Knucklehead97 Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Tore apart the front of the Comanche to figure out what I'm in for. I found both good and bad... I think. The good is that basically everything I thought was damaged, is damaged. The bad is the same as the good! Really though I think I got lucky on the damage. Picture time! Where the front of the fender mounts to the unibody is bent pretty bad, had to pound on it to get to the bolts. Where the bumper mounts to the frame is bent back and pushed in a little. Upon pounding on it with a hammer and bolting a new bumper in I think it will be find. Now for a question... is this radiator alright? It's pushed in about a half inch I think. No leaks so far. And I have cranked up the engine and the fan does not hit at all. There are chunks missing where the fan shroud contacted the clutch fan when the deer hit, but it gets nowhere close now. I think the condenser is done for, though. opinions please? I need to get the parts list downpat and get to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellaheep Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Very fixable! Congrats! Fix away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 Already beat the unibody/frame straight! Just waiting on ya'lls opinions of the radiator and then I should get the body panels tomorrow or Saturday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I wouldn't even think about it - get a new all alloy radiator, a two core will be fine. W/o knowing how old the original is why chance it? The prices on good quality all-aluminum rads have really come down lately. Get one with the filler cap and the bung for the temp sensor too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 I wouldn't even think about it - get a new all alloy radiator, a two core will be fine. W/o knowing how old the original is why chance it? The prices on good quality all-aluminum rads have really come down lately. Get one with the filler cap and the bung for the temp sensor too. see, the radiator is brand new from what the PO told me. Jeep dealer changed it when they were trying to fix his overheating problem. Otherwise I wouldn't even question it. I shall look at prices on the one I got for my other Comanche and see if I want to go ahead and do it! Could I just take out the AC condenser and leave it off until I redo my air-conditioning or would that be bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I'd suspect that rad will crack where it has been 'joggled' by the impact. It's just a matter of when, could be tomorrow, could be 10 years. If you keep an eye on it you can probably run it, but I would replace it for piece of mind. If you plan on recharging that A/C at any point (any idea where it leaked? Or was it a different problem?) you're best to leave the system as sealed up as possible to keep it as uncontaminated as you can. So I would just bend the condenser back straightish and leave it in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 Two votes for changing radiator... soooooooooo.... going to change the radiator! Probably won't be before it's back on the road because I need it for a camping trip next weekend. But I will be ordering a new one tomorrow. Either a spectra premium like my other Jeep has or a full-two core aluminum off of Ebay. I plan to own the Jeep for awhile so I might as well change the parts either way. But what all is included in changing a radiator with an automatic transmission? Never done it before. Never messed with an auto tranny at all, really... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strokermjcomanche Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 If you want to reinstall the a/c condenser , place the condenser on the ground (hoses facing up ) , then with a large piece of wood covering the finned portion , stand on it . It will straighten the condenser good enough to reuse if not broken or just for the time being to keep the crap out . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Not really any different doing a rad with an auto trans, you just make a mess when you pull the lines for the cooler. I flush the cooler area on the new rad out with some brakeclean just to make sure everything is good before you hook it up. The top fitting is just a 45* flare fitting, so it comes off easy and makes sense. The bottom one should be a quick disconnect, so you'll need a new clip and o-rings (do NOT lose the backup ring between them) if you intend to keep it. Personally I'd buy some tranny cooler hose and some stainless hose clamps and delete that stupid thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 A little duct tape. It'l be as good as new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 How much ATF will I need? I'm guessing not a whole lot is going to pour out. I ordered the Spectra Premium one I have in my other Jeep because it was less now than it was before and I've heard nothing but good things from other people as well. Amazon prime will have it here on the fifth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 How much ATF will I need? I'm guessing not a whole lot is going to pour out. I ordered the Spectra Premium one I have in my other Jeep because it was less now than it was before and I've heard nothing but good things from other people as well. Amazon prime will have it here on the fifth! Very little, less than a quart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 Great! Sadly all the junkyards around here crushed their cherokees last week. Checking the pull a part in B-ham tomorrow morning. If none of them have it then I guess I'm going to Atmore sometime next week for my buddies parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 Not really any different doing a rad with an auto trans, you just make a mess when you pull the lines for the cooler. I flush the cooler area on the new rad out with some brakeclean just to make sure everything is good before you hook it up. The top fitting is just a 45* flare fitting, so it comes off easy and makes sense. The bottom one should be a quick disconnect, so you'll need a new clip and o-rings (do NOT lose the backup ring between them) if you intend to keep it. Personally I'd buy some tranny cooler hose and some stainless hose clamps and delete that stupid thing. you wouldn't happen to have a part number for the clip and orings, would you? Oreillys full of idiots and had never heard of it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Not really any different doing a rad with an auto trans, you just make a mess when you pull the lines for the cooler. I flush the cooler area on the new rad out with some brakeclean just to make sure everything is good before you hook it up. The top fitting is just a 45* flare fitting, so it comes off easy and makes sense. The bottom one should be a quick disconnect, so you'll need a new clip and o-rings (do NOT lose the backup ring between them) if you intend to keep it. Personally I'd buy some tranny cooler hose and some stainless hose clamps and delete that stupid thing.you wouldn't happen to have a part number for the clip and orings, would you? Oreillys full of idiots and had never heard of it before. I'm not home, so I can't check for sure. But they're GM disconnects, don't ask for AMC/Jeep because the parts guys don't know they used them. But I believe the clip you want is a Dorman 800-006, they come in a package of 5. The 800-013 o-ring pack should work, but I don't know much about automotive o-rings and normally use aircraft ones. There is a few different styles of disconnects though, so it can be hard to match them up. http://www.dormanproducts.com/documents4rb/135-145QuickDisconnectBuyersGuide.pdf But I'm serious when I say I would replace it with bulk hose and clamps. They're not actually quick disconnects, rather they're quick connects, so the factory could put things together faster/easier. If you take them apart without replacing the clips and o-rings, more often than not they will leak or come undone and blow the line off, so there's nothing quick or good about them. I cut the hard line off where they crimped the hose onto it under the engine, clean it, put a flare on it, and then use 3/8 transmission cooler line. The nipple for the quick connecter to go on at the cooler is conveniently already flared perfectly for use with regular hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 Not really any different doing a rad with an auto trans, you just make a mess when you pull the lines for the cooler. I flush the cooler area on the new rad out with some brakeclean just to make sure everything is good before you hook it up. The top fitting is just a 45* flare fitting, so it comes off easy and makes sense. The bottom one should be a quick disconnect, so you'll need a new clip and o-rings (do NOT lose the backup ring between them) if you intend to keep it. Personally I'd buy some tranny cooler hose and some stainless hose clamps and delete that stupid thing.you wouldn't happen to have a part number for the clip and orings, would you? Oreillys full of idiots and had never heard of it before. I'm not home, so I can't check for sure. But they're GM disconnects, don't ask for AMC/Jeep because the parts guys don't know they used them. But I believe the clip you want is a Dorman 800-006, they come in a package of 5. The 800-013 o-ring pack should work, but I don't know much about automotive o-rings and normally use aircraft ones. There is a few different styles of disconnects though, so it can be hard to match them up. http://www.dormanproducts.com/documents4rb/135-145QuickDisconnectBuyersGuide.pdf But I'm serious when I say I would replace it with bulk hose and clamps. They're not actually quick disconnects, rather they're quick connects, so the factory could put things together faster/easier. If you take them apart without replacing the clips and o-rings, more often than not they will leak or come undone and blow the line off, so there's nothing quick or good about them. I cut the hard line off where they crimped the hose onto it under the engine, clean it, put a flare on it, and then use 3/8 transmission cooler line. The nipple for the quick connecter to go on at the cooler is conveniently already flared perfectly for use with regular hose. I think I'm going to look into just deleting the quick connect like you're talking about as it does sound easier and cheaper. Just a regular flare on the part I cut off will work? Any specific way I should go about cutting it? Could probably get a small metal ribbed hose-hose connector and cut the rubber instead of the metal... hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Yeah, you could just cut the rubber hose and use a double ended barb, however, typically if the hoses are original (which they normally are) the rubber will have gone very soft and it will be weeping around the crimp connector. I just cut it off with a brake tubing connector and put a small 45* flare on the end, it's just to make it so the line can't slip off, decent hose clamps will seal correctly without a barb. This is not textbook correct but has always worked for me. If I owned one of those fancy flaring tools to do barbs/push connect flares I would use that, IE this one from Mastercool: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Hydraulic-Flaring-Tool-Set/dp/B00063YR2I If you wanted to get more fancy there is other options. You can get a metric to AN adapter fitting that threads into the transmission, and then run AN fittings/stainless hard lines/braided hose. I've been debating buying them for the future, but it adds up to a bit of money for all the needed fittings, and you would need a 37* flare tool to flare the cooler for an AN fitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 Yeah, you could just cut the rubber hose and use a double ended barb, however, typically if the hoses are original (which they normally are) the rubber will have gone very soft and it will be weeping around the crimp connector. I just cut it off with a brake tubing connector and put a small 45* flare on the end, it's just to make it so the line can't slip off, decent hose clamps will seal correctly without a barb. This is not textbook correct but has always worked for me. If I owned one of those fancy flaring tools to do barbs/push connect flares I would use that, IE this one from Mastercool: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Hydraulic-Flaring-Tool-Set/dp/B00063YR2I If you wanted to get more fancy there is other options. You can get a metric to AN adapter fitting that threads into the transmission, and then run AN fittings/stainless hard lines/braided hose. I've been debating buying them for the future, but it adds up to a bit of money for all the needed fittings, and you would need a 37* flare tool to flare the cooler for an AN fitting. I do believe the PO had the transmission lines changed with the rest of the cooling system. I'll check out the lines and go from there :D one last question for everyone... will a 97+ front bumper work with the older bumper end caps and mount correctly to the truck? The last part I need is the bumper but I can't find a good pre-97 one but I have found plenty of 97+ ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 it will "work" but its missing a body line. won't really look correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 5, 2016 Author Share Posted July 5, 2016 it will "work" but its missing a body line. won't really look correct managed to find a local guy selling a perfect bumper and 10 slot grill for 50$. He's going to get in contact with me in a few days when he's in town. Sadly I prefer a 7 slot grill so the 10 slot won't be on there for long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 6, 2016 Author Share Posted July 6, 2016 A little progress collage. Got all the body work done. Had to drill a bunch of new holes in the header panel to mount the side marker lights and the top and bottom metal trim, not sure why they werent there? It all worked out perfectly though. Everything is straight! Then I ripped it right back off to start removing the radiator. First off I would like to give Hornbrod a HUGE thanks for providing the idea of going ahead and changing the radiator. It started leaking from the middle as I was pulling it out. I ended up cutting the bottom transmission line and will be hose clamping it back on because the disconnect wasn't the two plastic clip type and I didn't feel like dealing with it. Thursday I will be swapping it all in and filling it back up! I also have decided when I fix the AC I will be replacing everything other than the box in the dash and maybe the compressor. My lines are shot and I messed up the condenser pretty bad prying it from the radiator so I'm just going to replace everything for good riddance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Sad to see that sweet blue paint going away. But glad to see its being saved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddout Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I think that is pretty good progress. Everything seems to line up quite well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knucklehead97 Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Sad to see that sweet blue paint going away. But glad to see its being saved! once my brother who is borrowing my extra car get's his own car I will be taking the Jeep to a paint shop to get these panels painted to the blue. I kind of fell in love with it haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaz1 Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Sad to see that sweet blue paint going away. But glad to see its being saved!once my brother who is borrowing my extra car get's his own car I will be taking the Jeep to a paint shop to get these panels painted to the blue. I kind of fell in love with it haha ah good to hear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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