86 Comanche

[Khor1287]

I just got my first Comanche last night and wanted to introduce it and myself to the community. Only payed $400 bucks for it and it actually runs...mostly. Managed to drive it home 2 hours last night at 45 mph with 2 and a half gears, no brake or signal lights and amazingly crooked headlights. It was quite the adventure. It needs a bunch of work to make it the daily driver i want it to be but should be a good time getting there.

 

https://goo.gl/photos/yMpaZmvkd8Ttog6u7

 

I don't think it has a first gear anymore and 2nd is hell to get into. To get it into gear i have to try to shove my foot though the fire wall 3 or 4 times and all but dislocate my arm forcing it in. The clutch just drops down almost faster then i can push it. 3rd and 4th are a lot better. Trying to go over 45 makes me afraid for my life but who really needs to go any faster than that anyway, right? The interior is in shambles and the front end need a new front clip and a lot of beating back into shape. Besides all that it cranks over, goes forward and reverse and actually got me home! All in all a perfectly functioning truck in my opinion.

 

So far as i can tell it needs the following:

Front end wheel bearings

Clutch

Transmission

Rear suspension

Power steering work

A/C work

Misc body work

and probably more

 

I have a feeling that i will be leaning heavily on the community here for help, advice and tips. So thank you everyone in advance for all the help ! Wish my luck in my tinkering adventures !

[strictlyxjs]

nice truck looks like my 86

[Khor1287]

I finally got a chance to to really look at my truck and kind of wish I hadn't. More than a few of the things I saw made me wish I hadn't driven it home.

 

Probably a dozen or more tubes, hoses and wires that go nowhere or were falling apart.

 

 

So my transmission is being held in place with a ratchet clamp...and a shirt? Not going on any more long trips any time soon.

 

 

The seat is is remarkably good condition. I didn't notice any major rips or tears and only a few parts where its worn through. Even better than that I found my seat belt buckles! Every little bit of safety counts.

 

 

Of course the dash is a complete mess with no stereo and parts just falling out but look at the sweet car charger! I paid more for my phone then this truck....certainly not plugging it in any time soon.

 

But if I ever get bored or lonely I will always know who to call.

 

These lights work great....if you want to see 6 feet in front of your truck and the trees tops off to your right.

 

Saving the best for last, dat @$$!

 

So that's the beauty that is my first Comanche. This is my first restoration project so I'm a bit hesitant to just start ordering parts. I'm open to any tips about how to make sure I'm ordering the right stuff. I was told that this was a 86' body with an 88' engine. Its a carbureted v6 with a 4 speed manual. I figured I'd start with replacing the clutch, hydraulics, transmission, front end wheel bearings, front clip and making sure that at least the headlights and brake lights work. I just sold my other other car, an 02' Mini Cooper S with a dead supercharger. Yes, from a Mini to a trashed MJ is quite a lesson in contrasts. I still have my other Mini MC40 for daily driving until I get this beast running then he is back to being a show car..... but back to the Comanche. So I have some cash I'm willing to drop ASAP but want to make sure I get the right stuff on the first shot. My goal is to start driving this truck to work by the end of the month.

 

Any tips anyone can offer to get off on the right start would be appreciated. Where to look for model numbers, reliable part retailers, parts suggestions, stuff to avoid, I'll take anything y'all will give me.

 

Thanks in advance !

[DRUNKMAR1NE]

Better then my light u can't tell they are on unless u are down in the darkest section of the boondocks with no moon

[Jtrux]

The V6 in your truck is more than likely original since it was only offered in that year unless they swapped it from a different '88 with the same V6.

 

I don't know much about the V6's other than that.

 

Is it 2wd? Looks like it but just checking.

 

Safety issues first.

 

I bought my MJ after it sat in a field for 20 years. After I got it running, I started with all the BS to keep me safe.

 

Once you get yours mechanically sound, I'd do the same.

 

Might look into a 5 speed swap to start off with and convert it to external slave.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

[Khor1287]

Well, a couple weeks have gone by and I think I might get this heap back on the road today !

 

First the old:

 

Looks like this old thing needs some work to me.

 

 

 

 

Clutch and pressure plate may have had a little life left but in just replacing everything I pull off at this point.

 

 

Here is the largest source of my problems, worn and leaky slave cylinder and old bearing. Out they go and in come the new.

 

 

An all the shiny new hotness along side the old busted!

 

 

Pressure plate, clutch disc, distributor, rotor, slave cylinder, throw out bearing (or whatever), freeze plugs, air filter, coolant flush and replace and general de-gunking!

 

My two bearings look totally different i just hope that my new one actually works. First clutch I was sold was entirely wrong but this one looks like it will work if the bearing will fit.

 

My goal is to get all this on today and be rolling tonight or tomorrow. Wish me luck ! Or better yet stop on by and give me a hand (I'm just outside Orlando FL), beer and lunch is on me!

[DirtyComanche]

If the engine is an 88 then it's actually out of a Chevy.  Jeep only used the GM 2.8L in 86 in Comanches, and 84-86 in Cherokees.  GM used it for longer than that, and there was some minor differences, but I'm certainly no expert on the subject.

 

I want to say your trans will be a T4.  But umm, I might be forgetting things.

 

I would spend some time evaluating the condition of that engine before doing much else with it.

 

It looks like everything you have body and chassis wise is in good enough shape to fix easily, or it's stuff that can be sourced from an XJ Cherokee, so that's good news.

[Khor1287]

Engine actually starts and runs well, well....well enough for me. Once I get it rolling again I will evaluate it further before throwing money into the engine itself. I drove it home for 2 hours solid at 50ish and it always started, never overheated, sounded fine, had the expected power and was at the time probably the best running part of the truck.

 

I did recently find out that the distributor had one terminal broke and the rotor was falling apart. It was probably running intermittently on 5 cylinders, ish. Not to mention that the air filter looked like it was an original part. So, I'm hoping that once I get those new parts on it should run even better.

[Khor1287]

IT RUNS ! ITS ALIVE ! Its still kind of sketchy....BUT IT RUNS ! but it doesnt have first gear.... BUT IT RUNS ! and who really needs first gear for street driving anyway. IT RUNS !