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Comanche Fun-Runner (LS, Coilovers, Beams...)


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Just picked up another 4.0 to slowly build and get ready to put in. The original motor is running but it's tired and leaks more than I fill it with. The new motor is gonna be nothing crazy. I want it to be super reliable, I wanna be able to really put a lot of miles on this truck. Not be afraid to put miles on it. So a full teardown, cleaning, and refresh at most a small cam to liven it up but nothing that requires a laundry list of supporting upgrades. Also picked up an rem scan tool that will control three fans I'll put in during the swap. If I have time I'll pull the trans and tcase and have them cleaned and freshened up also. The current motor has doused the whole drivetrain in oil for months. After I get bored I'll do a fun engine but it sucks having the truck parked and useless cause I'm afraid of getting stuck somewhere.a629f366abfbdd19768c480eacce78ff.jpg6e1e94f1535646af6cb3c07aa5a83c60.jpge12ab605e4b002f4f12f44f10637a95a.jpg

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Got it soaking overnight with purple power. But needed some satisfaction so cleaned the valve cover and I'm getting excited. Tomorrow I'm gonna power wash it then get it on the stand for initial tear down. Conplilimg my list of parts and hopefully have it in the jeep in the next month or so. I promised myself a trip to the dessert and snow before New year's. Purple power cleans up grease super easily and super well. I wanna make this engine bay immaculate and I want it to be very simple too. I'm thinking of an egr delete.e0526fe13a5dec4ff9d95c7e76ac8a6a.jpg9d10b554206d5716a4faf33639b7cf73.jpg

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Power washed and ordered all the stuff to refresh this engine. Have an entire engine gasket set already with me also that's not pictured. Gonna keep the alternator relocated up high but gonna use my original engines fan clutch bracket as this one came out of a truck that had all electric fans. But it looks great for not even being scrubbed yet. Will look even better after. f9651a54bebd5754ad1b55e67bb9c3f7.jpg1dd85245e083dfd713df7b6e78e9e666.jpg30a89c4ff70673e8ec7872101603e283.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

So, couldnt get the new engine to mate with the trans and got frustrated and resorted to cleaning the engine bay and parts of the trans while I had the chance to. Couple days passed as my frustration subsided till today. I pulled the last two wires off the trans and just pulled it out as well. I am glad I did, its supposed to be Aluminum colored like the valve cover behind it haha. Cleaning will need to happen and mating it to the truck outside, and then I will shoehorn the whole contratopion back into the jeep. In hindsight it would have been easier to pull the trans initally and just suck it up and do it. Live and Learn. Once it's all clean it should go together quickly and back into the truck where I can come tackle small tasks here and there until its running and driving...Also I snatched an 87-90 2.5l I4 coolant reservoir bottle cause itll fit and look factory. I also got all the stuff to do an open cooling system while I'm in there. I can't wait to get the engine in and start plugging away at the small stuff until its running again. 

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Got the new engine in and running, through the process the plan was simple refresh and upgrade where needed. So, all gaskets and seals were done, timing chain, new failsafe t stat, Stant 16lb pressure release rad cap, spectra open radiator, new Heater hoses,  Hesco WP, new plugs, wires, dist cap n rotor, oil filter adapter bolt, belt, clutch, flywheel, shifter bushings,  and tons of cleaning. I did and am in process of wiring up the dual stock e-fans which should keep up well enough for what I plan to do, Muffler was busted so need to replace that, clean up the engine bay little more and I noticed a small oil leak so finding where that is and resolving it.

 

A small bonus was the new engine was already setup with a removed AC pump and the alternator was brought up high. I never wanted AC in this truck and just had the compressor there on the old engine cause finding an AC bypass pulley is not easy. So it was a nice bonus and upgrade that fit right in with what I was doing. 

 

It is running really well and smooth though, the old engine was definitely tired and this engine seems very happy in its new home. Once I fix the last few things Ill take it on a road trip through my local mountains to prove I can drive it reliably after owning it for nearly two years and never having left town with it.

 

For those wondering...the 87-90 4cyl coolant reservoir was a great option. Just had to move the fuel pump resistor and little vacuum sensor to a new existing hole nearby, no wiring or hose modification at all. Fit and finish is factory, for 14$ well worth it over some universal bottle that stands out like a sore thumb. 

 

Pictures to follow. 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Over the last weekend I installed my new Metalcloak Trac bar. I looked at a few options but chose this for a couple specific reasons. 1- Its SOLID Chromoly, 4130 bar. most companies use tube and DOM at that.   2-its setup for LCOG moreso than other brands  3- The heim is gonna wear out and I can install a Johnny joint or some sort of rebuild able joint when it does go out. 4- Larger hardware on both ends and lastly it just rounds out the build since all the other suspension arms are Metalcloak as well, it will all play together properly. Also quickly threw in a new stereo but didnt get photos of that.

 

Some of you might recall I made a relay/fuse box awhile back, I installed that and am in the process of wiring it up. The Fans will each have there own relay based on the thermostatic sensor within the REM Scan tool and will turn on individually. The Amplifier will also have its own relay, and I'm looking into its amp draw to see if it can use the new relay box or need a standalone. I will also have 2 or 3 open accessory positions in the new relay box. The truck runs great, I am slowly tieing up all the loose ends from the engine swap. The battery went kaput during the  process so itll need a new one of those and I will beinstalling a master disconnect on it as well. 

 

Pics to follow 

 

Enjoy my first ever Xmas Ornament in my first place on my own!

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  • 1 month later...

Another upgrade of sorts happened. The silver Grand cherokee is showing signs of wear after over 25k miles in the year I owned it. 

 

So I opened Craigslist and found my next victim.

 

It's a 2006 LJ with 85,000 miles and already has some upgrades: lights, cheap lift, 33's, bumpers, etc.

 

I already have ordered new metal fenders and a few other small things for the LJ

 

It's gonna be the new daily so I went ahead and swapped the All terrains onto it and the Mud Terrains onto the MJ since it is the fun truck, and to me the MJ looks killer now. It looks correct and how it always should have looked. 

 

The MJ also is getting a new battery and gonna finally start driving it more now that life is calming down a bit more I can button up the loose ends. 

 

The LJ will be the summer jeep and the MJ for the cold, wet, snowy days. (it'll stay far from any rust inhibitors though) 

 

But, now I Finally own my two dream jeeps, there is only one more model I want to check of my list which is a FSJ either a 2-door cherokee or a J-20 but those are for the future, not anytime soon. 

 

 

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

Well I bought my first house two weeks ago in southern California, moved my comanche into the garage for the first time, and ended up buying a 4.8 LS that turned out to be a 5.3, slowly but surely this will end up in the comanche with the ax15 behind it.b00c2c2f9ec775204fb6883887b25cb0.jpg48b4ed87bdab2abb49d16ad68b6268c8.jpg

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Glad to see this truck is still around!
Yep, it hasn't gone anywhere, it was sitting in a field the last year or two. With an engine only 20 miles since refresh.

But I've got the means to slowly build a better setup for it. Hopefully more frequent updates from now on.

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  • Comanche SS changed the title to Comanche Fun-Runner (LS, Coilovers, Beams...)

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