Harper

:agree: "Jumping" out of gear is not something an automatic is prone to do......slip, yes, lock-up problems, yes, but not jumping out of gear. I would look at the CPS first just to see if you hit it or something while tightening up things. Add to that your statement that the codes were CPS and/or cam sensor related........I assume you've checked the fluid, warm, engine running..... Don't know what tranny you have in the '97, but my AW4 is a pretty tough nut, fully capable of outliving the engine...

That was my point in saying that things might have changed a bit over the years. There are a number of autos that now come out of the factory with the syn........break-in and "seasoning" are done now by the factory. Engines are run up to operating temp, then cooled several times to set the rings, provide the necessary "stress relief", etc. The factory uses a "break-in oil" for this phase, then gives it a fresh fill of the syn before it goes out the door. This process is not done with many motorcycle or marine outboards yet, which is why they still have mandatory break-in periods. If you or I do a complete engine rebuild, we'd be wise to break it in with a petroleum-based oil for awhile before the switch. And if I were inclined to buy a new car today that didn't come from the factory with synthetic, I'd sure put a few thousand miles on the odo before changing over to synthetic.

She say, "rrrrrrufff, rewire!"

Hard to say what it might be, but diagnosing the sensors with a digital auto-ranging multimeter would be my suggestion. I doubt it's the IAC, since once you've applied the accelerator pedal, the IAC's no longer in play. Also check and clean all the fuel system electrical connectors. They are a common source of problems with age. Also check EGR system.

renix does have an idle screw you're not really supposed to move it but its there, and it is adjustable if needed. I know the screw is there. My point is that it is not an idle screw! To use it as such could well screw things up. If you have to use it to "set" an idle, you've got other problems that you are ignoring, and are treating the symptom and not the cause.

Yep, ya gotta break 'em in first. As I understand it, the rings won't seal as well (now this was several years back, things might have changed).....break-in is, after all, a "wear-in" of sorts.

Well, I use synthetic in my high mileage engine, but then I've used it since it was broken in about 20 years ago. Change it once a year. Engine runs and looks like new. Use it in everything else I own, too.

What engine are you talking about, because if you're talking about the Renix 4.0, there is no "idle screw". The idle RPM is controlled by the ECU's manipulation of the idle speed actuator. The only (correct) purpose of the screw is to not allow the throttle plate close so far as to bind in the throttle body throat. The throttle plate should be virtually closed at idle.

"A man's got to know his limitations." - Harry Callahan

Rock Auto has 'em, too. http://www.rockauto.com/ But I'm tired of replacing it every year. Next time I'm going with the aluminum surge tank.

After drilling a few 1/2" holes, the Reese 37042 fit just fine. Real beefy and rock solid. I feel a whole lot better 'bout pullin' that boat now.

No publication I could find shows payload for the truck itself. There should be a Fed Cert label on the driver's door beneath the latch. It shows the gross vehicle weight and gross axle weights. According to my Owners' Manual, the towing capacity for the shortbed 4.0, 2x4 is 2000/300t.w. with a class I hitch and any tranny, and 5000/750t.w. with a class III hitch and the AW4 w/cooler. It also notes that trailer sway control and equalizing hitch required for weight over 3500#.

In addition to Akula69's fine writeup, if your boat trailer has surge brakes, you'll need to convert the flat four to a flat five, and connect the connector blue to the truck brown w/white tracer. This disables the surge brakes when backing up.

Sounds like a good process......hope you remembered to turn on full heat, and flush out the heater core.

Okay, I'm keeping the Reese 37042 Universal Fit. On my '90 LB Metric Ton it is NOT a bolt-on. It will require drilling two 1/2" holes in the truck frame rail, and drilling one 1/2" hole in the side mounting bracket. It also requires offsetting the supplied side mounting bracket from the hitch, not as it was designed to do, so requires drilling one hole to fit one more bolt (3 total). The back edge of the receiver ends up about 1 1/2" forward of the back of my Fey step bumper, and does not touch or interfere with the bumper at all. The front of the side bracket will bolt into the hole that I will drill on the back edge of the spring bracket. The hitch will be mounted on the bottom of the frame rail, not on the side. There are beaucoup backing plates and washers supplied, so strength shouldn't be an issue. In the end, there will be 3 bolts holding the side bracket to the frame rail, and 3 bolts holding the hitch to the brackets.

Hitch is back in the box. But before I return it to Wally World, can someone offer his opinion on drilling, say, two 3/8" holes in the bottom or the frame rail (where it's reinforced/triple-layered). Would it compromise the integrity of the structure at that point, where the hitch would be pulling a 4000# boat with a t.w. of 350-400#? Would it be strong enough? I'd also have a third bolt in an already threaded hole. Specifically for mkbruin.....hey bud, can ya tell us how you bolted this thing on?!?

Well, I don't know what the difference is between my '90 LB and mkbruin's '88 LB, but I just bought the Reese 37042 and there's no way it's going to bolt on (reference earlier posts on pg 1, this thread). Rails on the truck are around 45" apart, and the only way to extend the 37042 that far (very last mounting holes on center piece) is to use the extra side brackets, turned out, as in "side bracket location 4" (pg 3, installation manual) and bolt it to the underside of the rail. None of the holes line up with the one and only hole with a welded-on nut and the other hole, which doesn't have any threads, meaning I'd have to drill, but would have to do so right next to the unthreaded hole (weak) and I'd still only have two bolts holding the whole thing up. Could drill one more hole in the middle, maybe, but that's still two strong points and one weak one, and that last hole on the bracket definitely sits well off and behind the frame rail. Like I said, I don't know what gives, but I'm a little bummed. Price is down to $114 at Wally World, if anyone else wants to try. I'm heading back to town to get my money back.

"I'm a little lost here. The cap screws have to be in the same place on every cap. An aftermarket company can't just decide to move the terminals." -Geonovast I agree it's not the best idea to, say, install all the wires one distributor terminal too far one direction or the other, but the terminals on the 4.0 are 60 degrees apart, and as long as they're in the correct order, the dizzy can theoretically be turned far enough one way or the other to correctly time it. In practice, however this might not be the case, because interference with other components might preclude turning the dizzy far enough for correct timing. If it were me, I'd pull the wires off the cap, pull the dizzy, set the engine at TDC (again, making sure you're on the right stroke) using the marks on the harmonic balancer/engine block to start with, put the dizzy back in with #1 at 6 o'clock (as seen when you lean over the fender) and the rotor at approx 4 o'clock. As you mesh the dizzy gear with the cam drive gear, the rotor will turn to around 5 o'clock by the time the dizzy is seated. And yes, I'd recommend that you put the wires on as intended, with the cap screws between 4 & 1 and 3 & 6. Just because any other arrangement is workable, doesn't mean it's advisable. At that point, you should be able to crank 'er up.

The cap screws don't necessarily have to be as i described, that's the way the factory has 'em set up, but if they're in the right order, and you have the timing right, it won't matter. Some caps have the wire numbers on the cap.....in any case, when your wife said the plug hole gushed air and you put the dizzy in with rotor at #1, was the crank also lined up with the timing marks, and did you adjust the dist after you put it in, to be sure the rotor was still at #1? I ask, because when you put the dizzy back in , the gear causes the rotor to turn quite a bit.

Jusr re-read your #1 post and guess it's a reman dist. So #1 wire should be farthest fron the block, with cap screws between #4 and #1, and also between #3 and #6. Dizzy turns CW.

Well, you've got an aftermarket distributor on there, so, I'm not sure how it's gonna look, but I would try the simple thing first. If you're sure you got the wires in the right order, loosen the dizzy and turn just a little clockwise. Try to crank it again. If it doesn;t fire up in 3-4 seconds, then turn a little more. If you have a timing light, and a remote starter or a helper, then use that. If none of that works, then turn the engine until you have #1 cyl at tdc, both valves closed, and take the cap off the dizzy and see how close your rotor is to #1 wire. This should get you on the right track.

:agree: If I read your comment right, it sounds like the timing is advanced too far (like way too far) causing (1) a momentary stoppage during crank, and (2) a backfire with partial throttle. Recheck the ign timing......

Ya know, it's strange, but I've had my '90 since it was brand new, and that li'l sucker has done this "no crank" thing just every now and again since it was new. The first time it happened, I just happened to take the plastic cover off all the wires and relays on the right inner fender and in the process of fishing around for any clue as to why, I moved wires around. When I tried again, it started right up. Ever since then, on those rare occasions that it feels like being persnickety, I just slap it on top of that plastic cover and she starts right up. I've just about decided she just likes to be spanked every now and then :rotfl2:

The post was by mkbruin in this thread http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18297 The hitch is a Reese 37042 , universal fit, sold at WallyWorld, and Advance Auto Parts, among others, about $130. mkbruin said it bolted right on , without modification, 'tho it was not listed as an mj fitment. He also mentioned that Reese doesn't show the product on their website, but shows the 37152 instead, which he said looks the same. Here's the link for the pdf install manual for the 37152 from Reese. http://www.reeseprod.com/fitguides/pdf/N37152.pdf It's listed as fitting the xj, but not the mj. I'm about to check out the 37042 myself. I've got a Fey step bumper rated 3500/350 and have been pulling a 4000# boat with it for the last year with no problems, but for obvious reasons I've been looking for a hitch. I've seen it in the box on the shelf, and its a Class III/IV, 5000 #, 500# t.w. (6000/600 with wt. dist.)

Yep, on second look at the picture, it sure doesn't look any bigger than 12 gauge. Probably doesn't go to the alternator. But there should be five ring connectors total on the stud terminal of the 4.0L starter relay; one 8 gauge red to the battery, and seven fusible links divided among the other four connectors. My point was that all these links are spliced to a red wire that is designated to go somewhere, e.g. alternator (spliced to blue link), fuel pump relay, TCU, & ECU (all on one orange link) B+ latch relay (orange link), fan control relay (green link), ign switch (green link), and BINGO....fuse box and underhood light (on one green link). :yes: According to the wiring diagram, this one is a 14 gauge wire.