jeepmjga Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 Hey all, just wanted to introduce myself because I'm sure I will be needing some help and info soon. Just picked up an 89 MJ Pioneer, 4.0, 4x4, 5 spd, and short bed! A little history about myself, I've owned 4 different XJ's over the years, varying modifications, a couple stockers, a 92 with front leafs, D44's sitting on 37s, and an 88 with full widths sitting on 38's. Been wanting an MJ for years and finances and life finally allowed me to find one. Just looking to make this a bit of a fart around town/farm truck. Anyway enough rambling, looking forward to digging in and getting to know this ol' girl and to picking everyone's brains. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatslug87 Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 Welcome to CC! Please add your VIN with some pics & details to the Registry and someone will get you a build sheet. Thanks https://comancheclub.com/forum/32-1989/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdog Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 Welcome, looks solid. be sure to do cruisers tips(link in signature) and add it to the registry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted February 10, 2021 Author Share Posted February 10, 2021 Will do, looking forward to getting into it. Almost done with this bathroom remodel (gotta make the wife happy first haha) then its game on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 welcome to the addiction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted February 10, 2021 Share Posted February 10, 2021 welcome! seems like there has been a bunch of members joining recently with black swbs with turbines. just me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted March 5, 2021 Author Share Posted March 5, 2021 Well, my descent into madness has begun haha. Finally turned a wrench on the truck today. Have a nice pile of new parts waiting for installation. Removed the bench seat, floor pans look surprisingly good. A coat of paint and they should look brand new. Ran a new speedo cable, old one was in pretty bad shape, found out I'm missing the clip on the back of the speedo at the dash so need to find one of those. Decided I would just peek at the fuel pump and tank and see whats what. As expected going to need a new tank, the current one is full of rust. So here's the plan so far... Parts currently in the man cave... Alternator Fuel pump and filter Full clutch replacement and hydraulics Full front and rear brakes Rear main seal Crank sensor Parts on order... SYE for the 231 4.5" Rubicon Express Super Flex with full rear leaves Dirtbound front and rear bumpers Full 231 rebuild Apparently RE is out of stock on the lift until April, same story with AA and the 231 SYE. Should give me some time to get it running properly first. Looks like it has been converted to open cooling already and the more I dig into it the more new(ish) parts I'm finding on it. Anyway, thanks for looking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 run it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 eww Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted March 10, 2021 Author Share Posted March 10, 2021 Out with the old, in with the new. Tank, pump, and filter. Not too bad, a little PB blaster made things easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted March 18, 2021 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 Some progress over the last week or so...new clutch installed, rear main, CPS, oil pan gasket, still need to put the new master cylinder in but will get around to that this weekend or next week hopefully. Thanks to some help in the tech forum got it cranked up and running but need to replace a coolant hose. An open cooling conversion was already done when I bought it. Added a nice new battery tray from Dirtbound as the old one was missing. Finally got some new goodies from Quadratec, looking forward to getting the lift on soon. Also cleaned up some sketchy wiring stuff in the engine bay and figured out the headlight/taillight situation. Will be working on Cruisers tips soon and inspecting all the vacuum lines for leaks. Went with the RE 4.5 Superflex kit for the lift... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 that's a big ol' pile of goodies there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted March 26, 2021 Author Share Posted March 26, 2021 Indeed, Def ready to get working on those. Exhaust should be taken care of this week. Had to pull the trans again due to a bad slave cylinder line, thread is over in the repair forum. Pics for reference though. Lesson learned, always thoroughly inspect all new parts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 Slowly making more progress, new rear shoes, drums and hardware. Decided I will just make a new bar for the height valve as mine is missing. New front calipers, pads, rotors and wheel hubs. Got the drivers side front done but the axle nut is pretty frozen on the pass side so will try and tackle that this weekend. Broke a 24" breaker bar trying to get it off, but I have a little bit beefier one to try this weekend. Also went ahead and put on the new SS extended brake lines for the lift while I was at it. The 231 SYE arrived today but had a brain fart when I ordered the lift and realized "duh the XJ rear springs won't work dummy!" Set of Alcans on the way in.....6 weeks Oh well, more time to fiddle with other things in the mean time. Next up is interior, have some POR15, 2 boxes of Noico and new carpet sitting in the house ready to go in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 Pretty productive weekend. Got the frozen axle nut loose but unfortunately the wheel hub and outer shaft were so frozen together with rust I couldn't get them apart. Ordered a new outer and one piece inner shaft to go ahead and get the CAD delete done and everything buttoned back up on Monday. Went ahead and knocked out the interior while I'm waiting on the new shaft. POR15, Noico and some new carpet really freshened things up a bit. Gonna clean the bench seat and refresh the trim tomorrow. Hopefully it will be registered and on the road by next weekend. Still need to drive it up to the exhaust shop when all that is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted April 11, 2021 Author Share Posted April 11, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 11, 2021 Share Posted April 11, 2021 getting close! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 Well a sort of successful end to the weekend. Finished up the floor and put the seat back in and scored some sweet floor mats from the local Advance Auto. Managed to make a new bracket and cobbled together an adjustable rod for the rear height valve. However, the brakes don't want to seem to bleed so thats the next conundrum. I did drive it around the block under its own power though. Clutch works smooth and the motor seems to be running pretty good for just having a downpipe for exhaust. After brakes are figured out, its on to the exhaust shop. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 13, 2021 Share Posted April 13, 2021 love the adjustable brake rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted April 22, 2021 Author Share Posted April 22, 2021 Well, after much ado about nothing it seems, I finally took it for a legit drive around the neighborhood today! Clutch works great, brakes work great after a lot of head scratching and replacement parts. Ended up going with the Wilwood prop valve and deleting the rear height valve even though it turns out I probably didn't need to. Hopefully can make it to the exhaust shop on friday and then its on to figure out this dash electronics situation while waiting on the rear springs and bumpers. Thanks again to everyone that chimed in on the brake thread, this really is a great community! Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 22, 2021 Share Posted April 22, 2021 if it all works great, then it's a victory! no longer matters what the cost was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted April 30, 2021 Author Share Posted April 30, 2021 Well the interior is done for now, got the stereo in and all wired up, but still on the hunt for some replacement interior pieces. Now its just a waiting game for my new title to come in the mail, then ill finally be able to get this exhaust done and after that, just waiting on rear springs and bumpers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse J Posted May 1, 2021 Share Posted May 1, 2021 looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepmjga Posted May 24, 2021 Author Share Posted May 24, 2021 Small update, waiting on rear springs from Alcan and bumpers from Dirtbound but have replaced steering box, tie rod ends and hoping to put new rear wheel bearings and seals in this weekend. Had a friend custom 3d print me a sick shift knob. Painted and finished tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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