HellCreek

The battery is fully charged, and the starter was replaced about a year ago. The starter relay was replaced after it started all by itself about a year ago. The engine "turns over" just fine, so it's not a starter related problem. The fuel pump was replaced about two years ago, and you can hear it run when you first turn the key, so it's probably not the fuel pump. The plugs were changed also about two years ago, and, as I said, it starts fine after the engine is hot, so it should not be an ignition problem. Also, it runs fine after it is started. It just has a problem starting first thing in the morning and after it has been sitting for a couple of hours. Thanks, Tom

I am having a problem starting my Comanche after it has sat a while (cold starts). It starts o.k when the engine is hot. I have read posts about hard hot starting, and the consensus seems to be a bad CPS. Could this be the problem with cold starts, too? I have heard that when the CPS goes out completely, you are where you are. I would like to fix the problem while it is still in the garage and not on the side of the road -- in a driving rain. Sorry, my 1989 Comanche has a 2.5L with a 4 speed manual tranny. Thanks, Tom

You got that right, Dave. :cheers: The 3/4 ton Suburbans came with 56" rear springs. If you are interested, we have long add-a-leaves made specifically for Comanches that only give a slight amount of lift. Pete did the prototype testing. Ask him for comments on them. We also offer a 10% Comanche Club discount. -Tom

Our MT springs will give about 1 to 2 inches of lift on a standard MJ. They will give no lift on a Metric Tonne MJ, since they are stock springs for those trucks. If you use them over the axle, you will have at least 5 inches of lift and probably a little more.

Incommando is correct. The FSJ (Full-Size Jeep) rear springs are the same dimensionally, so they will fit your Comanche. The free arch on the lightest FSJ spring is around 5-1/2"; our lightest rear spring has around 7-1/2" of free arch; however, our Comanches weigh about 2/3 to 3/4 as much as a FSJ, so their springs will be much stiffer. If all we, or any other spring manufacturer, had to do to outfit a Comanche was supply a FSJ spring, then we wouldn't have had to develop special springs for our trucks. If you are looking to get by as cheaply as possible, then I would go with Pete's suggestion.

Actually, there is an option available. 1976-91 Full-Size Jeep rear springs have the same center bolt spacing as our trucks, i.e., 26" on the front and 31" on the rear. They also use a 3/8" center bolt. The front and rear bushings also use a 9/16" bolt, so they would be a direct replacement. The large (anchor) bushing is slightly narrower at 2-15/16" vs. our anchor bushing width of 3-1/8", but they could be used with some washers. I'm just throwing this out as a viable alternative, especially where cost is a factor. Keep in mind that a full-size Jeep is heavier than our trucks, so you may not want to use the entire spring pack, unless you also wish to add capacity to your truck. The springs are the same length on all 1976-91 full-size Jeeps from the J-10 and J-20 trucks to the Wagoneers and Cherokees. To keep your truck level (at least side-to-side), I would recommend changing the main leaves on both rear springs. Also, the Wagoneer and Cherokee rear springs were famous for sagging, hence the term "Wag-sag" which is well know in full-size Jeep circles. -Tom

I have a '89 2.5, and a pump from a '88 4.0 would not fit on mine. Let me rephrase that. I will fit , but the pulley spacing is different, so the belt would not line up. -Tom

It might be a bad TPS

Some, like my 89 Sport truck only had the "Mist" feature. You rotate the wiper knob clockwise, and the wipers will cycle once only. -Tom

MrN is correct. Both springs have main leaves that measure 57" long. They both have a center pin spacing of 26" X 31", and they both use 9/16" I.D bushings on the anchor and shackle bushings, so you could use some of the leaves to repair yours. Keep in mind though that a full-size Jeep is much heavier than our trucks, so you probably would not want to use all of the leaves. :thumbsup: -Tom

He still does work for RC, and if they could do that for you, I bet he could also. Rob L. Hey guys. I don't work for Rough Country, we just sell some of their parts and kits. Rough Country has a policy that, if their dealers don't sell at their listed prices, you lose your discount. If you want a special deal on Rough Country parts or kits, you have to deal directly with them. -Tom

Hi, Adam, You will be amazed at the difference a dual diaphragm booster and newer master cylinder will make. Yes, it is worth the trouble. By the way, I used the same mounting holes as my old booster. Tom

That's true, Don, but a lot of aftermarket guys use 5/16" center bolts just because they don't want to go to the trouble of turning down the 3/8" heads to the correct diameter. The factory bolt should be 3/8". The head diameter on a stock 5/16" center bolt is 1/2", which is a little tight in the 12 mm hole in the factory axle saddle, but it will work. CW, Mopar probably uses the same axle saddle on several different vehicles, so they most likely drilled the hole to the larger bolt size - just my guess.

MJ center bolts are 3/8", but they have a 12 mm head diameter. We use standard 3/8" spring center bolts and turn the 9/16" heads down to 12 mm in our lathe. Don, I sent you prints on these springs. Shame on you for not looking. :no: :rotf: -Tom

Superior Axle makes great replacement one-piece shafts for AMC 20 axles. We bought a set several years ago when we "spun" a hub on our CJ-7 with the two-piece factory shafts. You can contact them at their website, www.superioraxle.com. -Tom

Last summer I had to replace the compressor on my '89, also, my condenser and dryer needed changing, so I changed over to R-134A. The main thing is to flush the system then evacuate it before you charge it with the new freon. Also, since you will already have depressurized the system, go ahead and replace all of the old o-rings to eliminate any leaks. If you need to replace the evaporator, I am pretty sure that you will have to remove the entire dash to get at it. It is a PITA, so, if you think it needs changing, do it now, while the system is depressurized. On retrofitting the XJ system, they should be the same. Keep in mind that there are two (2) different compressors for our trucks; the clutch is shorter on one of them. I had to go back to NAPA to change out the one that they ordered for me, because it had the wrong clutch, so compare the XJ compressor with yours to make sure it is the same. The other parts should be the same on the XJ and the MJ. Because the evaporator is so hard to replace, I would go with a new one. The other parts are readily accessible, so, if the XJ parts are good, I would use them, except the drier, which I would replace regardless. Just be sure to replace the old o-rings. I'm sure there are A/C gurus on here, who can chime in and give you much more detailed info. Good luck and have a Happy New Year, Tom

You might want to read this thread on brake bleeding with the rear height sensing valve. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4917 - Tom

The only way I know to check to see if the booster is working is the one I told you. Do you have vacuum to the booster? If the engine runs, you should, but pull the plastic valve out of the grommet on the booster and crank the engine. You should have vacuum at the valve. If not, replace the valve. You can find these at most auto parts stores in the HELP section. If the pedal goes all the way to the floor with the engine off, then you pretty much have to have air in the system somewhere, even though you have already bled it twice. If there is no air in the system, you should have a firm pedal, whether or not the booster is functional. If the booster is bad, you would simply have a hard pedal all the time, and you would really have to press hard on the pedal to stop your truck. All this is assuming that by your saying, "there is very little paddle," that your brake pedal is almost at the floor and not that it moves very little when you press it. If the latter is true, then your booster is probably bad. I replaced my single booster with a 1996 XJ Cherokee dual diaphragm booster. It's not a direct swap, but it is pretty close. -Tom

I'm sure there is a more technical way to check it, but press your foot on the brake pedal and crank the engine. If the pedal goes down when the engine cranks, then the vacuum boost is working. If you have a single diaphragm booster, that would explain a lot. Believe me, the dual diaphragm upgrade is well worth it. :thumbsup: -Tom

If you are having a lot of blow-by around the valve cover gasket, you might want to check the crankcase vent tube at the rear of the valve cover. That would be the smaller plastic tube that goes where a PCV valve would normally be, which our engines do not have. I was getting a puddle of oil on the garage floor, so I checked mine, and the tube was completely stopped up from the previous owner not changing the oil at regular intervals. I cleaned the tube out and the blow-by stopped. -Tom

I have a 2.5L and it takes an 11 mm. I just tightened them yesterday. -Tom

I have 4 props: a 24 and 26 pitch Turbo, the 25 pitch Pendergrass and a 17 pitch Turbo, which I use for pulling skiers - talk about hole shot! :eek: Just in case you didn't know, or for the other guys, a SF-180 Skeeter is an 18-1/2 ft long fish and ski model. I used to do a lot of bass fishing, and I liked it because the heavier boat really handled the rough water. It has been a while since I did any white-knuckle river runnin', though (61 yrs old), so the 17 pitch prop pretty much stays on the outboard. It literally leaps out of the hole and handles like a sports car and will still hit 45-50 mph at 6000 rpm. The day I hit 85 mph, Richard Pendergrass was promoting his new prop on Pickwick lake in Northeast MS (on the TN river), and my brother-in-law and I happened to be there. I had already bought and installed one of his props and asked him if he would clock us with his radar gun. He agreed and the rest, as they say, is history. At the time Staniless Steel performance props were selling for a whopping $350.00 each. :thumbsup: -Tom

Hi, Robert, I never had a problem with chine walking in this boat. A SF-180 hull weighs in at around 1800 lbs. Add the motor, batteries, gas, and the driver, and you are well over 2000 lbs. I do have a hydraulic jack plate, so I can tweak it on the run. That 85 mph was with a 25 pitch Pendergrass prop. Also, the boat was only about a year old at the time. -Tom

Hi, Robert, My 1984 SF-180 Skeeter with a 200 Mariner has been radar clocked at 85 mph, and that's fast enough for me. :eek: -Tom

The Up Country suspension rides 1" (25mm) higher than standard. I have a 2000 Cherokee with Up Country. I pulled the codes off the coil springs and took them to the dealer. They are the exact same springs as a ZJ (Grand Cherokee) V8, so you can easily source them from a junkyard. FYI, if you have OEM Jeep rims you can run 31x10.50-15 tires with NO lift. So in reality, more than likely all you need is enough to raise the front enough to compensate for the weight of the plow frame. The ZJ front coils will probably do that, possibly with the addition of 3/4-inch (not 2-inch) spacers if the V8 springs alone aren't enough. :agree: You will need a stronger set of coils in the front to support a plow, and 31 inch tires will run on a stock suspension with stock wheels. In your case, I would look for a set of used ZJ coils. Welcome to CC :clapping: -Tom