Liketosmash Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 First a big thanks to everyone who has contributed to this site. I have spent the last several months reading many of the thousands of posts here to get up to speed on what to do and what can be done. Over the past couple of months I have been working hard on bringing an 87 Comanche back to life. It has been sitting in a field for years as a 2WD with a blown I4. And now its on its way to being an I6 4x4 thanks to a rolled donor 88 Cherokee. Still a long way to go and lots to do but I'm about to put the engine back in and get it running again so figured it's time to post as it's really going to happen. Of course then I have to get some new tires, find a missing Comanche emblem, look for some turbine rims, redo the interior, Fix the rust, install a nice radio, get it painted.... on and on. Here's some pics from the start of the project and I'll follow up with more as it progresses. Picture Descriptions: As it was found Old blown motor Donor I6 from a 88 Cherokee Side by side with both motors pulled Emptying the MJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 Engine Bay prepped, motor mounts in, front axle in, front axle re-geared, AC airbox in, Interior stripped, white gauge cluster repainted and installed, motor torn down and started cleaning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Nice find. Don't be too quick to chuck those 2.5L parts. There are members on here who are looking for 86-90 specific pieces that don't interchange with the 91+ 2.5L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 The 2.5L parts are in the back of the donor Cherokee for now so if someone needs something they can PM me and I'll be happy to get it to them for a reasonable price. The block has 2 rods sticking out of it so that won't be of much value to anyone 4.0L Motor going back together and making it pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 Just need to put the last few pieces back to together and drop it in. Sure seems seems like it shouldn't have taken this long but this has taken about 2.5 months working nearly every night. Of course there were plenty of set backs like finding the right axle seals and bearings, ordering parts, getting the right parts, pulling missing parts from the salvage yard, ordering more parts that I didn't realize I needed and of course re-filling the wallet. Oh yeah and cleaning, how can I forget the hours and hours and hours of cleaning. Hopefully by tonight I will have it all re-assembled and dropped into the truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Nice. Looks good! Still rolling with the BA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 Yeah the BA isn't my top pick but it's what I have for now. If I stumble across an AX15 or NV3500 I'll probably swap it in the future but supposedly the BA-10 was running well in the Cherokee donor I pulled it from. This is the one item that probably has me stressed the most. Honestly never driven a Comanche or a Cherokee so not sure what to expect. Compared to my 83 CJ I'm expecting a little nicer ride. The CJ is going to move to be more of a trail rig and the plan for the Comanche is to have it be a little prettier, be mostly road driven and double as a CJ rescue vehicle when needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglescout526 Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Make due with what you got right? Hopefully it will last until you need to replace it. The yellow and silver paint scheme looks pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 Looking very good. I have the BA10 in mine and it works fine. I'm still always looking for a Ax-15! Hopefully it will just be an upgraded not a need. Can't wait to see your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 8, 2020 Author Share Posted January 8, 2020 Motor is in! Now to get everything around it installed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 that is a bright engine! are you planning on painting the truck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 Great work! Keep the pics coming! Buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 10, 2020 Author Share Posted January 10, 2020 Thanks for the comments and motivation I hope to get it painted but I might wait until spring to get that started. So far thinking of a dark forest green for the outside to compliment the tan interior but we will see. Lots of metal work on the floor pans and body before I can get to that. As for progress, lots of small things done over the last 2 days. Power steering installed, starter, alternator, changed the fuel connectors, Trans cross member, Fuel rail and injectors, oil filter, spark plugs, lots more cleaning and painting of all the small parts as I try to remember where they all go. Still need to finish all the transmission connections, drain and inspect the fuel tank, install the distributor cap and rotor, prime the oil, re-seal the rear diff, fill the front diff, change fluids for the transfer case and transmission, bleed the brakes, reinstall the front clip, get the rear driveshaft cut down, buy some tires, find 1 Comanche emblem, figure out what I'm doing about tail lights as the passenger side is broken, more... Feeling a bit tired and can't wait to fire it up but I'm off to Florida for a week so updates are going to be slow for a bit and unfortunately I'm not going to get to hear it before I leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buxmj Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 Welcome to Florida, enjoy your time! We will have near record highs for the next 2 days and just slight chance of rain for the next week, probably just what you wanted to have during your vacation. I don't know where you will be for your trip but the weather should be good state wide, have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesD Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Yes, welcome to the Sunshine state! Great progress, look forward to seeing it run. Bux - We are neighbors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 Progress and set backs... Made it back from Florida trying to get motivated again and do all the little things I forgot when putting the engine back in. -Fuel and transmission lines are hooked back up -Making progress on getting the shifter and 2wd-4wd lever in the truck. -Wiring hooked up -Exhaust down pipe reconnected -Fuel in the tank -Battery and box in - More painting and cleaning Hooked up the power for the very first time and gauges came to life and fuel pump did its thing Cranked it over and the starter turned the motor which is very promising since I really don't know how much was working Quickly found a big fuel leak where the regulator meets rail Tried to clean up the o-ring without success but the engine popped a few times which is a good sign that things are heading in the right direction. I also attempted to install my front drive shaft from a donor 89 Cherokee and found out that my front drive shaft is too long as its from an automatic. The only shop that cuts driveshafts in town apparently is out of business so I purchased a used one from ebay that should work.. I hope. Of course I still need to get a drive shaft made for the rear. Originally I was going to cut down the 2wd rear driveshaft but I think I am going to lengthen the one from the Cherokee instead as it doesn't have the bonded rubber deal. The good news... I have an emblem and taillight in the mail thanks to this forum. Dorman Help 80020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 Quick update on the project.... IT's ALIVE!!! After fixing several fuel leaks she's running great -New o-ring in fuel rail -tightened several leaking clamps around the fuel filter -pulled fuel pump as the engine ran for a while and died out and found the in the tank hose connecting to the fuel pump had ruptured and turned to mush Gotta say it sounds fantastic Other items I've gotten done since the last post: - Radiator, tank and hoses installed - Cut out the heater control vacuum switch as the plastic connector broke putting it back in - A/C lines and compressor hooked back up. Still need to be charged but that may be a spring project - Air box cleaned and back in with a new filter - Washer fluid reservoir back in - Pulled rear tires and drums and found the drums were awful. Thankfully the ones from the Donor Cherokee were great and a direct fit - Opened rear Diff and in the process of cleaning and refilling Up Next - Tires and driveshafts... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, Liketosmash said: -pulled fuel pump as the engine ran for a while and died out and found the in the tank connecting to the fuel pump had ruptured and turned to mush Hope you replace it with in tank fuel hose. Something about hose submerged in fuel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 28, 2020 Author Share Posted January 28, 2020 2 minutes ago, Ωhm said: Hope you replace it with in tank fuel hose. Something about hose submerged in fuel. Yeah I have to say when I pulled that mess out I was like... what a dumb design. I think that hose and the rubber bushings that had also turned to mush were the most disgusting thing yet. And that is saying a lot since the battery tray and other areas where full of rat nests and the treats they left behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ωhm Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 I'm trying to say, there's a different kind of hose (rateing) for being submerged in fuel. Hope your Yeah meant that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 Yes, I fully understand it needs to be a hose rated to be submerged in fuel...Thanks! As for status updates: - Rear brakes done and brakes bled - Transmission filled - Transfer case filled - Rear Diff cleaned, re-sealed and filled - Started stripping and painting the steel rims - Rear drive shaft made and installed For those that want to know I went with a 42" u-joint to u-joint rear driveshaft. I would say it could have been 1/4 to 1/2 longer and been fine. This is for a BA-10 4x4 with a Dana 35. I lengthened the Cherokee shaft rather than cutting down the 2wd Comanche driveshaft with the rubber sleeve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 2nd attempt Front driveshaft is in New tires and painted rims done Grill is also going back together. Still need to get the bumper cleaned up and back together plus the interior. I know the purists will probably hate it but I like it. Also starting to get the exhaust done. I went with a thrush turbo style for the exhaust and it sounds quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liketosmash Posted February 11, 2020 Author Share Posted February 11, 2020 Exterior is put back together other than a few small things and it's registered, plated and back on the road. Unfortunately I think the BA10 is about shot. Sounds like the bearings are going out on it so I have been looking for an ax-15 but not much on my area. Seems like most of these are automatics around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 car-part.com can help find a trans, though it may not be super close. there's always the option for a rebuilt AX-15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89 MJ Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I’m in WI and I’ll have a BA-10/5 if you would want another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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