johnj92131

After dropping the diesel at the shop, the plan was to drive to the airport in Chicago, park the Comanche and fly home. The drive the 96Passat engine donner to Chicago, pick up the Comanche and tow the Passat to the shop for the engine transplant. Things did not go quite as planned. The Passat lost a head gasket 150 miles into the trip. So I rented a car to get home, then flew back to Chicago to pick up my Comanche at the airport.

My route from Port Angeles, Washington to Tacoma, then pick up I-90 and I-94. From about Green Bay, Wisconsin I went north around Lake Michigan into northern Michigan. 2352 miles according to Google and that doesn't count the ferry trip from Victoria to Port Angeles ($169 one way towing the MJ). Link to Google Maps. Hope it works: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Port+Angeles,+Washington/Johannesburg,+MI+49751/@44.8600972,-90.6089558,10z/data=!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x548e520cc0e7e747:0x5dbc618c634fa5d9!2m2!1d-123.4307413!2d48.118146!1m5!1m1!1s0x4d353057a2490411:0x81fdae87dfad0f4e!2m2!1d-84.4556356!2d44.9857311?hl=en

Wow, I would like to see that pic - I had some cooling system issues until I PROPERLY topped it off with coolant. Turns out I never filled up the heater core - who uses the heater in Southern California? After that, the cooling system was under control. Still got warm on climbs - but not too bad. Once I dropped the diesel - I am back to normal running conditions. MPG while towing was 14-15 on just about every tank. So towing cost me 5-6 mpg over "normal".

The new to me being towed by my 91 Comanche:

225/75 x 15 tires with no lift and the factory BigTon/MetricTon package

Just wondering what clearances you had when you plastigauged the new bearings?

Installed the fresh Autolite plugs. Gap set at .035. New spark plug wires just for the heck of it today. Started first time, Idle is smooth. Quick drive up and down the hill - runs great. Problem solved. Thanks for all the assistance gentlemen.

Located in San Diego. But will be doing some cross country traveling in the next couple of weeks. You have a p.m.

Some years ago my brother gave me a set of Split-Fires for my '88 XJ. Worst spark plugs I ever ran. I replaced them with NGKs and never looked back. Yes, never heard a good thing about Split-Fire plugs. Amazing that the shop even installed them.

Looks like I have identified the problem - spark plugs! Engine was still missing going up the hill, so decided to pull a plug for a look. Found a huge gap and eroded tip - same issue with all 6 plugs. Last shop I had change the plugs 18 months ago put in a set of "Split-Fire" plugs. I am replacing them with Autolite 985 plugs, gapped to .035 and a fresh set of plug wires on Monday afternoon. The balance of Sunday is filled with Honey Do items.

Blink codes are clear. Only 1-2 Battery disconnected and 5-5 End of Codes. Battery was disconnected to replace starter motor also last weekend. Gas tank is full. So I am off for a drive up the I-8 freeway to the first 4100 ft pass at Sunrise Highway. Then we will check the blink codes again.

No. Will do that ASAP. Also looked at old injector Saturday, o rings are damage or missing now.

Need to locate a transmission support member for the AX15. Please let me know what you have. Thanks,

Found the AX-15 transmission right here: http://comancheclub.com/topic/23788-ax-15-2wd-nc/ Thanks!

Replaced the exhaust manifold with new Amazon manifold, a new oxygen sensor, rebuilt Neon "703" injectors and a new CPS last weekend. When I got the truck back from the shop, I noticed some light throttle backfiring/poping going up a hill. At first, I put it of to the ECU relearning because of the fresh injectors. So I made a point of driving the truck most of last week to give the ECU time to relearn. By this Saturday, nothing has changed. So "assume" something is wrong with the timing or I have some faulty "703" injectors. So far, no check engine light. The old exhaust manifold was patched up to pass the last smog test in March. By my July cross country trip, I was sometimes getting a check engine light with a lean condition error message. But most of the trip, the truck ran just great. Now with all the new parts, I expected the truck to run great all the time. Backfire/Popping goes away with a heavier foot on the throttle, then comes right back under light throttle load conditions. Also some occasional "missing" at idle. Any Thoughts? I did read gogmorgo's thread with his bad fuel pump here: http://comancheclub.com/topic/50995-loosing-power-under-throttle/ But have not checked performance on a long mountain climb, just a short steep hill on the way home. Maybe I should take an hour ride up to Sunrise Highway (sea level to 4000 ft) and report back? I am leaving Wednesday to pickup the 86 diesel MJ in Victoria, B.C. then deliver the truck to Michigan. So would like to fix the problem by Tuesday.

Bo, Notice no front plate on the truck. California requires both front and rear plates. But imagine you are still registered in Georgia? If so, you likely will not be bothered by CHP.

Just go to Amazon and look for the least expensive header/manifold you can find. I just purchased one from Amazon as a warehouse second (meaning it had been returned), under $100. This one has the "bellows" that are supposed to avoid the cracking problems. I will know in a couple of years if it works or not. Most of us will never notice any extra power the expensive headers claim to provide at higher (4500+) rpms, because we just don't drive at 4500 rpms.

Good question, Eagle. Fellow who does excellent custom work on the TDI is going to do the swap for me in Michigan. Requires way more fabrication skills than I have. So the diesel MJ is going to Michigan for a few months, then I will bring it home with the TDI engine in place. No turbo work planned to the MJ, just a fresh tune that will get the torque up to the same 225-240 lb/ft range as the 4.0. Horsepower will be about 130. But it is low end torque that will move the truck. Last year I had him do a fresh, custom turbo conversion on my 96 TDI. His custom work is just great. My stock 90 hp / 149 lb/ft engine now has 173 hp and 313 lb/ft at the front wheels with better than stock turbo spool up. New turbo is 4 generations newer than the stock 96 turbo. Comes from a 180 hp VW diesel in Europe. Boost is 15 psi at 1500 rpm and 26 psi by 1900 rpm for peak torque Yes, it has larger nozzles for more fuel and 2 different custom engine tunes. Needed a custom adapter to the stock intake manifold, clocked the turbo to point exhaust in the right direction, custom down pipe to mate with stock cat. convertor. Also required new custom fit plumbing routed to fit the stock intercooler. Had to dial the power back just a little to save the clutch and trim the smoke. Now puts out 162 hp and 280 lb/ft torque at the front wheels. Also have a custom 6 speed conversion in place of the stock 5 speed. Still gets mid 40's mpg on the highway and in town. Can actually hit mid 50's mpg on highway if I slow down.

Have to think with a body that clean and solid it might make more financial sense to keep the entire car stock. How much would it take to redo the brakes back to fresh stock condition? Then just freshen up the head(s). Stock radiator repair should be a bit less expensive than a new radiator, no??

UPDATE: Found the transmission, still want a crossmember to mount the trans. See new WTB. Thanks, Know it is a long shot. Will take transmission support cross member only also. Looking for a complete AX15 transmission with the transmission support cross member. Need it complete from bell housing to tail shaft OR with transfer case. 2 wheel drive would keep it simpler, but 4 x 4 can work also. Want it for the 1986 Diesel MJ I plan to convert to the Volkswagen 1.9 TDI engine. Thanks,

Only 113 degrees in Death Valley today. Glad to see the fuel pump is working. May be one in my near future. Getting backfiring under light load after I changed all my injectors to Bosh 703s from a Neon.

The shell is a GEMTop. They are just low end priced aluminum/sheet metal covers for the pick up bed when they were new. As you may have guessed - I don't think much of the Gem product. Not in the same class at all as SnugTop ifber glass shells or the the thermoPlasitc shells like Brama. But that one looks like it has had the same excellent car as the rest of Jim's new truck. I'll bet Jim didn't pay $500 for all 3 of the trucks!

My truck had some old trailer wiring that simply did not work - I took the easy way out and paid a local shop $90 to install a new, clean 4 pin connector. All I did was go have breakfast at a near by cafe, then go back an hour later and pick up the truck. The new harness works great, first time, every time.

Just a little more information on the Diesel Comanche move. Tires on the diesel are said to be in good shape. Looking at shipping it by truck. 2 quotes so far. $1277 and $2698 !!!! Also soliciting bids on U-Ship site. Victoria, British Columbia is on Vancouver Island and will require a ferry trip both ways. $64 from Port Angeles, Wa to Victoria. On the way back the ferry charges by the foot. So it will cost just under $200 for the Ferry from Victoria back to Port Angeles. Dolly rental is $200, so you can see I am just short of $500 before I factor in gas and other travel expenses for the trip. That $1277 price to ship the truck is looking more and more reasonable.

It will work out fine. It bothered me just moving 90 miles south from Anaheim to San Diego. That was in 1981. Remember that lots of other people have move across an ocean and started new lives in another country. My parents moved from Scotland to Southern California when I was 4.