NickyV

Thanks!

Hey there @Ωhm. May I ask where you got this schematic (quoted below)? I'm wondering if I have it buried in one of my massive PDF files or if it is from a manual I don't have. I'm nearly done refurbishing an HVAC box to put A/C in my MJ. I reassembled it based on the notes I took during disassembly and intuition. I'd hate to mess something up and have to take the box back out once it's in place. So any official literature would be helpful!

The A/C rabbit hole just keeps getting deeper, but I'm so close! I'm pretty sure I've figured out how to properly reconstruct the dealer-install harness for my 1987 2.5L. I will be posting about that soon in my build thread. Anyway, this morning I was realizing I needed to order one of those two-prong low-pressure switches (the dryer I bought did not come with one). And then I stumbled upon this post from 2021 where @Torq_Shep and others were speculating that the low pressure switch failed due to HIGH pressure and caused a refrigerant leak. It seems earlier MJs like mine never had a high pressure switch, but I'm thinking I could probably add one? I'd just need to wire it properly (probably by adding yet another relay (I'm already up to three, because I'm adding an e-fan and I gave up on trying to figure out how to recreate the fan diode assembly). Has anyone done this? I'm adding A/C from a heat-only, so I'm in a good place to add customizations. The system hasn't been installed or pressurized yet. Would it be as simple as finding an adapter that goes somewhere in the high-pressure line and the wiring up a relay system so that the "A/C Request" input is cut if either the low or the high switch trips?

Well, if you want to give Tinkercad a try, I'd recommend it. I think it's pretty easy to use, especially if you use ChatGPT or some other AI to ask questions about how to use it. If anyone decides to try it out, you can view my circuit here: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/gHNlViVpPVx-ac-fan-circuit-mj?sharecode=0m3G24SuONVXhRhFX79NZaLWc-r2XZxn2XKiO1nP4TQ

That was me! I am in the middle of putting A/C in my 1987 MJ. It's a 2.5L, 4-speed manual (AX-4). My plan is to figure out a way to also add an electric fan. My truck never had A/C, and the 2.5Ls never had an electric fan at all -- but I think this is possible. Every step along the way I've thought to myself: "This is gotta be the hardest part." Finding the right brackets: "This has got to be the hardest part." Refurbishing the HVAC box: "This has got to be the hardest part." Figuring out where to get hoses that no one stocks anymore: "This has got to be the hardest part." But let me tell you all... at least for me, figuring out how to reverse-engineer the "Dealer" side of the Dealer-Installed Electrical Harness... man this has been a journey. I have cross-referenced so many different manuals -- Parts Manual, Electrical Troubleshooting, the wiring section in the FSM and Haynes manual. I've sent several of you private messages. I am now working on modeling what I think the circuit is using graphing paper and a free online tool called Tinkercad. Tinkercad (www.tinkercad.com) is designed for microcontroller stuff, so it isn't perfect... But I do think I am pretty close to figuring this out. I plan to post about my findings once I get everything working. Thanks to all of you who have been patient with me and answered my questions!

I’m gonna try some JB Weld now. See that works.

@eaglescout526 It’s the bigest one. Kinda square edged. Looks like it was painted black.

I’m working on restoring an HVAC box for my 87. Got two questions. Vacuum Actuator: The large actuator that came with my replacement box appears to be damaged, but I’m not 100% sure. It looks to be cracked around where the nipple meets the bell of the vacuum housing. Here is a picture. I’m assuming this is not supposed to be like this, but I could see how this might be intentional — so that the door it controls needs constant vac to stay open and always closes when the truck is shut off. If it’s broken, should I just seal it with bondo? Or do I need to find one that’s not broken? Foam/Insulation: Has anyone figured out improvements on the insulation inside the box? It’s obvious that the foam around the ports and on the doors is intended to keep the box sealed and maybe prevent air whistling noises. I think I can see why they used light weight, open cell foam on the doors and around seams. They wanted to keep the doors light weight and to have a lot of “squish” for tight seals. But what is the purpose of using open cell foam on the inner walls of the box? It seems like this foam is primarily for temperature insulation. Although maybe it is also for sound dampening. I am wondering if using something like DynaMat in a few key places might be better? I’m specifically referring to pieces like this one. I asked AI and it said the open cell foam is better for this because it helps with wind noise. But it seems to me that this would not do much for temperature insulation.

Bringing this thread back to life if I can! I've had my HVAC box for like three years, and I'm finally starting the process of pulling it apart. Trying to take good video to make a legit how-to. But I have a question for anyone who cares to answer. More than one honestly, but I'll take them one at a time. A lot of the super thin foam -- the stuff that's on the interior walls of the box -- seems to actually be in OK shape. I mean, it's not brand new, but it isn't crumbling. If I do end up replacing that. What foam should I get? Is there a specific kind? Or will any porous squishy foam work? I have a bunch of sound insulation foam that I've been cutting to size. The kind you would use for a recording studio. But it occurs to me that maybe there is a specific kind of foam I should be using. @A-man930

Hey @Limeyjeeper: I’ve been skimming this thread (not reading deeply… so apologies if you answered already) but what thickness and material did you use inside the HVAC box?

Thanks to all who replied. Especially @Smokeyyank — that is the closest to what I was imagining. I feel like if I do this I’ll want to do the door handles too…. Maybe. But thanks, this helps me visualize it better. I’m still debating if I should get the auto door locks too. I currently have the auto window regulators and the previously mentioned chrome mirrors. Those both make sense to me so I can adjust the passenger side window and mirror on the fly. The locks I’m a little less sure of… Should I go full auto? I feel like the main reason I’d want the locks is so I could unlock both doors at the same time while walking up to the truck with another passenger. Otherwise it’s kinda meh… But man… this means I need to get new door cards too. Unless someone has a good hack for covering up the manual regulator hole

I just picked up some power side view mirrors from an 89 XJ. Used the DeWalt battery trick to make sure they worked. They seem like they are in good shape. The XJ they came from was in great condition. My question is, will these look good on my Colorado red MJ. I've always been partial to the black, no-frills side-view mirrors, but the ones I got have the chrome plating. Anyone got pics?

Thanks for giving me the honor of MJOTM. @JoeLAW -- Yeah! From the moment I bought the truck, it would make this intermittent noise. In retrospect, I think it was the fan blades wobbling. Not sure this is how it is on the 4.0, but on the 2.5L, the fan is connected to the coolant impeller. The sound of the fan rattling around and knocking into stuff, like the cowl and maybe the radiator would be channeled into the cab through the vents. At least that's what I think was happening. It sounded exactly like what it sounds when you funnel noise through a dryer vent or some similar kind of tubing. Sci-fi, psychedelic sounds. And I drove the truck up one of the steepest grades in California when it was like that. During the summer! That was the truck's maiden voyage. I knew very little about mechanical stuff at that point. I'm glad I didn't blow up the engine on that trip. When we got to the top of the mountain, it sounded like the truck was ripping a bong super hard. Haha! The coolant overflow tank was a-bubblin. Now I know what that sound (and so many other sounds) might indicate. Comanche Club is a big part of me building that knowledge base. Plus plenty of trial and error, and a heaping helping of YouTube University.

Thanks. Yes. This is what I'm talking about. Thanks for the link.

I have already rigged up Bluetooth to my MJ. I'm pretty happy with the setup... but seeing as I often make "perfect the enemy of good," I'm still thinking about how I can improve my mod in the future. This RediRad is really cool. I like how you get to assign an AM or FM frequency as the dedicated aux input! But since I went through the trouble to make myself a channel switch (one for the stock radio and one for Bluetooth), I don't think I'm going to swap out for the RediRad. But that leads me to my question: Have you (or anyone else following this thread) found a suitable product that can do both Bluetooth music and handle hands-free phone calls? One of these days, I'd love to be able to be driving down the road, listening to my tunes and then be able to take a phone call. I wouldn't mind if I had to push a button or flip a switch to toggle between stereo and call. But I do want it to be relatively seamless. And I also want to maintain my stock radio. Maybe one day I'll switch to one of those fancy "RetroSound" head units. But they are expensive and the closest model to what I'd want is the Grand Prix... And it isn't quite the right look in my opinion. Anyway... has anyone been able to accomplish this in their MJ?

That's simple and smart, @Eagle_SX4 Thanks for sharing!

Ugh... Well this is embarrassing. I swear I checked the fuse, but I apparently didn't look very closely at it. The fuse wasn't blown, but one of the blades was terribly rusty/gunky. I just swapped it out with a fresh one and the signals started working again. I think there are two takeaways here. 1) Always rule out the fuse. For whatever reason, I still struggle with this one. I'm always imagining a more complex problem. 2) I really, really need to do an overhaul of the fuse box. Any fuse that has been in the fuse box for any significant period of time usually has gunk on it. What have people done in regards to improving their fuse box? Right now, I'm thinking that maybe I can clean it up and then figure out some way to put a cover over it. I wonder if I can find a plastic box with a hinge that I could modify and then place the fuse box inside of. That way if the master cylinder leaks in the future at least it won't drip directly onto the fuse box.

It's been raining pretty heavy where I live and my turn signals have been acting up. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with water, and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this experience. The Symptoms: - Turn signals stop flashing entirely. The lights themselves don't flash and the interior indicators don't flash. I can hear a buzzing electrical sound down near the turn signal relay. - After driving for a bit, they start working again (signals and dash indicators). Like maybe something has dried out? - Hazard signals work -- both the indicators and the signals themselves. - All exterior lights work. It's just that the turn signal isn't working. - One more thing to mention: My turn signal stalk doesn't work quite right. When I turn left, I have to manually return it to the neutral position after completing the turn. When I turn right, it returns to neutral position on its own. The Background: - Imperfect Wiring Job: I've done a fair amount of work on my turn signals over the years. A few years back, I replaced the sockets for the bulbs, because I had the thing where the turn signal indicators on the dash stay illuminated. That was due to a bad ground in the socket. When I did that job, I don't think I did a great job insulating the wires. I only used electrical tape. - Upgraded to LEDs: More recently, I upgraded to LED on all exterior lights except the headlights. I also upgraded the relays to electronic relays with the pigtail ground wire. When I did that job, I had to replace one of the sockets, because I broke it during the job. On that socket, I did a better job with the wires, using shrink wrap. I only bring this up because one of my turn signals came back to life sooner than the other, and maybe it was the one that I did a better job of insulating... not sure. The Question: What is most likely? That something is going wrong near the relay, or that something is going wrong near the bulbs? Or... could it be that something is starting to fail in the steering column? I'm thinking that it's something near the relay. Maybe I have some moisture getting in through the firewall there. And, like many of us, my fuse panel has been seasoned in DOT 3 fluid over the years. Maybe it's time to finally take on the fuse panel refurb.

I've said it a few times now, so it's time to put up or shut up. I'm taking the plunge and starting a build thread for Old Red! The Basics Year: 1987 (The vapor barrier inside door was stamped with "Oct. 1986") Trim: Base (When I bought my MJ, it didn't even have a cigar lighter!) Color: Colorado Red (Original paint job... but someone may have done some touch ups along the way) Engine: 2.5L Trans: AW4 / 2WD Suspension: All stock... for now. Tires: 235/75R/15 Misc: Camper Shell (White) How It Started We bought the truck in August 2019. It had 113,000 miles on it and seemed to be pretty much "Base" stock. No power anything. I'm wondering if it even came with a radio. It has all the audio wiring, but there were no door speakers and whoever cut the holes for the 6x9s in the pillars did a sloppy job. How It's Going These days, it's a lot more driveable. I managed to mostly cure a case of death wobble with the help of a mechanic and new tires. We did a lot of front end work to address the DW. It now has power steering (not sure where all the parts came from... the mechanic did that). I've replaced all components of the clutch (also mechanic work) -- master cylinder, slave cylinder, clutch plates. I've done a lot of interior and electrical work: Full sound system with tweeters, doors, new 6x9s, and a sub. And I've driven it all around California: Over the sierras (through Yosemite), up to the Oregon border, all the way down to Death Valley and Anza Borrego State Park (inland San Diego County). What's Next There is still so much to do! Suspension, air conditioning, camper shell upgrades... I'll be posting some of my previous projects in the thread below.

Dangit. Well... at least I only put one of them in. And I ain't giving up just yet!

Reviving this thread because it relates to a project I just tackled over the weekend. I finally replaced my busted passenger side window regulator. Anyway, here's the TL;DR version of my question for @schardein or anyone who knows: Has anyone found window cranks that play nice with the Jensen Accusound grilles? Here's the backstory: I was at the junkyard a while back and I decided to get fancy and I pulled some Jensen Accusound grilles from an XJ in the JY. I liked the look of them. I have rectangular grilles covering the 6x9s I have in the pillars, so I thought, why not rectangular grilles in the doors as well. Suffice to say I had not read this thread. The window crank definitely hits the grille... well... more like skips off the surface of it. And actually, if I'm careful about it, I can apply pressure and kinda have the crank at an angle, so I don't scrape the grille. But this is not a good solution. Seems like it just needs a smidge more clearance. Then again, I'm not sure I got my handle on all the way. There seems to be more space between the door card and the crank than there should be. I tried giving it a few love taps with a rubber mallet, but I didn't want to damage the regulator I just spent so long putting in place. Here's my experience putting in the window regulator for those who find this thread in the future: I bought the replacement regulator back in like 2020-21 and had been dreading this job because I'd heard horror stories. But it actually wasn't that bad. Yes, I had to drill out the rivets, but all in all, it was a manageable job. Probably a full day of work for me and I'm still building my chops. Someone with more experience could do this in a couple of hours. To make life easier for yourself, make sure you have all your bolts ready to go ahead of time and beware that the brackets on these window regulators are held on by 35-year-old tack welds. One of the brackets broke after I had the regulator in the door. It was getting dark and I didn't want to pull it back out (I don't have a garage). Thankfully, it was the bracket at the top of the regulator. I zip tied the regulator housing to the bracket. I think this will be fine. If not, I'm going to have to pull it out... but I guess it will give me an excuse to finally start to learn welding. I replaced the rivets with short bolts and a combination of locking nuts, locking washers and Lock Tite. I do not want those things coming loose unless I say so! I'm planning to make a video on this and I will soon start my own build thread so I can share all the videos I make.

Is the starter kill a security feature? I've been thinking about how to add an extra layer of protection to my MJ besides Ye Olde Club.

That’s great (hopefully!), @holoceneghost. I have no idea why that would have been the case for you, but back to what I was saying. I’ve made simple mistakes and I’ve also stumbled bass-ackwards into breakthroughs. I forget where it is on the forum, but there is a link somewhere to the “Electrical Troubleshooting Manual” in PDF form. I think I grabbed it from the user with the Taz icon (Tasmanian Devil cartoon). That manual is super helpful.

@holoceneghost Apologies if I'm explaining things you already know, but... I've done a fair amount of tinkering with a number of these radios. Not as much as @Minuit, but a lot. One thing I can say is that I've made some simple mistakes in the past. One example of a mistake was only connecting power and speakers. I thought that would be enough to get the radio to work, but on some of these radios you must connect the antenna to even get it to power on properly. Sounds like you are past this step, but it's just an example. Connect everything! Another tip is to invest in a bench power supply and some cheap speakers plus all the appropriate connections. Troubleshooting on the bench is WAY easier. Trying to figure out issues inside the cab with the radio in the dash is no fun. Finding manuals for these radios is hard, in my experience. You might be able to find one on e-Bay. But you can also try the Internet Archive. They have a very large database of manuals. Searching it takes patience and isn't super intuitive. I just took a look and I was only able to find one manual. It was not the radio you have. But yours is on there! If you happen to make a breakthrough in how to find our radio manuals, please let us all know!

@fiatslug87 - Thanks for the tip on that build thread. Fantastic work. I am not following. @DesertRat1991 - Guilty as charged. I'm always overthinking things!