ParadiseMJ

Just like the title says... My catalytic converter looks like an old battleship from the outside, but when I installed the new muffler a couple months ago, I looked inside the backside of the the cat. converter. It was pearly white with nice honeycomb that all looked good. Problem is I haven't looked at the other end. The Jeep is an 88 MJ and I know someone in the first twenty years of it's life had changed the cat, by the weld job. I've had it for 4 yrs and only put about 3,000 miles on it since I smogged it 2 yrs ago. So just for curiousity, if the back end looked good, could I tell if it was OK or NOT ? Or is it more scientifical than that ?

Post it up in the classified section...As in "Wanted" or WTB, slider.

Don't know the smog requirements in HI but removing emissions equipment and vacuum lines can and will affect mileage and performance. Replace.

If you have to, contact Ebay Resolution and/or PayPal if you paid that way. They should get your $$ back if the seller is not cooperative. Ebay & PayPal got my money back from the seller when I bought something years ago. The parts (lights) you bought were misrepresented as compatible, EVEN if the listing says "buyer responsible for fitment". If they can't refund the money and the seller insists he sold them in good faith, you can rip him a new one in the feedback department...and sell the XJ light. I've been accused of being a cheap bastard...on several occasions...I AM !! :brows: I hate being scammed !! :no:

I'd give the battery connections/grounds a good going over. Remove the cables, shine up the posts, inspect the cables themselves, check the main ground at the oil dipstick...shiny, clean and tight. Smear a little vaseline on there when you're putting it back together. Give the starter a couple of good taps.

Umm...yeah! :thumbsup: Figured so, I was trying to be nice. Looks like nobody has the O-rings in this here podunk town. Not NAPA, not O'Reilly's, not AZ, not even the hardware store. Dealer in Chico closed til tomorrow. Everything else done, manifold, mounts, flex joint, I'm bushed. I guess I'll have to spend the rest of day with Jose and Bud...oh, and the little woman :yes:

UPON further investigation: I was able to get the big ring out of the housing. It resembles a very hard brittle plastic like subtance (a.k.a.old compressed oily rubber). I had a hard time with the crush seal idea, all I've ever heard about 4.0L MJ's & XJ's etal. is the 3 rubber rings. So, rubber it is. I'm beginning to understand that all the "oddball" stuff I'm running into is actually ME !!

This a reply from one ofthe guys over on NAXJA. FYI

It did not leak. The block under and around it was dry as a bone. I'm just wondering if I should try to remove the "metal" rings and replace with rubber. Yeah, I've never seen it either. My XJ has the same OFA but with rubber rings. Could it be possible that the o-rings are hard enough to look like metal. I poked em', hit them with a dental pick, screwdriver etc. They go "tink, tink, tink"...as opposed to "thud, thud, thud". Thus my confusion. They just don't look like they'd pry out or are supposed to come out at all. Not just one, but all 3 are like this. I'm gonna let em sit out all night and see if they shrink or ??. .

Yet another puzzlement... I had to remove my oil filter adapter to slide the thru blot for the motor mounts. Although I didn't know if that was necessary, but it was easy enough. I have a hex head on my Renix OFA and it wasn't siezed or really hard to remove at all. So, I figured, might as well change the o-rings since I had it off. I can see plainly where the o-rings should go BUT, there aren't any o-rings in the "grooves". There is what appears to be o-rings, but they're not rubber, they're metal "inserts" where the rubber should be. What's up? What am I missing? 88 4.0L

No kidding you messed it up. What was the question? Ha Ha. The original question(s) were: Is the butterfly/throttle plate supposed to sit flat...in plane with the top/bottom of the TB...mine is at about a 10 degree angle. Keyav8r seemed to confirm that it was normal. I'm not really having any throttle problems, it just looks weird. and... Is the pivot, where the throttle cable, cruise servo cable, and throttle linkage all connect...supposed to be spring loaded or just solely serve as a pivot/connection point? In other words, is it just supposed to flip-flop back and forth when the cables/linkage are disconnected? There is a little "cylinder" at the connection to it, that looks like it would hold a spring or "keeper" P.S. I'm still working on the intake/exhaust that I had to postpone for a week+ due to working OT and taking care of my wife after minor surgery. Putting it all back together today...the project, not the wife. Also, could you post, or PM me the procedure for the vacuum test to determine a possible cat blockage? I'm thinking hornbrod's suggestion of a partially clogged cat could be the root of my slight overheat problem

Thanks...I messed up the post, but that answers the important question.

<p>Double post. Delete please</p>

AutoZone or Napa usually carries DupliColor clones. Duplicolor for Chevy, Ford, Chrysler. No plaque...anywhere??

I searched two junkyards to build up my MJ. I'm definitely on a first name basis with the owners of one of them. Many XJ parts are interchangable, some ZJ parts are interchangable. It takes a bit of work (and frustration) but generally you can trade some work for incredible deals on DURABLE parts at super low prices. I've scored some great deals there and hard to find (or even discontinued) parts there. If you don't have a junkyard handy, or one with few XJ'x, MJ's ZJ's etc. eBay is a good source. Rock Auto is also reliable and has decent prices. Certain parts, brakes, electonics should be sourced at the dealer or NAPA only, since all the big box stores usually sell cheaply made, less than reliable parts.

Mine have smoked profusely, but only for about a minute or so. I've only done it at night because our neighborhood is fire shy. No tornados, no floods, no eathquakes...a good wildfire is what does it out here. Last time the entire cloud spewed out and settled over my neighbors house for about 15 minutes...they weren't home. This was about a week ago, just before I pulled my manifolds. The insides of my engine are shiny, squeaky clean now.

Yep

Like I said..."not too complicated". I'm not likely going to do the extreme angle with the shock mount "bar". I was wondering if another vehicles set-up would work with an SUA lift. Apparently it's not as easy I thought it might be. Damn geometry... :mad: ...and physics and all that math crap!!

I walked out of the store today and there was an 11-12 yr old kid checking out my MJ. When I walked up he asked "is this your truck", I said it was. He said "So is this a Cherokee Truck version"? Seriously, no older than12. He said, "So it's called a Comanch-o"? He said "This is the coolest Jeep I've ever seen...I want one". I told him to start looking for one (and you may find one by the time you're 16) and handed him one of the CC cards I got a couple years ago. I told him to ask his parents to get him one and learn how to wrench it on CC.com So we may get a 12 yr old member. Smart kid!!

I bought these, installed today. I measured before and then measured after. When I lowered the truck, it appeared that they lifted the rear about 1.5". Then I got up on the bumper and jumped up and down on it several times. Measured again, and it sat at only about 1/2" higher than originally. So took it for a ride. Shocks felt firm, but not hard, nice actually. Much better than the Gabriel Ultras I had on there (only about 2,500 miles old) Took it down one of the bumpiest streets around and they worked well, not nearly as bouncy. Parked it right back in the driveway and measured again...the final height was more like 5/8", which is fine, I wasn't looking to boost it, we'll see what happens when I go get a load of wood, see if they really "level" the load. So far, so good. PLUS, most importantly...they LOOK cool.

The DA in this county is a glad hander all the way who sucks up to the money. Every move he makes is to promote his re-election. What ever issue is hot, he'll find a way to make an example of them and then say "Look what I did". There was a young man (18) who shot his step-father after he repeatedly beat the kid's mother, broke both her arms, smashed up the bones in her face and basically crippled her. She always dropped the charges. He also beat the kid and his sister as they growing up and at one point shot and killed their dog when he was drunk and high on meth. So the kid shot the old man in the face when the step dad got home and killed him, on Mother's Day. The local (town) law enforcement community said "Yay". but the anti-gun folks demanded that the kid get prosecuted. This was WAY before the Sandy Hook & Aurora things, and personally, the kid did the right thing, BUT the wrong way...the step dad was total scum, but the kid got sent up the river for 25 to life for IMHO "doing the right thing".

I've been pondering the issue of our rear shock mounts being the low clearance spot on the whole truck. Seems to me that it's a very vulnerable spot for rocks, logs, bodies etc.. Anyone else have this issue. I have 3" leaf packs, I don't want to do an SOA. Is there some modification that I've yet stumble on? I'd really like to see some pics and hear ideas of what others have done...welded, bolt on, not too complicated, parts from other vehicles...whatever. TIA

Well, nothing much has changed from the old "Code of the West" in gun law history,. I work for the Probation department. If someone draws on you, or you have clear reason to defend yourself or others, you have a perfect right to blow them away shooting someone in the back as they flee the scene, unless they've already fired a shot ot two at you OR yours, that's a hangin' offense. Hell, shoot them in the leg, drag them behing your Jeep for a huindred yards or so. That''l create some REAL remorse and instant justice. stealing your car (or your horse) is NOT an excuse for taking a life. Killing a PERSON for killing a DOG etc. is not justifiable. A dog is considerd, by law, personal property, not a family member. No matter how you feel about the dog. Not sayin' it's right...that's just the law. You could sue the MF, you could beat the crap out of him, but kill?...no. defending your home from a clear and present threat (as in someone ENTERING your home) is reason to shoot. But pulling or even showing/brandishing a gun on a person entering your campsite is NOT (personal experience here) because it's considered public property, but if same person enters your tent/trailer, that's considered your HOME...and you can shoot them. So, if you shoot someone on your front porch, drag em' inside. Shoot, shovel and shut-up is OK for killing a protected wild animal, like a cougar or a bear...but not a person (even if they are a scumbag), that's murder. I can't see how an uninteded shot through a wall would be considered Murder 1,,,manslaughter maybe...but not permeditated.

No pic with the truck... But you can just see her ears in the boat...

IMHO, I would think to "overheated" or red line...>>260F. Just a guess. It IS an interesting question though.