has the stick tape already applied the front Jeep logo is two pins no sticky tape from the factory Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah there’s the small Jeep logo in the left corner and the big wagoner logo in the center Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I think you right about the sticky tape, although the body shop I got it from might have done that. I want to say the nos logo had two mounting points and adhesive there ready to be peeled and applied but I havent actually had hands on the part in awhile in somewhere a mountain of boxes right now. I’m pretty sure somebody stole the Jeep logo off the header when it was parked at my parents house for a few years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Btw I think I have a nos Jeep badge for the header somewhere. Bought up a lot of those type of things from ebay anticipating a big 30 year “restoration” and life got in the way. Now our other xjs are nearing their thirty year mark and the old faithful still was waiting. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Mine didn’t have head rests either actually the passenger side seat was out of a two door xj, and broken. They used it on mail rout in the nowhere town out west. I swapped pieces out of other xj it is a hodgepodge of interior. Never could find a good complete interior so made it practical instead. It was never in great shape persay, used hard out west, high altitude on the emissions label. But I a long, long time ago dome dumb college kid got it and never looked back. That Jeep took me everywhere and honestly I had no idea how halfassed some of those trips off road were until we went back to visit recently. It’s been sitting waiting to get the engine pulled and harness issues worked out. Got a garage full of stuff for it I’ve bought over the decades to put it back on the road better than it was. Just took a picture of the header logo location. If you zoom in you can see one of the mounting points clearly, Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Really. I didn’t know anybody cared about the early wagoneers. Pretty much everybody i met assumed it wasnt a wagoneer because of the headlights. I’ve only seen one other like this one with gray paint and red interior I think it was the same year same 2.8 engine but automatic, somebody in Texas had it over priced online at their car lot. Actually found a picture I save on my phone except for the wheels it looks like mine, paint might be I better shape and mine has more mods over the years Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not sure it’s the only header I have for it at the moment, if I can drill it to use the newer mounting style I probably will But it’s essentially a xj Cherokee header I don’t think the Wagoneers got four headlights until 1986. The chrome on it is different form our 91 xj, and the grill I need to find another from that era I damaged it years ago adding fog lights that were too big, now everybody uses led twice as bright with half the size Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks. Should I get new(after 1988) fenders or could I cleanly modify the current fenders to reattach the header in a somewhat professional way. I like the look of the early chrome never thought about it until I was looking through the online junkyards. I also like the Jeep logo off center like it was in the amc days, they also spelled out four wheel drive over using 4x4 on the rear badges The paint is a mix of original and 90s body shops before I got it. Got a red pin strip that’s distinctly 80s doubt I could easily replicate it but honestly this jeeps always been about actually working over looking new (mostly because I suck at body work but could turn a wrench) I wouldn’t mind adding new fenders painted to the original paint code even if it’s not perfect to the rest of the Jeep, I’ve go to sand down a rear door the body shop I bought it from repaired if I remember right the guy who ran it said he reskinned the door which nobody does now. I think all the body panels match up for the most part don’t think anything should stop using the original hood latch and hood support rod, although the fender lining is very different from the 90s plastic xj Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Just pulled the header off my old AMC XJ wagoner old single headlight design. 1984-5 only. The nuts to remove the header where inside the fender well, 3 of the four studs stripped out of the header. Should I try to repair it or should I buy the 1988? Up fender and header off an XJ/mj? I certain our 1991-2 xj had studs in the sender and nuts by the side marker. Is there a better repair I should consider l? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah the original fuel pump is Mechanical on the driver side of the engine block. There’s a small stone type filter in the back of the factory carburetor I believe. There’s a mess the vacuum lines are only a handful that really matter. The timing is correct if it runs and drives. There is a module in the distributor that tells the ignition coil when to fire. But the distributor is the delivery mechanism. See what happens when it fails like this again. In a carbureted car pumping the gas actually helps spray gas stored in the carburetor bowl. Really makes me think it’s a fuel problem or even crud in the tank that settles in clogging the pick up tube/sock (the filter on the tube/sock is probably disintegrated by now. But it’s not worth running down problems that might not exist. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Ok probably fuel related. When it does this spray starting fluid or WD-40 down the carburetor and see if it tries to run, if it does until the what you sprayed runs out it’s fuel problem, meaning you have spark from the ignition coil , distributor is working as is the ignition module or whatever they call it inside the distributor. What I didn’t notice as if this is a California emission engine which has more electronics to screw up. Federal emission has some crap but I can’t think of anything that’d keep it from running. Electric coil to adjust the choke, a poor idea of a pre heater underneath the carb. Honestly the factory carb is garbage, I ditched mine a long time ago. The loose the alternator belt is either too long or not adjusted , I’d take it off and get a slightly shorter one and install it. Take it to Napa or autozone they should be able to match it up. You could just ask for the proper belt but the jeeps of these years have poor parts catalogs sometimes wrong. Basically the Jeep is running a 1985 Chevy s10 2.8 engine, but because of the Chrysler takeover 1987 most of the books are incorrect and nobody cares to go back and fix them. If all else fails 1984-85 Chevy 2.8 s10 pickup is the same engine. Far as trouble shooting Start simple and go from there. Even with a new fuel pump and rebuild carb it could be fuel related. I don’t want to overwhelm with a bunch of things I’d test so start with a few easy tests to see where the problem leads. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Easy test if you have spark when it does this Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Hadn’t looked at the video yet but it’s factory carburetor is a POS. Could be fuel filter or junk in the carb jets , I’ll look again later Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Maybe the key was left in for so long it became corroded and they used gasoline to break it down? Really I have no ideas about the fuel on the key Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro