derf

Yeah, I didn't think about your build thread. I've slept since the last time I read it. However, an engine built up like that is going to generate a lot more heat than stock. More power = more heat no matter what you do. There's two ways to improve cooling on an engine when everything is working properly. 1. More surface area, i.e. bigger radiator; 2. More air flow. There's only so much you can do about #1 without major modifications to the front end. #2 is probably where you have to put your efforts. Getting the highest volume fans you can find whether they are electrical or mechanical is a minimum. And fans work much more effectively when they have the right shroud around them. Removing obstructions from in front of the radiator is also key. Lights, winches on bumpers, etc. block air flow. Get them out of the way. Finally, give the air some place to go once it's through the radiator. Hood vents, side fender vents, remove any shields under the engine. Give the air a way to escape and it will naturally flow more air.

Another thing to consider is your air/fuel mix. Throw on a wideband O2 sensor and see how lean you're running. Running too lean will make your engine run hot. If your fuel system is partially clogged you may not be getting enough fuel and you're running too lean. Run lean enough and no cooling system can keep up.

One thing that can be overlooked is the block itself. Have you done anything to clean out the corrosion that's built up over the years? Load up your cooling system with Evapo Rust and let it sit for 24 hours. Then flush it really well and refill with 50/50 mix. You'll be surprised at what comes out and how much better it cools afterwords.

It is hard to beat the air flow from a good mechanical fan with a good clutch and intact shroud.

Makes sense. Lots of room under the hood for test gear.

The SJ never came with a 4.0. They ran the 258 until they dropped it in the late 80s. The XJ/MJ platform was the first with the 4.0 and the only one with Renix. The YJ got the HO in 91.

Ya gotta be careful which way you orient your phrases...

I'm still in the parts accumulation phase on my build. I suppose I could start a thread there.

BTW, the wheel studs I ordered are DORMAN 610449 from Rockauto. I also have had zero problems with the parking brake cables. I bought the Teraflex cables they sell to go along with their kit. The cable is always under enough tension that nothing ever comes apart.

On the XJ I didn't have that problem. Like evey disc brake kit I had to get longer wheel studs. The 44 has really short studs.

That looks like the kit I bought.

Maybe not a bad idea to get some of these, as suggested in the FB thread: https://www.amazon.com/Blazecut-BlazeCut-System-Meter-T200E/dp/B088HFRT5D/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=blazecut&qid=1600374874&sr=8-3 https://www.amazon.com/BlazeCut-Automatic-Suppression-Automotive-Extinguisher/dp/B019ZZMXAA/ref=psdc_13400621_t1_B088HFRT5D

I did the Teraflex kit on my XJ Dana44 last year. I don't remember if I ordered the spacers with the kit or if the kit just came with the spacers. But it all bolted up and is performing well.

I would suggest doing a side-by-side comparison of the ratios with a calculator that tells you everything you need to know: http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html Plug in your information and compare the ratios side by side. The best bet for the most accurate results is to find the "revolutions per mile" for your tire. The P-metric numbers are rarely correct. And the advertised outside diameter is also almost always wrong. But the revolutions per mile tends to be pretty accurate. I usually go to tirerack.com and look up the exact tire I'm running. In the specs they have a column for revolutions per mile. Plug that in and play with the axle ratios to see how they run.

I wouldn't waste money going just one step. There isn't enough difference between 3.55s and 3.73s. If I were going to change gears I'd go with 4.10s. I'm running 4.56s with 32s up in the mountains and it's a good combination. 31s with 4.10s is a good combo.

That's one way to do it...

The J10's have a 5,000 pound tow rating. The J20s have a little more, maybe up to 10,000 pounds but I can't remember exactly. I had a J10 I was going to make into a tow rig but it was just going to cost way too much to do the upgrades and legally it was still rated at only 5,000 pounds which can be a liability issue.

Getting custom leaf springs will give you good ride quality. You can get a softer spring rate that way. Going to coil springs involves mounting control arms. The gas tank may be in the way depending on how exactly you mount the arms. It would have to be 4 parallel links with a track bar/panhard bar, similar to the front. Even then, the tank may still be in the way. Any kind of triangulated 4 link would require the tank to be moved. There is no kit to do this so it would all be custom fabrication work. It's possible but you either need to be able to do that work yourself or pay someone else to do it. I'm planning on doing a triangulated 4 link on my Comanche but I've done fabrication work and I have a plan for relocating the fuel tank (and replacing it with a different tank from another vehicle)

I didn't realize anyone was still using flash on websites any more. Must be a legacy company website that no one is willing to spend the money to upgrade. And last I read, Edge was going to be based on the Chrome engine at some point so MS has finally abandoned the lost browser wars at last. No more Microsoft specific extensions screwing things up.

People still use Internet Exploder?

There always seems to be a dozen Cherokees in the salvage yards around here in the Denver area. I imagine it's the same elsewhere. If you want to grab fenders from a salvage yard be sure to bring T25 and T27 torx head sockets. That's what most of the bolts have.

First things I would check is the wires leading up to the gauge. They might be somehow grounded. Or they may be broken/separated/etc. My old J-10 had a wire that kept coming off the sender after a couple of weeks and it would do something like that until I plugged it back in. It might also be a wire that's been pinched and grounded somewhere. I would try to see if the wires are connected at the tank sender. If one came off, plug it back in and it should be fixed. If that's fine, I'd pull the cluster and test the wire with an ohm meter. Find the pin for the wire to the sender and check resistance between it and chassis ground. If it's 0 or infinite, you know you have a problem in the wire. 0 = pinched wire that needs to be fixed. Infinite = broken wire that needs to be replaced. If it's somewhere in the dozens of ohms (depending on fuel level) it's fine. Next, test the gauge following the example above. If the gauge is broken, that's what you need to fix. I'd start by testing resistance between the connector on the cluster and the gauge itself. If that's 0 ohms, it's fine. If it's infinite, the connection is broken. Then test the gauge.

I have the Crusader on my 2001 Cherokee that has the fenders already cut from the factory since it's the newer generation front end. It's a nice bumper. If you want to preserve sheet metal, even if just for someone else, you could look at grabbing the front clip (fenders and grill) from a newer Cherokee and bolting it all up. Or you can find some junkyard fenders from a Comanche or older Cherokee that have already been cut. There are other options out there for bumpers which won't involve you cutting up any sheet metal. I had an ARB Bull Bar on a previous Cherokee. They do make a model that fits an older front end without cutting any sheet metal. It is a stout bumper with a good heavy bar. It's an option for you to consider. https://www.quadratec.com/products/12000_8001_07.htm

Yeah, I know about the recall. Never bothered getting it done. Thanks for the info.