88 Comanche 4x4 Conversion, Ba-10 to AW4, Electrical Q?'s

[88Comanche818]

I am currently preparing to convert my 1988 Jeep Comanche 4.0, 4 1/2" Lifted, Short bed, 5 speed ba-10, 3.08 gears, to 4x4. I just picked up a 1988 Jeep Cherokee as my donor vehicle. It has the 4.0 with AW4 and np231, dana 35/30 w/ CAD combo with 3.55 gears. My plans are to swap Engine/trans,X-case, and axles. Now let the questions begin....

 

I had not thought of the fact that the AW4 has some electrical components to it and i will apparently be needing to also take the harness to the TCU (Trans computer). I would hope / pray that everything is already in my MJ and just needs to plug in... but i doubt its that easy. So my question is... Do i need to use the WHOLE wiring harness from the XJ, or splice in the Trans wiring? Its quite a PITA to remove and disconnect everything under the dash, but if i must...

 

Also, The comfort / Power switch... Do i need to wire all this in as well? Id like to just keep it in power mode by default like the newer AW4's, how can i do this?

 

Also after removing the trans floor shifter i noticed 2 cables which move with the shifter. One was for the tranny shifting itself, and the other lead to my ignition column. I believe so that it locks / unlocks with the key on/off. Will my column in the MJ have the little linkage for the cable to hook up? or do i need to swap column as well? I was thinking it may not be necessary and i could possible leave it out and have no negative effects... but i'm not sure.

 

One more question... What if anything my i be forgetting to remove from donor XJ? Ive pretty much completely stripped it already and am ready to call the junk to come take it. I'm only worried that there is surely gonna be SOMETHING that i forgot to remove and will eventually have to pay for another one. Hoping i've covered everything, but for those who have done this conversion, id like to ask. What are the overlooked things that i may need?

 

Also Planning on welding the D30 and setting up a hombrew POSI-LOK setup. Any recommendations / suggestions? Good or Bad idea?

 

Sorry for the long post, i like to be thorough. Any feedback is much appreciated. Negative or Positive, Let me know. ALSO... If you need random interior / body parts come and take em... Take whatever you want for little or nothing... I'm locating in the San Fernando Valley, 818, 20 mins north of downtown LA.

 

 

Thanks in advance...

Randy B.

[Pete M]

some peugeot to aw4 conversion info here:

 

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12206

 

 

posi lock opinions here:

 

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24146

 

 

and welcome to the club! :waving:

[88Comanche818]

Thanks! But that tranny swap page appears to be wrong... I wish the plugs were there and i could just plug in tranny plugs.

[Eagle]

Thanks! But that tranny swap page appears to be wrong... I wish the plugs were there and i could just plug in tranny plugs.

But they aren't. There is a transmission wiring harness to the TCU (which mounts under the dash on the passenger side -- did you at least get the TCU?) that you will have to install. I'm a 5-speed guy, personally, but I'm pretty certain the tranny harness is free-standing and does not require cutting and splicing the vehicle harness.

[88Comanche818]

Of course i got the TCU. I still have the donor XJ, junking it tomorrow. Certain eh? Well i got pix to prove it now... Here are pix of my BODY HARNESS, with my TCU / transmission harness. All one piece... I either gonna have to splice... or most likely swap the whole harnes :mad:

This is gonna suck... anyone gone through this? :help: :dunno: :???: [/img]

if that doesnt work look here http://www.flickr.com/photos/28066721@N02/

[JeepcoMJ]

the body harness is the interior harness.

 

 

the engine bay harness is different, and needs to be swapped.

 

 

once you do that, you just plug the power/comfort switch into the dash...wiring is there.

[88Comanche818]

OK, i assumed this was the body harness as it also goes in under the dash into the interior and has the 2 large plugs into the ECU. Ok, if that is it then its do-able. Awesome! Thanks a lot JeepcoMJ. :cheers: Ill go ahead and throw away my donor XJ now knowing that i got everything i need. Tomorrow hopefully the MJ goes on the operating table. =D Great info! Thanks again guys!

[vhenem]

OK, i assumed this was the body harness as it also goes in under the dash into the interior and has the 2 large plugs into the ECU. Ok, if that is it then its do-able. Awesome! Thanks a lot JeepcoMJ. :cheers: Ill go ahead and throw away my donor XJ now knowing that i got everything i need. Tomorrow hopefully the MJ goes on the operating table. =D Great info! Thanks again guys!

 

 

A piece of advice from a relative newbie to this, I would not throw away the donor until you are 100% complete with your swap. you never know what little part you are going to need. Having my donor beside mine while the swap was going on was invaluble

[Pete M]

OK, i assumed this was the body harness as it also goes in under the dash into the interior and has the 2 large plugs into the ECU. Ok, if that is it then its do-able. Awesome! Thanks a lot JeepcoMJ. :cheers: Ill go ahead and throw away my donor XJ now knowing that i got everything i need. Tomorrow hopefully the MJ goes on the operating table. =D Great info! Thanks again guys!

 

 

A piece of advice from a relative newbie to this, I would not throw away the donor until you are 100% complete with your swap. you never know what little part you are going to need. Having my donor beside mine while the swap was going on was invaluable

 

:agree:

x eleventybillion

[88Comanche818]

It would have been nice... but the donor is gone. To be honest i just can't afford to have it taking up room. I needed it gone so i could get the Manche in and start building it. Believe me though... i was quite thorough about it. I took everything and anything that could be possibly needed. The ONLY thing i MAY need and didnt keep is the body harness. I've been told engine/tranny harness will plug in, and I really didnt feel like tearing into the dash and unpluging / unrouting everything. Worst comes to worse, i'll be making a trip to the local pick-and-pull and tearing one out of another auto XJ. They are quite plentiful around here.

 

Thanks again for all the advice/input! :clapping: :bowdown:

 

Ill Update perhaps as i get some progress. Any Q?'s and ill be back.

Thanks!

Randy B.

[kastein]

Only tip - don't waste your time swapping that d35 in. You will have to weld perches onto it etc anyways, do yourself a HUGE favor and go pick up a 97 or newer chrysler 8.25 rearend out of an automatic XJ and you will get a MUCH stronger axle and the same gears for $100.

 

Heck, if you play your cards right, you can get a disk brake swap for the same price... swap the disk brake setup onto the axle before you leave the yard. They will see an axle with brakes and not care what vehicles it all came out of and charge you the same amount.

 

EDIT: not sure this has been covered - you will have to have someone shorten your rear driveshaft for you, have this done after you get the vehicle back together so you know what length it needs to be.