JeepcoMJ

removed engine, swapped torque converter, removed engine bay wiring and accessories, remove radiator/hoses & trans cooling lines, install new motor with new mounts, install new wiring in engine bay+ all accessories, converted to open cooling, tore out half the dash instruments/etc. and the steering column. tomorrow I finish removing the dash, swapping interior wiring and accessories, remounting dash, installing steering column, splicing wiring to the rear, reverse polarity to sending unit, convert fuel lines, install trans cooling lines, install dust shield on trans, install valve cover and distributor, and various other small accessories and connectors. progress. hope to finish tomorrow night...but we will see.

thanks, but which does this apply to? is that the 87 connector or the 95 connector? I've got the motor and engine bay harness out, now it's time to yank the steering column then clean the engine bay and get it painted. while the paint is drying, I'll be removing the rest of the dash and it's respective wiring.

thank you so much. it is alot...as you're saying what you had problems with, I'm realizing that I didn't even really think of all of the little things, but am lucky that I took them all out of the donor (90k mile rust free xj gone hardcore project). I will definitely be calling you this weekend on saturday if I have any questions...tomorrow I won't be starting until 5pm or so, and at that point all I'm doing is gutting the jeep and dropping the new motor in (potentially...I may decide to paint...) I think I'm gonna need some vodka and redbull this weekend to keep my sanity.

what makes this exceptionally cool (though not pertaining directly to this truck) is that I hail from Burlington, WI and have driven the proving grounds in the past...potential is there for a job at the proving grounds as well, and it looks like at some point I'll get to see some of the original test run laserdiscs from the original performance testing for the jeep comanche (which WAS done at the proving grounds, for production models though not the wfc).

okay, thanks. I have the proper door switches as well though I didn't know they were different. doesn't switching that wire reverse the direction the fuel pump rotates in?. I was just intending to switch the ground and power for the sending unit, though I really haven't lookked at it yet (It won't be a hard project i think). swapping the heaterbox anyways just because it's got a fresh heater core and condenser, and the proper sensor. it's gonna be interesting...the primary concern is to get the wiring in the dash, engine in, wiring in the engine bay, and finish all of that right away...then I want the fuel pump to be the next thing and I'm worrying about turn signals and lights for last. stereo is all aftermarket anyways. basically I have everything but the cherokee body and axles.

not sure I understand your question. the supercharger WILL cost you much more, AND you'll have to rebuild the motor first to have a dependable motor before supercharging....

bore or stroke it or both. supercharger is $4000 for the kit, and ALOT of time and money on the dyno to put together your own kit.

thanks a ton. I didn't know that I needed to swap the wiper motor, but luckily I have that from the 95 too. which door switches? I've got manual windows currently, but am upgrading to the 95 power motors wiring and locks and switches. why do I need to run a wire to the turn signals? what's the difference?

I worked on the 87 removed half the dash, installed the floor shifter, and loosed all of the engine bay wiring and such, to make tomorrow's tear-down that much faster (I need to drive it to work in the A.M. so it's gotta be running til I get home). tomorrow night will be time to drop in the new H.O.

I'm getting an 8.8 re built from the shop, and a dana 30. both locked and regeared. either way if i convert it or sell it, i will be driving something with better axles then something from a junkyard. OK. they, like you, are going to start with junkyard axles. junkyard axles, you'd have $400 into AT MOST to purchase them. I'd lean towards around $300 for a complete dana 30 and a complete ford 8.8 with 4.10's in the 8.8 (common) and discs on it. from there, if you get a drill and a wire wheel, you can wire brush the absolute piss out of the axles, and get them perfectly clean. cost: $5 then YOU remove the unit bearings and axleshafts (easy...buy the proper large socket for $5, and a cheapo breaker bar for $10-$20, and a 12 point 1/2" socket, and one long crobar), then YOU buy the discs, wheel bearings, Ball joints, and ujoints. then paint the axles cost: $425 MAX then, take the dana 30 and the 8.8 in. have them re-gear the dana 30 to 4.10's (that is, if you don't already have them), install the new ujoints in the shafts, ball joints, and wheel bearings. have them put new wheel bearings on the 8.8 as well, and install a locker if you'd like. cost: unknown. it should not be more than $300-$600. it will vary upon location and shop. you have both axles done for between $1000 and $1500. and now you have the tools to repair your front axleshafts in the event of trail damage. I know you want 4.56's, but to be honest, if you cannot do the conversion, you'd probably be in over your head with the size tire and amount of power the 4.56's will give you compared to the cheaper 4.10 option... for the rest of the conversion. well, we're all here waiting to help you in any way we can. I'm sure a local would loan you an engine hoist, or help you with removing and installing parts...make a wrench-athon, you supply the food and beer, and guys will come running to help. cost: less than $2000 for the complete parts cherokee, parts to reseal the motor, and food to feed the moochers...er...good-willing helpers. there you have 3000 invested in the swap, you still have an MJ that's sick as hell, and you're happy because now you have an EXTRA $4000 to spend on something else (such as another MJ :brows: )

1987 jeep comanche. renix sucks. swapping fresh H.O. this weekend. i know all the parts I need, and have everything needed. the only thing I need is to know which wires I'll need to splice for the rear. that is, tail lights, turn signals, marker lights, brake lights, license plate lites, fuel pump, and fuel level sending unit. the wires are at a connector by the e-brake pedal, and I'm swapping all dash wiring, heaterbox, engine, torque converter (trans is already 95, with 87 t.c. and I don't have time to prep the new trans right now), engine wiring, ecu, tcu, radiator, fuel lines, engine accessories, dash accessories, 95 steering column (with air bags and cruise control...air bag turned off), and swap to electronic speedo. I need to make the cherokee harness match the mj harness, or vice-versa. anyone know? or have a 1995 and 1987 wiring diagram I can look at? Thanks a ton -Pat

yup. keep in mind that a 92 is rarer than most, being the last year made and a high output. that's an ax15 with an np231and a 4.0. it needs an exhaust and floors at the very least. any body rust-through (i.e. floors) and it's automatically worth $1000 or less IMHO...but hey, as wahoo would say, I'm from wisconsin...

LMAO. :clapping: I have a plan :cheers:

welcome. need a tow strap? we can link a site... :yes: chains are :no:

you can see that past the a-dub-4 engine/trans combo? geeze. u guys are crazy...that's not his muffler, it's his intake. this is the ultra-storage edition :clapping: pics of payment plz

Eyesore, Eyesore. :clapping: fixed it :D that's what two pages on whether or not to use loctite on is...

it's nothing to worry about...that is just the inside part of the transmission crossmember mount. there's two mounting locations, for different engine/transmission applications...the factory just provisions for either/or so the bodies are interchangeable.

I'm sure he did...tranny would make sense to be from the same donor. the distributor is not indexed properly...I'm guessing you had it out of the block when you were cleaning/installing the motor or something along those lines. what you need to do, is take out all of the spark plugs, and turn the motor by hand with a breaker bar until you rotate number one cylinder to TDC. then, look at the distributor cap. it has a number 1 on the number one cylinder pole. take a marker, and make a mark on the distributor base that's directly in line with that pole. remove the cap. now, look at the rotor...is it in line with that mark? if it is a little bit (read a very small amount) before that mark, then you are doing fine and it's not the problem (most likely). BUT if it's off by 1/4" or so in either direction, you skipped a tooth during install. remove, turn the rotor back to match the mark, then turn it counter-clockwise by a bit. you'll notice that the drive gear teeth curve. there is also a flat key on the bottom of it which drives the oil pump. now, you're turning the rotor back to a point roughly 3/16" before the mark you made, and you need to take a flathead screwdriver and turn the oil pump back to match (or get close), then drop it back down and bolt it down and it should line up. HOWEVER, this is a 50/50 shot. you can set it to TDC on number 1 or number 6 I believe...so take careful note of the current position of the rotor, and remember if it is set on number 6 or number one, and should it be, then simply keep it going that direction and do this same procedure, simply pointing to number 6

Paul. not to cause concern... but, at this point in th build, with the fact that a professional assembled this improperly... do you really want to just do the minimal on the motor and toss it back together? were it me, the pistons would be coming out and I would check to make sure all the rings are where they belong. I'd also check timing to see if it's even close to correct, and then I'd make sure it's timed to run on your computer application (i.e. renix and H.O. have different timing) now is the time to make sure everything else is right.

well, I finally have the intake and exhaust torqued down and installed...have been waiting on the freeze plug to come in. picked that up on friday so, popped out the proper freeze plug all you need to do this project is a hammer, a punch/chisel, and a 5/16" ratchet ans short extension. I also used RTV ultrablack for better sealing. freeze plug installed...but at that location, the plug would contact the borla, so I flipped it 180 intake, exhaust, and power steering mounted, as well as t-stat and housing. the left side and front of the motor are DONE only thing left is to drain the oil that's in it (again), put the new O-ring on the oil filter adapter, fill, prime the system, install the distributor, and mount the valve cover. thats an hour or two worth of work, if that.

well, I finally have the intake and exhaust torqued down and installed...have been waiting on the freeze plug to come in. picked that up on friday so, popped out the proper freeze plug all you need to do this project is a hammer, a punch/chisel, and a 5/16" ratchet ans short extension. I also used RTV ultrablack for better sealing. freeze plug installed...but at that location, the plug would contact the borla, so I flipped it 180 intake, exhaust, and power steering mounted, as well as t-stat and housing. the left side and front of the motor are DONE only thing left is to drain the oil that's in it (again), put the new O-ring on the oil filter adapter, fill, prime the system, install the distributor, and mount the valve cover. thats an hour or two worth of work, if that.

thanks summerinmaine. basically, (and don't take this personally) my problem is that the drop-ins are all WAAAAY too big for our trucks and make them look like crap, IMHO. I also need to be able to wheel with this...and a camper such as yours effectively turns my rig into a fullsize width, so tight trails aren't possible, and it's top-heavy...I'm trying to keep the weight low and the width narrow. that's why I want to build my own..

thanks summerinmaine. basically, (and don't take this personally) my problem is that the drop-ins are all WAAAAY too big for our trucks and make them look like crap, IMHO. I also need to be able to wheel with this...and a camper such as yours effectively turns my rig into a fullsize width, so tight trails aren't possible, and it's top-heavy...I'm trying to keep the weight low and the width narrow. that's why I want to build my own..

yup, I want the bed off the truck. but, I want the new "bed" to be the same width as the body is while driving down the road, and it would be nice if it followed the same contours as the truck too, so I'm pretty hellbend on building my own. currently, I'm thinking about finding a junk pop-up and use the masts from it, then do quite a bit to it otherwise. I want to build a base platform for it (pretty much a flatbed) then build off of the base. I'd probably use the center section of a factory tailgate and set it up with a fold-down stairs built into that. I need autocad... yeah, I was thinking electric for that fact. thanks :D

yup, I want the bed off the truck. but, I want the new "bed" to be the same width as the body is while driving down the road, and it would be nice if it followed the same contours as the truck too, so I'm pretty hellbend on building my own. currently, I'm thinking about finding a junk pop-up and use the masts from it, then do quite a bit to it otherwise. I want to build a base platform for it (pretty much a flatbed) then build off of the base. I'd probably use the center section of a factory tailgate and set it up with a fold-down stairs built into that. I need autocad... yeah, I was thinking electric for that fact. thanks :D