TheBearken

I believe it's rated up to 2000F, I used the VHT Flameproof header paint, I'll definitely report back how it holds up!

Not too many pictures from the process, but I touched up some of the accessory wheels while I had them out. So much sludge!!! I cleaned as much off as I could and still there are nooks completely full of the gunk, but at least the block is clear. Getting everything back together was a pain, I ended up cutting through the EGR tube because the fittings were not going to come off at this point. On reassembly they still line up perfectly so I hit it with some exhaust patch/wrap. A bit of a demoralizing moment was when I first let the fuel rail prime, the regulator wasn't sealed 100% and sprayed fuel all over my manifolds. Not too bad, but I had painted the exhaust shield and header with hi temp paint that still needed to cure, and the gas basically stripped it off where it landed. I'll have to revisit it next time because I don't have the heart to disassemble everything again to get them out. other events were getting it to turn over the first time after sealing the fuel rail, it ran terribly and I thought I majorly screwed something up/ ruined my truck. Turns out I put the vacuum tube for the MAP in the wrong grommet on the throttle body, and it responded immediately when I fixed it. Oil rained down from the pan and it turned out I never did a round of tightening past finger on any of the bolts, so that was a facepalm moment. definitely had a sinking feeling for a moment there but so far so good! I'm going to get it on the road a bit and see if any further leaking develops anywhere. Next on the agenda if nothing critical comes up, is getting a sport truck graphic applied, and digging back into the interior overhaul!

So I did end up going through the rocker assemblies and cleaning everything off, checking for any potential issues. A few bits of wear but nothing that can't wait for a full rebuild in the future. I sweated a bit getting the head back on and then playing 2nd guess on if I left towels in the oil channels... I'm starting to bolt everything back on and clean up as I go. I hit some of the accessories with some fresh paint for that extra sheen. I'm having a terrible time on the aluminum for the AC/idler bracket and power steering bracket. For some reason the Alternator bracket and intake manifold have shined up perfectly, but I can't get the dark brown/yellowish/rough areas off these ones. When I get everything back on, what's the best practice on double checking before attempting to turn it over? I can hand crank it and everything seems to be moving as intended, but I'm still going to be nervous as hell.

It's been a minute, hope everyone is safe and dealing with the various lockdowns well. I've put interior work on pause now that my garage is reorganized and I have the space to dig into the engine. I have about half and inch of sludge around just about every nook and cranny, so my goal is to clean as I go and check for any unseen issues. Also hoping to locate a persistent oil drip that started developing after I took it on the highway a few times back in spring. With everything being coated in grime it wasn't apparent were it was coming from so hopefully a cleanup will help in the future. I picked up a head gasket, new fuel injectors, oil pan gasket, rear main seal, and I'll be reconditioning all the brackets and fittings I can get to. Touching the distributor and having to redo the timing scares me, so I think that'll stay put and I'll work around it. Anyone have suggestions on other things to do while I have it in pieces?

Awesome find, It's been a while since I've looked through his spellbook, he really does have something for every occasion!

I think a rebuilt head will come in the future if my luck holds out, I'd like to do an HO conversion. That scotchbrite suggestion was killer, made a world of difference! I've definitely underestimated those little guys

Hey guys, I've finally gotten around to cracking open my engine and was wondering what things I should tend to while I've got the top end off. My goal was to get the block cleaned off, replace the head gasket, replace the injectors, and clean/refurb all the misc. brackets and components I interact with on the way. Here are some of my big questions as I've never gone this deep into an engine bay before, but want to keep best practices in mind. -Is it ideal to completely disassemble the cylinder head and remove 100% of the build up and grime, or leave it together and spot remove the sludgy bits? I have this constant feeling that if I take apart spec-sensitive stuff like the rockers and valves, I won't be able to get them back together "properly" the same way again. -What's the best tool/solvent to use to clean inside the block channels? it's a tight fit -I'm getting a lot of oil in my air filter, is there something I can do in the valve cover to help mitigate that without rigging up a catch-can? -I haven't touched the distributor because getting my timing out of whack terrifies me, am I being dumb? -Best practice for cleaning the mating surfaces? Obviously scratches aren't good, but I can't seem to make any progress with plastic scrapers -Similarly, the calcium-like buildup on the valves and in the chamber doesn't want to go anywhere with a delicate touch... Appreciate any suggestions!

Good to be aware of! That definitely looks pretty bad, but whatever service is on that truck looks way different than mine. They also did a full pre-treatment of the existing surface, and an internal treatment for the frame and all panels, engine bay. I'm happy with it currently, but I'll definitely run through a follow-up inspection after the winter to see how everything managed.

It's been a slow time due to weather, but I have managed to get a few things updated and the truck is back to being my daily. Fixed the rough starting issues thanks to Pete's suggestion by swapping in the old IAC, so that's been a relief. I bit the bullet and took it to Ziebart to have a full rustproofing and undercoating job done, and they did a fantastic job. I have much more confidence driving around in the saltslush now. I managed to track down a guy about an hour away that had some interior pieces available and picked up a beautiful black bench seat. My original plan was for buckets but I could not turn this thing down. Got it installed with FAR less issues than I expected, as my old bench seemed fused in place. Driver side power locks and window rail installed along with the 2nd painted door panel. Nothing is wired yet but that is definitely going to be a spring-summer task.

You know, after doing the TPS adjustment and not seeing a difference after getting it spot on, I threw the old IAC and the thing fired right up! I guess it serves me right for replacing something that wasn't broke in the first place, definitely lesson learned. Thanks for the hint!

Those are fantastic looking! Turbines were my #1 choice but I came upon the 10-hole sooner and for far cheaper. Someday though!

After having fun with Rivets (seriously, now that I've used them I'm a fan) I removed the manual window crank and installed the power rail and power lock gear from the donor Cherokee. I also swapped out the plastic exterior door handle and side mirrors for some lunky chrome ones from a junkyard Laredo. I'll need to find an alternative for the factory plastic door lining, and I'm holding off on any wiring shenanigans until I get the rough starting issue resolved. I am very pleased with how the color turned out! Getting the dash and rest of the interior painted is going to be a much larger task. I'll probably hold off until I can find some grey buckets and seat brackets first.

So the truck has been back in the garage. A while after finishing the rotors and fender liners/frontal frame paint, I went to leave work and the engine was pegged at 3k and would not go down. It snapped out of it after hitting the highway on my way home, and since then it's been barely idling on startup and until I leave my neighborhood, afterwards it's business as usual. Looking into TPS adjustments and so far have dissembled and cleaned the throttle body. The AIC was just replaced a few months ago, so hopefully it's just TPS foolery. While that's resting, I've been working on installing the interior and power features from my 93 Cherokee. Hit the door panels with vinyl paint and they came out fantastic! (still looking for a gloss black suitable for the faux wood bits)

We had our first snowfall in MI and it gave me cold feet (pun intended) about the state of my trucks weather resistance. So back into the garage to replace the old cracked fender liners, hit the frame with some POR-15 where I could get at it, and clean up the calipers and replace rotors/pads and hoses. Ironically the first auto DIY job I did, replacing rotors and brakes, ended up catching me by surprise on the truck. I was not prepared for the rotor/hub combination, so I had to hit the books, order new bearings and oil seals, and become intimate with bearing grease. All in all a fun experience, just took longer than I anticipated. The red paint adds about 5 hp at the wheels.

Thanks! My criteria for a truck was that it not be huge, and be a little on the older side to keep things simpler under the hood. I was looking at import 4-banger trucks when I came across the Comanche for sale just up the road and did a bit of research. I was immediately sold on the reliability and parts compatibility, nothing like being able to go to the local scrap yard and get a replacement anything near 100% of the time. I bought a 93 Cherokee originally for the OEM wheels and power interior components, but after taking it to a Gambler weekend I've fallen in love with the peppier engine, so I may rebuild and do a HO swap after the winter if my luck holds up. On the hunt for 4x4 components for an eventual conversion, but it's not a priority Currently struggling to catch up to the weather, I had wanted to get the fender liners and flares replaced before snow hit, along with some additional rust preventative.