"Wendy"- 88 Jeep Comanche Build

[Swampy]

So far I have removed the full interior, interior harness, hvac box, engine, underhood harness, and washed the engine bay. Also removed the frame horns for the 2.5l engine mounts and need to remove the brake booster to install the xj dual diaphram booster.

 

Videos documenting the swap progess --->> 4.0l swap chronicles

 

Engine out (jeep went up like 2" once the weight of the engine was off the mounts)

 

Before washing

 

After washing 

[Swampy]

Painted the engine bay as I figured since most things are out of the way. This is the cleanest this engine bay will ever be lol.

[rosco11]

Painted the engine bay as I figured since most things are out of the way. This is the cleanest this engine bay will ever be lol.

Nice work!

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Swampy]

13 hours ago, rosco11 said:

Nice work!

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 

Thank you

[Pete M]

nice!   I doubt I'll ever own one that clean. 

 

seems like now's the perfect time for a dual booster swap  

[Swampy]

4 hours ago, Pete M said:

nice!   I doubt I'll ever own one that clean. 

 

seems like now's the perfect time for a dual booster swap  

Yup I am planning on that. The xj I currently have has a dual booster. I was trying to get off the brake lines from the proportioning valve and they wouldn't budge even with line wrenches. 

[Pete M]

2 minutes ago, Swampy said:

Yup I am planning on that. The xj I currently have has a dual booster. I was trying to get off the brake lines from the proportioning valve and they wouldn't budge even with line wrenches. 

 

 

It's just a combo valve.  best to remove it in favor of a prop valve from a Grand so as to better accmmodate those rear disks  

[Swampy]

Today I got some more things done

 

Finished pulling the dash harness, hvac box and interior pieces from the xj. 

 

May have gone a little over board with the marking of connectors but I just wanted this swap to be as easy as possible.

 

Lastly I got the prize out of the xj, the 4.0l motor. I also swapped the frame horns and hvac box into  Wendy.

 

working on grass in a non shaded backyard is not easy but I can't wait to have the comanche up and running again.

[Swampy]

Just now, Pete M said:

 

 

It's just a combo valve.  best to remove it in favor of a prop valve from a Grand so as to better accmmodate those rear disks  

Might do just that. Is there a write up in the DIY section?

[Pete M]

probably.   

[Swampy]

So far I am really enjoying this 96 swap. It is going really smoothly as it is 95% bolt in. Its not 100% bolt in are there are a few holes that have to be drilled. I think this is the easier "97+ swap" if you do not care about having the updated interior. I will drop a playlist of videos I am making as I am doing this engine swap.

 

Today I swapped in the obd2 steering column, 96 dash, dash harness, fuse panel and I pulled the interior harness/tail light harness.

 

 

 

 

[Swampy]

Soooooo the whole 96 swap is complete. I got it done on thursday but I am just getting around to making a post about it. I know the 96 xj was the first year of obd2 and kinda the least desirable but I think it is a great option for those people who don't really care about having the updated interior. The 96 swap is about 95% bolt-in, only a couple holes have to drilled for the fuse panel, relay block, and the steering column. There are no firewall modifications and everything swaps from the cherokee to comanche. My biggest concern was the frame horns but they bolted up just fine.

Here are these pictures I took

engine bolted up

 

My interior is all mix matched 

  

 

Core support installed

 

[Swampy]

a short clip of the first start

https://imgur.com/gallery/TikowV0

[Swampy]

I did have to get a new tank from an 86-87 comanche without the slosh pan inside the tank to be able run the xj sending unit and fuel pump.

[Swampy]

Here is the playlist of videos I made. Not great but better than not having videos of the swap

 

[neohic]

10 hours ago, Swampy said:

I did have to get a new tank from an 86-87 comanche without the slosh pan inside the tank to be able run the xj sending unit and fuel pump.

Any modifications to the XJ pump?

[Swampy]

45 minutes ago, neohic said:

Any modifications to the XJ pump?

No modifications to the xj pump. 

[Swampy]

So I got the comanche to move under its own power! I was luckt the 2wd xj driveshaft I had bolted up because the current driveshafts are too short in the front and too long in the rear. 

Here is just a quick video I put together of some random clips

 

[Swampy]

Wendy in all her glory. Finally looking like a jeep again.

[MiNi Beast]

Damn that looks great.  I'm very impressed.  I have spent my time on some projects but this is a great example of what I try to achieve. Well done good sir them hedges look excellent. 

[Swampy]

10 minutes ago, MiNi Beast said:

Damn that looks great.  I'm very impressed.  I have spent my time on some projects but this is a great example of what I try to achieve. Well done good sir them hedges look excellent. 

 

I appreciate the kind words. Never thought of my jeep as something someone is trying to achieve as I am always looking to others.

 

[MiNi Beast]

I like the front fenders for sure and have been debating whether to go with something like you have. And with seeing yours I'm sold on it. I dig the green with black accent color. 

[Swampy]

3 minutes ago, MiNi Beast said:

I like the front fenders for sure and have been debating whether to go with something like you have. And with seeing yours I'm sold on it. I dig the green with black accent color. 

I thought about color matching the fenders to the jeep but I am glad I didnt. I have a video on youtube about the installation process and what not. The ones I have are the first gen dirt bound ones, second gen is the same but with a flat flare not a tube flare.

[Pete M]

oh yeah, I do love a project getting wrapped up and enjoyed.  

 

if you can, try to upload the pics to the CC directly   just in case Imgur ever pulls a photobucket on us.  

 

 

[Swampy]

17 hours ago, Pete M said:

oh yeah, I do love a project getting wrapped up and enjoyed.  

 

if you can, try to upload the pics to the CC directly   just in case Imgur ever pulls a photobucket on us.  

 

Will do.