tbrand

After looking at this page http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f12/clutch-master-cylinder-replacement-728960/ and this image, I get the feeling that something is actually broken in the master cylinder. On that YJ master cylinder replacement walkthrough, I can see that the rod with the ring at the end attaches to the clutch pedal and goes straight through the firewall into the master cylinder - I was looking for more linkage than that. It's funny how much higher things seem when they're in the engine bay, rather than under the dash. Anyway, it feels like that rod isn't getting a good seal on the other end, inside the MC. Looks like I'll have to call around for a new MC tomorrow. Any tips on protecting my fuse box from leaking/draining fluid when I pull the old one?

As I didn't pay very close attention to the under-dash workings of the clutch before I started having issues, are there any clues that I should look for in order to test for a broken clutch pedal vs. bad master cylinder? I've had brakes that needed to be bled, and brakes where the booster was out of whack, both giving the pedal a "squishy" feel, where it doesn't do anything until the pedal is close to the floor. In those instances, the pedal doesn't feel disconnected. In this case, it feels like it's just swinging loosely, but once the pedal gets down to 2-4 inches (I measured again) from the floor, it feels just like it did before, as though it's trying to disengage the clutch and just doesn't have enough travel.

That's a possibility. The clutch on mine feels like it's not really connected to anything until I'm an inch or two from the floor, and then it feels a bit like it's trying to disengage the clutch. I can swing the pedal freely backward and forward though - is it possible that there is some kind of return spring that broke? I am pretty unfamiliar with the workings of a hydraulic clutch. I'm not losing any fluid, and like I said, the clutch seems to try to do its job, but with only an inch or two of travel, it seems to run out of room.

When the tranny goes, I won't be spending money rebuilding it, that's for sure.

Hey all, thanks for the advice - y'all saved me a spendy little tow. I limped it home without the clutch, and when it cools down a little, I'll go out and do a little diagnosing.

Hi guys, I am posting this for my husband who is now stuck at work. I really appreciate any helpful advice you have to give. Thanks! ~Courtney "All right, I've got another, slightly more urgent question. Getting off the freeway this morning on my way to work, my clutch pedal went nearly all the way to the floor. I couldn't get it to go into gear with the engine running. I checked the fluid, and it was right where it should be. The pedal swings back and forth like it isn't connected to anything. Any ideas as to the cause? What can I do to a) limp it home 20 miles and/or B) fix it more permanently? 4.0/French 5sd/2wd"

I'll second the rust. Mine is in AZ, but I've seen what kind of rusty surprises have been found on "rust-free" trucks. These trucks tend to rust from the inside out. If the interior (and anything else, for that matter) is good, but not your style, PLEASE don't just toss it. There are are lots of guys here who need a specific piece, but it's either NLA from the dealer or prohibitively expensive.

After selling my money-pit Audi, buying a motorcycle and riding it till air-cooling was no longer practical in the Arizona summer, we decided we needed a second car to my wife's Civic. I wanted a little stickshift Miata or E30, or a big old American luxo barge - they're pretty darn cheap down here in the land of snowbirds. My wife mentioned that she liked Cherokees, but we both thought that a pickup would be a little more practical for our needs. Enter the college kid who inherited my '89 from his new-truck buying dad and wanted something better on gas. I watched his asking price drop $800 over on Craigslist, went and saw it, and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. New tires installed before I bought it, less than 3000 miles ago, a 5-speed (the dreaded Peugeot, but still - I've missed rowing my own!). Only 122k on the 4.0, and hopefully lots more to go. I even got 21mpg on the first tank!

Thanks man. I still need to get the carpets up and check the cab for rust, but the rest of the truck is pretty darn solid as far as I can see - thank God for Arizona!

I've put the lower dash back on, and my next project is probably to get the seat fabric sewn back up - it's torn on the top. That is, unless the household CFO approves a CD player.

I found a screwdriver from some old tool kit, that had a fat Philips on one end and a flat piece just the size of the hole on the other. I imagine that it used to go in some interchangeable screwdriver handle. Anyway, that did the trick on the upper seal, and with the help of my lovely wife, I got the oil pan back in. Whew! Now, we wait and see if I have any drips. Thanks for all the advice, everyone! I really appreciate it. :D

So, after dropping out the bearing cover, I'm stuck trying to get the upper half of the seal out. One write-up recommended a hammer and small Torx screwdriver, but I don't want to mar any surfaces in there. Someone told me to try a brass punch, but Sears, Lowe's, my local Ace Hardware and Harbor Freight are all non-carriers. Where does one find a brass punch (or something else suitable for this task)?

Hahahaha, my stock-height Comanche gave me plenty of fits just getting the oil pan off.

Thanks for the tips. I finished with the distributor cap and rotor today, and between that and the new plugs/wires, my seat-of-the-pants dyno has really noticed an increase in power. I can't believe how much the mechanic charged us to do that bit of tuning up when we took my wife's Honda in earlier this year - really not a difficult job. The hiccup in the acceleration seems to be gone, but the diesel-type sound still remains. It's hard to hear over the rattle of the muffler trying to fall apart, but it's there. Haven't gotten to checking the knock sensor yet - apparently working on the Jeep doesn't count toward getting the house ready for company tonight. The oil appears to be coming down from the area specified by arrow 1, and drips off the bottom by arrow 2. More likelihood of RMS troubles? Do other, more general photos belong in this thread, or over on the Projects board?

Hey y'all, I've been lurking for a few weeks, as I picked up a 1989 Comanche recently. It has 122,500 miles, 2wd 4.0/5-Speed (I think it's the Frenchie, but I'm not sure). It ran all right when I bought it, and better now with a new fuel filter/plugs/wires. I'm totally new to the Jeep scene, and relatively new to wrenching beyond oil changes, so bear with me. 1) It has an oil leak. I'm not sure where, but most of the underside is pretty well coated and grimy, and I've gone down about a quart in two weeks/400 miles of driving. Are there any particularly notorious trouble spots I should check out? 2) Gas gauge is stuck. I don't know if it matters as far as diagnosis, but I have the full gauges (tachometer/oil pressure/etc) 3) What should oil pressure be? It reads above 40 at startup, but can get down near 20 during driving. 4) I get a hiccup in acceleration around 1800-2200 RPM. It just seems to bog down, and then gets going again if I keep my foot down. 5) Above 2600 RPM, it starts sounding a bit like a diesel. I have no idea if this is normal - family cars have been mostly Hondas. 6) Any other advice/tips? Thanks for any wisdom you can throw at me. I've been meaning to pull up the carpets and see how the floors are - that's on the list for this weekend. I live in Arizona, so I'm optimistic.