SHAES Farm

Curious if this is the AX-15 or AX4? Which conversion did you get?

The last of the service manuals arrived today. Good things to have inside on cold days! An engineer by trade, I try to do things to spec, and by the book. That said, books can be wrong, especially old books. Still, a good place to start understanding and troubleshooting any system. If these can help anyone else, glad to look things up and send photos. M.R. 278 (the factory body manual) 1986-1990 Throttle Body Fuel Injection System MOT. I-4 B.V. AX 4/5 w/I.S. Notes

I know this thread is ancient, but here's a compliment to the jack stowage photos above - I just ran across it this morning - since somebody asked years ago. Random, and informative.

Shop manuals began arriving this weekend. Found a good selection of these here: https://www.faxonautoliterature.com/1986-Jeep-Comanche New Detroit Iron reprint of the original service manual: With the I.S. notes: A used original electrical troubleshooting manual:

Thanks for that. This has so many problems it's just going to be one system at a time. The entire vacuum system is deteriorated, new line just arrived this weekend. The electrical has been monkey hacked, manuals just started to arrive this weekend. Things are miswired, disconnected, rotten, and removed. Fortunately parts aren't too expensive for most of this truck, compared to a 3/4-ton Dodge 2500 Diesel I used to maintain, the work at the moment is mapping the damage.

I was able to get the hood open and take some engine compartment pictures. I can't make sense of the wiring into the ICM, but I don't see anything going into the coil. It looks like I might have the "ICM & COIL" on this truck, here's a pic. Sorry for he bad angle, this is a hard thing to photograph well! Where should I look for the red wire?

I have some more information on this vehicle, here's a photo of the engine compartment tag: I found a parts catalog online that has a page describing how to decode the VIN: This document is a little confusing, but what I think I'm seeing from this: 1JTHL6571GT042543 │││││││││││└────── Production sequence: 042543 ││││││││││└─────── Assembly plant: T = Toledo │││││││││└──────── Model year: G = 1986 ││││││││└───────── Check digit: 1 (valid) │││││││└────────── Model: 7 = Comanche X (STD Payload) │││││││ │││││└┴─────────── Model: 65 = Comanche Truck (4WD) 7 FT Box ││││└───────────── Transmission: L = 5-speed Man. PT Trans. Case (AX5/NP207) │││└────────────── Engine: H = 2.46L I4 (Gasoline/Domestic) └┴┴─────────────── Manufacturer: 1JT = Jeep Truck (AMC)

Same! I struggled with that for quite a while, and tried all that too, nothing worked! You all are keeping my messes clean behind me! Thank you all for the help folks.

A unicorn? More likely my bad eyes! Double checked the paperwork tonight, and I had the last two digits off! The VIN in my sig now matches the paperwork: 1JTHL6571GT042543 Can I change the title of this thread?

Interesting. That had to have been confusing for the production workers, or somebody didn't RTM. I think I'll leave it upside down, it's fitting that she came out of the factory a little not-right-in-the-head! Still too cold to wrestle with the hood much. I got a pair of vice grips on the hood release cable and I can get a good tug on it. I hear the mechanisms moving under there, but it's not releasing. I found the post describing the headlight removal trick for freeing the hood latches, that may be next. So much good stuff here...thanks to you folks for this treasure of information!

Thanks for the welcome! I'm glad to have found you all! Your grille comment sounds like an inside joke! It's been too cold to wrestle with the hood latch, but as soon as I can get the hood open, I'll check the coil to see what I find!

I bought this truck last week, and for the first few days after the previous owner graciously delivered it, I couldn't stop thinking, "Oh $#!+, what have I done now?" I have enough projects, I don't need another, not this one, especially. Blizzards make you do stupid things. Leading up to this storm (late January 2026), the local Walmart, the hardware and farm stores, every propane store, has looked like people were prepping for the end of the world! It gets crazy in Northeast Tennessee when people hear a few inches of snow are going to fall. The temperatures are forecast into teens and single digits in the coming days, highs below freezing. Welcome to winter in the middle south, deep in Appalachia. I have a built 2005 TJ Rubicon that's fallen victim to a botched oil change by a local garage. Engine is gone, and it's currently being held as evidence for the case against the shop - a hard lesson in "always do your own work!" So, a couple months ago I bought a 2000 XJ with a rebuilt 4.0L and automatic in near pristine condition, but after getting it home and going over it, it's just too nice to drive! I can't take that out in snow and salt! Then, I saw this little truck on Facebook Marketplace, and with a monster of a storm headed my way, threatening 16" of the fluffy stuff, I thought this might work as a reliable little farm truck to get me to and from my animals twice a day, every day, weather be damned. I went to look at it, it ran and drove, shifted smoothly enough through all the gears, grinding a bit into reverse, but it moved and steered and stopped - she's so eager she won't shut off! This was the birth of one of those projects that I'm already beginning to question my sanity over. The more I dig into this one, the more I realize I'm going to need some professional help, and not just with the condition of my mind. The project is a 1986 Jeep Comanche MJ, 2.5L AMC I4 Renix TBI, AX5 manual, 4WD NP207, Dana 35 rear, and Dana 30 front. It was a long bed, but the previous owner chopped the bed down. Why? I don't know. The Mission: Turn this into a reliable daily driver farm truck for my remote mountain property. I've got a 12-mile commute up (and down) steep grades, twice a day, in all weather. This isn't a restoration - it's a mechanical rescue. Keeping the "Mad Max" aesthetic and going for function over form, battle scars welcome, just needs to start every time and get me home alive. What I Got: The good news? Frame rails are solid, the lift looks decent (some geometry needs checked), new tires, mostly rust free on the body, starts on the first crank even in sub-freezing temps, she's still got some fight left in her. The bad news? There's a laundry list of hidden gremlins lurking underneath: Immediate Safety Priorities: The engine won't shut off Floorpans have minor rust-through holes Driver's door was knocked off it's hinges and welded badly Exhaust system leaking and needs complete replacement Brakes are suspect Known Mechanical Issues: Renix wiring harness is a rat's nest of backfeed paths Ignition switch possibly causing run-on U-joints need replaced Oil pressure sender and valve cover gasket leaking Transfer case is leaking Every fluid seal is questionable The hood release cable came off in my hand The parking brake pedal is laying flaccid on the floorpan The dash has been destroyed, no lights, indicators, gauges useless Windshield wipers are barely operative Driver window rolled down, and won't go back up The Plan: Systematic rebuild in phases—safety first, then reliability, then durability. I'm taking a methodical approach: document everything, test before assuming repairs worked, and build toward "starts every time" status. This is going to be a long-term project. I'll be posting progress updates here, procedures, parts notes, plenty of questions, the success stories, all the pictures, and probably a few "what the hell is this?" moments along the way. I'm new here, I haven't been lurking long, so apologies for not spending more time reading before jumping in, but I most certainly need the help here. If you've wrestled with Renix demons, rust repair, or just general MJ entropy, I'd love to hear your war stories and advice! Let's see if we can drag Mad Maxine back from the brink.

"Mad Maxine" 1986 Jeep Comanche (MJ) Currently located in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee. It's off the road, safely tucked into my driveway, awaiting work as a project farm truck. Build details coming soon to new topic. What makes her special is that you can't get the smell of her off you after you get home. Vehicle Information Name "Mad Maxine" VIN 1JTHL6571GT042524 Year 1986 Make/Model Jeep Comanche (MJ) Assembly Plant Toledo, Ohio Production Sequence 042524 Drivetrain 4x4 Engine 2.5L AMC I4 (150 CID) — Renix TBI Fuel Injection Transmission AX5 5-Speed Manual Transfer Case NP207 Front Axle Dana 30 Rear Axle Dana 35 Interior High-back bucket seats Current Mileage ~118,000 (odometer non-functional)