88towmanche

Yep - the Astro was chevy and used the orange DEX-COOL The way I remember it working was you pour the bottle into the radiator and continue normal driving and just check the exhaust with a blacklight flashlight (don't remember if there was a set amount of miles that had to be driven or what) but eventually I could see residue on the tail pipe using that little flashlight showing that at least some coolant was coming through the exhaust. The whole test cost like $20 with the flashlight and gave me some answers...I bought more of the dye fluid and then started trying different head gasket in a can to see if I could stop or slow down the leak...had some success, I'd pour a can of Kseal or something in there and then check with the dye for a while to see if there was still coolant coming through - sometimes it would be clear for thousands of miles, other times wouldn't get that many - told the guy I sold it to all about it and gave him the flashlight. That old Astro never flinched and I abused it with heavy loads long after I notice the problem...didn't consume any oil or overheat and I went from like a pint of coolant loss every 1000 miles to maybe a pint every 5000

Yeah I think Kseal was one of the ones I used...but keep in mind I didn't care on that old Astro was just looking to buy time (and did) - same as you saw a lot of positive reviews and figured had nothing to lose...far as I know it did no damage and the van still cruised along until I sold...got at least 20k out of it after the problem popped up

Think it was this - you have to buy the blacklight flashlight also

Could be going through intake and out exhaust - there's a dye kit on Amazon you can check that pretty easy - if it was substantial, never mind it would be obvious, but I had it happen on a v6 Astro van - engine survived another 20k miles I had it and was upfront with the buyer when I sold it. Went through maybe a pint every 1000 miles or so...I slowed it down periodically with magic sauce from the auto parts store - engine block in a can sort of thing.

I didn't see it mentioned here but I had a sudden massive oil leak on a Cherokee ('88, Renix, 4.0) and it was a failed sending unit - cheap and easy.

Got spacers on mine - think maybe 1-1/2...have to look it up. Technically there is a puck n shackle 2" lift with but the old saggy leafs & springs it's probably just a bit above factory height.

I used these off of Amazon - no complaints

Chinese seatbelt:

The two door XJ seatbelt is longer/shorter than the MJ - can't remember exact dimensions but it was a little close for comfort so on mine measured the old belt and bought one that was as close as possible - Chinesium unit off of Amazon. On the bench seat the china unit was almost too short on the female side and had to modify the bracket for the retractor to bolt up properly and still not interfere with trim panel. I have a 2 door Cherokee will have to look at that again to see the difference but think the retractor mount is on the floor on the Cherokee & on the MJ it's about half way down the pillar.

new 410 44 is in place - new ubolts & hardware, working on airbags & waiting on cut down driveshaft.

Used fork extensions on the Hyster to reach up under there and pull the old axle out while truck is on the lift.

Still hacking away at this - bending and flaring brake lines Using the nickel-copper tubing makes it easier to form good flares

Had a 69 Nova that was Butternut yellow - similar color

I got a set from Krusty specifically made for long bed.

More progress.... Got the cover (new) on the diff - did a quick tape/spray job and clear coated the whole thing. Used a couple of studs to stand off the LSV bracket (thanks to The86manche for the bracket) getting the brake lines sorted - have some cunifer line and ss gravel guards to diy replace the hard lines on the axles....but the ones on the '88 are pretty clean so might just use those. Waiting on a few more parts - have an airbag kit plan to install but with the shackle lift need spacers for the airbags - those are on the way...

Slowly plugging away at this - collecting parts (it's the little stuff....) Cracked the cover on the diff - what am I looking at here - PO said something about a Yukon posi - this looks like their Dura Grip LS - clutch style. Anyone running one of these?

Works for me - will DM you.

Boom - this is critical intel - if I was guessing I probably would have used the larger assuming it was stronger. Thnx Pete!

Sweet - no idea what they go for but I'm good for market price & shipping - just let me know.

Does anyone have the part # for the D44 bracket for load sensing set up on the rear brakes? I read on here that they are different - I'll pull the bracket of the 35 and see if it can be modded to work, but if there is a factory part out there will see if I can grab that - like the load sensor to work rather than delete.

Was the drive shaft on the 86's different from the later years.... The driveline on the 86 donor is nearly 4" in diameter - the one on the 88 is like 2-1/2" One of them is going to have to be cut - should I use the apparently beefier one out of the 86 or the oem one in the 88..

Going to pull the old axle out of the 88 on the lift. first time have even looked at the spare - at first thought maybe it was a pristine rim but it has not aged well, has patchy corrosion/missing clear so maybe this one was on the truck for a while.

Also putting together a brake component list for a D44 (not 35) so can refresh the brakes before putting in

Agree with everything you are saying here - the PO was clear that it took him months for find that D44 and put in that truck - said he also had a Yukon locker put in it- going to leave existing leafs in the truck, new shocks and looks like will need a new drive shaft - or cut one down to compensate for the longer D44

Have to be drums for now, on a schedule and interior needs some work - bench seat has to go - might see how much an upholstery shop wants to re-do the buckets out of the donor, have to do headliner & carpet