Zenobian_84

:ack: :fs1: What a horrible week, and a horrible way to spend labor day. Cutting into my truck like a surgeon isn't fun in the least. Don't have any pictures of my story because I was far too busy to even think about taking any. Spent 5 hours today putting the following in the truck: Starter Distributor Cap Rotor Button Spark Plug Wires Fuel Filter Oil Pan Gasket :headpop: Took about an hour and a half to replace everything else on my truck sans the Starter and Oil Pan Gasket. Have to replace the OPG before I can put the starter back on, and boy, do I @#$%ing hate the setup for the 2.5 and how you have to access the OP. First I thought taking the starter out would allow me enough room to squeeze the OP out and change the gasket, but I was wrong. After taking the starter out, I had to take the flywheel cover off to get access to the bolts holding the OP in place because the geniuses at AMC thought that throwing all the steering linkage, muffler piping, and the flywheel cover would allow someone ample access to the oil pan, should a problem occur. :nuts: :wall: With that being said, I took out the flywheel cover, took the bolts off the oil pan, and then spent 3 hours trying to dislodge the OP from the block. My @#$%ing god. It was like someone rubber cemented that thing to the block of the engine, and only after taking a 2x4 and a sledgehammer to beat the side of it did it come out. The next problem I ran into was figuring out how to get it out. The way the muffler piping runs from the manifold down behind the OP and to the Cat Converter puts it right in the way of easily removing the OP. Needless to say, I wrangled it out somehow (with the help of my old man, who I will thank to no end) and will probably slice and dice the old piping to get it out of the way until the new gaskets are on the pan and the pan's back on the truck. Oh, and did I mention the fact that there's half a millimeter of gasket that's burned onto the block? :doh: What a fun way to spend labor day. :shake:

Cool. :cheers:

Seeing as how I'm going to have to fiddle around with the steering soon (read: sooner than later :ack: ) I figured I'd do a bit of searching on the pros and cons of upgrading to a ZJ TRE and such parts. Question is: What exactly are the pros of having the V8 ZJ linkage under there, other than it being more heavy duty than the 4/6 Cyl. linkage? Are there any downsides to upgrading to this linkage (other than increased price for parts) and could there be any downsides down the road? Offhand question - Going to need to adjust my track bar soon (probably replace it, seeing as how it's going on 25 years...) does anyone recommend specific replacements?

Not sure if anyone cares really about this thread. :shake: Irregardless, I'll update this thread 'til the problem is resolved. Hopefully, it'll help someone out one day. Gave everything a lot of thought these last 2 days, and I overlooked a very.... simple, yet... well, there really isn't an excuse for it. I realized that if it were my fuel pump/filter going out, the problem wouldn't be with trying to start the truck. That falls onto the overlooked Distributor Cap and Rotor button that look like they've been on there for about a decade. :oops: So, with that being said, I got everything I need for a tune up. D-Cap, R-button, S-plug wires, and a new fuel filter (because I doubt mine's been changed hardly in the last 24 years) Will update after tinkering with it this weekend, seeing as how that's really my only days off anymore... :fs1:

Okay, so after a little investigating, I figured out that it has to do with my fuel lines. Either the Fuel Pump is going out (very doubtful, seeing as how it's functioning as it should and it has been since I've had the truck) or the other possibiltiy my boss suggested to me today, which is the Fuel Filter. Quite coincidental that my boss's truck had the same thing that happened to mine, happen today to his.... and his problems are coming from a faulty sending unit he just replaced a little less than a year ago. :eek: :hmm: Ah well. Anybody have any suggestions on this?

Hey all, been a while since I was last on here. :eek: Got another problem to add to my already current problems list. This one being the most important one at the moment. :fs1: Here's what the problem is. *Leave at 6:30 this morning to friend's house to pick him up and go to work, a 10 mile drive and then another 15 mile drive to work. *Start the truck up normally like I always do, (87/2WD/2.5/TBI) and the truck has the usual morning bogness and I give it some gas after it wakes up to get everything going. Get to friend's house without a problem *I'm inside his house for no more than 15 minutes, I come back and start the truck up to leave, the truck tries to crank over (very slowly I might add), and then bogs and dies. Crank it again, this time it doesn't even try to turn over like the first time. The third time, it starts. I figure I left the lights on or the battery didn't get charged enough on the drive over. :dunno: *SO... I go to work, and on the way, even make a stop at a local Walmart for 20 mins and come out to the truck; it starts completely fine. I get to my boss's house, and we work til about 6:30 this evening. I go to start my truck and the same problem this morning occurs; the truck tries to crank over, and fails for 3 attempts. I get it running and my boss checks my battery with a voltmeter type gauge thing and it reads correctly (14/15ish) (as does my gauge inside the truck) My boss believed it to be a possibly dying battery or an alternator problem. :smart: *I drive for about 30 minutes to my friend's house and then to Advance Auto to get a battery, just for $#!&'s and giggles; mainly to see if it WAS a battery problem, $105 later I have a new battery in the truck. I try and start it, but it bogs and dies AGAIN. I even give it some gas and surprisingly it starts the first crank :redX: :redX: ---------------------- Needless to say, I got my old battery and my 105 back, even checked the alternator and starter and neither were the culprit. The only electrical work I've done is replace battery terminals and wire in tag lights, neither of which caused any problem when they were done. :huh???: Can anyone tell me what the heck is going on here? My only guess is it's related somehow to my fuel going into the Throttle Body or possibly the engine? :dunno:

Haha, not really. I just figured I was missing more important things I should be checking on other than what I posted. Glad to know I was in the ballpark with my "To Check" list.

Ah... the elusive X frame. I still have globs of random factory undercoating keeping the rust at bay. Always thought about giving it the old cleaning and re-PORing, but that's far beyond my ability and patience to challenge something like that. I figure that when I take it to get painted I'll have everything under there given a clean and coat.

Yup, pretty much summed up my thoughts with everyone's opinions. Flint also brings up another valid point.... I never checked this truck to see if there was a 44 underneath it. :eek: I should probably bring a shopping cart with me this Saturday when I go. There's so many things waiting to be grabbed off that truck... :wrench:

:cry: It's not junk. Actually I hate the stuff, the raw chemicals are nasty. You don't have to have them paint the bed either this way. I get brand new trucks in my shop with unpainted beds every once and awhile it's pretty nice. Whoops :oops: Misread that wrong. I thought I was agreeing with what you said. :dunce: That'll teach me to re-read what I write.

I'm not sure if it is factory or not. Maybe someone else will chime in cause I've been wondering myself... Yes, That bumper is factory. Got that baby on my own truck (an old picture before I cleaned the bumper up) Also, :eek: :eek: :eek: That is one clean truck!

Just wanted other opinions on these. I have my own thoughts on them, but I like hearing what others have to say. :brows: 1. Grabbing an extra MJ E. Brake Cable from an MJ in the local P&P? 2. Grabbing sun visors, tailights, headboard from same MJ 3. Taking the passenger front quarter panel to replace my own from same P&P MJ? (replacement is red / not rusty whereas mine is rusty and severely dented ) 4. Pros/Cons or Opinions on Steel Rims vs. Aluminum rims on an MJ? (both would be from either XJ's or MJ's as I've seen both on local P&P vehicles) 5. Any other useful things I should be on the lookout for from either vehicle type that should be on anyone's junkyard run list?

Yeah, I believe that was what I originally intended to do. I figured whoever I brought it in to wouldn't want that junk to be in the way of their paint. :D

Been a while since I updated this. Been busy working my 8-5 job these last few weeks to really get a lot of work done on the truck. My time to work on it has been whittled down to mostly weekend nights/mornings (the former more-so than the latter) but I have made progress. Went back to my local P&P to find this red MJ in the back where it's sat for 7 months; and where I've pulled random parts from it. I highly doubt anyone's going to crush this thing because it's surrounded by about 50 other cars. :yes: So, I drug along one of my good friends I haven't seen in a few months to help me pull parts. Highly doubt he's going to want to do that again... :shake: After about 10 minutes of clearing out the cabin of wasps, I started fumbling around the cabin for odds and ends parts. Came up with these two after a bit of decision making... The dubious fog light OEM toggle switch I've been wanting to get a hold of, and a driver's side view mirror in pretty good shape. The PO of the truck installed some other kind of switch where the other cutout is. Only thing I can think of is that he rigged up some other fog lights and didn't know about the OEM switch (switch appears to be all there and function correctly, from what I can gather). The sad part I found out about the truck is that it only had 165k on the clock, and the body was virtually rust free on the outside. Pulled the carpet's up some to see very little surface rust. :( Oh well, one project at a time I suppose. I figure I'll venture back out there this coming Saturday to remove some other oddities from it, and maybe pick myself up a bedliner while I'm there. The yard I go to only charges $30 for any SWB bedliner and $40 for a LWB. This red MJ was a LWB I found out, and I might just grab the taillights seeing as they were in alright shape (minor crack on the right one)

If you're going to blast the good folks who gave you excellent advice, at least you could spell your major bolded, underlined, and italicized emphasis word alterior correctly. ASSume you mean alternative? Just saying. I'm not trying to blast anybody here Don. I was just wanted feedback to see if using a pressure washer would be a feasible idea. Yes, I got good advice, but there wasn't any need for dasbulliwagen to tell me I have no business doing body work on my truck if I was just throwing the idea out about using the pressure washer. I appreciate everybody's feedback, no matter how silly this got blown out of proportion; and next time, I'll make sure not to ask some "ludicrously silly question" to the good folks here who jump the gun.

The only reason I bothered to ask if there was an "easier" way of doing it, is that I already am in the process of removing the factory paint and clear coat via sanding. I just wanted to know for future reference if there was some alterior way to remove the paint faster than how I'm already doing it. Not trying to be an a$$hole, but just saying.

Plans are: Remove paint Prime Bed line Get entire truck repainted The last 2 are either or; whichever I decide should come first. I won't be doing this immediately, but I just would like to know how to get all the paint off for whenever I decide to start this process. :popcorn:

I was thinking a pressure washer? :dunno: Am I being realistic here, or is there some other (faster and or easier) way that I can get everything off? It's also worth mentioning that I'm removing rust from the inside/over the rails of my bed and priming the spots. The primer is going to come off and be replaced before I go send the truck in to be repainted at a later date (I myself am going to prime the truck before I send it in so that I won't have to pay a shop to do that part, thereby saving some $)

That is one seriously nice steering wheel :eek: :eek: :thumbsup: What's the interior color of your truck now? The Infiniti would look good if you had faux wood / a tan interior IMO.

Sounds like a friend of mine I know. He went through the same thing, band wise. Also, that's a sweet kilt :cheers:

Just wondering how many other music heads are out there such as myself. Been playing different instruments for about 3 years now. Got any stories of how you got into playing / what's your favorite instrument to play? I'll start I suppose ;) I got into music several years ago by chance mostly. I reconnected with an old friend of mine who I hadn't seen since we were both in grade school. It so happened that he had tons of different instruments. So, long story short, we both ended up jamming together on several occasions and he began teaching me keyboard. He had this kind of old beat up Casio WK 1350 that I just started playing and soon got really good at. Eventually, I bought it off of him and had it for about 1 1/2 years until I sold it to a pawn shop to get the $ to buy my MJ. Basically, you could say that if it wasn't for me getting into music, I never would have bought the truck I have today, or have learned as much on automobile's as I do. Fast forward to this past April (month before I pawned my keyboard for the MJ) and I was starting to get tired of playing on the keyboard. I'll always enjoy playing great songs from Van Halen, Firehouse, Ratt, etc on keyboard, but I really wanted myself a guitar. Fortunately for me, the same friend had an... (coincidence :shake: ) old, beat up, '91 Marshall Washburn that he was willing to sell me for $80. I bought it off him and cleaned it up a bit; took it to get electrical work done on it, and get myself a $#!&ty little Esteban amplifier. Aside from learning to play the guitar at almost the same breakneck pace (learned keyboard fluently in a matter of 1 1/2 months) here is a shot of me and my guitar. I wouldn't say this or the keyboard have changed my life drastically, but they have changed the way I view a lot of things. So without them, I don't think I'd be the same person I am today. ------------ I suppose that'll do for story, so I'd probably say that my favorite instrument to play will still and probably forever be the keyboard. It'll always hold a special place in my heart, not only because it was what I learned first, but how I was able to use it to express such an incredible variety of emotion within myself. (An after work picture of a worn out 18 year old and his worn out 20 year old guitar) :D

On an '87 MJ you don't have a Check Engine light. So I'm going to assume that since the only warning light registering is the Brake light, is because whatever year the cluster was from had different warning light wiring, that's incompatible with my 87?

Yes, you did. :thumbsup: Also, thanks a lot for doing that, made it tons easier for people to figure out what I mean. I did replace the oil sender and temp sender. I'm fairly sure the oil gauge is going to have to go, and I just would like to know why the warning lights don't work. I don't necessarily NEED them to work, but a lot of them would be incredibly useful (check engine especially) :dunno:

Had to do the guage swap tonight within a 2 hr timeframe to get my truck ready to get on the road for work. Somehow I got it done, but everything didn't go as planned.... :shake: Starting with the top picture; which neither are the best because my cellphone camera sucks. After I installed and drove around for 15 minutes to get everything going. Picture taken when back at my house. Need opinions and advice on what to do here. :cheers: ------ Speedometer: Had to swap over from my old cluster to keep mileage etc. Works as it should. Oil Gauge: Once I started up the truck, the gauge started at 0 and made it's way around the dial like it was supposed to, except for the fact that it stopped at where it is in the picture. 90% sure this gauge needs to be replaced. Volt Meter: Volt meter works as it should; no problems here. Temp Gauge:Temperature gauge never moved from it's position in the picture, 50% chance it might be loose screws in the back, or 50% it could be shot or the wrong sender. (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Duralast-Temperature-Switch/1987-Jeep-Comanche-2WD/_/N-iibciZ91shz?counter=0&itemIdentifier=61385_0_0_) - What is currently in the truck. I heard mixed reports on this not registering properly even though it's said to be for gauges, not dummy lights. Tachometer: Needs to be recalibrated for a 4 Cyl. Other than that, it's working as it should. Gas Gauge: Gas gauge didn't register at all at first. It finally kicked on when I was 2 minutes away from my house on the return trip. It's working as it should, but there may be a screw loose. Or could it be something else? ------------------------- Another problem is the warning light cluster. Starting from the top; left to right. The only one working is the Emergency brake, and I swapped over lights from the old cluster to fill in spots where I needed the warning lights filled. Anyone have any ideas why only the emergency brake light works? Emergency Brake - In use Seat-belt - In use 4WD Upshift - In use Lock - In use Low Washer - In use Check Engine - In use Check Antilock Antilock In Use EDIT: To show what lights are in where.

16 that I know of for Shortbeds (mine's that size, give or take) and the 19 /24 for Longbeds. Not sure I've ever seen the 18.5 (19) on a shortbed? :dunno: