For Sale 1989 Comanche in FLORENCE, KY 4.0/Auto $7500

[coolwind57]

I hate this, but I think I need to sell my 89.  I barely drive it and I just can no longer really justify her.  A two-seater truck just doesn't fit with my family and I only drive it once or twice a week as if it was a garage queen corvette or something.  My plan this week is to take some more professional-grade photos and put it out there, probably on FB marketplace. So here's some quick shots as it sits crowded in my driveway.  BTW, I hadn't cleaned it yet, so it needs a good wipe down. 

 

I thought I'd see if any of you guys have interest in it as it sure would be cool to go to a true Comanche fan.   New slightly-built engine has less than 3000 miles on it.  

 

 

[coolwind57]

A lot of reading here, but below is my recorded notes on most but not all of the stuff I did to it over the years.

 

The highlights:  New engine with 2,794 miles as I type this.  Dana 44.  AC-Delete.  Mileage is currently 143,683 on the trans and body.  MonstaLiner on body and bed. No real issues other than the common slight leak that I'm still working on---valve cover or rear main seal. 

 

Here you go...happy reading:  

 

1989 Long bed 4.0, Auto (Column).   Bought August 2017 with 97K miles (Aug17)

Window channel upgraded with Home Depot flat weatherstripping (Aug17)

Replaced both manual window worm gears with used from an 89 XJ (Sep17)

Installed a 88-90's clock pulled from a junkyard XJ (Sep17)

Upgraded to used 1998 Cherokee Window trim seals (Sep17)

Upgraded to used 1998 Cherokee mirrors (Sep17)

Replaced front turn signal housings with used (Sep17)

Performed headlight Relay mod (Sep17)

Deleted heater control valve HCV (Sep17)

Performed Cruiser54's ground Refreshing Tips 1 (ground refreshing) (Sep17)

Upgraded to new WJ Lower Control Arms (Sep 20, 2017)

Performed Cruiser's Blower Motor Performance Tip 28 (29Sep17)

Upgraded to WJ Upper Control Arms (7Oct17)

Replaced Steering Stabilizer (7Oct17)

Replaced stock track bar with new, stock trackbar (9Oct17)

Repaired floor pans.  Had to replace some sheet metal, but overall the condition wasn't too bad.  Sprayed bedliner over ChassisSaver (late Oct17)

Replaced valve cover gasket with FELPRO PermaDry Plus, VS50522T (24Oct17)

Performed valve cover inner flute mod (24Oct17)

Upgraded metric oil filter nipple with SAE 34"x16 threads Mopar.  Oil change and WIX 1773 oversize filter.  Took 7 quarts.  (25Oct17)

Purchased Krustyballer's Rear bumper (30Nov17)

Coated entire exterior of body with WWII Olive Drab MonstaLiner (6Dec17)

Removed and upgraded negative batter-to-block cable with 2-gauge (22Dec17)

Replaced faulty driver-side door light switch. (22Dec17)

Removed and thoroughly cleaned throttle body & AIT.  Re-indexed TB butterfly (Tip 14).  Upon re-installed, properly set TPS to specs (26Dec17)

Converted to "open" cooling system by installing upper radiator hose in-line pressure cap and XJ recovery bottle.  Installed backflush "T" at heater hose. (30Dec17)

Relocated vacuum bottle to the firewall, shortening breakage prone vacuum lines. (2Jan18)

Performed Cruiser54's tips 3 (connector relay refresh), 4 (coil/ICM contacts), 5 (checking ground sensors), 10 (trans plug connector). (15Jan18)

Installed new brass-contact Duralast Gold distributor cap and button (15Jan18)

Installed new CPS.  Modified to advance the timing by tapping sensor upwards.  Modified top bolt hole by boring from 5/16" factory to 3/8".  (28Jan18)

Installed new MOPAR TPS (3Feb18)

Upgraded to new YITAMOTOR 746 fuel injectors (3Feb18)

Performed Cruiser54's Tip 5.  Found no troublesome ground connections within wiring harness. (3Feb18)

Replaced Welsh "freeze plugs".  All side and rear plugs to include rear or cylinder head.  Used brass. (late Feb18)

Rewelded cracks and reinforced exhaust header with gussets. Replaced down-pipe donut gasket and replaced it's flange bolts (late Feb 18)

Deleted entire EGR system.  Plugged exhaust header and intake manifold.  Removed all EGR components.  (late Feb18)

Installed new block temperature (ECU-signal) sensor (late Feb18)

Installed new transmission fluid coolant "hard" lines and replaced transmission quick disconnects.  Installed a transmission cooler behind grill (late Feb18)

Replaced O2 sensor with new NGK (late Feb18)

Replaced universal joint on main drive shaft (late Feb18)

Replaced motor mounts with OEM-quality replacements (late Feb18)

Had exhaust shop install a 6" flex on my exhaust, down-pipe end.  They also installed a transmission-mounted exhaust hanger and a hanger at the bellhousing. (22Mar18)

Installed my custom-bracketed 40-20-40 Dodge Dakota seats (30Mar18)

installed new distributor, indexing using Cruiser54's method (19Jun18)

Installed new water pump & thermostat (30Jul18)

Installed new Spectra OE-type radiator (06Jul18)
Adjusted brake booster rod.  Front brakes had been dragging for nearly a year.  Backed off adjustable acorn nut 1/4-turn (22Aug18)

installed MeanLemon's bored 60mm throttle body.  Stock Renix throttle bodies measure 52mm (26Sep18)

Installed another new water pump.  Metal heater core pipe had began leaking and I damaged the water pump's threads upon removal.  Built new heater core pipe out of brass and used a black iron 90-deg elbow. (20Oct18)

Installed new Taylor Thundervolt 8.2mm spark plug wires (20Oct18)

Did major wiper work: 

1.  Replaced the wiper arms from original side-pin style to 1997+ XJ J-hook style.

2.  Cleaned and repacked my wiper motor gear housing with MolyB grease.

3.  Added an additional ground wire from the wiper motor to the cowl.

4.  Replaced the three wiper linkage bushings.  (19Jan19)

Installed Euramtec interior courtesy lights and replaced incandescents with LEDs.     (28Jan19)

Replaced front axle shaft u-joints (MOOG 378) and front axle hubs (MOOG 513107).  (8Jun19)

Replaced Mud tires with new Big-O ATs 31X10.5-15 (25Sep19)

Replaced muffler and tailpipe with new.  Muffler is stainless.  Tailpipe is OEM-style by Walker.  Cut off last bend and added straight pipe  (28Sep19) 

Installed 58484 Monroe Loadleveler coil-over rear shocks and Bilstein 5100s, part #24-185622 up front (20Oct19) 

Purchased and installed a Lund Visor (16Nov19)

Removed rear Dana 35 and replaced with a Dana 44 from a 1990 MJ.  New seals/bearings (axle and pinion) by Wheatly Truck Service (10Apr20)

Cleaned and used Chassis Saver on the previously used leaf spring plates purchased along with the D44.  (10Apr20)

Ground off old broken shock mounts and installed new shock stud replacement kit from Quadratec.  (10Apr20)  

New transfer case yoke seal to address a transfer case weeping seal. (10Apr20)

Purchased/installed new 5/8" X 2-3/4" axle U-bolts from Barnes 4X4.  These are much beefier that was was on there. 

Filled D44 differential with Mobile 1 full synthetic 75W90.  (10Apr20) 

Fabricated new leaf spring pins out of flanged-head, grade 8 5/16 bolts to fit the larger spring perch holes of the Dana 44 (10Apr20)

Had driveshaft shortened 1" to accommodate the Dana 44, since the D44 pinion is longer than that of the D35 (13Apr20)

Replaced harmonic balancer as it was beginning to separate.  Replaced water pump--this was a warranted replacement from Autozone.  It was making noise. Replaced idler pulley (10Jun20)

Replaced the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS).  Old one died, causing a no-crank/no-start.  Amazon, Evan-Fisher brand, $36.87 (7Nov20)

Replaced passenger side rear 58484 Monroe Loadleveler coil-over rear shock due the the old one installed in Oct 2019 failing. (15Jun2021)

Removed and replaced dash, going from red to black.  Pulled EVAP CORE and deleted AC system.  Removed compressor and replaced with factory AC Delete pulley.  Installed new heater core.  Flushed coolant, added new.  ( 10Jul21)

Replaced factory engine due to overhead incident resulting in cracked head.  Replace with newly milled HO 1993 block and a 1994 HO cylinder head (7120).  Gasket matched the 7120 head to Renix intake ports.  Installed Comp "RV" camshaft and had extensive cylinder head milling installing modern Hemi springs in order to match the camshaft.   Maintained Renix intake, header and Distributor/electrical system.  New pistons in .40" over cylinders.  Replaced entire exhaust system (minus the stock header & stainless steel muffler), eliminating the factory "crush", having the exhaust exit the rear with a slight turndown.  Included flex pipe just past the downpipe.  New engine components include harmonic balancer, head bolts, oil sending unit (idiot gauge), radiator, radiator hoses, water pump and knock sensor.  Installed oil pressure gauge just behind distributor in engine compartment.  Indexed distributor, per Cruiser54 instructions.  Ran SAE 30 Break-In oil for 30-minutes.  Drained, refilled with Rotella 10W30 dino oil with 1/2 bottle of ZDDP zinc supplement.  This all at 140,889 miles.  (13Jun24).

Installed coolant temperature gauge in dash where the transmission select switch used to be.  Tapped into the unused port of the 4.0 H.O. water neck, which I had to use due to the 94 HO 7120 cylinder head.  (31Jul25).

Performed v8 ZJ Steering Component upgrade.  This brought the inner/outer tie rod ends to a larger 22mm threads and a solid steel inner tie rod instead of the flimzy tubular stock one.  Had to cut 1-1/4 off the drag link tie rod to get the steering wheel to line up as the ZJ components are a bit too long.  Otherwise, flawless upgrade.  (20Aug25)