Zenobian_84

Looking to get my hands on 1-2 working AMC "colored" temperature gauges. I have two spare AMC clusters (blue styled gauges instead of the black and red XJ type) and am looking for a specific temperature gauge that came with early XJ models (possibly MJ as well?). EDIT: 8/3/14 Got lucky and found an ebay listing for it. So here's a picture for clarification. PN: 83500310 Looks like the one pictured below, except where the 100 degree mark is, there is a small blue stripe there (like the red stripe) as well. I have only seen a small handful of these ever, and at the time, did not think to grab them when I could. :thwak: If you're reading this and have any laying around, I'd be glad to take them off your hands. :brows:

Is / are there any parts place(s) that offer a replacement tank to fit in the stock location on a 2.5? Looking up the part numbers stamped onto my tank yielded no viable results, but maybe someone out there has some clue as to where to look? :dunno: Is there some other type of tank that would fit along the fender line, or at the very least be an easy fit somewhere inside the engine bay?

Had a bit of a rough time this past weekend. Old wiring nearly caught the truck on fire, but that's another story for another time. While replacing said old wiring, I noticed the engine harness pigtail for the O2 sensor started to smoke, and sure enough, the lead power wire going into it sizzled against some intake ports, so I made a jumper connection to make it work. Can I snag a connector out of the junkyard for a 4.0 and wire it into the 2.5 O2 sensor, or are they completely different styles? Don't dabble too much with the 4.0 stuff, but I might start having too since 2.5's are virtually non-existant down here in FL.

Decided to work on an odd little project in my spare time; mainly due in part to thinking about getting the MJ re-painted professionally since I plan on selling the 5.9 ZJ soon. Had a weird idea for paint schemes on an MJ. Nothing too "out there" or flamboyant, but rather paying homage to the J-Series trucks. Has anyone ever seen something like this, obviously other than my particular truck? :shake: Obviously, I don't think it's very likely, but still, one can hope. Will be fiddling around in photoshop making some designs. I think some of these schemes would look pretty good on an MJ with Comanche specific model names in lieu of the FSJ ones, but perhaps I'm just biased. :yes: :brows: I saw that yellow Honcho at the bottom there, and have been having a hard time deciding if I want a paint scheme similar to it, or the one I have now (modified). Decisions decisions.

Looking for a Medium Blue glove box latch to replace my grey one (see interior color verses the latch currently on there) that's been in there since I purchased the truck. Proper blue color scheme shown below. I can find all kinds in the JY, but I've only ever run across one other Medium Blue interior like mine, though sadly, it didn't have the glovebox inside. :fs2: Let me know what you've got; thanks. :cheers:

Got my problems with the heater core sorted out it seems. The truck always had a lifter tick, but now it has gotten more noticeable, although I have yet to drive it to see if everything is still working as well as when it was parked. I believe it's coming from the first cylinder. For those of you who've done a complete lifter change on a 2.5, how in-depth is it? Any sets of lifters you'd specifically recommend? Also, on a sort of related note, the engine seems to have a slight shimmy back and forth (side to side) while it runs. Nothing terrible that affects how it sits or runs, but it is noticeable as well. I was keen on getting the motor mounts replaced last year, but budget constraints put it on a back burner. Is this shimmy an indication of worn out mounts?

Am going to go take a look at a 1990 XJ tomorrow afternoon. Owner says it's in good mechanical shape, and the only thing wrong is a slight occasional squeal from the power steering pump. Aside from that, everything seems to be on the up and up; it's got the 4.0 / AW4 and 231 combo, with 225k miles. The price is cheap, so it could be a good buy, should I go for it. I'm hesitant about the mileage, and I'll find out for sure just how good a condition it really is. My question is just what kinds of things do you need to look out for with the older XJs? I''m familiar with RENIX systems, so I can troubleshoot if I have to. Aside from funky Renix computer systems, what else is there to be wary of?

Now that I have the dash apart in my MJ, I'm sorting things out with the wiring for the radio in my truck. Since I cut the antennae wire inside the fender-well, I don't have a working radio. Would another wire from a junkyard XJ be suffice in fitting, or are these things impossible to get off the mast without clipping? (IIRC, someone said they practically are) :dunno: If the latter holds true, is there something aftermarket I can use to listen to the radio whilst driving? Not sure how reliable the kits at the parts-stores are. Figured someone on here can point a fellow towards something worth buying.

Looking for two specific radios. First one up is the hard to find AMC Digital Noise Reduction cassette deck offered in Cherokees and possibly Comanches from the mid 80s. Here's a picture of one (taken from Ebay because I have not stumbled across one for some time) If I can't procure one of the DNR radios, then I'd settle for one of these. Same deal, except being made by Chrysler / Dolby. Preferably I would like either. They must be working and in good, cosmetic shape (if you still have the plug for the back, I would also like one if possible). Let me know what you have, and we'll work something out. :cheers:

Was at the junkyard last week and snagged a pair of OEM spade connector plugs for the door speakers out of an older Cherokee. I noticed there were small square shaped plastic tabs where the screws for the speaker went into. Tried to worm a few out, but to no avail. :dunno: Is there some place where you can order these? Offhandedly, does anyone know the size of OEM mounting screw for the 5 1/4" speakers? Going back to stock size in lieu of the 6 1/2"s I mounted onto the door panels. :thwak:

So a trip to the local stealership netted me this bad boy for a whopping $28; I figured I should get an OEM spec knob for restoration purposes. Price was a bit high for my blood, but I bit the bullet and got it anyhow. IIRC, Automan bought one last year as a replacement on one of his trucks, and that's what spurred me on to go try my hand at buying one. Funny (and unsurprisingly enough) Chrysler no longer supplies the "shift pattern button" that goes inside of the knob, so I'm stuck at an impasse. Does anyone know where one can get a 4 / 5 speed layout "button" (or whatever the technical term for it is) that would fit inside this knob? A better question would be if the button is unavailable, what would be a good OEM looking replacement? I've heard that the newer XJ shift knobs are a good choice, but I don't believe I've ever seen a picture of them installed. I guess I'll be taking this thing back in the long run anyway, if I can't come to a sensible choice in what to do. I can barely get two turns on my AX-4 handle with this compared to the one I have on there now anyway. So much for Chrysler quality... :shake:

Finally bit the bullet and am going to be tearing apart the dash soon to do a heater core swap. It's gotten clogged to the point where the back-pressure causes the junction valve to back up and spill fluid out (old picture, leakage not shown..) I am wanting to delete this antiquated piece of junk so that the lines are constantly being purged and cycled. How do I go about re-routing the lines? Any tips to share besides throwing the hub into the nearest dumpster when done? :yes:

First off, sorry for the huge pictures. Had to upload them directly from my phone. Happened across a '98 Grand Cherokee Limited at the dealership where my father works at. Been sitting off to the side waiting to be taken to the local sale along with a few other cars for a few weeks now, and curiosity got the better of me. Decided to take a gander at it and asked my dad what was wrong with it. Found out that aside from one ding on the back (driver's taillight) and just a small amount of front end work (pinhole transmission cooler line leak, and a dry-rotted axle boot) that it was basically in perfect shape. Not only that, but the 4x4 works like a charm, and this will be the first 4x4 I've ever owned as well. Runs and drives like a dream, and almost everything interior-wise works great. $900 later, I can now say I own the second fastest production Jeep ever made. :banana: Only has 150k miles on the ticker, and from what I read on the title, it's only had a whopping 3 thousand miles put on it in the last 12 years. :eek: And yes, I still plan on keeping my Comanche. Just couldn't pass up on owning a cool piece of Jeep history. :driving:

:rotfl2: An old commercial back in 1996. I wish they'd make commercials like this today. Too bad everyone's too strung up on being "politically correct" nowadays.

Putting out a feeler for this thing at the moment. Looking for one in good shape, possibly two, depending on cost. These things are pretty rare down in the South, at least from my experience hunting around in junkyards. For those of you wondering, what I'm referring to is #8 on the diagram below; the S-shaped bar that goes overtop the battery. Let me know what you have, and what kind of shape it's in. Shipping would be to 32757. Thanks!

Referring to the S-shaped bar (#8, PN: 55010722) that runs across the top of the battery anchoring it in place. Replaced my cracked battery tray today with a good one I snagged up from the junkyard. For whatever reason, I can't seem to find this part anywhere in any junkyard down here in FL. Everyone seems to jury-rig these things in place with whatever they can find that'll work. Found one online for around $20, seems to be the going rate on these things. Is this the cheapest I'll be able to go on this bracket (in new condition at least)?

I have been fighting this problem for what seems like forever now, and I simply do not understand why this is happening. Changed out the lower radiator hose on my truck, because the last hose had a bad leak from the top, where it connects the radiator to the block. This is the third time I've done this, and it didn't solve anything, and if nothing else, made the problem worse. What's happening is the truck will run fine when operating. It won't leak at all, or at least not that I can see. When it is turned off, no matter if it is for a minute, or 20, the antifreeze will bubble up from around the top of the hose and drip down onto the pavement. I've tried clamping the hose every way I can, and nothing changed. Is there some other reason for this happening? Some sort of backpressure problem somewhere? The only other place it leaks coolant would be at the joint leading inside to the heater core. Is this where the problem lies? Would flushing and or replacing the heater core fix this problem? :dunno:

So I've been surfing around craigslist for Jeep parts (mainly out of boredom, because I seldom, if ever, buy things off of craigslist) and I stumbled upon this. Obviously it piqued my interest, so I worked out a deal with the guy to come buy it Sunday afternoon. Just wanted to know if this is a mystical dealer-installed brush guard, or something somebody rigged up in an afternoon. Even if it's not an old dealer-installed brush guard, It is the exact style I've been half-heartedly looking for for since I painted the truck. The good news is that even if I don't want to keep the brush guard, I found a good bumper to replace mine with in the style that I want as well. Didn't think I'd actually stumble across one though, let alone one this nice. Good fortune smiles upon those who wait, it seems. :brows:

Went up to where my dad works to help him clean up a car, and noticed that they recently got an '02 Wrangler Sport on the lot in trade. The company is still going through all the paperwork, and it's up in the air whether or not it's going on the line, or being taken to the local auction to sell. Should have grabbed some pictures, but here's the general specs. :typing: - White with Cloth-top - 4.0 with 4x4 and 3-Speed Auto* - Powertrain seems in good shape, let it run for a few minutes and goosed on it, sounds great for what mileage it has on it. - Basically stock everything, which is a huge plus. - Aside from a little grime and dirt, paint is still in great condition and would clean up well. Am really considering taking another look at it; would be nice to have a different daily driver instead of the MJ. I wouldn't get rid of the MJ, but I would be able to put it on the side to give it the work and attention it needs without worrying about how to get back and forth while it's down. The biggest thing I'm wondering about is what kind of gas mileage I'll be getting with the 3-speed auto tranny, as opposed to the manual or 4-speed that was offered starting in 03. Not only that, but is there anything important to know in regards to these transmissions that would make or break a deal? I read that the 02-03 TJ's are the oddball years, with parts being upgraded or totally replaced by newer things. Not sure entirely when this one was built (slipped my mind to check the door tag) I'm not entirely opposed to the 3-speed (also read that it was pretty stout tranny, dating back to the CJ's of old) but I'm worried that the 4.0 would get wound out on the highway, which is what I'd probably be using it for. Not really big into the 4x4 scene, but I've always wanted a 4x4 vehicle. 4.0 is definitely a must have. Fairly certain I could snag it for a good price, but am unsure at the moment of what exactly it'd go for. Definitely not a set-in-stone affair, but I'd be interested in getting some info from you knowledgeable people. Surely someone must have had one of these little oddballs at one time or another. :dunno:

Will be upgrading the stock, very faded, black side view mirrors that are on the truck at the moment to ones that are chromed (see picture) They are Omix-Ada brand, and can be had for around $60(ish) a pop. Would be the solid, non-folding style. Has anyone ever gotten one of these that can tell me how it's held up? My biggest concern would be premature rust, and or being shoddily made. It's a shame I can never find good, chrome mirrors in the junkyard that aren't ruined or the solid style. Don't know why so many NON 4x4 trucks down here have the folding style. The little hinge joints inside always rust out down here in the south, from what I've seen / experienced.. :dunno:

Been having an intermittent problem for the last two months. Truck's been running fine for a while now, with no noticeable problems (aside from the small oil leak at the timing chain cover). Around two months ago, I went to start the truck; usually cranks up after about 2-3 seconds. The problem was that it seemed to have a sluggish start, IE: the starter was cranking over very slowly. Problem went away after a while, and so I chalked it up to being an old engine, etc etc. Now for the last month, I've been having an increase in said problems. It always ends up with the truck sounding like the engine just doesn't want to turn over, until finally, I turn the key to the ON position and nothing happens. I can shimmy underneath the truck, and clean the connections off (on the starter), and voila, the truck will magically start once more; albeit, at the same slow speed. I'm fairly certain that it could be the solenoid giving out, or the starter itself giving up. Am I correct in thinking so? Anyone have any suggestions? Before I go through the hassle of taking the starter out and getting it checked out, is there something else I'm overlooking here? Also worth noting the starter is about a year old or so.

Can anyone point a fellow in the direction of a good toolbox to buy for the MJ? Looked at a few sites, but most boxes seem to be upwards of $190. Not that I'm opposed to paying that much, but I was wondering if there was something cheaper out there. Needs to have a lock, and fit horizontally. Color is open to debate, as is type (metal, plastic)

Feels like forever since I've been on. After almost 2 months without any dedicated internet, and because of my recent move, I can finally surf the web again. Lots of catching up to do around here. :cheers: Also, this.

Pilot bearing gave up the ghost the other day. Took it in to the shop today to get it fixed. Sounds simple, right? :crossfingers: Gave me a quote for a new clutch kit (Luk) + labor at $700; warranty on everything included. More than I wanted to spend, but a necessity, considering I need a vehicle to drive back and forth to work. Not only that, but I'm also moving out within the next month, so a double necessity. Of course, following the old Jeep adage where there is no such thing as an easy repair, I get a call back about 20 minutes ago saying that the internal slave has a leak, and so does the master cylinder. Of course, the parts / labor had to cost me another $400, bringing the grand total to $1100 to get everything fixed. I replaced the slave cylinder the last time the clutch got swapped, but I'm not surprised really that there was a leak; it's hard to find good quality made parts nowadays. I'm all for paying for quality work, which I'm going to get, but it couldn't have come at a worse time. Below is a pretty accurate summation of how I currently feel. :mad: My NEW new year's resolution is to drive this 4 speed into the ground, and replace it with an AX-5 (external setup) the next time the clutch, or the internal slave goes. I should have just gone with my original idea of finding a 5 speed, but I wouldn't have been able to get it home if I had. Well made trucks, but horrible design AMC; you should feel bad for ever having such a poorly designed internal slave system on a manual. :no: - - - On a positive note, this has only motivated me even more to go to a technical school and get my training underway. So, a double-edged sword, really. :typing: :fs2:

Scooted on over to my local flea-market the other day for a car show. Showed up on the wrong day, but I didn't leave empty handed. :thwak: Parked next to a nice gentleman and his Grand Wagoneer. The exterior was gorgeous, as was the interior. It's nice seeing such a fine automobile when I'm out and about. :yes: I couldn't resist the temptation. :chillin: Shortly after the last picture, a bunch of people parked around our Jeeps. I had a few people stop and ask about my truck before they began "Ooohing and Aweing" at the sight of two old Jeeps; don't know how my truck ended up getting more attention than the Wagoneer. That means I must be doing something right... right? :dunno: