Khor1287

IT RUNS ! ITS ALIVE ! Its still kind of sketchy....BUT IT RUNS ! but it doesnt have first gear.... BUT IT RUNS ! and who really needs first gear for street driving anyway. IT RUNS !

Engine actually starts and runs well, well....well enough for me. Once I get it rolling again I will evaluate it further before throwing money into the engine itself. I drove it home for 2 hours solid at 50ish and it always started, never overheated, sounded fine, had the expected power and was at the time probably the best running part of the truck. I did recently find out that the distributor had one terminal broke and the rotor was falling apart. It was probably running intermittently on 5 cylinders, ish. Not to mention that the air filter looked like it was an original part. So, I'm hoping that once I get those new parts on it should run even better.

So when I got my 86 MJ i was told that it had an 88 v6 swapped into it. The problem is I don't really know and this being my first restoration I don't even know where to start looking. I've been pulling parts off and founds some stamps and lettering but its all Greek to me. So here is the back of the engine. It has some "F"s stamped in a couple places and some writing there in gold/silver. Do those mean anything to anyone? Cause they sure don't to me. So I found these on the transmission and bell housing. Again, means nothing to me but these have got to be serial numbers or something that someone can decipher. So all I know about the engine is that it has six cylinders and a carburetor. Before you ask, yes I'm replacing the rusted to heck freeze plugs. Popped those out and going to be flushing the block out as well. There is a ton of gunk in there. I just hope that the other plugs in harder to reach areas aren't in this bad a shape as well. Seems like that layer of gunk may have been keeping those two lower plugs from leaking too badly. The transmission is a 4 speed and was working fine once I was able to get it in gear. Well "fine" except I have not been able to get it into 1st. I'm hoping that is due to clutch release problems not something more serious. 2nd was hell to get into, 3rd and 4th much easier and reverse would just slip in without touching the clutch. I really need to know what I have so I can be more efficient in ordering the correct parts. I also want to replace the fluid in my transmission while I have it out but don't want to put the wrong stuff in. Something looking like ATF came out of the speed-o port when I pulled it off but I probably wouldn't know ATF from MTF from gear oil from strawberry syrup so i need some help here. Any tips y'all can provide is much appreciated!

Well, a couple weeks have gone by and I think I might get this heap back on the road today ! First the old: Looks like this old thing needs some work to me. Clutch and pressure plate may have had a little life left but in just replacing everything I pull off at this point. Here is the largest source of my problems, worn and leaky slave cylinder and old bearing. Out they go and in come the new. An all the shiny new hotness along side the old busted! Pressure plate, clutch disc, distributor, rotor, slave cylinder, throw out bearing (or whatever), freeze plugs, air filter, coolant flush and replace and general de-gunking! My two bearings look totally different i just hope that my new one actually works. First clutch I was sold was entirely wrong but this one looks like it will work if the bearing will fit. My goal is to get all this on today and be rolling tonight or tomorrow. Wish me luck ! Or better yet stop on by and give me a hand (I'm just outside Orlando FL), beer and lunch is on me!

Whelp, NVM. Just had to get mad at it, dig out my 5lb hammer and big @$$ cold chisel. Good times !

OK, so ive been beating, prying and pulling a wheel hub for about 2 hours now. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove one of these things from the front end of a 2x4 86 comanche? I got the bolts off the back end easy enough and bolt breaker hoping that it was rested on but there is no way its just rust. I this thing pressed into the wheel assembly? Do i have to take the who thing off and press this sucker out? I popped the axle stub thingy out from the middle trying to press it out and now i am totally without ideas. I gotta get this project done today as my truck does not really 'fit' into my half wood shop half mechanics garage. PLEASE HELP ASAP !

I finally got a chance to to really look at my truck and kind of wish I hadn't. More than a few of the things I saw made me wish I hadn't driven it home. Probably a dozen or more tubes, hoses and wires that go nowhere or were falling apart. So my transmission is being held in place with a ratchet clamp...and a shirt? Not going on any more long trips any time soon. The seat is is remarkably good condition. I didn't notice any major rips or tears and only a few parts where its worn through. Even better than that I found my seat belt buckles! Every little bit of safety counts. Of course the dash is a complete mess with no stereo and parts just falling out but look at the sweet car charger! I paid more for my phone then this truck....certainly not plugging it in any time soon. But if I ever get bored or lonely I will always know who to call. These lights work great....if you want to see 6 feet in front of your truck and the trees tops off to your right. Saving the best for last, dat @$$! So that's the beauty that is my first Comanche. This is my first restoration project so I'm a bit hesitant to just start ordering parts. I'm open to any tips about how to make sure I'm ordering the right stuff. I was told that this was a 86' body with an 88' engine. Its a carbureted v6 with a 4 speed manual. I figured I'd start with replacing the clutch, hydraulics, transmission, front end wheel bearings, front clip and making sure that at least the headlights and brake lights work. I just sold my other other car, an 02' Mini Cooper S with a dead supercharger. Yes, from a Mini to a trashed MJ is quite a lesson in contrasts. I still have my other Mini MC40 for daily driving until I get this beast running then he is back to being a show car..... but back to the Comanche. So I have some cash I'm willing to drop ASAP but want to make sure I get the right stuff on the first shot. My goal is to start driving this truck to work by the end of the month. Any tips anyone can offer to get off on the right start would be appreciated. Where to look for model numbers, reliable part retailers, parts suggestions, stuff to avoid, I'll take anything y'all will give me. Thanks in advance !

I just got my first Comanche last night and wanted to introduce it and myself to the community. Only payed $400 bucks for it and it actually runs...mostly. Managed to drive it home 2 hours last night at 45 mph with 2 and a half gears, no brake or signal lights and amazingly crooked headlights. It was quite the adventure. It needs a bunch of work to make it the daily driver i want it to be but should be a good time getting there. https://goo.gl/photos/yMpaZmvkd8Ttog6u7 I don't think it has a first gear anymore and 2nd is hell to get into. To get it into gear i have to try to shove my foot though the fire wall 3 or 4 times and all but dislocate my arm forcing it in. The clutch just drops down almost faster then i can push it. 3rd and 4th are a lot better. Trying to go over 45 makes me afraid for my life but who really needs to go any faster than that anyway, right? The interior is in shambles and the front end need a new front clip and a lot of beating back into shape. Besides all that it cranks over, goes forward and reverse and actually got me home! All in all a perfectly functioning truck in my opinion. So far as i can tell it needs the following: Front end wheel bearings Clutch Transmission Rear suspension Power steering work A/C work Misc body work and probably more I have a feeling that i will be leaning heavily on the community here for help, advice and tips. So thank you everyone in advance for all the help ! Wish my luck in my tinkering adventures !