Green Mesa XJ

The hurricane really was more of a inconvenience for our part of Fla, Mississippi and Alabama got the worst of the storm. The linkage looks something like the, the bracket in the picture is for an automatic. My 5 speed has a much smaller bracket that bolts up after the transfer case with one bolt from transfer case holding it and a bolt further up the transmission. And this is where on the transfer case it connects . Depending how hard it is to remove some remove the selector hardware from the transfer case. You can also get a aftermarket kit to replace the factor links. Boosterwerks I think is the name of one of the companies making it, although it a simple design a jeeper came up with a few years ago. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

DirtyComanche beat me to it! :) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

That plug in the picture should be the reverse light switch. When you reinstall you should find a plug in the wiring harness that matches it. The vent tubes in the first picture generally run to the top of the transmission to near the firewall. I’m not sure exactly where For hooking up the transfer case I’ve got the linkage and selector lose in a box I can get a picture of. The on top of the tank I think is where the gas vapor vents go to the intake to be used. Not 100% on that . Passengers side I believe are for the from axel vacuum disconnect (CAD). 84-91 jeep thought disconnecting the passenger side axel in the front would some how magically make the XJ/mj more fuel efficient, it didn’t, it just left a weak spot to fail on the trail. I can get pictures later of how it hooks up later if you need it. We got miserable weather here from hurricane Nate so I’m not going out side until I must. Spent the last day working in random rain from feeder bands, trying to stay dry to day. However o the vacuum disconnect most bypass that CAD on the axel to have it engaged all the time. Some good writes up on how to do it with the parts already there on the axel . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Mopar 52104110, I believe is the correct # 94-96 XJ 4.0 with ax15 and external slave. I’m keeping a eye out for a proper mopar one for my conversion. From the reviews it seems for this set up the mopar set is the way to go. Even better name brand are not the quality you’d expect. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I would think the Dana 35 non c clip would be closer 150-175, with brakes. (For a XJ) Went through a few trying to find a good 3.73. Used to toss them the back of the jeep, when I cleaned up the scrap a few years ago couldn’t believe I used to just threw those axels around. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Electrical harness, transfer case linkage, transmission linkage, the torx bolts at the top of the bellhousing. Just a few idea of maybe what’s holding it back. Thing is these transmissions and engines have been bolted for decades together sometimes it takes some persuasion separate them. Other worse case is depending where the jeep was is rust between the transmission, flywheel/flexplate and motor. Around here that would be a salt water flood car. I would think this is rare condition. Other weird thing is on some cars there are bolts the thread in from the front of the motor you don’t see looking from behind the transmission. Other than that it’s a matter of persuading. I’ve never had to drop the transmission on a 4.0 jeep so I’m probably missing a few tricks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thermostat missing could cause over heat too. But I doubt it in this Radiator part # 53000521 , it’s crown part now but looks oem, Core listed as 16.75 wide, 20.250 high. the stuff rockauto is selling I don’t like because of the plastic tanks. When I bought my last radiator for it they were common aftermarket, now it a bunch of Chinese knockoffs. It looks so much like a old cJ or YJ radiator I wouldn’t be surprised if a aluminum 3 or 4 core for a wrangler would work. Water pump, if you don’t know what it’s running or how new it is I would replace it just on principle. I’m Not sure if there’s a recommended brand on these pumps, I’ve just used whatever was at the local parts house for the 2.8. The Camaro is 3.4 93-95 only on these pumps. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

???? Combustion leak test tells you very little compared to compression testing. Leakdown testing tells you a whole lot more but is a harder test to do. And combustion leak test has to have a big enough exchange of coolant to exhaust to show up. If it’s a sleeping head gasket leak it’ll probably never react. Are you losing coolant? Overheating is a symptom of BHG because it is taking enough coolant out of the engine and burning it up replacing it with pockets of exhaust. When running a car with BHG it’s those pockets of air which cause temperature spikes. Running too hot is more a symptom of: radiator, air flow through the fins of radiator, water pump, thermostat, clogged water ports in the engine. Which will cause a BHG. The condenser in front of the radiator can cause problems, detritus caught between rad and condenser, condenser clogged fins and blocking air flow. You need to get the reservoir working too. May just be the 18lbs rad cap, I think oem was 13 lbs. but the reservoir should show some kind of change as the engine heats and cools. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Compression test will tell you a lot. If the gasket has blown out, if valves or piston rings are bad you’ll have low compression on one cylinder or two neighboring cylinders in the case of BHG. The gas Test will work if the problem is bad enough. So far every car ive tested in the last four years has past the Test, I’m curious about how accurate it is on a real BHG. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Bye Test your talking about might tell you something but only if the BHG is bad enough to send enough exhaust bubbles through the radiator to change the color of the Test liquid Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Compression test, easy to diy. Plenty of videos on how to. This will give you an idea of the health of the engine . I’ve done the headgaskets on the 2.8 I’m rebuilding it’s not rocket surgery. Not to many ways to screw them up unless the block or heads are warped. Or they didnt torque to spec. After its install it’s overheating to 280 range that kills them. But I only know what’s online I can tell what actually happening . If the radiator does not have enough flow, or air through the coils, it runs hot. Same if the water pump is dying. Your reservoir tank wasn’t moving either with the expansion of the fluid so something is wrong there maybe then rad cap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Radiator would be my guess. If all else is correct. I’ve only known radiator shops to test radiators, Vato zone might have pressure testers to pressurize the system to look for leaks. You need smithing like flow test??, I forget the correct term, been years since I sent one off. Just confirm the wires go to the computer and it’s all intact. At this point I’m not sure where to go with that. Simple is vacuum advance with no computer and that carb, but I’m not sure about the wiring. Since it runs the computer is probably working, not having the plugs on the carburetor take the computer screwing up the mixture and engine speed out of the picture. I would leave timing alone as well since the 95 3.4 does not have the timing marks the 2.8 used. You may have to adjust it later or replace it with a vacuum advance distributor. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

The timing chain can go a lot of ways since it runs they set it correctly. Timing is how the engine fires the spark plug in time with the compression stroke. The timing cover has marks on it, when under a strobe light timing gun set to the first cylinder ignition will light up the mark on the harmonic balancer, line it up by moving the distributor a to advance or retard the timing. The timing is set by lining the marks up to what the factory specified. Rpm and vacuum have to be exactly right. 2.8 I believe is 700 rpm with vacuum advance unplug from distributor and vacuum line block so it doesn’t leak. Electronic control ignition usually have a way to trigger the correct rpm by bridging two contact points in the wiring or plugging something to a plug in the wiring harness. This may be a poor explanation, this link might explain it better https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-find-an-engine-s-top-dead-center-by-ed-ruelas Missed timed the engine will be igniting at the wrong point in the compression stroke, with exhaust and intake valves in the wrong position. You need to find out what you have of the 86 California wiring and computer. If it’s running I suspect you might have is all intact, or maybe the PO rewired it. Ether way you need to figure out what you’ve got. You computer should be a shiny silver box under the dash, or in the engine bay. Since it’s a 86 I’d bet if you follow the harness there’s a big oval rubber plug the wires go through the firewall almost exactly behind the engine, this should lead to the computer if you have it. But I’m not 100% certain, it’s the location on my harness that has timer for a emissions maintenance reminder light since federal emission have no computer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Well overheating could also be the fuel mixture too lean, which is possible, but wouldn’t be a first guess. I’m not 100% on the water pump and rotation be correct but if your and this is a jeep you plan to hold on to I’d buy a new radiator, I don’t know what else could fit it, maybe a lot it is a pretty classic size and space . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sorry, I’m confusing some of the terms, there’s s pickup coil inside the distributor that sends the impulse to the ignition control module, the ICM send a signal to the ignition coil. What I’m not sure about is how the non vacuum advance distributor works, does it have the same set up without the vacuum advance hardware? if it does then the engine can run without the computer but it will not run right because it will not advance the timing correctly. If he’s got the computer it is no big deal to keep it like it is, if the computer is gone or doesn’t work then. Some kind of conversion to vacuum advance will be necessary. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Ah, these motors like to leak a little oil. Be good to find where it’s leaking but I wouldn’t worry about too much. If that the temp off the top radiator hose it’s too hot. Either the water pump/rotation is still incorrect, or the radiator is the trouble. Would that engine and that distributor even run with out the computer? I know the vacuum advance receives the impulses to fire from inside the distributor. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Well actually they had a more complex carb and computer trying to adjust it. Efi or tbi would have been a upgrade. God I’m not sure what’s the best thing to do, assuming you don’t have the computer you’re going to need to change some crap over to the federal. Unless you can’t not sure what the law is where you live. Down here it’s the Wild West, well Wild South with no emissions testing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Ok there’s part of your problem. Maybe. That distributor should have another input to control it, the federal emissions 2.8 had vacuum advance. What the hell is that jeep wired for. Do you have plugs that go to it? A computer? Looking like a California emissions jeep if it has all that. Which might makes sense why the PO thought the crappy federal emissions carburetor was a upgrade. Ignition coil looks correct and was standard gm for many years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I have the electric diagram but I’m not going to be home until the weekend. It’s a standard gm ignition, ought to be layouts for it around. If yours is like my federal emission 2.8 you have a four prong (total number) module in the distributor that controls spark, California emission and later models have a module with more prongs for wires to plug into to it and go to a computer. Your Distributor should have vacuum advance as well. Looks about like this Two wires go to the module from pick up coil, little thing that looks like a stargate inside the distributor. It sends the signals on where the engine is to the module, module sends the ignition coil to spark via two wires from the module to the coil. You can isolate that plug easily enough and trace it back to the distributor I suppose any repair manual dealing with the 2.8 will have procedures on how to test it. The other two wires on the other ignition coil plug one is the power source and should feel like a heavier gauge wire, the other wire I can’t remember what else it does but also feeds the tachometer signal. At least this is how I remember it, been years since I had to mess with fixing those plugs. (Edit: Found a test for the gm coil http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm/2.8L/ignition-coil-tests-1 ) Re: the noise the makes as it stalls out...have you doubled check the rocker arms, push rods and lifters are all correct? Distant possibility but could be stalling and making noise because the distributor is wayyyy off, when the rpm and vacuum advance change it can’t cope. Someone that has worked with these older engines more might have better ideas. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

You might find just the rear housing for a XJ on eBay. But I think the 89-91 ax15 are easier to adapt because the input shaft diameter is smaller and you can buy the pilot bearing off the shelf, for the 94 I believe you have to hunt for a 80’s wrangler bearing although some of these customs shops specialize in these swaps and have the correct bearing on hand for a price. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I’ve had a 91 completely lose the cluster while driving, never stoped running just instruments hiccuped. Not sure about this problem, could be electrical. CPS fails it shuts you down, cam position I think would shut you down too. I’d check the distributor for play, only happening at certain rpm is strange. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

It would not just bolt up. First the clocking for the transfer case is wrong for mj. You might make it work but it could hit the body. Transfer case would need to be 23 spline. Lot of little other things but it is a good swap if you’ve got Peugeot transmission. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Oh I forgot you’re not running the alternator right now, it could be 20 min is the limit for the battery, dunno Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Have to get Richard Dean Anderson to sign it for you :) I used duct tape on my first car a VW, gorilla tape on a car I had where the previous owner drilled holes for a spoiler then never installed it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Does it smell like gas? What does the oil look like? One thought was a cylinder not firing and filling up with fuel. Or bad ignition coil. But the engine slows down as it gets to operating temp so it could be the carburetor still. Take the temp on the top hose right before the metal of the thermostat housing, meaning back a little from the clamp so you’ll get a accurate coolant temp as possible with just the hose and coolant and no metal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro