|
Yep. I bought another truck. Kind of. It's not for me. Years ago, my brother was a Jeep fanatic. He owned an XJ, a ZJ, a YJ, a CJ, and almost bought a WJ before life took over. He now has a house/wife/dog/etc, and his time (and money) for jeeps has basically disappeared. Lucky for him, I don't have a house/wife/dog, but I do have a big garage and a little bit of extra money. And he has a birthday coming up a few months from now. Since I think the WJ is a bit boring, and he's basically had everything else, plus having a truck is actually kind of useful if you have a house/family/etc, I settled on buying him an MJ. Here she is. She's ugly, she's old, she's cheap. 1989 Jeep Comanche. Base model, 4.0 Litre (heh), 5 speed   I'm really trying to keep the budget pretty tight on this, but I don't want to give a gift that immediately requires more money/time to drive. Issues it has now: -Brakes don't work oh my god it was scary to drive home. Hydraulics seem like they need to be bled BIG time. E brake doesn't work either, probably just needs adjustment. -Hard time starting. It fires up after a few seconds when cold but when it's hot you have to push the pedal to the floor for it to catch. -It has crappy ZJ seats that aren't really bolted in. I have the stock bench but it's been sitting outside for a while and I don't think I can save it. More than interested in hearing ideas/thoughts for cheap ways to improve this truck, especially in the paint department. I have a nice big compressor and would love to paint it and spray on a bedliner. Blaise fucked around with this message at 19:35 on Jun 1, 2014 |
#
?
May 23, 2014 19:18
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 07:29 |
|
|
Yesssss  I think that makes 5 MJ owners on AI now. I have 3, OneOverZero has one, some guy from Indiana whose username escapes me has one, angryrobots has one, and now you also. The starting issue is probably a few things. 90 and earlier RENIX jeeps always start kinda like that, first of all. They use a variable reluctance CPS that won't have a high enough amplitude signal until it's cranking pretty fast, the 91 and newer use a hall effect unit that picks up basically from zero RPM. If it still has the C101 connector, you should bypass the CPS pins through it, there was a TSB for that decades ago but some missed out. Moving the CPS slightly closer to the flywheel (sucks, don't bother) might help, or you can put a ceramic or poly capacitor (iirc, the recommended value is 0.047uF/50-100 volts) across the CPS leads and that will boost the signal at lower RPMs without hurting it enough to matter at higher RPMs. The hot start issue sounds like a busted CTS, the one you need to replace is the one on the side of the block under the manifolds. The one in the radiator is just a fan thermoswitch, the one on the head is only for the gauge. It probably thinks the engine is stone cold and is dumping fuel, flooring it puts it in flood-clear mode (and also dumps air to make up for the pig rich condition) so then it starts.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 21:14
|
|
|
Wow thanks for that info!!!!!! I will try that out tomorrow. If I can get the brakes and starting issue fixed for now, I'll be happy to start. 
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 21:28
|
|
|
Another Comanche lives on!
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 21:29
|
|
|
Blaise posted:Wow thanks for that info!!!!!! I will try that out tomorrow. If I can get the brakes and starting issue fixed for now, I'll be happy to start. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1099681 has some info on it. I may have misremembered, or the guy who did it might have. Fool around with it I guess! Brakes... eliminate the load sensing valve under the bed, run a single line to the back and use an XJ proportioning valve. The LSV is unobtainium and they are reported to explode under panic braking at random, though I've never experienced that and mine is still hooked up, for now. The bleed procedure for MJs is loving stupid because of the LSV and I've literally never gotten them to bleed right with one installed, even following it.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 21:38
|
|
|
Should I just buy an XJ valve before I even attempt to bleed it then?
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 21:40
|
|
|
You aren't going to make anything worse, maybe your luck is better than mine. First, bleed all 4 wheels the normal way - it's split front/rear, so right rear, left rear, right front, left front bleed order. Next, crack one front bleeder open and then stomp on the pedal to enable the emergency bypass in the LSV+MJ proportioning valve. Now bleed all 4 in the same order again... with the front still open. Or close it and be careful to not use enough pressure while bleeding to pop the valve back over to normal position. Now close it (if it isn't already) and stomp the brakes again, then rebleed all 4 again. Like I said, it's dumb. That's best-memory of how to do it from reading my 91 FSM like 2 years ago, search for comanche bleed procedures posted by Eagle on ComancheClub if that doesn't seem right or doesn't work as well as it should. You should be able to get an XJ prop valve for pennies at the JY though, if you end up needing one. There's a way to do it with the MJ one, but it's hinky as gently caress because all the rednecks say to block off one of the flare ports on the MJ prop valve with a loving cut-off fine thread BOLT. You know, because the tip of a hex bolt is totally machined/turned to be a great brake line blockoff plug... if you can find the right size inverted flare blockoff plug (NAPA might have one, iirc the thread spec for the port is 1/2-20 but it uses regular 3/16 line and therefore is weird and needs the invert flare cone to be that size, not the normal size for a 1/2-20 flare fitting) that method would work fine. e: vvv it depends very strongly on bodywork condition and options. I've bought 3 4.0/auto/2wd ones for $350 (no bed, no rearend, needs a ton of parts I just so happen to have stockpiled), $500, and $800, but a clean straight rust free 91-92 with bucket seats, a 4.0/4x4/ax15 drivetrain, etc can go for 3-5k easy. 2wd ones are everywhere and reasonably cheap to convert to 4x4. kastein fucked around with this message at 22:14 on May 23, 2014 |
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 21:52
|
|
|
$800 is too much for these? Man oh man I would love one of these trucks! Never seen them for that cheap. Manual and 4x4 AND 4.0l i6? Drooool
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 22:07
|
|
|
mafoose posted:Manual and 4x4 AND 4.0l i6? Thanks  That's why I got it. I saw plenty for under 2k but never with that combo. Figure it's worth the trouble of painting it and fixing the issues.The PART TIME light is also always stuck on, I believe that's a bad vacuum line to the hubs. They do work though, which I assume means the hubs are always engaged.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 22:21
|
|
|
Even with the problems that sounds like a good price if it has spent it's whole life in the NW.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 22:27
|
|
|
No hubs on these, fortunately. Unless someone put that $900 aftermarket manual hub kit on this thing, then pull it off, sell it to some idiot for $700, and dump $100 on a pair of new unit bearings for it. Presto, $200 truck. There's probably a vacuum disconnect housing on the front passenger side axle tube. There should be a goofy series of vacuum lines going to it. IIRC, the circuit is: manifold -> vacuum switch on transfer case -(two hoses, one for cycling each direction)-> axle -> vacuum switch that triggers the dash light. Any of those things could have failed. It's a solid 80s "run things with vacuum, then run other things with it, then run electrical things with it" system that was entirely eliminated in 92/93 or so with the change of a single cam lobe on the transfer case shift mechanism. No idea why they made it that complicated. Find an FSM on ebay for the thing if you can, a lot of this stuff is in it and explained more accurately than I can remember.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 22:29
|
|
|
I am so confused. So if there is no hub, how do you disconnect the front axle from the front wheels? I figured since the light was on the axle and front driveshaft was frewheeling even though the transfer case had it disconnected. OK I will try to find an FSM.  Bibendum posted:Even with the problems that sounds like a good price if it has spent it's whole life in the NW. Oh yeah. Oregon truck. What rust? 
Blaise fucked around with this message at 22:35 on May 23, 2014 |
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 22:33
|
|
|
It's a dumb system. The transfer case has a pair of shift forks in it. One (the range fork) shifts the planetary gearset from direct (high-range) to neutral to low-range. The other (the mode fork) either enables or disables the front transfer case output for the front driveshaft. The axle has a vacuum disconnect on the passenger axleshaft. NP231 transfer cases used with old vacuum disconnect axles had this shift pattern: 2hi - mode = disengaged, range = high 4hi - mode = engaged, range = high neutral - mode = engaged, range = neutral 4lo - mode = engaged, range = low Combined with the vac disconnect axle: 2hi - disengaged 4hi - engaged neutral - disengaged (I think) 4lo - engaged Note that the neutral position locks the front and rear outputs together with the mode hub, even though the planetary set is in neutral! Many, many transfer cases and transmissions were damaged by this through improper towing. I've heard of a number of vehicles that burnt to the ground after being towed improperly, as well. NP242 transfer cases all got non vacuum disconnect axles and had a true transfer case neutral. Eventually in 92/93 they realized this was loving stupid and used the same non vacuum disconnect front axle with everything, ripped about 20 feet of vacuum hose, a vacuum switch, a vacuum disconnect actuator servo, and a vacuum electric switch out, and replaced it all with a single dash indicator switch in the transfer case and a single cam lobe change in the transfer case: NP231 transfer cases used with non vacuum disconnect have this shift pattern: 2hi - mode = disengaged, range = high 4hi - mode = engaged, range = high neutral - mode = disengaged, range = neutral 4lo - mode = engaged, range = low And no longer needed any of that stupid crap. There is a 0.5-1mpg penalty on fuel economy because the front ring/pinion and driveshaft spin all the time instead of the spider gears freewheeling, that's the only downside. Here's the difference:  Old style on the left, new style on the right. The range fork rides in the slot halfway up, the mode fork rides on the top of the cam. The extra notch in the newer cam allowed eliminating the entire vacuum disconnect system. Like I said, no idea why they didn't just do it from the start, it's a severe overcomplication. More to the point - here's how to debug the reason your light is on. Start by finding out if the driveshaft is actually locked to the wheels. All you have to do here is put it in 2wd, jack one front wheel up and spin it. If the wheel spins and the driveshaft doesn't, the axle is actually disengaged and you have a vacuum/electrical issue. If the driveshaft spins, the axle is actually engaged but the transfer case is shifting fine. If it won't spin, it's actually engaged and the transfer case is stuck in 4x4 too. That plus a vacuum diagram (either under the hood (I think) or in the FSM, which I don't have for that year unfortunately) should get you started. kastein fucked around with this message at 22:51 on May 23, 2014 |
|
#
?
May 23, 2014 22:46
|
|
|
That'd be a $2500 truck around here.Blaise posted:Should I just buy an XJ valve before I even attempt to bleed it then? I have another one of those LSVs if you really want one, in addition to the MJ prop valve. Both worked, but I ended up replacing every component in the brake system due to them being janky as gently caress. XJ prop valve, '96+ (I believe) XJ booster spacer, and '04 WJ booster/master are a good combo if you're going to start cutting into the hardlines anyway. There's good reason to believe that the XJ prop valve will result in too much rear bias (probably less so with a LWB truck), though I haven't noticed that at all with my SWB. If anything, it's reassuring that probably eight feet of hardline, several fittings, and a plunger system have been removed altogether from the failure mode tree.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2014 21:04
|
|
|
ComancheClub is unfortunately one of those water brained "every1 hold hands and sing together,, we all happy friends, no one say bad things, if you don't like how someone is building their truck it is their truck, don't say mean things" type places. I gave up on correcting the river of bullshit on that place after the founder deleted a bunch of my posts because I said something blunt and threatened to ban me if I kept acting like that. So idiotic fuckwit rednecks who aren't qualified to replace a cigarette lighter end up giving life/death suspension/steering/brake system advice and you get yelled at if you say they're full of poo poo. I prefer the SA/Pirate4x4/NAXJA way... call out bullshit when you see it, to varying degrees. kastein fucked around with this message at 21:44 on May 24, 2014 |
|
#
?
May 24, 2014 21:42
|
|
|
Oh Comanche Comanche Comanche. Put new plugs in her. No bad signs, consistent 125+psi compression on all cylinders. Also spent an hour cussing at the rearmost one because it wouldn't thread in, before I realized my buddy accidentally buggered a thread on the new plug. Heh. However, this was odd:  The small hole on the top of the airbox (bottom in this picture) was there when I saw the truck. The owner claimed not to have known how it happened, or when. Yeah, right. Anyway it's how I managed to push the price down. Not sure how the hell this could happen. The entire lower airbox is flexed out so much it won't seal on an air filter. I'll need to source a new airbox this weekend. Also, one is not like the other:   Yep, right rear drum is missing all kinds of hardware. Bleeding the rear brakes is futile. I think I'll have to ditch the fancy load valve, I could NOT GET THE drat AIR OUT. Either way even with no rear brakes after having bled the fronts it was a whole hell of a lot less scary to drive. WOOOOOOOOOO poppin' tags at O'Reilly's!  Love these keys  Does anybody know how to identify if I have an AX-15 or the silly Peugeot trans? I thought it was an AX-15 but I guess they switched mid '89 so I'm not certain.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2014 15:57
|
|
|
Pukegoats have the case split down the longitudinal axis and bolts holding the driver and passenger side cases together, AX4s/5s (4cyl only) and AX15s have a midplate and front/rear case halves. That's the easiest way to tell.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2014 16:13
|
|
|
It's a Peugeot 
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2014 06:32
|
|
|
Oh man oh man oh man. I love Comanches, the only vehicle I regret selling was an 87 4.0 4x4 long box Comanche. Similar color, too!
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2014 17:48
|
|
|
Since this is gonna be a gift to my brother who will then be driving it across country and hopefully spend some time wheeling it in CO/UT, I want to make sure I don't forget anything that should be checked out. Am I missing anything for maintenance? Brakes: Remove LSV (seriously F that thing), fix busted up right rear drum, adjust ebrake, rebleed system, inspect caliper sliders up front. Anything worth doing with the MC? Fuel System: Run some seafoam through it, replace fuel filter. Cooling System: It has a brand new radiator and hoses, so maybe a thermostat? Is the water pump easy to replace? Should it be replaced? It has 194k miles. Driveline: Front&RearAxle/TransferCase/Trans oil. Can you buy new shift bushings for the BA10/5? Clutch is new so not worried there. How careful do you need to be with the 10/5 off road? I'll also inspect all the U joints and wheel bearings and cross my fingers. Engine: Plugs. Heh. That's it right? Oh and serpentine belt. And change the oil, duh. Tires/Lift: It has a small lift and new shocks on it now. I'm gonna find some cheap 31" ATs and throw those on. How high can you go without affecting the driveshaft/Tcase/etc? I was thinking 3" lift with 31" would be great. What does it look like it has now? Can I measure the shocks off the truck to verify that they're indeed longer than stock? Junkyard Upgrades: Gonna hit the yard this week. Need an airbox, seats, a headlight (maybe, if it's cheap), radio, tailgate, mirrors, a gauge cluster with a tach, center console, XJ prop valve, cig lighter, and a '97 Xj grille if I can find one. Anything I'm missing? Gonna be fun getting this going
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2014 22:23
|
|
|
You can swap to a dual diaphragm booster from a 95/96 XJ or a WJ, but the stock one should be fine. Swapping also involves swapping the MC from the donor. There are writeups out there, I last did it in 2010 and don't remember the details. Would be a good time to swap the prop valve since you could probably get it still attached to the 95/96 booster+MC and just unbolt the stock setup, then bolt that in. There are a few pushrod mods to do iirc. The BA-10/5 kinda blows up when it feels like it, iirc. Decent trans just not rated for that kind of torque. You can swap to an AX15 but it involves a lot of parts and I'm not exactly sure what. It uses unit bearings in the front, so just check em for looseness or grinding. Cooling system: eh, unless it's overheating just stuff a new thermostat, gasket, waterpump, water outlet pipe, etc behind the passenger seat. Check for coolant residue on the underside of the lower rad hose, if it is there, it's probably weeping and the pump should be replaced. Seat brackets for buckets are an MJ only thing. Good luck. You can weld some up of course if you are suitably motivated. Headlights are like ten bucks each at the parts store, I just run ultrastars. Mirrors: pull em off a 97+ XJ, they're larger and actually usable. Cluster with a tach: make sure it comes off an 87-90, get new gauge-type temp and oil senders too if the new gauge cluster has real gauges and the old one has dummy lights, else the gauges will just peg either way. 97-01 XJ grille also requires wiring harness splicing (the plug is different for the harness) and the fenders swapped too. Mine's half held on with speed tape because it's a beater trail rig that is being scrapped soon, I don't recommend this.
|
|
#
?
May 28, 2014 22:44
|
|
|
Will you be my brother? Edit: drat, I'm in Oregon too...wish I had the money and caught that deal first! Ramsus fucked around with this message at 22:50 on May 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
May 28, 2014 22:48
|
|
|
kastein posted:Seat brackets for buckets are an MJ only thing. Good luck. You can weld some up of course if you are suitably motivated. So that's why the ZJ seats in mine aren't really bolted down. Heh. May have to fix up that old bench seat :\ quote:97-01 XJ grille also requires wiring harness splicing (the plug is different for the harness) and the fenders swapped too. Mine's half held on with speed tape because it's a beater trail rig that is being scrapped soon, I don't recommend this. I meant only the center part of the grille. I know the rest would require swapping a ton more. Blaise fucked around with this message at 23:41 on May 28, 2014 |
|
#
?
May 28, 2014 23:19
|
|
|
Well, I knew the driver upper door hinge was sagging, so there might be some rust on the driver floorboard. My heart was pounding pulling the carpet up.  NOT NEARLY as bad as I expected. Looks like an easy wirewheel/paint job. Anybody have any opinion on whether I can save this seat? It has 2 small seperations but it's been sitting outside for a while. I could powerwash it to start... 
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 18:52
|
|
|
That seat is gonna be loving gross no matter what, but pressure washing it will help a lot and is a good excuse to stand there drinking and spraying things with a hose. So I say go for it and see what happens. Also: you suck. I don't think I've ever seen floorboards that clean
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 19:04
|
|
|
I'd just slap a seat cover on it after giving it a good hosing/scrubbing.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 19:18
|
|
|
Ramsus posted:I'd just slap a seat cover on it after giving it a good hosing/scrubbing. Yeah, I could do this, but I could also just swap in some 2dr XJ seats. Certainly doesn't seem like a comfy bench. Glad kastein thinks those are clean floorboards. I was genuinely worried.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 19:30
|
|
|
They rot from the inside due to water pooling on them, so you're looking at the worst of it. When I look at the same spot on my MJ, I'm looking at asphalt through a hole large enough to stuff a football through. Maybe even a basketball these days. Wire wheel the rust out, clean and dry the whole area, hit it with rust converter, then put a few layers of bedliner over it. Wash the carpets and reinstall. You'll never have another problem with the floors.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 19:41
|
|
|
Simple green works well on old vinyl interiors if you don't let it sit for longer than about an hour. Looks like the interior cushions are gross though. Leave it in the sun for a day and then throw a Mexican blanket on it.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 20:13
|
|
|
Seat Safety Switch posted:Simple green works well on old vinyl interiors if you don't let it sit for longer than about an hour. Does it matter if the actual inner foam is gross if you can't see it? It's a vinyl seat, not cloth.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 20:36
|
|
|
Did someone say Jeep rust?? (84 XJ)  All fixed.. YAY! Welded new frame parts too. It REALLY made the handling stiffer. Wonder why?  Yay Minnesota D.O.T! Very jealous of your $800 MJ.....
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 20:38
|
|
|
Blaise posted:Does it matter if the actual inner foam is gross if you can't see it? It's a vinyl seat, not cloth. From a stench perspective yes, otherwise nobody cares.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 20:53
|
|
|
Seat Safety Switch posted:From a stench perspective yes, otherwise nobody cares. The WJ seats that are in it are very comfy just not bolted down well. Perhaps I'll try to steal the brackets from the bench... hmm...
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 20:56
|
|
|
I know lifelong Arizona cars with more rust than that under the carpet. It's so insignificant that I wouldn't bother wire wheeling. Just scrub it with a wire brush to get the flakes up, vacuum, and spray with rust converter. What would it take to bolt down the WJ seats? Do any of the holes line up?
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 21:06
|
|
|
That rust is nothing.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 21:19
|
|
|
mafoose posted:What would it take to bolt down the WJ seats? Do any of the holes line up? I'll snap some pics tonight. The drivers one is bolted down OK, the passenger one is scary. I went around a right turn with my buddy in it and he nearly fell into my lap 
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 21:29
|
|
|
If you don't care about bolts, just weld the brackets to the floor. Of course thats not the safest thing, but you are in an old jeep. Its not super safe to begin with.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 21:35
|
|
|
Tough to weld the brackets to the floor through carpet.  Making brackets shouldn't be hard. The bench seat is likely not a good base for it, but some angle and strapping and the WJ bases put together should give you enough to work with. Factory ones are made out of like stamped 14ga, so even 1/8 angle will be fine.
|
|
#
?
May 29, 2014 23:31
|
|
|
OK some updates, some good some bad. First for the bad: Kastein or anybody else who is good with these trucks, I'm still having a few issues: -The Part time light is still on. The big goofy rubber block that connects the vacuum to the axle disconnect was all loose, so I replaced it with just some regular vacuum line. I wonder why this wasn't the way it should have been from the factory? Why the huge rubber block? Either way, didn't fix it. Guess the vacuum fail is on the T-case end. The axle is definitely locked on. -The idle is creeping up as the truck warms up. Since I know everything is ECU controlled I'm assuming this is a bad sensor somewhere. Hard hot start problem remains (even after new coolant temp sensor under manifold). Speaking of, where is the coolant sensor on the renix trucks for the dash? -How do you individually adjust the rear drum e brake tension? I can only find the general adjuster for both. -I just realized I don't need a key to turn it on. Whoops. -The passenger window likes to get stuck at the bottom. That's why that door panel is missing. The good: -I have a functional airbox now. -Replaced console with tach console, everything works great except the coolant sensor which is zerod. Also added a clock -I found a tailgate in the junkyard! There were actually TWO trucks in the yard, total shocker.      Remember this seat? Quick power wash... 
Blaise fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Jun 1, 2014 |
|
#
?
Jun 1, 2014 19:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 26, 2024 07:29 |
|
|
Can't speak for most of that as I'm not a Jeep man, but for the parking brakes, generally individual wheel adjustment is done with the normal starwheel adjuster, not a specific parking brake adjustment. Looking on Google, it looks like your truck has a typical setup, with the single cable pulling on a bracket that then pulls the individual wheel cables. Adjust the footbrakes according to spec (generally out until they just drag, then back in 2-3 teeth), then adjust your parking brake so they're fully applied at 2-3 clicks of the pedal/handle.
|
|
#
?
Jun 1, 2014 19:43
|
|
