johnj92131

Just don't skip anything on preparing the tank prior to coating it. Preparation is 99% of a really good paint/coating job. An old time trick with rusty gas tanks is to put heavy chain in the tank, then slosh the chain all around in the tank to knock off as much rust as possible. Do it a couple of times for a really good cleaning.

Looks like you took a bunch of great pictures. But, for me, more than half of the links are dead or will not load. Am I doing something wrong or are the links now dead?

Knuckelhead97, Keeping the Contour a bit longer is a good decision! Run it till the wheels fall off or something like that requires a bunch of money. Save the tax refund so you have the cash on hand when you need another daily driver.

Too bad you're not a little closer. I'm looking to get rid of my '08 Mazdaspeed 3. Is hatchcar, Zoom-zoom! Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk Is that Mazdaspeed 3 a turbo engine? Or was that a couple of years later? Heard those turbo engines were really hot and easy to goose up for even more Zoom-Zoom!

My suggestion would be to go with the rebuilt 4 cylinder engine. It is the most cost effective thing. If you go with the 4.0, you will need to replace your transmission with an AX-15 at the same time. Edit: As I was writing this Eagle posted the same advice!

I say Bolt it in as is. If you feel like it. Hook up a timer to turn each of the lights on and off in a random pattern.

The "bumper hitch" with the 2,000 pound limit was the factory step bumper. My guess is that the OP's receiver/bumper is at least as substantial as any Class II hitch that was sold for the MJ. Ditto the mounting -- all the aftermarket MJ Class II hitches mounted to the sides of the frame rails with those same three bolts on each side that the factory bumper mounted to. That said ... the MJ (and the XJ) was never rated to tow 5,000 pounds with a standard transmission. The 5,000-pound tow pacjage was only with the AW4 automatic, with heavy-duty cooling system and an external tranny cooler. Eagle, I was not passing any judgement. I simply stated the factory required equipment and the factory towing approved limits. Yes, the published 2000 limit includes the standard transmission and the published higher tow limits require an auto trans (and other options). That said, many people have towed more than the published limits and gotten "away" with it. Quite sure I have done it once or twice in my driving life!

To tow more than 2000 lbs, the factory required a frame mounted hitch, 4.0 engine, automatic transmission, heavy duty cooling, trans cooler, Dana 44 axle with larger drum brakes, a long bed, and 225/75 x 15 tires. Also required was a weight distributing hitch for a tongue weight over 350 lbs. When properly equipped with all these items - the factory max tow weight was 5000 lbs. With the bumper mounted trailer - towing limit was 2000 lbs. So with your bumper - you would be stuck with the same 2000 limit according to the factory.

Please post the block casting number we are talking about on this WJ engine. I actually have one of the "supposed" blocks that are not supposed to fit the MJ in my garage - along with a later XJ block.

Here is a thread about Leer caps from 2014. It has some good parts information: http://comancheclub.com/topic/41589-scored-a-leer-swb-e-98-topper-now-what/ The Leer web site lists 3 different customer service locations, California, Elkhart, In. and another location in PA. I suggest that you ask the same question at each of the 3 phone numbers and triple your chances of an answer.

Your 5 speed truck likely has a 3.07 final drive. Auto trans equipped XJ/MJ's were equipped with 3.55 final drive, as I am sure you know. Getting a 4x4 as your parts source is a great idea. This may also be a good time to get 97+ doors on your truck (if you are so inclined). I wish I had done 97+ doors on mine 6 years ago when had the truck fixed and repainted. 4.10 final gearing is also something to consider when you do your 4x4 conversion, but it would be extra money.

The good thing here is that no one was hurt. We all need to remember that our cars and trucks are just metal that can be replaced or fixed. Years ago my daughter had a part time job after school. Another girl she worked with was picked up by her boyfriend at lunch time for a quick trip to McDonalds for a burger. The car was T-boned 2 blocks away. The girl died.

The 1986 Comanche sales booklet I have shows factory running boards (side steps) but without lights. I also have an original factory list of accessory part numbers and prices. This shows 6 different factory part numbers for the running boards. I could send you a copy of the list for you to show the DMV. This may help convince your DMV that your parts are factory options. My own suspicion is that your MM150 masterstep is an after market part rather than a factory authorized part. Just don't tell your DMV that!!!

Your truck has a Class III hitch - it was shown on the Ebay pictures of your truck. You are correct on that. An "equalizer" as you called it is something additional that is needed in addition to the Class III hitch. It is also called a "weight distributing" hitch. The purpose is to transfer part of the trailer tongue weight from the back wheels of the truck to the front wheels of the truck. The 1987 Comanche Owners Manual calls for use of the weight distributing hitch if the trailer tongue weight is above 350 lbs. Here is an example of the "weight distributing hitch". http://www.harborfreight.com/10000-lb-capacity-weight-distributing-hitch-system-67649.html Also, your 225/75x15 tires are important because they increase the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) from 9264 lbs, with 205/75x15 tires to 9820 lbs with the 225/75x15 tires. The 225/75x15 are required with the Metirc Ton package

ArcticMonkey is in Norway, so I imagine his version of the DMV does not have that information. Much like we in North America do not have a lot of info about Europe only automobiles. My 1987 owners manual just lists GCVR for trailer towing.

If you just want another car, then buy one. But don't try to fool yourself that going from a 25 mpg car to even a 40 mpg car will make economic sense by the time you pay $3 or 4K for your next car. Here in San Diego gas costs $2.50/gal right now. At 25 mpg, gas costs you ten cents for each mile you drive. At 40 mpg gas costs you six and a quarter cents per mile. So if you drive 100,000 miles you will save $3750. in fuel costs. How many years will it take you to drive 100,000 miles? If you want to save gas money, take your $3500 and put it down on a NEW Honda Fit. You will have to make car payments, but you will have no repairs/worries for many years and you will not be driving a P.O.S. car. Something to think about, right?

I would be asking some questions about the turbo kit used. Too big a turbo will lead to a very weak engine response. Then what kind of ecm tuning has been done to match the turbo and the engine. Has the engine any internal modifications?

I had a roll of plastic carpet floor runner in the garage. I just cut a length of that and trimmed it to fit. Nice heavy plastic! BUT I like Minuit's idea of using the 96 door barrier with velcro for easy future removal very much. May just have to pull my door panel off again and use velcro to hold it on.

Having purchased a new rotary Mazda I can agree about the power and the smoothness of the engine. But it would be foolish to buy an old RX7 for a daily driver. The RX7 was a limited production SPECIALTY car. As such you will find parts are available at fat premium prices and trained, knowlegeable service information is very hard to come by in most parts of the country. A Mazda Miata is a much better choice for a whole host of reasons. It is not even a close call. With the RX7, be prepared to live with 15-17 mpg when the engine has new Apex seals at it's best.

You don't say how much money you are willing/able to spend. Without that information, most suggestions are just off the wall remarks. My advice: Keep your Ford Contour for another year. Keep you cash for another year - don't spend it on some other P.O.S. Then hunt for the very best condition Miata you can find and buy it. Most 1st generation Miata's have been thru multiple owners who have not given them the best of care. Find one that is as near original as possible, then buy it. I was in LOVE with the 1966 Lotus Elan when I first sat in it at the 1966 Los Angeles Auto Show. When the Mazda Miata first came out in 1989, it was the closest thing to that Lotus Elan I had seen since 1966. I should have bought it then. Always regretted not doing it.

Don, As you know the doctor is your best source of information. If he/she can not answer your questions - find a new doctor. I had some shoulder surgery about 6 months ago after trying to live with the discomfort for more than a year. I was told a full recover would take at least 6 months. The discomfort I had was gone in a couple of weeks but I still don't have normal strength in my left shoulder. But that is my fault - because I did not do the full course of physical therapy after a month or so - I just slacked off. Nobody to blame but me. The key thing is to just do all the therapy they tell you to do. Then keep doing it a bit more. With all medical things - your mileage may vary. Best wishes with what ever course you choose.

The electronic speedometer is much harder to roll back than the mechanical speedometer. But when the wood bezel was removed from another vehicle by me, I took the full instrument cluster from the same car. NOW, the truck for sale has the base instrument cluster - not the full gauge cluster. That tells me perhaps only the wood bezel was changed - wood bezel came on the "limited" up market models, not base trucks. I would want to see what is under the seat cover - could be near mint original seats or it could be trashed original seats. The Fey bumper could have been a nice find in a junk yard that was better than the OEM bumper. Many of us have found better looking parts on our trips to the junk yard and simply used the better looking parts.

Thanks Don. I bookmarked it this time for sure. May I also suggest it should be a sticky in the DIY section (if it is not already).

You many want to take a closer look at other indicators of wear than that 85K speedometer. I would have been easy to change the instrument cluster at the same time the "wood" cover was put on. I would check the title documents to see how long the current owner has had the car. A quick flip would tell me there is an undisclosed issue of some king. But the pictures look good for what they show.

There are some differences in the late Grand Cherokee blocks in where motor mounts attach that mean those blocks do not bolt in to the Cherokee or Comanche. There is a very complete article Don posted a link to several years back that lists a very complete list of casting number changes for the life of the 4.0. I thought I bookmarked it but did not find it with a quick search. Perhaps Don will repost the link?