86 2.5 valve cover swap

[saveevryjp1998]

Has anyone done this keeping factory style vacuum lines and airbox. I'm in the middle of this now and have not much for pics or write ups just a lot of speculation and pretty pics of fancy motors or shiny polished covers. Not any vacuum routing part numbers etc. I just redone every vacuum line, thermostat, housing, water pump, fan clutch(yes I'm keeping it), belt, radiator, hoses, fan shroud and whatever else I forgotten. I'm trying to keep it as close to stock as possible. My cover had almost every bolt hole cracked and 2 more in the cover itself. I bought it after it sat for 5 years in a barn and it fired with a jump. Under the hood needed some serious cleaning just to see where to start since I couldn't even tell what was leaking from where. I seem to buy every mj that should already have been crunched but just can't seem to let them do it! Its my first 2.5 and my first 86 jeep. Most of my xjs and mjs have been 87 to to 90 which I like the most. Any help is appreciated thanks.

[Jeep Driver]

 

[saveevryjp1998]

There is nothing in that poat about vacuum line routing. There is just info and a pic of a gasket. We were both on there as well. The question and info on here that I am specifically searching for is not in what you need for a cover or gasket but the end results in how it was done. There are no clean finished pics of airbox, vacuum routing exc. for an 86 let alone any other year as well as doing several web searches and looking at other jeep forums. I have seen that others have claimed to have done it as well as seeing a nice painted or polished cover. Again no finished completed routed projects. That is what I'm curious about as well as what has worked best for people. I also do not wish to hear ditch the 2.5 and swap a 4.0. I have never owned a 2.5 until recently and I'm quite impressed. I bought another ho a week later. I have 2 4.0's in the garage and about 8 transmissions and cases but they are not getting swapped. The goal is to clean up and old 2.5 and pusg the truck to see what it is capable of. I believe it will do much more than what people think offroad especially if I build it lightweight and not to the sky. My first truck was an  lwb 2 wheel drive s-10 2.8. The 86 2.5 mj lwb 2 wheel drive sitting in a barn for 5 years of neglect and quadruple the miles 20 years later has more ooomf behind the wheel to begin with in the state its in. Let me tell you that s-10 jumped more railroad tracks than Bo and Luke combined.

[saveevryjp1998]

And yes I already polished my cover too. Ive just finished the vacuum lines except cover. Now, before I proceed further, am questioning myself as to keep the stock air box. This is the real reason for this post as to see an actual gain in power or any loss of mileage from others who have done this swap.

[yxmj]

You didn't gain enough power by polishing your valve cover?

Now you want more?

[saveevryjp1998]

Actually, I was hoping everyone that reads this post would send me more polish so I could buff it more to make more horsepower.

[saveevryjp1998]

I just decided to run stock vacuum setup, airbox, and swapped cover for now. Ill notate mileage. Later will swap to open style cold air and do the same for any other curious souls. I wish to keep it near stock, but even here in the city of Indianapolis no one seams to ever have air filters on the shelf. I'm guessing because the 2.5 is so awesome 😄.  Using this as an experiment for an upcoming lightweight minimalist approach for a 2.5 trail rig mj. I don't like the idea of expensive hard to find paper filters when I can buy 2 good aftermarket reusable to keep a spare on standby ready to go on dusty days or at least a few sock covers.