JZLAJeep

You need to let your fellow Idahoans in on this before posting on Ebay.

We picked up a used one a while back and put it on this summer. They do exist for sure. Like @fiatslug87 said, the front skid plate does have to come off.

Made the open system swap this weekend and I did reverse the flow on the heater core. So far so good. Heats the cab up quickly and nicely now. Too hot now! Prior to all of this I had flushed the heater core very well in both directions until it ran clear, so pretty confident that it's as clean as it's going to be without being new.

"The only issue is it does have a blown motor" Oh, that's all... Is that a factory console for a automatic on the column Comanche?

That all makes sense. Planning to flip this (like Jeep in '97) anyway. Wish us luck!

These look the like the same plugs used on the tailgate of an XJ. If so, the plugs have been discontinued and if you can find them, they are expensive. I was looking for Mopar 6504995AA. I ended up ordering some similar sized plugs from Amazon, putting the plug in a drill, and using a sanding block to modify the head and another file to cut the skinny post. It was messy and a pain, but it got the job done eventually. Link to what I used: https://rb.gy/v2ezwp

No takers on this query? Maybe shoveling snow from this weekend's mega-storm is keeping many of you busy... Unless one of you responds with a good reason not to do so, we've decided to go ahead and reverse the direction on the heater core when we put the cooling system back together. Jeep appears to have done just that in 97 on Cherokees and it does keep the 3/4" diameter ends and the 5/8" diameter ends together. I've flushed the heater core and water runs through seemingly equally well in either direction, so it seems like an OK thing to do. In other news, got the cooling system torn down and flushed (not a warm proposition in Idaho in January) and the parts are ready to pick up from the parts store. Decided to go ahead and replace the radiator and make the open system swap. The existing system was full of rust and the heater core was clogged, which shouldn't have been the case after a flush this summer. So out with the original '89 stock radiator and in with new radiator, thermostat, hoses, and HCV delete. Just a little bit of scope creep.

Been driving cold all winter because the heater core apparently hasn't been getting much flow. Concluded to delete the Heater Control Valve, but came across the question of heater core flow direction. Stock Renix closed system flowed into the bottom and out the top. By 97 on XJs with the then stock open system, the flow was into the top and out the bottom. Were these different heater cores or the same? Does the direction matter? I found the following old threads very useful: HCV deletion discussion Discussion at the end of page 1 touches on flow direction, but doesn't address directly The '99 4.0L picture shows that the coolant hoses into and out from the heater core were reversed from the earlier Renix closed systems

As far as I can tell, the openable wing windows were no longer available in 95 and 96 oh XJs. The three of those that we've owned have not had the triangle windows that open. So look for a 95 or 96 XJ...

The ends of this contraption all connect with just hose clamps so it can't be any different here. A metal T with hose clamps should get the job done.

We took a good look at this assembly when thoroughly flushing our coolant system and concluded this could all be fabricated using a T and just hose or a T and couple elbows if you wanted to get real fancy. We left our system as-is, but if we ever replaced it that's what we would do.

Mhmm. It's not just you. I've concluded it's the lack of carpet pile that creates the gap.

Sorry the TJ isn't working out, but I get it. At our house we have the people hauler and multiple Jeeps because we can't all fit in one, well and we just like them too... Between 95/96 and 98/99 it's probably just a matter of preference. My experience is that a '96 basically has the '97 drive train, just not the "facelift." My own experience is that '96 and older are cheaper to pick up than '97 and after. RE '00-01, if they've made it to 2025 the head is likely either ok or already been fixed so that wouldn't scare me off at this point. The trick is going to be finding one with the standard transmission. I've owned three of them, but you've got to be patient in your search.

Buy a replacement courtesy light from Euramtec. Takes a little bit of internet sleuthing to find as I recall, but they are still out there.

Love the story and love the truck! You made the right choice to keep it!

Ditto. When we got our MJ new tires were going to cost twice what the vehicle cost. Started buying used tires and that's all we buy now. Should be able to pick up some good condition takeoffs from classifieds or even the local 4x4 shop for $400 or less.

Well, apparently 5 Jeeps was too many... Neighbor was looking for an XJ and after after a couple months of neither of us finding nice cheap ones in good condition locally (one was sold just before he went to look at it), offered to let him come take a look at a couple of ours. Let him take this blue one home for what we paid for it. But, got some pictures of the entire lineup before we let the blue one go.

Went at looked at this yesterday, but didn't buy. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1822552721803156/?rdid=AvGL3S3s7YG1T2mk&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16wfpkg9bg%2F# Probably needs an engine rebuild and the body was pretty rough. Not an upgrade over what we have, which is saying something.

It happens! There are 5 Jeeps sitting outside my house currently and helping my neighbor find a XJ. When he decided to get an XJ for his son he came to our house for help. For some reason... Oh, and nice looking pickup!

I can tell you that it is nice living in a place with no emissions testing when driving old cars. Not that it was particularly difficult before. For pre-OBD2 the test was tailpipe emissions only, no visual inspection.

We've owned 5 XJs over the years, including 3 currently (see the signature below). We have a neighbor that knows we like like XJ/MJ/CJ and came to us for advice on buying an XJ for his son. We told him that we tend toward HO although are open to any clean model between 90 (or late 89) and 2001, that facelift models seem to go for higher prices, that we like 5 speeds when we can find them. We tend to look for vehicles that are stock rather than modified. At this point miles don't really scare us if the vehicle has been well maintained.

Found the build sheet for this when we had the driver door panel off. Pretty cool! The page is stamped with a date 4 days earlier than the build date noted above.

Amen. We are family friends with the owner of the main 4x4 shop in town. I'm sure his shop could do a good job tuning suspension. He'll build a $200K Jeep if you want him to, but we are at the far other end of the spectrum...

We don't have a lot of experience with lifts, but we have now owned two XJs that are lifted and both ride/rode noticeably worse than stock suspension. Do all lifts ride stiff? In principle I guess it makes sense that to make the vehicle higher the suspension components need to be taller and stiffer, but if all lifts are as stiff as what we've experienced, then no thanks, we'll pass. I once saw a James May clip where he said car modifications are stupid and always make the car worse (can't find the clip right now) and I'm starting to believe him. One had spacers in the front and taller leaves in the back. Front rode OK. Back rode stiff. Our current lifted XJ (see link below) has a Rough Country lift kit, which I know don't have the best reputation, but I'm surprised at how stiff it rides. I'm actively communicating with a couple guys about buying or trading for their stock suspension take-offs to put it back to stock. If we were to lift anything it would be the Comanche. I don't know if it's because it's longer or because it has the single row of seats, but it just "feels" low even though I know it's the same height as the stock XJs (I measured). For whatever reason it "feels" like an El Camino rather than a pickup. We'll probably never lift it, but if we were, that's the Jeep we'd lift.

2 door XJ seats for sale in Idaho. https://www.facebook.com/share/14Hc4D6N4cY/ We don't need these, but I know they are desirable for those of you putting bucket seats in your Comanches. Don't know if the guy will ship, but if needed we could help facilitate. Figure someone out here will want these, just don't know if shipping will be prohibitive.