DirtyComanche

As long as you lubed the o-ring when you installed the sending unit, it's about a 10 minute job to pull the pump... Not that I have any sort of leg to stand on when it comes to telling people that they should work on their junk.

00-01 has a crappy head, assuming it's a 4L, if it isn't already cracked (kinda unlikely at this point). Also the front axle is low pinion at some point there, meaning it is something of a downgrade from the other D30 options.

Good enough could be achieved at a much lower cost. Yes, there's a Castrol diesel 5w30 that performed very well, plus a couple other 'diesel and gas' oils. The Castrol oil is also a 'diesel and gas' oil, if you read the fine print. The next one on the list is an oil that is not DPF compatible. Diesel engines are typically much larger and beefier than gas engines, thus they have larger bearing/wear surfaces, and using an oil that isn't as good isn't a big deal, plus they are tailoring the additive packages to being DPF friendly and managing different carbon contamination/combustion byproduct issues. The diesel oils that actually score well are designed for much more modern or European style diesel engines, which are built lighter, run much tighter clearances, and see much higher point and thermal loading than something like an old Cummins 6BT. There is approximately 140 viable options that are better than the Rotella. Many of which are conventional oil, or more value oriented options. That's not exactly amazing. Is the Rotella going to be a problem? No, not at all, this engine is an obsolete design with large bearings and big clearances, it just isn't going to care one way or another.

Welcome. Not sure why you would want to go to a bench seat. They suck. If you really want a bench I'd look at something like the second row out of a minivan, most of them are narrow enough to fit, are actually comfy, and have headrests.

Sounds like DOA pump. Pull it back out and make sure the connections are good. Try driving it with a battery/leads out of the truck, but if you have voltage while cranking (8v is reasonable because of starter draw) the problem should not be with the truck's wiring (unless it is phantom voltage, which you could rule out by putting a light bulb across the pins or using a test light). They can run dry for a long time before overheating.

Fram redesigned most of their filters around 2011-2013. They were aware there was problems and they did eventually address it. The ones we would be using were included in that. The quality is now better, not amazing, but better. Both oil and filters tend to be redesigned or reformulated on a regular basis. What was good yesterday may not be today, and what was bad yesterday may not be today. Even with the crap Fram filters there was relatively few failures, just once it became known fingers would ALWAYS point at the Fram filter if there was a failure of any sort. I'd run one if it came down to it, but I prefer not to.

if I remember right, the 2.8 v6 MJs had a mechanical pump at the engine. And the resistance range for the sender will be wrong. By using the ZJ parts he will be keeping everything the 'same.' Personally I'd probably throw an el-cheapo electric pump off the stock tank and use it as an aux tank to transfer into the ZJ tank, but gas stations are kinda scarce around here.

Good news, the chances are those cheap oils you are using are fine, and actually are possibly better than some of the more expensive oils that people throw in the 4L. Any source on this? I find it hard to believe cheaper oils are better than more expensive. Maybe not worse, but why would they be better? Because guys use all sorts of weird stuff that isn't for a gas engine, or isn't the right weight (or even close), or race oils that aren't designed for long life, or has way too much zinc in it, or they throw crap additives in that are at best not helping anything. https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/motor-oil-wear-test-ranking/ Shell Rotella T6 ranks #162 on the list, yet guys love running it. Spend a day reading that if you want. I stand by my first comment that cheap oil is totally fine. He should probably be changing it more often, but the economics are totally up to him, and if his leak/burn/filter change rate is high enough will be fairly new anyways.

I hear what your saying but I just feel like it's a lot of work for something that comes stock in a jeep at that point it would literally be cheaper to buy a 4.0 Comanche and swap my lift and 4.10 rears over But the reality is that a 4.0L (or a stroker) swap is a LOT less work than a V8 conversion from another make. Yes, you can actually just go to a wrecker, or on CL, or the classifieds here, or even a parts store, and buy parts to do the swap that will just bolt on and fit. Once you do something beyond the OEM, you can wind up with everything being custom, modified, or one-off...

Good news, the chances are those cheap oils you are using are fine, and actually are possibly better than some of the more expensive oils that people throw in the 4L. Also, by topping up the oil and changing the filter, you effectively refresh the additive package, which does mean you can eek some more miles out of it before the oil has noticeably degraded. And you're in Florida, you don't even know what a cold start is, so no need for fancy stuff there.

What's it doing? Most parts stores can sell you the fuel pressure regulator, many will even have it in stock. The vacuum line might be a little harder, but I believe it is available... You can also make one using generic vacuum elbows and line.

I'd probably buy it and park it in the line of all the other Jeeps that need attention. YMMV

I don't think there's such a thing as a break even engine swap, unless you start with a vehicle with very minimal value (like my 86 that didn't come with an engine/trans) and then perform the most junkyard of swaps imaginable. If you want to do things clean, nice, and correct, just the 'little things' will easily add up to more than the vehicle can be resold for. Just swapping a 4L from an XJ can get expensive, since it typically turns into a large case of 'while we're in here.' Something like an LS swap I would be happy if resale was 50% of the money 'invested.' It reminds me of one of my friends coming over and looking at my "built" (sorta) XJ and saying "Wow, you probably could sell this thing for way more than you have into it!" Uh, no, I've got $10K+ in it, and it's a budget build that I might be able to sell for $5k. And that's not counting thousands of hours of labour.

The LJ probably would be comparable, if anything the LJ is heavier and would be more sluggish. Careful if you're using a big lift 258 cam, they are not that reliable.

Were you happy with previous power levels or do you want more?

Guys use the diesel oil because they believe it has a higher zinc content and that the zinc is good for the cam. Most of the diesel oils score worse on actual shear pressure testing, I believe because of the additive package being tailored towards dealing with the diesel combustion byproducts and having to be DPF friendly. Zinc (ZDDP) content is also all over the map with diesel oils (and gas oils). Also, when zinc concentrations reach a certain point it will become massively corrosive. This is quite possible to do with some of the break in/long life additives that are available if they are used excessively. There's also some chlorine based additives that will result in spectacular shear pressure results, but again, they're probably going to do bad things in the long run regarding corrosion. IMHO it isn't going to matter that much, there's millions of these engines running around with whatever the cheapest stuff the 10 minute oil change sells in them, with very few failures.

I use Mobil 1 high mileage synthetic 5w30. At least while it's cold. Plan to switch to the same 10w30 if we ever have a summer. You could probably buy the cheapest oil possible and as long as you change it and the filter somewhat regularly you won't have an issue.

I'd try the Eastwood product personally: http://www.eastwood.com/internal-frame-coating-w-spray-nozzle-qt.html You may want to drill a few more small holes in the channel to help get in there better. Everything else would be an insane PITA to do, and short of actually drilling the welds out a removing the piece I doubt you would get any better of results.

How often do you need to adjust it? Once, and then... Never?

I hadn't checked on this in a bit. Huge progress, and looking really good. I'm curious to see how that ZJ tank fits. What's your plans for a radiator? And is the exhaust looking like it will fit easy enough?

I assumed it was a 4L, 87 shouldn't be a V6... But it could be a 2.5L.

Read through Cruiser's tips here: http://cruiser54.com/ You'll want to work you way through the first 8 or so as you have time, and some of the other ones... Just cleaning up connections and grounds will probably help some things. Flush your brakes and make sure the brake and clutch master aren't leaking, they will wreck stuff if they are. Otherwise, update your signature to include a description of your truck, it will make it easier for other people to help you as you ask more questions in the future.

Your AW4 already has overdrive. It might not indicate it on the PRNDL, I don't know, I've never owned an XJ/MJ with a column shift. It's the same transmission as in your XJ, basically. You can swap a floor shifter in if you pull the shifter, cables, console, etc from an XJ that's configured that way, I believe there is at least a couple writeups here on doing it.

Good aftermarket gauges are fine, if anything they're a little more accurate than you need. Cheap ones are not. The factory ones are plenty good though and can be had for relatively little money.

The AW4 one is not as ridiculous as the AX-15 one.