Keyav8r

That's really nice. I could see an even trade for my 88. The little jeep looking thing she's riding in kinda looks OK.

From one old flying fart to another - Happy Birthday!

A. I like the way they look. B. I like that they are Jeeps. C. I like that it's unlikely I'm going to see 15 trucks that look just like mine every day. D. I like that they are ruggedly built, reliable (if properly maintained) and engines last nearly forever. E. I like that there is a ready supply of most parts from Cherokees at the JY. F. I have the same compulsive MJ disorder that everyone on this forum has. G. They're just cool, sick, unique, rad, fine, (insert your own word).

Check the actual temperature by "shooting" the thermostat housing with an infrared thermometer gun. You may be able to borrow one from one of the auto parts chains that loan tools (or just drive it there and let them do it). Then you'll know if the gauge is reading near the actual temperature and will have a starting place for diagnosing the problem. Could just be a stuck or missing thermostat.

Comanche Club Cocktail ingredients sound like something that came from a resort called Club Comanche on St. Croix, USVI.

I bought a NOS OEM exhaust manifold for my 88 from Jackson & Son Jeep Parts in Talladega, AL. Installed it with a new downpipe, Fel-Pro manifold gasket and donut gasket. No leaks. Check your motor mounts. If they are worn or broken there will be more stress on the manifold.

Yes, you will need to pull the cluster. Not sure if the 90 speedo cable is mechanical or electrical. Make sure you have enough slack to get your hand behind the cluster to disconnect the speedo. Good time to check all the lighting, replace bulbs as needed

Try Jackson & Son Jeep Parts - Talladega, AL - (256) 362-7772. He carries a lot of NOS parts. I bought a cable for an 88 4x4 without cruise from him.

Take the sensor out and screw in a mechanical pressure gauge to see your actual oil pressure. Sounds like you have one (or more) of 3 problems as noted.above: Wrong sensor - make sure you have the sensor for a gauge, not for a light Bad circuit - if you get a positive reading on the mechanical gauge (you should since your engine hasn't locked from lack of lubrication), check the circuit as Eagle explained Bad gauge - pull your cluster out and switch the gauge for one from another cluster. There may be a way to test the gauge but I don't know what it would be. My theory is you should have a spare cluster for when all or part of yours craps out.

I put a NOS exhaust manifold on my 88 because the PO had rigged a fabricated downpipe (with a right angle joint) and totally messed up the manifold. I removed the power steering pump and bracket to get access to the manifold bolts at the front. The bottom two at the back were difficult but doable. Soak every fastener with penetrating oil/WD-40/the other good stuffI can't remember for a couple of days ahead of time. Use the Fel-Pro gasket and put a new donut gasket on the exhaust. Wire brush all the fasteners before you put them back. Woulldn't hurt to run a tap in the holes. Don't forget the EGR tube tip above, it's a b!#€¥ if you wait until everything else is good and tight (ask me how I know that!). Good time to replace oxygen sensor, too. Wear mechanics gloves unless you enjoy skinned knuckles and bleeding.

I'm with Eagle on this. Had a Chevelle once that did the same thing. If you still have a catalytic converter on the truck, unbolt the connection and tie it off well so you can start and drive the truck. If it is the converter, the truck should run normally with it disconnected. Normally, but loud. If it's not the converter (or you don't have one), no clue.

Rears are theoretically self-adjusting. Pull forward, brake, reverse, brake, forward, brake reverse, brake, etc. the brakes are supposed to adjust one notch on the star wheel each time do the cycle. I usually manually adjust them with the drums off to the point that the drums will slide over the shoes with just a little drag. There is a procedure for bleeding the brakes if you have the rear brake proportioning valve still in service (the valve mounted above the rear axle with the lever arm and link to the diff housing). Try searching MJ Tech section for brake adjustment or maybe someone will post a link to it. If you don't have the rear proportioning valve, you bleed the brakes in the usual fashion. Right rear, left rear, right front, left front. Also, you may have a booster problem. I think Hornbrod posted the booster testing procedure.

Well, the link worked.

Put an ad in the Wanted section of the Classified forum. Or look at jamba's post on Dakota taillights in the DIY Section. Pretty neat alternative.

I would have bid on it for the front air dam, rear bumper and pan, buckets, console and cluster. And any thing else salvageable. Looked like a tilt column. But, that's exactly what I DON'T need - another project. Would have been cool (sick, radical, awesome, slick, killer, bitchin - choose one or in insert your own word), though.

Definitely change the seal while you have the balancer off. You might consider pulling the cover and checking the condition of the timing chain and sprockets. Don't know how many miles you have on yours, but at 190,000 plus the timing chain on my 88 had a LOT of slack. Seems to run smoother after the change.

Headliner board -diligent JY search OR contact a1500ram (he's a member). He runs SMS Headliners (?) and makes and covers new headliner boards to order. Contact him by PM or go to the SMS website where you can see all the colors and options.

Chief Comanche - If you happen to come across two of them, let me know and I'll take the extra one off your hands. I'm down near B'ham. I think I'm going to give up and get mine sprayed the body color.

I believe Minuit is correct - stock sizes are 5-1/4" in the doors and 4"x6" in the rear at the base of the B pillar. That's the sizes that fit in my 88. I have a set of OEM rear speaker brackets that are sized for 4"x6".

Alexia covered the "why hub centric well enough. You will use spacers for one of two reasons. The first might be to get clearance when running larger tires to keep them from rubbing control arms and/or fender wells. In this case, you would use spacers front and rear, The second might be for appearance to get the front and rear wheels/tires to look the same on front and rear (stick out under the flares the same front and rear). In this case you would just use 1-1/4" spacers at the rear.

Does the VIN decoder not work for 86 MJs? That's how I found out my 88 is a Pioneer.

Off thread, but do you have any photos of the GTO?

Be very careful with the speedometer cable. Not sure what year yours is but some (88 for instance) have a plastic end at the speedometer that can be broken very easily. Unbolt the speedometer able clamp on the firewall in the engine bay to give you some slack to get your hand behind the cluster. Maybe disconnect the cable at the transmission for more slack. That may give you a chance of removing it without breaking it. Maybe someone will jump end and describe the types of cable ends the were used. My 88 didn't have a cable when I bought it but I found an 88 XJ at the JY with a good cable. Disconnected the cable at the transmission, took the clamp off and was able to pull the cluster out far enough to see the speedometer end of the cable and remove it. The cluster was a full one (with tach), so I got it also and reset the mileage to match the original cluster.

Pretty cool that it stayed in the same area and has made a circle back to you (or almost back to you) in 27 years. Get some photos. I'd like to see that paint scheme.

Lower part of the ad says it is fiberglass, fully molded underside, uses stock hinges, etc.