AZJeff

There are several reasons why Jeep stopped using CAD on the XJ/MJ, and reliability is just one of them, and is a big one. Unless you are restoring you MJ to factory original into every detail, keeping the CAD makes little sense.

Dirty Comanche is on to something here. The trend in designs has been AWAY from a mechanical parking brake being integrated into the caliper, and that's for a VERY good reason: the system is not durable. Corrosion and other environmental elements conspire to make the system less that totally reliable, and the cost to repair once it becomes jammed up with corrosion is costly. I know a lot of guys think a duplicate drum-type parking brake running in parallel with a disc-type service brake is a waste of hardware, but the benefits of it's reliability outweigh the added hardware costs.

In addition to the actual steering box mounting bolts, check for CRACKS in the "frame" where the box attaches. When guys add larger wheels/tires to an MJ/XJ, the strain put on the mounting location of the frame can increase substantially when the steering wheel is moved while the vehicle is stationary. This can lead to cracks in the boxed sheet metal structure that forms the "frame" in that part of the vehicle. You will probably need a flashlight and a helper to do a good inspection. Have someone turn the wheel just enough to apply a load to the steering box and steering linkage, and while he/she is doing that, look around for motion between the box and the "frame" (and any steering linkage parts as well, of course.)

I am a retired mechanical engineer, and I fully understand WHY the valve was put in. In fact, such valves were not uncommon on other brands/models at one time. However….auto manufacturers deleted that feature after they analyzed and determined that AC performance was not impacted significantly by letting the heater core receive a constant flow of engine coolant at all times. The driving reason for doing this, of course, was manufacturing part cost reduction and assembly simplification. It has been demonstrated by multiple XJ and MJ owners that deleting this valve does not seriously alter the performance of a properly functioning AC system. (it should be noted that deleting the valve does NOTHING to reduce heater performance whatsoever.) in other words, taking the valve out simplifies the heater hose routing, and has minimal, if any, noticeable effect on AC performance. That makes it a win-win for most owners.

I am surprised anyone is really suggesting replacing that stupid thing. The later XJ's eliminated this troublesome piece, and there were no adverse behaviors caused by that action. I would just ditch the valve, and replace the heater hoses with the more modern routing that the later XJ's employed, and never look back.

Radiator issues might cause overheating quickly, depending on environment, and for that reason might be #1. If oil pan shows signs of cracks, that's right up there as well. You are going to need taillights if you want to drive it on a public road, so that might be the next issue. The crossmember, as pathetic as it looks, is near the bottom. Thank God that XJ pieces fit here just fine, as there are a bazillion of those out there.

Cooling system maintenance is ESSENTIAL to a long-lived cooling system. And, given that the 4.0 MJ/XJ vehicles have a very marginal cooling system, it is doubly essential that the cooling system be flushed and refilled on a regular basis. Lots of people will be religious about changing oil, and then totally ignore the cooling system on the same vehicle. To do so on an MJ/XJ in particular is just asking for trouble.

Plastic tank radiators are the standard method of construction in modern cars (anything built after about 1995). For the most part, they are equivalent in durability to the older all-metal types. Like all other radiators, they are likely to fail due to corrosion because of lack of maintenance to the cooling system. if you flush your cooling system and replace the coolant periodically, you should see a reasonable service life from a rad with plastic/aluminum construction.

That's my buddy Robbie Layton. (Actually, I don't know him from Adam, but he is friends with Matt's Off-Road Recovery, and my son knows him.) Robbie is a REALLY GOOD body shop owner/operator. I wish I could afford to have him redo the paint on my MJ, but my wife feels that we need a house to live more than perfect paint on my Comanche.

I have NEVER seen any one use one of those down here in PHX, and in the 25 years I have lived here, I have had probably 10 windshields put in the various cars I have owned. The last 3-4 windshields that various shops have installed all involved using a very long handled "Stanley Knife" (aka utility knife).

I recently put a rad. in my 2014JK, and got it from Rock Auto. I chose a CSF with the OEM style plastic tanks and aluminum core. That radiator was made in Thailand, or at least that is what it said on the box. I have used CSF radiators in the past with no issue on my MJ and XJ. I think those were made in the Phillipines. We shall see how a made in Thailand radiator holds up. I was defect free out of the box. From my experience in sourcing parts in Asia before I retired, the Philippines and Thailand are several steps above China in quality and business ethics. (The Chinese will slip something over on a customer in a heartbeat if they think they can get away with it.)

I bought two inch thick foam sheet from Grainger, and then cut mine out with a large kitchen knife after tracing a pattern on to it with a black sharpie pen. I attached it to the heater box with contact cement. The edges are not as pretty as the die cut factory one, but it works just as well.

The proper term for that is the "cowl" of the vehicle.

Your average thief is not going to hang around your vehicle for long periods of time trying to figure out why the vehicle won't start. They want to smash a window, overpower the ignition lock, and be gone with the Jeep as quickly as possible. The longer they hang around a vehicle with a jacked up steering column and/or a broken window, the more attention it would attract. That said, I think HIDING the kill switch from plain sight does as much to defeat thieves as the actual kill switch itself. Putting an unmarked switch on the dash isn't nearly as effective as placing one in a location that a thief either cannot see, or would not think to look.

I have a center console in my MJ, and my kill switch is located inside the console, hidden inside the storage compartment in the console. Adding the siren/horn feature would require a method to detect unwanted attempts to start the vehicle, so that once starting is attempted while the pump is dead, it would trigger the horn. That's not a simple plug and play, since now you need an added sensor and circuit to indicate when the starter is engaged with the fuel pump power is off, and then trigger the horn in response. (It would also have to shut the horn OFF after you turn the fuel pump back on, for those times when you forget to turn the pump on before cranking. Ask me how I known. )

To some degree, that is true. Professionals (those who do windshields for a living) can get them out unbroken probably 90% of the time. Amateurs like myself wouldn't probably have NEAR that chance of success. For that reason, I never mess with windshields. I let the pros do it. Then again, I have full comprehensive insurance that covers my glass in my vehicles, so the cost to me is zero when I need a new windshield. (Side note: here in AZ, windshields have a surprising replacement rate. It it isn't flying rocks being kicked up by other vehicles, it's the pitting from wind-blown sand that trashes the visibility. I average a replacement glass on all of my Jeeps about once every 5 years. My JK Wrangler is the worst, where the nearly vertical surface insures that a rock hit will be a crack...on that vehicle, I average a new windshield every 3 years due to rock cracks)

To answer multiple comments on this thread: I have not tried the "5000" series Rancho shock, so I cannot comment on that particular version. I am just not a big fan of Rancho suspension parts in general, as I think there are better aftermarket brands than theirs, and at similar prices. The "Tab" various people are referring to on the lower end of the front shock absorber in an XJ/MJ is called a "bar pin"

Installing an XJ tank will destroy your ability to carry a spare tire in the OEM manner, and that means the spare goes in the bed (or you take a chance and skip the spare ) What I did was based on recommendations from fellow CC member "Dzimm" I installed a 22 gallon plastic gas tank from a 1998 Dodge Dakota pickup. The Dakota uses the more modern style of fuel pump commonly found on the XJ's as well, so there may be some adaptation needed for your wiring to connect to that pump/fuel sender unit to your older MJ wiring harness Dzimm can probably chime in on any special tricks for that wiring, as he was an invaluable source of info when I converted my MJ.

I don't like Rancho suspension parts in general, so I an going to suggest an alternative for the front: KYB They are modestly priced, and provide good balance between dampening and ride. Another good choice is Quadratec's house brand of shocks.

The windshield in an XJ (and MJ) is glued in with special urethane adhesive intended for automotive windshields. The adhesive is thick and strong, and the bead that attaches the glass to the cab is normally 1/2" to 3/4" wide and about 1/4"-3/8" thick. An auto glass shop will normally use a special utility knife with a handle about 16" long to cut the adhesive around the glass perimeter from the INSIDE of the cab. Once that is done, the glass can be pulled out. If you intend to try to salvage this glass, you will need to use the method described above. (The long knife handle gives you better leverage to cut the adhesive.) By the way, if you intend to ever install this salvaged glass, you will need to clean virtually ALL of the old adhesive from the glass once is removed so that new adhesive can be applied to the windshield when you install it into it's new home. One last thing--the trim around the windshield on a 2001XJ (that covers the gap between the glass edge and the body) will be a one piece rubber "ring" that slips over the edge of the glass prior to installation. The trim on an MJ as built at the factory would have been a series of metal pieces that attach to clips on the body to cover thet same gap. I prefer the later XJ style of trim, because it's easier to install, and eliminates any potential for rust to form between the metal trim pieces and the painted body. The good news is that the later rubber-ring trim from the XJ will work just fine on the MJ, as long as you remove the small plastic clips that were used to retain the metal trim when you install the rubber-ring.

An emissions test report would be helpful to make sure the OP is actually attacking the correct issue with new parts.

Let's start with some basics. I think your emissions failure is due to "excessive hydrocarbons", as that is the term used when evaluating exhaust emissions. Excessive hydrocarbons (aka "high HC") is in indication your Jeep is not burning the fuel correctly, meaning that there is too much fuel for a given amount of air entering the engine, or what fuel it IS getting is not burning fully due to poor compression, or poor ignition, or both. I assume you have some sort of formal report from a Delaware state approved emissions testing facility that would indicate what the results of their testing indicated. If you can attach a copy, or transcribe what is in the report, it would help us figure out what is going on. Just guessing and trying this or that is likely to be an exercise in frustration, so we need more details.

No, I do not, unfortunately.

Where did you source that evaporator? ( It's not a 97+ XJ type, BTW.)

YES, that is correct.