ParadiseMJ

So, do you always press in the clutch just to decelerate? Have you tried just letting up on the gas, braking, downshifting and pushing in the clutch when you stop? I may be wrong but that's how I've always driven a stick. Just sayin'

Seals: I bought new front/rear seals. Put it all back together, front seal leaked like a mother. Took it apart again. Looked at the new seal alongside the old seal, completely different. I should have taken the old seal with me when I bought the new seal. If you replace the rear seal on the t-case also make sure it is identical to the one you took out. The NAPA store I bought the rear t=case seal wasn't even close and it also leaked like crazy. Torque converter: When I swapped the AW4 in, there was no converter included...so I bought a new one with a 2 year warranty...it lasted 11,000 miles...2 years and a week, then it just went "whirrrr" and died. I had my local tranny shop order me a new one from a torque converter builder with a lifetime warranty that cost me a whole $20 more than the crappy one. That was a long time (miles wise) ago. This is a driving truck, it doesn't really go off road much. I do some trails and a lot of snow and mountain driving, that's about it. FWIW: The tranny guy said "if it's black, send it back" referring to the brand I bought before. Also, the only way to test the converter is out of the truck. There is a special tool and procedure but basically a large screwdriver did the trick. I asked the tranny guy to test it for me. The converter should turn freely one way and not the other. If it turned easily both ways it's shot. You can shake the converter (empty) and it'll rattle a bit, that is NOT and indication of failure. Good luck young fella...LOL JK

Have you put the dipstick tube all back together? The tranny fluid in your torque converter is likely depleted. It can read OK on the stick, even if your torque converter is empty. IF there's no fluid in your torque converter...you're not going anywhere. The tranny holds 8.5 qts. Half of it should be in your torque converter, half in the sump (where you read it on the dipstick)

My XJ is a Laredo...no power windows, but loaded with chrome trim.

The best (cheap) thing I've done to my MJ and XJ is installing a ZJ V8 tie rod. After I installed it on my XJ I did it immediately after buying my MJ. The ZJ unit is solid as opposed to hollow, it's also thicker and heavier (beefier) . The ZJ, MJ and XJ all have the same stock drag link.

Thanks Eagle, That's what I was asking. I'm pretty sure the funky trailer wiring with a combination of crimps and wire nuts and inch long disintegrating solders is the key to my problem. That and the messed up socket harness. Now I'm just waiting for the working one to get here. Funny thing is that even with the crappy socket harness...the lights DO work...just not correctly.

It's been damn hot here, 100-105 highs for over a week (and the forecast isn't any better). My commuter car is down with a mystery misfire issue so I'm driving the MJ to/from work. The MJ A/C is barely working. After the truck is sitting in the parking lot for 8-9 hours it is blazing hot. Driving the 20 mile home is brutal. Last week I put on a wet shirt for the 1/2 hour drive home, shorts, no shoes. Problem solved.

If there are two v-belts, one should run the WP and alt (necessary to drive) and one the P/S and A/C (not necessarily necessary). I've had an A/C compressor go bad and was able to just cut the belt and still drive the truck...but then it was a Chevy, not a Jeep.

Thanks for the link. So. as to my question...should the left hand 1157, middle bulb, always be burning two filaments? The wiring to the left tail is all intact and looks good. I think the PO tapped the harness near the right hand tail since there are (were) so many sketchy solders and blue tape labels, that can't be read.

My tail light looked as if a bulb was out. The left was very bright, the right was dim. So, I dismantled the thing and the socket and harness were an incredible mass of bad solders, disintegrating socket assemblies and broken wires. I went about trying to rehab the whole thing. and it just fell apart in my hands. So, I'm waiting for a new (used)harness/socket in good shape. My question is: The left tail (1157) is always burning both filaments and is VERY hot, the right just one until I hit the brake. The top bulb (2056 I think) only burns one filament unless I hit the blinker and not when I hit the brake. What's the correct configuration When should each light be burning both filaments? The bottom bulb is reverse light and only needs one filament

Check the solenoids in the cab, via the TCU to tranny connector. No need to drop the pan, FWIW. If you get a bad reading that is consistently bad, open the bottom and the solenoids are 1 bolt easy to replace...the hardest part being removing the trans pan. You also should check the connectors at the firewall to see that they're plugged in, clean etc. Take that opportunity to change the filter, gasket and fill with nice fresh Dex III or better. No ATF-4. IMHO

On the TCU... Make sure that you get the proper TCU for your harness. If you're getting it at a yard or on ebay, make sure that the connector color and the plug color are the same. I swapped a 94 AW4 into an 88. I used the 94 TCU (green IIRC) It never shifted properly. When I looked at wiring diagrams and the 88 TCU and the 94 TCU were wired differently (TPS wasn't getting any power). So, I grabbed a Renix TCU, the connector and the plug were cream color. If you have a green plug and a cream connector it'll never work correctly.

I bought a new battery, New terminals, Found a sketchy starter relay connection. Fixed ground to block. Go figure, my voltmeter finally sticks straight up, not to 11, my radio works, my outlet works, lights don't dim when accy's turned on. First trip to the mountains since January, starts like new. Thanks for the tips.

If the NSS is bad it generally won't even click. It'll just be turn the key and nothing at all happens.

Well, it might just be the battery but, I went out a little later and checked the voltage at the post...the post itself, got 13.2v and then on the terminal clamp, and got 2.5v. I thought it could just be a cheap fix, bad contact from the post to the cable clamp. I'll probably bite the bullet and get a battery and new clamps. Thanks

My MJ has been sitting for a couple weeks, so I went to take it for a ride. Started up a little slow, but started and ran fine for 50 or so miles. Got home and parked it overnight. In the morning it started slow again. So I put it on a charger this morning and left it on for 8-10 hours. Get in, "click", then nothing. So I clean off the terminals extra shiny, then I get the clicking relay. Then I put the 50 amp START charger on it...here's the main thing I see. When I turn the key to ON, the tach jumps up to 2k or so, all the lights and buzzers are working, but all I get is the clicking relay. The battery is now fully charged. Can anyone help me?

Be aware that the "rocker" seats on stock MJ (any MJ) brackets will make your final seat height about 2" taller. Doesn't sound like much, but if you're taller than 5'8" you won't like it. I'm 5'11" and my head was rubbing the headliner. I hit my head getting in and had to skooch down to look straight ahead.They were in my truck for about 2 hours before I took it all apart and found the correct (MJ or XJ) seats.

I've yet to find a clean straight MJ tailgate. If not smashed/dented it always seems like they're creased at the latch. The one that my MJ came with was crunched at the top, after looking at 5 or 6 tailgates I settled on one that had about a 4" long slight crease in it, again right at the handle. Still looking, any color.

It'll fit a Ford Ranger SWB...or should I say, a Ford Ranger SWB will fit on a MJ SWB.

My 88 has a 94 AW4 in it. When I pulled the dipstick off, there was an o-ring that was falling apart, dry and funky...so when I put it back together I picked up a new o-ring, put some anti-seize on it, no sweat. Find O-rings by the single at ACE or by the random pack at any parts store with a HELP! section.

Make sure you cap the vac line coming out of the firewall if you delete the valve (I used an actual CAP as opposed to a sheet metal screw or a golf tee). Any open vac line on the pass. side will cause the HVAC door switching to default to defrost vents.

Where do you live? Any inspection or smog?

An open system self purges air in the system. Even with a closed system I have never had to burp it. The only thing that has ever made me get unduly hot has been a bad radiator, a clogged cat a gnarly grade or a bad water pump. My CSF 3 row was crap after one year. I've been using a Spectra OEM single row for almost 2 years, no probs.

The disconnected line runs your HVAC. Your heat and A/C will only blow through defrost only. It runs from the firewall to the vacuum reservoir

The pink/light vac line at the firewall works the heater valve...when the heat is turned on. If there are any disconnected lines on the passenger side, your HVAC will blow through the defrost only.