1985 Comanche project from Finland, Europe

[RDK_YJ88]

Looks Really good!! those rims came out great!

[A-V]

 

New daily driver for my wife has arrived (replaced the 1989 Cherokee Limited).

 

Spent several hours working on the Comanche and getting the missing parking brake cables today. Hoping to get it inspected by the end of this week.

[dfreeman616]

:eek: why the downgrade?

 

it's probably better for what you need, but i'd have kept the cherokee. the truck is looking good, as always.

[A-V]

:eek: why the downgrade?

 

it's probably better for what you need, but i'd have kept the cherokee. the truck is looking good, as always.

 

Yeah, the XJ had a lot more power and was better off the road, but my wife tends to keep on the road and she's got a 25km commute to work. 18MPG vs 32MPG. No real competition there with gasoline costing 3 times as much as it does in USA...

 

And the Patriot has been a big positive suprise to me so far. Excellent daily driver as among her other choices were a new Mini Cooper, Seat Leon Cupra GT and a Chrysler PT Cruiser. Also testdrove everything from Kia Sportage to Honda CR-V's and the Patriot stood out quite well. It's a damn good Jeep.

 

However I'm very much awaiting for monday when I'm having the Comanche inspected/registered. I tend to like older cars myself.. ;)

[BMJ]

:eek: why the downgrade?

 

it's probably better for what you need, but i'd have kept the cherokee. the truck is looking good, as always.

 

Yeah, the XJ had a lot more power and was better off the road, but my wife tends to keep on the road and she's got a 25km commute to work. 18MPG vs 32MPG. No real competition there with gasoline costing 3 times as much as it does in USA...

 

And the Patriot has been a big positive suprise to me so far. Excellent daily driver as among her other choices were a new Mini Cooper, Seat Leon Cupra GT and a Chrysler PT Cruiser. Also testdrove everything from Kia Sportage to Honda CR-V's and the Patriot stood out quite well. It's a damn good Jeep.

 

However I'm very much awaiting for monday when I'm having the Comanche inspected/registered. I tend to like older cars myself.. ;)

 

 

 

Beautiful job Ur doing on the Manche Man. :cheers: And YEs let the wife drive whaever she feel comfortable with... :bowdown: That way You can have fun with your truck... :D that arrangement work well , I know.

Keep up the great job on the Manche . :brows:

 

Regards.

BMJ

[A-V]

Thanks for the positive feedback again :;)

 

 

However I ran into some problems over the weekend (as I was gonna get it inspected TODAY.. of course..)

 

The truck produced a very annoying problem over the weekend. I was testdriving it to a local Cruising event and while on my way to the gathering spot the truck stalled after some 7 miles or so.

 

Since I hadn't had this happen before and the truck really just stalled on a straight road going some 35mph I though that the gas meter had gone and even though it was saying I had 1/4 tank of gas I phoned a few mates and they brought me 4 gallons worth. I filler her up and restarted. Turns and starts wonderfully, but doesn't run or even promise to do so. After some poking around and putting some gasoline into the throttlebody (the carb looking thingy) and still not running I took out a sparkplug and after inspection it looked just like it should I tested for spark and found none. So I started juggling the wires a bit, here and there while starting but nothing. I called up another mate to have me towed home to work on it and once he arrived the truck started fine and ran smoothly. No problems. I drove a mile and it stalled again and the same problem. starter works fine, no spark. So we started towing the car home, gave it a few tries to jumpstart it while towed - nothing. After some 15 minutes I turned the key and whoah, it started and ran fine again but after stopping by the side of the road it stalled again. So got it towed home, had a few drinks and started looking at it. Started fine, no problems, ran for a minute or two and stalled again. No matter how much I looked around couldn't find anything wrong / out-of-place.

 

So my question is, what would cause this sort of a problem with the spark? The truck had a lot of work done on it but nothing lately and it's ran just fine until this weekend. Any ideas on what to check? Any known problems with 2.5L+renix which would cause symptons like this?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Someone noted on earlier tech posts that it might be the crank position sensor...? Where is this on the 2.5L? Replaced it on my wife's 4.0L earlier but didn't see the sensor near/in the same place on the 2.5L...?

[Pete M]

I apologize for the small pic (all I had in the 'puter), but the upper illustration is a 2.5L an the CPS looks to be in the same general area as the 4.0L, just a bit lower on the bellhousing.

 

[A-V]

Thanks mate. At least now I know where to look... ;)

 

Which years and from which engines does the CPS sensor fit from? Is it just 1986 or other years as well and does the 4.0L sensor work? (would make it easier to find the right part...)

[Wildman]

That's funny, I just looked up the CPS for a 2.5 and it show's the same as a 4.0 sensor- :hmm:

 

AC Delco #2132565

 

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carco ... ttype,7196

 

Check out this page, to check and what to do while you wait for a new CPS-

 

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Eng ... ostics.htm

 

We got to help you keep the good looking '86 MJ running :D

[BMJ]

So have u got the manche running good again mate? :brows:

[A-V]

nope :oops:

 

Been too busy fixing up this and that (like my friend's 1964 rambler classic last weekend) that I haven't even looked at the truck.

 

Actually I'm edging more and more into installing my spare AMC 290cid V8 into the Comanche, haven't found a transmission to boot so it hasn't happened yet. (plus that 290cid is in parts so I need to put it together first).

 

But before I do anything else to the truck I gotta check that CPS and find a couple bolts for the oilpan that have gone missing sometime in the past (it's leaking oil now) AND get it inspected for traffic (I need to drive it to work, getting sick and tired of freeloading on my co-workers).

 

btw. That CPS-sensor is 55euros (+15euros fixed postage rate) locally (=100USD atm) so I'm hoping it's just a bit loose (and not busted).

[A-V]

New taillights arrived yesterday! After a good cleaning they turned out to be nearly perfect (thanks Plumcrazy!) if slightly sunburned.

 

Now I'm trying to decided whether to paint the borders black (or silver) and I may put in a few crome accents. I got a couple ideas on the crome accents so if I go that way I'll be sure to post em all with pics :)

 

Has anyone here clearcoated their old taillights (to hide the sunburned 'matte' finish on a couple places). I've done it in the past and it has done the trick quite nicely, but I'm always looking for new ideas... ;)

[BMJ]

:D I know Man .. sometimes there isn't enough time to get stuff done... :chillin: Take your time and sure hope that it all comes down to a loose CPS ..

Swapping a 290 in there ..WOw nice amc muscle in that 'manche .

Sure gonna have fun with that..

:D

Well sure hope u get it running .. before u run out of friends to ride to work with ..LOL :nuts:

Take care.

BMJ

[A-V]

Okey, since my old taillights were pretty busted up I tried a few things to see what they'd look like.

 

Clearcoating didn't work too well, I had done this in the past but the type of plastic used by Jeep doesn't seem to cope well with a clearcoat (so I wiped the clearcoat off before it dried). Then on to cleaning. Acetone which I tried first melts the plastic, so that was a bit too heavy for this job, but another thinner did the job nicely (i'll check that bottle on what it was). After the total cleaning I used a spacial transparent black clearcoat paint on the broken taillight, waited it to dry and spent a day thinking and looking at it if I should do the same to the new taillights.

 

 

Decided againts it as it would be impossible to undo later (and finding new taillights isn't an option here), plus black taillights on a black truck sort of disappear.. so I just cleaned the NEW taillights with the thinner and added the 3M-stick-on-crome accents (they will now stick better than to the greasy/dirty surface).

 

 

And on to putting them on (also added a few crome accents here and there). I really do like the way they turned out, it seems they add the right amount of custom touch that I wanted to accent the flat black paint in the rear as well.. ;) Too bad it wasn't sunny in the pics (and they're taken with my Nokia)... they do shine quite nicely now..

 

 

Parking brake cables are still uninstalled (doing that this week), and checked the CPS - is installed right = so it's broken, ordering a new one this week.

[BMJ]

:cheers:

any updates on ur 'manche?

got that CPS?

[BMJ]

:D May the New Year bring you more energy to fullfill that comanche project!!!! :cheers:

[Jeepinmanch]

I really like the clean look or your rear bumper i might do something like that on mine. Very nice rig I like the progress, good work!

[A-V]

and back to this project. Work has been eating away my motivation to pop into the garage, but things seem to be cooling down on the financial front so I've got some energy left to the pickup.

 

Front bumper was REALLY starting to bother me so I installed a 1988 Cherokee Laredo Chrome REAR bumper to the front of the pickup. Had to shorten it about 3cm's (err, one inch?) on both ends and I fabricated the braces from the rear bumper's old braces to fit into the front (they are totally different but fit the bumper so I only had to customize one end...). Only thing is that the rear bumper of a Cherokee isn't curved like the front bumpers are so it's a bit 'bulky' in my opinion, but it is chromed and shiny and all of that so I guess it's just what the doctor prescribed.

 

 

This weekend is a lost cause (motorcycle event down south + boozing involved) so I'll get back to the Manche on monday. Hopefully fixing the oil-pan issue and finally doing the rear brake cable swap. After that it's off to the inspection bureau... ;)

[A-V]

Oh ye, I think I managed to fix the old CPS censor by drying it fully and soldering one connection that was almost loose (just before the censor). Might have to order one anyhow, but we'll see that as I start to drive the truck on a regular basis.

 

And another thing. My tailgate needs to be touched up a bit, meaning the ' J e e p ' text on it. What color do you folks think I should paint/sticker it (haven't decided which yet)? Take a look at the pictures posted on this messagechain and give me your opinion. I'll do the letters perhaps next week.

[mfpdm]

And another thing. My tailgate needs to be touched up a bit, meaning the ' J e e p ' text on it. What color do you folks think I should paint/sticker it (haven't decided which yet)? Take a look at the pictures posted on this messagechain and give me your opinion. I'll do the letters perhaps next week.

 

Well on a black MJ, if you want it to stick out, I would say white. If you really want it to stick out, go with the reflective white. Someone on here has that, forgot who. If you just want subtle looks, go with a medium to dark gray. Just my two cents.

 

By the way, MJ is looking good.

 

:cheers:

[BMJ]

:cheers: Glad to read ur back on track man \

 

I concur with mfpdm : :popcorn: U got the chrome / clear lamp set up

to contrast the color of ur rig I'd go with something that blends ( shade of gray ) Or If u got some left over paint from ur truck exterior and experiment adding some metallic Light gray or silver until u get a shade u like) :nuts:

[bigbockscomanche]

man thats one purty rig

[dakal]

 

got a great looking truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

i know what you mean about fixing other peoples skills :roll:

 

keep us posted.

[500 MJ]

Hyvää Päivää!

 

I'm over in Finland right now studying overseas. I'll be here until June 17th in Tampere. What would you suggest that I go see while I'm here?

 

- Brent (-$500 MJ)

[A-V]

Heya mates. Took a bit of time to get back to the Comanche again, bought a motorcycle and it being in the middle of the summer currently I've been riding & working on that for the last months.

 

But to the point. Comanche is now very close to roadworthy, took apart the underbody a bit (starter, engine-tranny support brace, clutch lower cover and oil pan) to fix up a few oil leaks and managed to fix the issue with the oil leaking from the ex-oil pressure feeder on the side of the engine (oil pressure sender unit was broken sometime in past and cut in and in addition a cut drill bit was in the hole to make things perfect..heh..) But it's all good now. Took me 3 days though.

 

 

But hey, the dude staying in Tampere. Get in touch via PM... ;)

 

I'll post some new pics soon.