richasco

As already mentioned, just jack it up, put it in 4wd and hold one shaft while turning the other both directions. There shouldn't be much slack at all. If there is, you need a new chain. The good news is that the chain is easy to replace and you don't have to remove the t-case to do it. In my experience, a good chain can stretch very quickly if the case is allowed to run low or dry. You might want to replace the seals while you have it apart.

The firewall mod to fit the 4.0l in an '86 is way over blown. It can be done in 10 seconds with any hammer. The area that needs to be moved is only 6" high by 2" wide and 1" deep.

I think the easiest thing to do would be to grab the engine and dash harnesses from a '96. I am currently in the middle of putting a 2000 4.0l/aw4/231 into my '86. The '96 harness and dash drop right in. There was only one bracket on the pax fender that I had to remove. I am also using the '96 steering column and brake pedal as well. You could just swap out your dash harness vs. the entire dash, but you will need a cluster that will work with the obd2 computer. Also putting in the aw4 and then swapping it out for a manual will probably be more work than it is worth. I would put the ax15 in from the start.

No one has yet mentioned that you will need to move the crossmember. It involves drilling new holes in the frame and welding or inserting nutserts. The firewall mod is the easiest part of this swap, it is an area six inches tall by two inches wide and only needs to be one inch deep. The crossmember and radiator support are the most time consuming/difficult parts. Also on my '86 swap the frame rail brackets matched up almost perfectly except for two bolts on the trackbar mount which required some grinding to get a good alignment. Good luck.

Updated first post.

The manifolds are different. They will only bolt to a High Output head, although some people have been able to get them to work with some grinding. Your fuel injection will not bolt on without work too. You could grab the head and bolt it and the manifolds to your engine. Make sure you research "0331 heads" first, that 2000 head is likely to crack/already cracked if overheated.

Start with a truck that has the engine and transmission that you want. The 4wd swap is much easier/cheaper/less time consuming. As far as the transmission tunnel, when you lift up the carpet you will see a blanking plate with four screws, remove it and put the transfer case shifter in it's place. And 4wd AW4s are plentiful and cheap, I got two from CL for free and haven't been able to give them away.

Parts I still need are mj rear driveshaft for 4x4 auto, wheel/tire combo 31/10.5 on factory steel wagon wheels and a nice pair of tan bucket seats(do not need brackets). Thanks for looking.

teamsmith, Here is a link that you should follow and spend some time reading, I think it will help you understand things a little better. http://www.autismspeaks.org/

Where exactly in MD are you? There are several trucks that are in or close to MD that range from fixer upper to fully restored/resto-mod. Have you considered a truck that needs work? Sometimes it really pays to start with a base truck and then build it to match your needs/capabilities. Here is a basic truck, sure it needs an engine but a 3.4l swap is cheap and very effective. http://smd.craigslist.org/cto/4714535480.html If you want a running driving truck try this: http://easternshore.craigslist.org/cto/4748586261.html This one has been for sale for a long time so he should be a little flexible on price. http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/4755131906.html Same here, http://smd.craigslist.org/cto/4734560524.html If you have really saved your money, this is already well built. http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/cto/4751127509.html And finally if you really want to go all out, http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/4750955978.html

I've been researching ideas for my lift for a long time now. I'm planning on SOA with 2wd leaf packs. In stock form the ride height is one inch lower than a 4wd, So a SOA with 2wd packs should give you a little less lift compared to using 4wd springs. The only concern I have is with axle wrap. I haven't seen anyone really say anything about it and the softer spring rate/lower arch of the 2wd springs is potential problem.

Define worst; size, severity, distance from home, improbability, diagnostic time, cost to repair?

Only way to know for sure is to post the part numbers.

This has been discussed here before. The bottom of the shifter is supposed to be in a cup in the trans. After time and a lot of use there will be some wear between the two parts. If you use too much force on the shifter the bottom will slip out. You are then stuck in whatever gear you were shifting into. The fix is simple. Just unbolt the shifter and lift it up. You will easily see where the bottom part is supposed to go. Just align the two as you lower the shifter back down, replace the bolts and you should be good to go. The bad news is that it will continue to happen if you aren't careful. Fix it and use it for now but plan on having to do some serious work in the spring when the weather is better.

Cracked oil pans are common but usually only on lowered cars. If it turns out that it is salvagable try http://www.germanautoparts.com they usually have the best prices and great service.

What happened that it needs a new engine? The bottom end is fairly robust, it's usually a broken timing belt that results in a new/rebuilt head. Also VAG-COM will be your best friend.

I didn't get to go in but there were a lot of other planes on the ramp for the show.

Too bad, it looks like a very low serial number.

Ask and yee shall receive. http://www.allpar.com/slant6.html Plan on using a header, the stock exhaust manifolds tend to crack near the #3 cylinder. I have 225 in my Valiant wagon that moves the car along pretty well with only a single barrel carb.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/09/autos/suv_rollover/index.htm For 2009 Chevy had the three highest spots: http://www.chandlerlawgroup.com/library/most-dangerous-vehicles-of-2009-for-crashes-and-rollovers.cfm

I parked my old CJ-7 at the end of the driveway. I was half way back to the house when someone pulled in. He handed me cash and picked it up later that afternoon. So with the time spent watching him kick the tires, six minutes.

Jet pilot.

Another forum that I am on found that the spammers are gaining access through the html code in peoples signatures. When the admins disabled the html feature the spam stopped immediately.

It even comes with new coil springs and spacers because he realized that the front end need to be completely redone.

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/jeep-replaces-liberty-angrier-lumpier-cherokee-043603717.html