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Diesel Fuel Only - Factory Diesel Comanche


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Very Nice. :cheers:

Keep the red interior. It looks great with the white. But naturally, fix the dash (and the gearshift knob). Plus those red seats are pretty easy too find. And those door panels... :drool: Finding some that nice in black with those arm rests would be tough. Red is definately of that period. Very common in Comanche, XJ and Grand Wagoneer.

 

Are you actually going to drive this in the winter? won't she rust away? You may want to check local laws before you do. :no:

 

Oh and yes, I am also glad to see that avatar finally go. :yes:

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Here is a copy/paste from another thread a while back where someone was asking about the timing belt and the Renault engine.

 

Post subject: Re: Questions about my Turbo Diesel MJ.Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:08 pm

 

 

Can spell Comanche

 

Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:17 pm

Posts: 30 The timing belt is a Gates Power Grip HTD. Gates part # is 7700663544.

 

It is a cog belt with the inside tips of the cog being a half round, not square.

 

The book calls for the belt to be changed at 90,000 miles. Mine had just over 100,000 on it when I bought it with a blown belt. All 4 exhaust rocker arms were snapped in half and one rocker shaft support was also cracked. The valves are perfectly inline with the cylinder bore and the pistons are flat topped so it didn't bend any valves (lucky here). The truck now has over 250,000 on it with the same belt I put on when I first fixed the truck. I didn't get to see the OEM belt that broke so I don't know who made it. Maybe the Gates is just a better belt but I don't abuse the truck and do check the belt and it's tension from time to time.

 

It's not an easy job but can be done without special tools in a couple of hours if you use your head. The timing belt also runs the water pump and injector pump so it stays busy. A Chiltons manual will have the procedure but it MUST!!! be followed perfectly and done right or you could be in for big trouble.

 

T'is an odd little engine with # 1 cylinder being at the firewall, aluminum block and head, steel (wet) sleeves and old school precombustion chamber/glow plug style injection system. Pump and injectors are Bosch so it has quality parts in it. Just put together in typical (goofy) French fashion.

 

Mine is used daily on a 40 mile round trip to work and gets 33mpg with 4.10 gears. I've gotten as high as 38 on longer trips and never lower than 26 (all short 2-3 mile runs).

 

 

It's not a rocket by any means but it is not a pig either. It will cruise at freeway speeds with relitive ease and I have pulled some fairly hefty loads with it for such a small truck.

 

As Pat said, parts are hard to get and interchangability is an issue but I can't complain one bit about the service per doller this one has given me. From that perspective it has been the best vehicle I have ever owned.

 

opsled

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Thanks for the info Phil. Believe me, I have combed anything related to this truck in previous threads. I had re-read that about 90 times while I was waiting to get the truck.

 

Also, good news and bad news. Awhile back I raided all MJ Diesel related book and manuals I could find on eBay. In addition to the one pictured before, I saw another one. It had a picture of the AX5 on it and said it was the "1985-87 Jeep Cherokee, Wagoneer, and Comanche overhaul manual for diesel models" I took it as the Diesel specific manual trans overhaul manual.

 

Came today... I was disappointed to find that it was a re-pop of a factory service manual, but it is bound professionally, with all the correct text and pages. Looks very nice.

 

The bonus came when I started flipping through it, and holy hell. It is actually a collection of Diesel specific manuals from AMC released for re-production by reaper Mopar. From the engine all the way back to the t-case.

 

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Definitely cool, although I have my eye out for the originals, and one other pretty cool old manual coming. Post pics when I get it.

 

Additionally, I have been talking to my CarQuest guy a lot lately, and he's put word out to his Gates rep about my belt kit. Apparently, Gates of Europe is the only one that sells the kit, and it is unavailable to the states. The rep contacted the head office, and he's going to see if he can get one sent my way.

 

Keep you guys posted as the new stuff rolls in.

Rob :cheers:

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NEW PORN!!!

 

eBay is now, more than ever, a way to blow even more money. Cripes. :rotfl2:

 

Looky what I found, an in house training manual from 1985, complete with a quiz and study guide still in the workbook.

 

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There isn't a whole lot of 2.1 specific stuff in it, just a short little basics manual at the back. Most of it is the explanation of diesel operation, and basics. It touches on the specifics of the 2.1 in a couple sections though. Still. Very cool.

 

Now if my friggen parts would just come in so I could start tearing into it.

Rob :D

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Now if my friggen parts would just come in so I could start tearing into it.

 

As I was browsing through the endless pictures, I was thinking to myself, would he stop buying memorabilia and start tearing into the damn thing already? :D

 

Definitely looks like some cool stuff to have in the collection. Since that one manual is a re-po, you shouldn't be to upset getting grease smudges all over it when you start working on the truck. Gotta get a hold of a clean original so you can put it in the collection.

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Very cool!Ya your addiction is a bit out of control with the books. :D But its worth it I guess if it educates you on that motor inside and out just messin with ya.I started reading your thread, I love diesels I'm very jealous. I'm thinking maybe my eventual build will get a hopped up TDI VW jetta powerplant instead of a stroked renix well see.I vote keep the clearance lights thats what makes a diesel nothing makes a fullsize rig look better than lights all over it glowing down the hwy why not a little mini rig? jamminz.gif Have fun man keep us updated

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  • 2 weeks later...

Played with it a bit today. Learned that the bigger of my oil leaks is the remote mount filter/oil cooler adapter coming off the block. Also, surprisingly, it started idling better all by itself... Hmm. It seems like the more I play with it, the better it runs.

 

VxB1bbLTXcA

 

Last night I had it out for about 5 miles, and it started making a new noise to me. It's really all new to me, but it sounds like a hum or groan... I don't know what RPM specifically, but on the broken tach it seems to start around the 5K mark, and really gets noticeable around the 6K mark... Diesel owners, does this sound normal? Nothing is shaking any weirder, the oil pressure is great, and it doesn't act any different...

 

xrHd5ZlARAQ

 

It sure is fun to play with... I'm thinking I might try to drive it to work tomorrow... about 10 miles. Bit nervous.

 

Rob

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When you first mentioned that the noise was around the 5-6K RPM mark, I thought, "that's a little bit on the high side for a diesel!" But then I saw the video (and LOL'ed).

 

As for the hum, I'm no diesel XJ/MJ owner, but that sounds like it may be the turbo spooling up. Speaking of, what condition is the turbo in? Does it blow oil (is there lots of oil in the intake line going to the throttle body? Some is normal, but a lot is not)? Is there any shaft play on the turbo?

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Eh... I can hear the turbo. That is real quiet. The best way to describe this sound in person is maybe like a hydrostatic trans under load? Like the fluid groan? That noise, but I have no idea where it's coming from. Rebelfish99 told me it was doing that ever since he had it after sending him the video, so... Maybe not something I am going to worry about so much.

 

Rob :dunno:

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Had I known you were gonna strip all the bed rails, toolbox and switch out I would have kept it for my next project......

 

Didn't I tell you that? For what it's worth though... The whole look of everything is growing on me. The box and rails will be there for a year plus at least. They might even stay indefinitely. I plan on fixing it good enough to drive through the summer next year... Then tear down later.

 

Rob :cheers:

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Had I known you were gonna strip all the bed rails, toolbox and switch out I would have kept it for my next project......

 

Didn't I tell you that? For what it's worth though... The whole look of everything is growing on me. The box and rails will be there for a year plus at least. They might even stay indefinitely. I plan on fixing it good enough to drive through the summer next year... Then tear down later.

 

Rob :cheers:

 

I put the box and rails on when I bought the truck, just to protect the paint on the rails, and the toolbox so I could throw stuff in there instead of letting it roll around and damage the bed. I'm just kidding, I didn't have a place to keep any of it, thats why you got all the free parts, and the worse thing is that I wrecked the front end of the cherokee and wish I hadn't given you that grill piece now..

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First vid sound good. Just like a 2.1.

 

Second doesn't sound like one at all. Don't know if it's because of where the camera was during the two (one outside, one in the cab) or if what I hear in the second vid is what you are talking about.

 

I really don't know what to say. I would have to hear it in person to have much of an opinion.

 

A thought though. Fan clutch??? It should freewheel easily. If not or it's locked the fan noise sounds something like what I'm hearing in vid two. Mine locked up somewhere in or about the same miles as yours has on it now and it was quite loud. If so take out the bolts that hold the fan on, put a 3/8" nut on each bolt as a spacer and leave the fan off completely. The fan clutch isn't available anywhere that I'm aware of and I looked hard when mine went. I've run without a fan ever since and have never had an overheating issue.

 

Dono???

 

We'll have to come and give it a look over someday.

 

opsled

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Captains log, 1/4/12. Belt is on it's way here from Denver, made it there from Belgium this week.

 

The Farmer is out, after some house cleaning, The Diesel will be in for work.

 

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Got another special delivery in the mail today.

 

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They are vanity Illinois Antique Vehicle plates. I wasn't 100% sure I would get my first choice, but when I opened the mail today, I was overjoyed. It's a good thing there aren't many antique diesels out there. Now I pity the poor sucker who catches the plate and asks me about it. I hope they have a few hours to spare once they start the machine that is my nerd-dom.

Rob :banana:

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Carquest guy stopped by today, bringing some gifts from Belgium! He had two boxes, which had me confused at first, until he filled me in. Apparently, when I was giving him numbers to search in the beginning, there was a mix up. Based on the different manuals, I came up with the belt number, and 2 "kit" numbers. The kits included the pulleys, one of which had the idler and the tensioner, the other just the tensioner. I gave him the 2 kit numbers, told him either was fine, but would prefer the kit with both pulleys. He told this to the Gates rep, but something got mixed up... So I got both kits! When they finally came in, the CQ guy asked the rep what the damages were for price... The Gates guy said that the part numbers don't even exist in the states so he wouldn't even know what to charge, and to consider them a gift. :yes: I asked the CQ guy what he wanted for all the leg work, the time, and the kits... He told me the same thing. No charge.

 

:jump:

 

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Any questions about these being right were immediately wiped away when I saw the end of the box:

 

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Jeep Renault? I don't know of any other!

 

Big thanks to Tony at Car Quest of Woodstock, IL. Couldn't have gotten these without him. Stand up guy, and I plan on giving him a little something for all the help.

 

Can't wait to put it on. Cleaning out the garage now to make the MJ switch.

Rob :cheers:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Finally... Another missing piece of the puzzle, found in Germany:

 

426933_316761625027998_100000824882082_827048_358009673_n.jpg

 

Couple gasket sets. Figured I would get 2 because that way, if I rip one, I don't have to wait another 3 weeks and pay additional international shipping from Germany. I think this is really the last of the things I was waiting to get my hands on. Once I get the garage re-situated, it's go time.

 

Rob :brows:

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