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86' XLS Comanche Questions


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Just picked up the 86' XLS today. Long bed, 2.8 V6, 904, NP207, D30 disco/D35 (I was hoping for an AMC20), factory roll bar with lights, fog lights, AC, D35, 113K, electric windows woohoo :banana: , motor isn't running now though although I'm told it was recently "overhauled". Oh yeah, NO RUST!

 

Questions:

- Is the switch on the right side of the steering column pictured below the factory switch for the roll bar lights?

- 3.55 gears right?

- I haven't hooked a battery to it yet so I don't know if the windows work. I figure the window motors are the same as XJs? Were there any model/year changes for the motors? My previous MJs were all manual. (just planning ahead)

- I know a guy with several running 2.8 XJs, if I don't grab one of his I'll go with a 3.4 swap. There are several 2.8-3.4 swap pages out there, just wondering if any of you guys have done it and is it really worth the trouble and money?

 

- I just got it home and I don't know what I'll do with it yet, my brain is swirling...Like Mr. Hedley Lamarr said, "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

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I don't believe the switch on the right is factory. I've seen a lot of factory switches for 87-92, and only a few 86 trucks that actually HAD added options; but I've never seen that particular switch. Could be wrong though. :dunno:

 

 

Also, I have to add.... that truck is a BEAUTY! :cheers: :drool: :drool: :drool: How much did you pay for it? If you don't mind me asking... :popcorn:

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5 bones. It still had the factory fresh spare under the back too.

 

I bought it from a very nice elderly lady who I spotted driving a red 88' MJ. Reference the recent post on how to approach someone to buy their MJ, I just stalked her on the road until she pulled over at her destination. Very nice lady, I fixed her clogged blow by tube, then did a free safety inspection on her MJ. She loved it because it drove good, got good mileage and she could get in and out of it easily. She was about 75 years old and said there's no way she's selling it and it had 205K on it. I am now her dedicated MJ mechanic, she'll call me anytime she needs any help with it. Anyway, she had two other "junk" MJs she bought to keep her red one up and running, the blue one being one of them. Here's a shot of the back of her red 88', 4.0, 5speed, 2WD.

 

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- Is the switch on the right side of the steering column pictured below the factory switch for the roll bar lights?

 

Yes, it is. Neither the '86 owners manual or the FSM shows that switch but the '87 up does. It was either a late '86 factory or swapped in by a PO.

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If its rust free, you may be able to get under and see if it has the axle tags on it still to get a gear ratio. But I would assume it might have 3:73 or 4:10 gearing. I don't think any of the 86 options included a 3:55, except maybe a 4 speed 4 cylinder. Check this out and let us know what you find!

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That's a damn nice find !! I'm jealous as iv been looking for another manch to DD and realy want to find another 2.8 manch but haven't anything , not even a decent 4.0 manch. As for the 3.4 swap it is definitely worth the extra money , I couldn't be happier with the results of my swap . Ya you could swap in a 4.0 but i like being different and nothing says that more than a "factory" chevy motor in a jeep!

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It's got 4.10s in it, I'm going to fiddle with it today and see if she'll turn over. Yeah I'm thinking the 3.4 route if it won't run. Fubar, did you convert yours to R134?

I'm kinda surprised it has 4:10 with an auto but that's good and I don't have ac so I didn't have to worry about converting it but if I did have ac I would only convert it if it didn't work . Also most systems have enuf give in the hoses so you can "filet" it out of the way during an engine swap , iv never had to discharge an ac system for a swap , if that's where you were going with that.

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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

33379-hedley_lamarr_blazing_saddles.jpg

 

You use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar...

 

Uh... that's right, this is a family site. :yes:

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Looks like the motor is locked. I put a battery on her today and the starter was engaging fine but it wouldn't budge. I couldn't turn it with a socket on the crank either. Big bummer. Found a 1995 Camaro 3.4 on CL for $250. I'm thinking about it.

 

Also none of the lights except for the headlights came on and the windows didn't work.....darn it. :(

 

Gonna hit pause on this for the time being. Too many irons in the fire right now. But I think it'll be a gift for my old man in a couple of months if I can get it going. He's been wanting a Comanche for a while, the last one I got for him was a standard and he's more of an auto guy.

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It's got 4.10s in it, I'm going to fiddle with it today and see if she'll turn over. Yeah I'm thinking the 3.4 route if it won't run. Fubar, did you convert yours to R134?

 

 

This gives me hope that the 86 Waggy I had given to me has 4:10 axles under it. It has the 2.8, A904, NP228 combo in it, but I couldnt read the axle tags. With the NP228, that means it has a non-disco front axle!

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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."

33379-hedley_lamarr_blazing_saddles.jpg

 

You use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar...

 

Uh... that's right, this is a family site. :yes:

 

But that is also a great movie :banana:

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