floridaftwman Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Picked this Comanche up last month from Stuart, FL. It’s a Florida truck and I’m the third owner. Only been a few years out of my life I’ve not been around a Jeep. Grandad had an ‘83 CJ7 and dad’s had a ‘84 CJ7, ‘85 XJ, ‘96 XJ, and currently drives an ‘01 XJ. This is the first Jeep I’ve owned. The MJ is bone stock other than the paint. It’s nearly rust free with just a few places with surface rust on the body, and a spot about the size of my palm on the passenger floor pan.... hoping not to find anymore when I pull the carpet. It runs and drives, but has its quirks. Doesn’t need much to be a daily - exhaust has some small holes, the oil cap and the grommets for the vacuum harness’ coming from the valve cover leak a bit of oil, rear main leaks a little bit, fuel tank leaks at the pump when full, needs a little bit of suspension/steering/alignment work, AC needs a recharge (it’s been converted to R134a) and a few small electrical problems - driver side parking lights, cab lights, shift indicator lights and the lights that illuminate the AC panel. There’s also no horn or radio. I’ve put about 1k miles on it in the last month including the 2 hour drive home and haven’t had any real issues. I’m really trying to avoid putting a lot of money into it for a couple of reasons. I don’t need it as a daily and I want to find a solid donor 97+ XJ 4x4 and have the conversion done by a Jeep shop up the street from my house. I don’t have the time, space, or all the skills to do it myself. I’ll for sure keep the thread updated with photos as I tinker with it and prepare for the swap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Pulled the lower dash panel out to replace the headlight switch. The dimmer was shot, and hopefully it fixes the left side parking lamps being out. I checked power to the sockets earlier this week. Getting just under 12V to the front and rear. Switch should be here Tuesday. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 I also picked up some vacuum line and made a more stable repair to the lines that control the AC vent controls.Before: After:Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 47 minutes ago, floridaftwman said: The dimmer was shot, and hopefully it fixes the left side parking lamps being out. I checked power to the sockets earlier this week. Getting just under 12V to the front and rear. Dimmer switch has nothing to do with parking lamps. Check all three bulbs (parking lamps) on the driver side. Use/replace with right side bulbs. Do front side marker lamps work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 The marker lamps work.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Dimmer switch has nothing to do with parking lamps. Check all three bulbs (parking lamps) on the driver side. Use/replace with right side bulbs. Do front side marker lamps work? Also, all the bulbs are good.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Check the ground tab in the socket they like to fall apart. It's on the side not in the bottom. That was why mine wouldn't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Check the ground tab in the socket they like to fall apart. It's on the side not in the bottom. That was why mine wouldn't work. For clarification, you’re referring to the ground tab in the bulb socket? As far as I could tell from when I tested it earlier in the week, all wires in the socket were intact.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Yes it is in the socket. The tab you can see in this picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Oh, ok I see what you mean!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 If you have to replace that socket, make sure you get the later XJ sockets. They are much better and are metal instead of plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 If you have to replace that socket, make sure you get the later XJ sockets. They are much better and are metal instead of plastic. Do these work in the front and rear?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Just the front ones. I don't know about the rears. I remember a few talks about replacing rear sockets but I honestly don’t know if anyone found a viable replacement as the Cherokee rears are too small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 3, 2019 Author Share Posted June 3, 2019 Thanks eaglescout. I found the metal ones you were talking about at quadratec. I also found these and see that crown has them listed to fit the rear. Can anyone confirm these fit?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 No problem. For $16 I’d give one of those a fitment shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 4, 2019 Author Share Posted June 4, 2019 Just ordered Dorman 46003, 46004, and 46005. I don’t think I’ve got any vacuum leaks, but the grommets are leaking on the valve cover and there’s a slew of electrical tape on a number of the lines where the harnesses mate. Should have those and the headlight switch by the end of the week. Since I have the weekend off, I plan on turning some wrenches. Can’t say I won’t get antsy and work on it after work though. Plan on doing cruiser54’s oil cap mod too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 6, 2019 Author Share Posted June 6, 2019 Installed the new headlight switch. It restored the dimmer on the cluster, but that’s it. Pulled the left parking light out and confirmed the ground tab is broken inside the socket. I ordered two from Quadratech. Other lights currently not working: top rear left brake lamp right high beam cabin lamps shift indicator hvac controller illumination The driver side map light doesn’t clip into place, so I think I’m going to get the Euratec A-7180 map lights. But before I work on the lights in the cabin, I want to fix the right side high beam and top left brake lamp. The fuses and bulbs for both of those lamps are good... I might get back to work on it Friday, definitely gonna work on it Saturday. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 Decided to take off of work today. Been home from school for about an hour and already got the lower dash panel put back into place and was also able to swap out the vacuum harness. It was pretty painless, though I had to muscle the new grommets into the valve cover. I noticed a little bit of oil residue around the perimeter of the air filter. The filter itself seems to be free of oil residue. Is this something to be alarmed with? I don’t have an old bicycle tube on hand to do the oil cap mod. Gonna keep my eyes peeled for a trash bike. Next up is the parking lamp sockets. Just waiting on them from Quadratec. I’ve gotta get a soldering iron too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 7, 2019 Author Share Posted June 7, 2019 New development:So, when the lights are on, the left side indicator has been illuminating on the dash. Well, now it’s the right side. Along with that, the right side marker lamp is out now, along with the right side parking lamp. I did take the housing/bezel apart yesterday to inspect the ground tab socket on the parking lamp. I honestly don’t even know where to begin now....Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Ask over in the Tech forum. not everyone looks at the builds every day and so that way more eyes will see your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 So the rain finally subdued and I was going a bit stir crazy so I pulled half the MJ into the garage to try and tackle these parking and side marker lamp issues. First decided to check the bulbs again and clean the sockets with contact cleaner.... This is the right side... the one that mysteriously went out on me yesterday after I had pulled the bezel off to compare the insides of the parking lamp socket from the left side. I swapped the bulb out from the left side and.... Next I checked power going to the left side parking lamp socket... So, it’s getting power.... I’m assuming I’m having the same issue as with the right side, even though the ground tab is intact. I’m glad I ordered two. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 Quick update before bed. Lights currently not working (and probable solutions): top rear left brake lamp (bulb) front parking lamps (sockets) right high beam (?) hvac controller illumination (?) cabin lamps (Euratec A-7180 swap) shift indicator (found out this is not a light, but a mechanically or vacuum controlled??? bar that hovers over the gear that’s selected). More on shift indicator: Half of the tabs on the steering wheel trim are broken and I got to fiddling with it when I had the dash apart for the headlight switch. I noticed the indicator moving some. It settled in reverse when I was in drive and then moved back into the abyss when I put it in park. I have some minor suspension/steering/alignment issues, so I think I’m gonna put this on the backburner. Plan is to fix what I’ve found solutions for regarding the lights, check the connector from the engine harness to the front headlamp harness per cruiser’s tip, and refresh the grounds - I noticed the one behind the rear left light housing was painted over, and that can’t be good. Once all that’s finished, I’ll move on to the remaining lights. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 Checked the front light harness connector and while it was pretty dirty, it’s not melted out, nor is it showing any signs of melting.Unplugged and sprayed contact cleaner on a bunch of other connectors in the engine bay as well. On my way to the JY with dad, mainly cause he’s a hermit and needs to get out of the house... maybe I’ll get lucky.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kansashogan Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 If I were you I would put LED bulbs in the interior lights. I put the new Euratecs in mine and it was still really dim. It's only a few bucks and they make a big difference. I even put a cheapie LED strip in the middle of the headliner above the window. Now it is really bright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaftwman Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 If I were you I would put LED bulbs in the interior lights. I put the new Euratecs in mine and it was still really dim. It's only a few bucks and they make a big difference. I even put a cheapie LED strip in the middle of the headliner above the window. Now it is really bright. Thanks for the heads up. One of the housings is broken and won’t stay in place. I figured I could sell off the good one(maybe even the broken one too) and it’ll pay for the Euratecs. Can you put LED bulbs in the Euratecs?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now