DirtyComanche

Thinking more on this... 4.0L swap looks like a pain. I can get a good running (but very ugly) Chevy 4.3 truck with a 5 speed and whatever tcase they were using (241?) for like $700. That might be the solution for a transplant. I just have to clear my XJ out of my shop, which isn't too far off. Then I have to decide if I'm going to pull my mangled Dodge in and drop my J-truck cab on it, or leave that on hold. Then I could hypothetically get to this. Well, I might reno my kitchen somewhere in there too

Is the Walker stuff aluminized, or is it bare? I need a downpipe for a Renix, not a lot of options out there. I've debated buying a HO one and making it work. Or taking mine to a shop to be cloned ($$$).

That's an extremely common practice for OEMs to continue to provide support for obsolete equipment, as it is not practical for them to continue to manufacture many parts when the market is so limited. Honestly if they were NOS, you probably would not want them as the seal materials most likely would have deteriorated by now and they would not likely last long. I'd buy Fox, Bilstein, KYB, in that order (and wallet based at that) and not look back...

As it sits I personally don't feel I can be bothered with the engine at all. I suspect the head is cracked, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me otherwise. I'm thinking it was overheated and that's how it happened. If I get it, I will just stuff my extra 4.0L/AX15 and probably a 242 tcase in it. I'm going to have to look into how ugly the firewall and core support mods are.

Seems to me like this would have been easily fixed with a single piece of .500 FB, drilled to match, on each side to shim them?

That is a very clean swap. I had heard of TDIs being put in XJs before but most of them were not that clean, and lots of them were using odd parts to adapt everything. I haven't decided if I want it yet or not, checking Kijiji shows that I'm not likely to find a cleaner body, and honestly body work is what kills me in the time department. Its where I'm at with my current XJ, I wish I had just bought a cleaner one rather than using the freebie one I had, since I've now burned so much time fixing rust. I'm not sure how easy it would be for you to buy this truck either though? Importing/exporting vehicles can turn into a PITA. I'll decided in a couple days if I'm going to move forward or not, but it is listed on the bcjeepclub forum.

Has anyone done anything nifty recently? The last I was at with it is the engine bay is just too small for most options, and the things that do fit are $$$. The other thing that occurred to me while I was out smashing some sheetmetal on my XJ is that being an 86, a 4.0L won't even swap into this thing without cutting up the firewall anyways. Or at least that's how I recall it going.

There's always another way. It just doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Yes, that one. He's annoyed with it and will let it go for a good price. It's way more solid than anything I've looked at up here. Well, actually, there's a really solid 89 in the junkyard, but it's got a dismantle title, which is unfortunate.

Yeah, I'm not sure what's wrong with the cooling system, but I can't imagine it's anything too bad. I kinda think I'm on the same level with the diesel though. I don't need the fuel economy. So basically it's lackluster performance using oddball parts. I don't know that I want to buy this thing with the intention of pulling the engine, I have enough stupid projects.

I need to find an 86 or earlier FSM and read about this thing.

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it uses a Bosch VE injection pump? Basically a standard piece of equipment, can be rebuilt or exchanged. Who knows who makes the turbo, but they're 'universal'. Injectors are probably Bosch, and if it has VE pump they're not too complicated and can normally be rebuilt even if they're oddball. The rest of the fuel system shouldn't matter, you can use a tractor lift pump to make it work, or any universal filter/filter head, not sure if it's a mechanical or electric fuel shutoff but it can be rigged to work including options as low tech as a ball valve. Glow plug controls might be some archaic garbage, but there is generics and junkyard options. If the glow plugs are not a part that can be sourced it would be an issue as they fail. It doesn't SEEM that hard to at least make it run reliably. If you had to rebuild the engine I think you're dead in the water. Even doing a headgasket might not be possible at this point?

On the plus side I have prior diesel and mechanical fuel injection experience. Part of me wants to get a plane ticket there and just wing trying to drive it home. No tools, no clue, no problem!

Doesn't JeepCoMJ (IIRC that's his username?) have one? Or his dad? Still? I rarely come around here anymore. It's probably one of only 4 left in Canada. Haha. It does run, sometimes, I guess, if you're lucky. He said he wouldn't trust it to drive to the gas station 2 blocks away. The ferry fees and added time are one of my gripes with going to get it, I haven't priced it out yet but it won't be cheap ($500 probably just for the ferry). I have an entire spare 4.0L, AX-15, 2 AW4, at least 2 NP231s (I actually started throwing them out) and a 242, spare XJ wiring harness, and who knows what else. It just seems it would be a total waste to buy it and wind up so annoyed with the engine that I yank it.

Towing it on the trailer, I assume? IMHO, you want it attached in a manner that if the trailer is picked up by a giant, turned upside down, and shaken, that the load will not come off. Put it in gear. Set any parking brake apparatus. Straps, chains, bolts, whatever it takes. I normally use straps. The big ones, and lots of them. Some weird things (super soft suspension, deflated tires, round/spherical objects, broken stuff) also do better if you crib/fence them with wooden blocks that are screwed to the deck, along with straps/chains.

There's a diesel MJ for sale that I've been debating trying to get. Honestly, if it was a 4.0L I would probably have already put an irreversible chain of events into action so that it would be in my possession. The diesel scares me a bit at this point. How is it holding up for parts availability? Is it really that much fun to drive? Reliable in this day and age? How about downstream driveline parts (clutch, trans, etc), are you likely to be SOL when something minor goes wrong? I haven't set eyes on the truck in person. It's about 1000km drive and a ferry ride away. The guy selling it is probably a member on here too, actually... Not really tech, just musing.

An arc is an arc. But like I said, the Purple K works wonders. It will knock down any electrical fire that you're going to see in a vehicle, along with actually having a hope of putting out a fuel fire.

Cool. Welcome to the site :waving:

Get more pics of the engine bay. That's just too weird to not explore further.

Neither. It's illegal to manufacture new halon. That's pretty much universal around the world. Conveniently there's a lot of it still kicking around, and it doesn't go bad.

No comments on mounting location, other than I'd probably put it on the trans tunnel if there was nothing in the way (console). Easily in reach, pop it out of it's mount as you're exiting the vehicle. However, if you buy a typical ABC one, I recommend the Purple K dry chemical. It's far more effective on flammable liquid fires than the bicarbonate or CO2 based extinguishers, and works decently on electrical fires. The majority of fires that get bad in a hurry are fuel/oil fires, with electrical fires normally being a little slower to get going, so you want an extinguisher that will work effectively on the major trouble. Halon is okay too, but it's silly expensive and getting hard to find. Not to mention it can cause lots of trouble if used in a confined area/inhaled. And lastly, if you have a dry chemical extinguisher of any sort, take it out and shake it every now and then. It helps prevent the powder from clumping. I don't know how big of a concern that really is, but we were told to do it when we did the monthly checks.

Part of BC does that too... Which makes it EVEN MORE CONFUSING.

It's not unreasonable at all. Airbags and steering columns are both pricey items. That said, I'm used to dealing with a limited market, so I will often take the lowballs just to get rid of stuff

Who is already NOT looking forward to it? I have a flight to catch that day... Flight leaves at 6am. Yeah, that extra hour is the difference between 'sucks' and 'might as well not bother trying to sleep that night'. Arrg. Why mess with the time.

I don't think it was an option, more like standard equipment? That's why I thought it would be on the HMMWV. It typically blows an o-ring/seal every couple years, deflating all the tires at once. It's a sore sport with H1 owners :rotfl2: