Green Mesa XJ

Dunno if this is the correct way, disconnecting the crossmember with the transmission mount to lower the angle of the transmission to access those top bolts. You might be able to get at them through the engine bay with it lowered . But I've never done this job on a Jeep only read about it, take it with a grain of salt and see if anybody else has better advice. If there is no better way as mentioned the extensions and maybe a swivel heat adapter will be the only good way to get those lose. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I found even with the OTC kit it was a struggle to break the lower ball joint lose. Ended up putting a long cheater bar on the socket and breaker bar to finally get enough torque to press the ball joint out. Once it started moving it was fairly easy, one side took a number of turns with the cheater after the tremendous crack of ball joint finally breaking free. the amount of pressure to start the ball joint movie was incredible. Before using OTC kit I tried heating it with a torch and slamming it with a sledgehammer didn't do a thing towards moving it. You just need a decent receiver cup, maybe check for a socket or a section of pipe big enough using the new ball joint as a guide Honestly I don't think I could have done the job without the OTC kit (7894). The amount of pressure I think would of broken something not meant for it. But plenty of people say they didn't need the OTC tool to get the job done. Here is a link to the OTC instructions so you can see what the consider a receiver cup. http://images.myautoproducts.com/images/Product_Media/Manuals/OTC/OTC-7894_manual.pdf Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah ever jeep I've owned has leaked oil religiously On the 2.8 where the oil filter adapter goes to the block is a major source, problem the engine mount has to removed to get at it properly. Valve cover gasket can get something better than the original cork. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Do they still sell the floor pans for the xj? I'd think you might get most of the way there by using them the modifying the rest to suit the MJ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

TBI is a great solution if you can get all you need for it to work. I think you'd need a electric fuel pump in addition to all the TBI hardware. But I ought to be a night and day difference. The Weber is supposed to get a fuel pressure regulator to keep it at a constant psi, I ran with out one for a very long time. Just sort of bolt it up eliminate the unneeded vacuum line + wires and go. BTW the 86 2.8 in your Comanche may be a bit of a rarity. If it has the rubber rear main seal it should have the improved crankshaft, main bearings and journals. Also might or might not have the better more HP cylinder head (chevy 85-95) most of the 86s I've seen were not the new head. But if you've got to rebuild the motor dropping a 3.4 complete with injection system and wiring is a better bet. A 2.8 is still a 2.8, even though I never could kill mine it still lacks power. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

On the carburetor I found the Weber (38 DGES?) to be a huge improvement over the buggy chevy Rochester 2SE (?) POS. Big improvement for my old worn out 2.8. Easy kit with that included the adapter, only thing I found off was the bolt on the adapter for the air filter was too long and needed to be shortened. Some like the Holley carburetor set up better but I think they had to put in a edelbrock intake for it to work ( there is a edelbrock intake, adapters for the carb and performance cam) crazy thing is the Holley carb looks huge on the 2.8. The kit was meant for a S10 or CJ. I rebuilt the Rochester carb before putting out that cash for the Weber, it did run better after the rebuild but that whole factory carb system is a nightmare. they were trying to make something that should be simple more fuel efficient by making it complicated with vacuum lines, servos and preheaters. Neat ideas in theory but don't really work and kept the engine from getting enough fuel and air. Great news about the windshield holding it seal, my 85 XJ has liked to leak before I ever saw it and ever since, I'm about to pull the windshield (again) try to rust treat then get it sealed up again. The leaking clutch master screwed up my fuse box and helped rust the floor pan. Just replaced the engine and dash harness last year. Engine harness because the plug didn't match the dash harness I was able to find. BTW Cool project! I love seeing these old jeeps come back. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

You have an empty engine bay? No 2.8 to take parts from? I've read up for years on the swap but never done it, plenty of write up on it. Usually it is swapping all the 2.8 hardware over then finding a properly balanced flex plate or flywheel. You can if you get all the wiring for the 3.4 and adapt it to run everything , I've seen that write up a couple of times. Apparently it's relatively simple. not sure what you need to think about timing cover and waterpump wise, I assume you could adapt to use the 3.4 systems whole hog. Not sure how big a pain the engine mounts will be or the oil pan clearing the axel. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

they also have a eBay listing for $8 more. I thought this design was roughly the same as boostwerks, which is based on another XJ/MJer who built the original design. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yep the factory gauge I wouldn't trust as gospel, although mine on the 85 XJ would always read too low but did give me warning if the alternator quit. Just swapped in 86 engine harness and new dash harness last year now the gauge is damn near accurate. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Here is a general how to from Eric the Car guy. My new 2.8 starter for my upcoming 30 + year rebuild has shims with it, honestly can't remember if the last time I replaced it there were shims. Anyway Eric can give you the basics of how it works . I'm still curious about what kind of sound it's making I'm thinking the shop doesn't deal with gm stuff much. Edit, some s10 people suggest bolts being used incorrect, sometimes they can be too long so them seem tight but the starter is slightly out of alignment. Or just a bad starter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

The engine is a Chevy design as is the starter. What kind of sound? My 85 XJ has a worn spot either on the flywheel or the starter teeth, every once and awhile the starter spins without fully engaging. Far as four bad starters rebuilt starters have a ton of quality issues recently so four bad ones could be their Quality Control. I've read a bunch about bad rebuilt starters and alternators in the last few years. Not sure what the exact cause could be since it's all GM it ought to be fairly common parts. What did the old flywheel look like? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Standard shift column will need another standard. There is a lock out for the automatics that has to be worked around but you could use one of them. Hollanders part interchange shows your exact column is to 90 I think the locks/ keys change 91 but otherwise is the same. One with manual transmission, tilt and pulse wiper shows 85-90 interchange. But the columns are so similar you could grab just about any until the later airbags and other design changes. P.s you can do a used parts search in your are with car-part.com and www.hollanderparts.com. Only issue may be not all junk yards are online and this old a jeep they may not bother inventorying it putting in a you pull instead. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

What I meant to say was I replaced the seals on the CAD instead of converting it to a one piece axel shaft or swapping the axel out. It's the simplest fix, no other big jobs to do at the same time if it's only the seal on that side.Still found it frustrating because there's no reliable simple way to press the seal back. Unless you get a tool or the part of it designed for the seal. Plenty of reasons not to like the CAD design, plenty of ways to adapt and modify the current axel or swap it out. Depends on what you need to do and your goal for your jeep. For us our jeeps hardly ever see serious off road time any more so the old CAD system is fine for now. BTW ours leaked for awhile before I had the time and all the steps planned out. Just kept topping off the fluid, but it was fairly slow leak and the jeep spent its time on the road not the trail. On the trail you could get mud or water inside the axel with the seals leaking. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

87, you should have a np231 transfer case. And the front yoke and drive shaft I think is similar to later years except for maybe being balanced. I've heard the early Dana 30 are harder to convert from CAD. But it's not firsthand knowledge . Personally I'd swap the axel from a none CAD over conversion. So far I've just repaired the CAD axel seals on my jeeps. A much simpler job than tearing it all apart. But if the other side needs replacing then I don't know which way is best. Here is a video on CAD conversion Here is a video on replacing the seals, around 2:00 he gets to the CAD seal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Re: one piece axel assembly(?) You might need Front drive shaft possibly, for one that balanced to be spinning all the time. I can't see what year you have with this app, if you've got a old np207 (86 only MJ?) you'd need the yoke for the np231 too. Just replacing the axel shaft I've heard the place for the seal near the pumpkin might not be there or difficult to get sealed. I'm sure somebody know how to convert a CAD better than I do only reading about it . You could make your own tool to press in the CAD seal, I failed in my first attempt years ago but got it more or less right with a few dollars in parts from Home Depot, but I will say it frustrating because it's easy to remove and start to seat the new seal, but a major pain to press it in far enough. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

It is. The removal is easy, it's the instillation that's a PITA. I made a tool with all thread, a few nuts and washers. Didn't work quite right, screwed one seal up luckily I had a spare intended for my other jeep, Which I centered a little better, still came very close to pressing it too far. If I had been doing this job at home with all my tools I would have used the new seal as a template and cut a piece of wood to press it in. There is a company selling a tool, but it cost over $100. I'll look it up. They have a kit with 2 seals, QK4801 $116+ shipping. Quad4x4.com I have no experience with them and don't know how good their products are. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sams club used to sell some great basic battery jumpers, those were replaced with weaker batteries with decent looking "peak" cranking amps that never pulled their weight. The best jumper I've found since then is Jump-N-Carry JNC660 1700 Peak Amp 12-Volt, Amazon has them and this one has jumped everything I could throw at it without fail. One of my first cars was a 87 Supra saved from a junk yard, BHG and a ton of other problems looking back it wasn't worth the time or money spent on it but try telling that to a late teen. Anyway it had a bad battery when I got it, me and friend went to pick it up, jumped it off and the alternator kept it running fine unless extra load like headlights or ac were turned on. Drove it home with my buddy right behind in case it crapped out, and to keep the sheriff dept off my bumper. Some how made it with out stalling or headlights when it got dark. Not sure what year the op has. On my 85 xj with gm alternator (also a gm motor) the alternator is internally regulated, once it wasn't charging in the middle of no where, pulled off the trail and pulled the two prong alternator plug then cleaned the contacts on the plug and alternator up, reconnected it went back to full charging. It would still do it randomly even with new better amp alternators. Years later I replaced the plug with a new pigtail and that solved it. The ho engine I think all have the voltage regulator in the ecu/pcm, so you could have a great alternator but a bad regulator in the computer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

It should mean there is a big issue in the brake system. Old school theory is a switch can get stuck, stamping on the breaks maybe free it up. Bad switch Or another BIG problem somewhere in the system. It should indicate a lack of pressure in the system. I'd go over it looking for a error of some sort. The Chrysler I had this same kind of problem with I never did find what caused it, replaced everything from wheel cylinders to brake master cylinder and booster. I was about to try a new proportioning valve and switch next but it was fated no to be my problem any longer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

You might check the switch at the proportion valve or master cylinder not sure where it'd be. I had a car with this problem after a rear axel swap never did solve it ended up trading it in. Far as I could tell all the brake hydraulics were good and bled out. Other place to check it as mentioned in the previous post is where the parking brake switch is maybe it's shorted. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Great build! Enjoying reading through it. Long time lurker, find lots of great info here but don't have a MJ so never signed up. Notice something that might help somebody out, on the tachometers in the 91-95-(96?) instrument clusters Chrysler changed where the input comes from to the computer. So you can throw a 91 up cluster from a 6cyl in a 4 cyl and it will work accurately, I think this is why when wired correctly it reads the v8 correctly as well. You guys probably already know about this, I'm always messing with the wiring on the 85 xj and never mess with the 91-92 xj so didn't know until recently the input for the tach changed. Anyway I'm enjoying reading about these old MJ builds, love seeing the old 2.8, 2.5 jeeps that never get any respect getting built up. Cheers!