Badbobaz

Called the guy, OOPS sorry it sold, haven't taken the ad down.... At that price I bet it did, quickly.

https://boise.craigslist.org/cto/d/boise-1986-jeep-comanche-metric-ton/7487679128.html So what am looking at, 2,204 US pounds? Metric Ton package I read on these forums is all over the board (pun intended).

1988 Jeep Pioneer 4.0L 5 Speed 2 WD Short bed Built on 05/28/1988 I purchased it in June of 88 from Tex Earnhardt Jeep Store on Scottsdale Rd in Scottsdale AZ. It was a friend of family deal as I was converting new zero miles Dodge vans into custom units for his Mesa store. Boise Idaho but the truck has lived in Washington DC, Ogden UT, Phoenix / Coolidge / Cave Creek / Mesa / San Carlos AZ, Status: Still kicking @$$, passes emissions with flying colors with really low scores, doesn't burn oil and has all the power it did when I bought. All of which I attribute to reading the fine print that said "let the engine warm up to 100 degrees before driving". The only time I have not let it warm up first was when I was rushing my pregnant wife to the hospital. Things I have replaced: Radiator bottle, injectors (right the BEEP one month out of warranty), shocks, electric radiator fan (still doesn't work), tires, bed (due to Cadillac parking itself on top of the original one in 1992), tune up stuff, water outlet & thermostat, u-joint, starter, battery w/ relay (found out in the end it was just a cable that had gone bad.....) and that is about it. Biggest problem right now is was rear differential was ratcheting on a tight super slow turn on a dirt road and the steering wheel no longer is center on the horizon, can't be good and every once in while the shifter locks ups which is also not good, at all especially in rush hour traffic...... Notes: Stock never modified ready for restoration. Was featured in a syndicated beer column written by yours truly for Brewing News often referred to and described as "Jeepy the Wonder Heepy First Cousin to Exxon Valdez" but in reality it wasn't really laying a fog smoke screen from the brewpub (to lose the police) that was visited upon by Badbob and the Wif reviewing brew halls and bathrooms in the series. I also later used to haul off the lathe and plaster from a 3 story bungalow I restored. 98 trips of the rear shocks bottomed out for 14 miles and always bouncing back after every load to the landfill. It has traveled the length and width of the US 3 times, been in Canada and Mexico and has more stories to tell. Current owner: Robert Kuhn original owner

When it overheated it was spewing and the gauge was pegged. SO I changed the thermostat -3- times. The first time the cheap O'Reilly's gasket failed at the bolt, tried again and small leak under the housing then finally went to NAPA and got a new pro blue gasket, housing and another thermostat. As noted elsewhere in the forums you have to glue the thermostat in place, go have a beer while it is drying and then put the housing on. Torqued to 13 fp. Oh on the housing, NAPA replacement is close but not perfect as the hose nipples are at a lower angle than the original one leaving no clearance for getting the clamp on. I had to actually shave down the large hose to get it on. On the overheating, yes this cured it but now the return fluid to the reservoir is about 175, which is close to what the gage shows, while the thermostat I put in is a 195. Not complaining, better a little cool and spewing. Thanks once again for all your help. BB

Ya well changed the $17 cap and tank and no luck, it still decided to overheat a mile from the house. So onto the thermostat!

Thanks all, think I will start with the cap and work my way down.

Okay, owned the truck since new in 88, totally stock and untouched with about 200,000 miles on it. All of sudden the overflow tank cap is blowing off when it wants too with the temp gauge pegging and the whole boil over episodic event, other times it is just fine. When it over heats I refill it and no issue for days until it decides to do it again. I'm thinking dyslexic thermostat or should I be thinking water pump as well?

You folks are amazing. I jumped between the (new) Starter Relay to the (new) Battery positive terminal and the (new) Starter Motor cranked right up. The battery connector cable, which indeed looked great when I had it off, must be bad. Thanks to everyone for your comments!

okay to summarize, in the morning I will check the ground, check the voltage and the switch. I doubt it is the switch as the warning lights come on and stay on when I try to start it, but will check the circuit. The cable are ordinal as I had to delete a battery terminal and insert a new on the battery and the cable wires were shiny. This is an AZ desert truck so no corrosion or rust anywhere. I will let you know how the voltage is and the switch circuit in the AM, and Thanks!

Okay I'm at the end of the preverible rope. My '88 (owned since new, totally stock) was loaned to a non-car guy for a month to haul yard stuff on remodel. Winter came and it sat for another month in the snow. He said the battery died when I went to pick it up. I jumped it and it fired right up. I drove it to O'Reilly's and installed a new battery in the parking lot. It fired right up again and I went to the car wash where I remembered I needed another part for my MGA at O'Reilly's so I drove back to the store. When I went to leave I turned the key and it went with a loud "click" at the starter motor. O'Reilly's (gotta love them) staff came out and push started me in a smowstorm. Got home and with the battery showing 12.78 volts I figured the new juice was too much for a 34 year starter and changed it. Turned the key and it fired right up with the new starter motor. Drove it 2 more times no issue. Then when I went to start it, "click" again. Read this forum and changed the Starter Relay and cleaned -all- of the connections and battery terminals, and again "click". So there is a new battery which is fully charged, a new starter motor (not a rebuilt but new manufacture) and a new starter relay and "click". Completely out of ideas except the dreaded one that the non-car guy held the key down and shaved off the teeth on the flywheel starting it which doesn't make a lot sense to me as the starter is going "click" not "whirrrr". Help please?

I'll ask the front end shop to check the drag link and the steering arm as well, good suggestion! Thx

Yes I agree, my HOA however doesn't allow it and heading into my 7th decade of life with mobility issues and well ya never had it happen before in several 100s of car washes, so I am kinda limited on choices, but I appreciate your point of view and would love to do it myself, I use to really enjoy cleaning her up on Saturday mornings, now I feel just lucky to keep on Jeepin.

Looked closely at frame and the spacer and the only thing I could find was two clean spots in the grime which is a little strange but other than that everything looked normal. Alignment shop is high on my list now. Thanks for the replies!

Okay running out to garage to look at the spacer and frame.. I'll let your know thanks

Hey all, sooooo I have babied this MJ since new in 88 and always ran it through the car wash. I ran it through the full meal deal wash and wax car wash that you stay in the car yesterday and it got stuck in the middle for some reason. The wash rollers bumped under the rear tires and finally caught it (before the car inches behind me hit) and moved it out to the end. BUT one of the rollers twisted my front tires to the left (yes I had my hands off the wheel) and now while the truck drives still drives straight down the road, my steering wheel is off to the left by the about 30% so the JEEP logo and 3 arms are not centered anymore. I bitched at the car wash owner who calmly pointed the sign "not responsible for damage" with all the leageze in small print below it... Anyway what the hell happened? I can't find anything amiss when I look at the linkage. Thanks for ideas!