Bought a non Chrysler vehicle. OD will appreciate this...

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:01 pm

Well today I picked up an '86 Comanche 2.5L 4 speed manual trans, 4x4. Boy is this thing rough around the edges... All things considered, it's pretty damn clean for a 27 year old truck. It's snowing so I haven't hopped under it yet but the only significant rust I've found so far is the bottom seam of the tailgate. The floor pans and cab look to be pretty clean, he said the drivers floor had a patch in it but I haven't seen it yet. It was a hell of a ride home.... It was snowing, snow covered unfamiliar roads, in an unfamiliar car that I didn't know where anything was (that was fun when someone passed me and threw salt spray on my windshield on the highway and I had to find the wipers...), the muffler is rusted through so it's really loud, the 2.5 seemed to be a dog and I had a hell of a time getting up to 50 mph... Anyway, I got the thing home and it'll sit until the weather improves and I can work on it.

Below are things that need to be fixed short term:

- new exhaust from NAPA
- truck will die coming to a stop when I press the clutch in if I don't give it gas quick enough, then stumbles pulling away then runs fine... kid thinks its the aftermarket o2 but I'm not convinced
- shifter is super sloppy and I missed 3rd gear MANY times before I found I need to really jam it into 3rd and hold it there until the clutch is all the way out. Linkage/bushing issue, or just a crappy Renault trans??
- rear view mirror/windshield mount are missing

Below are things that I WANT to do (no promises):

- Rusty's 3" lift kit
- 16" Rubicon Moabs, or something else if I can't find a decently priced set
- 97+ XJ doors, fenders, header panel, grille, bumper, bumper ends, etc.
- 97+ XJ flares modified to work in rear, or leave them as is, or Bushwackers
- 97+ XJ interior pieces, dash (someone already got 97+ seats in there)
- 97+ XJ lower body line black plastic trim pieces
- POR15 frame, underside
- budget paint job on entire truck. (I have a 60 gal compressor and paint gun waiting to be christened)
- bed liner
- new rear bumper of some sort.

here are some pics

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:09 pm

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 6:16 pm

That is awesome! I've been looking at these lately myself. Found a 2.5 5 speed Cherokee but couldn't jump on it fast enough. Lemme know how it is a as s daily when you get it up and running well.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:20 pm

sidepipe87 wrote:Bought a Chrysler vehicle.

Corrected. You do have a Chrysler vehicle- Chrysler Corporation bought AMC.

gtxtreme19 · Post by **gtxtreme19** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 8:13 pm

Its so super! A little bit janky, and a lot of bit hillbilly... my kind of truck

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:25 pm

In better shape than my '99, and probably neglected a hell of a lot more!

I wonder if the '97 up interior can be swapped into these? I like my interior sooo much better than the 96 older. Edit: Durp, I missed that part in your first post.

My cousin's '91 had shifter issues too, but I think it was a different transmission, as it was the 4.0.

a23dranger · Post by **a23dranger** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:26 pm

Can I has Ryan? Been wanting one myself as you know already

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 10:58 pm

Lol @ Gramps.

Jerry, you won't get a legitimate answer for that. This certainly won't ever be a daily driver lol.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 11:42 pm

Ah alright. But it a also needs soft 8's.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 12:37 am

Jerry, as Adam alluded to this will not be a daily driver. ever. lol. Supposedly it was rated at 22 MPG new with this engine and trans which is excellnt but i'll tell you this... it has NO BALLS.... 4.0 swap would be great but it would kill fuel economy. Basically bought it because Ann is getting rid of her F-150 next weekend and we need a truck for the foreseeable future to finish the house reno and all the Dakotas and Rams I looked at were way overpriced and rotted out. Besides I really wanted a Cherokee... lol. As for the Soft 8s.... idk, the idea is growing on me but I'd ideally prefer 16" Rubicon Moabs with the Goodyear MTR tires

occasional demons wrote:In better shape than my '99, and probably neglected a hell of a lot more!

I wonder if the '97 up interior can be swapped into these? I like my interior sooo much better than the 96 older. Edit: Durp, I missed that part in your first post.

My cousin's '91 had shifter issues too, but I think it was a different transmission, as it was the 4.0.

yeah, the body is pretty damn spotless the paint just has no sheen and some surface rust in a few places that I need to address short term. as for the interior most of it is not a direct swap to 97+ i've read. seat brackets are different, dash mounts are slightly different, etc. it can al be made to work though with some effort. We'll see if I end up doing any of that

Kyle said it might just be the crappy Renault trans itself and I should get an AX15 for it.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 1:37 am

My cousin's '91 XJ got around 21 mpg with the 4.0, it was one reason why I bought mine. Mine is an ATX though, because I wasn't really impressed with the MTX in his '91. Should have waited a year, and gotten the NVG mtx. (If I had known)

Even with the lock out conversion, which did give me about 5 mpg, mine still doesn't come close to the fuel mileage. Before the Warn hub kit, I only got 13 mpg for general driving.

Actually, it seems to be the opposite of NGC, no matter what I do, it is only a short term improvement, and the mileage goes back to crap.

I have gotten rid of the front drive line drag, which did make the biggest improvement, actually both axles are disconnected, not just one like the early set up, and I have eliminated the engine driven fan, which didn't even make a dent. It did greatly improve effort needed to start from a dead stop, which one would think would help fuel consumption. It is a lot quieter also, which in itself was worth the effort.

Throttle body spacer (it was free, I made it myself - 1.75" tall), K&N filter, good wires and plugs all seemed to help, but after a tank, the mileage reverted back. Basically I have given up trying to improve fuel mileage, because it seems the PCM just makes whatever adjustment to get it back to whatever crappy parameters they set into it. If the body had more promise, I would just go with MS and scrap the factory engine management.

r/tguy02 · Post by **r/tguy02** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:07 am

These little jeep trucks are a joke compared to their full size brothers of old j10 and j20. That's what I used to be into

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 1:00 pm

r/tguy02 wrote:These little jeep trucks are a joke compared to their full size brothers of old j10 and j20. That's what I used to be into

Thanks Justin

Bill, yeah I might have to looking into another drivetrain for this down the line.

LowNSlow · Post by **LowNSlow** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:43 pm

I loveeeeee Jeep Trucks....

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 3:45 pm

How much for the bottle of brake fluid?

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 6:43 pm

LowNSlow wrote:I loveeeeee Jeep Trucks....

I tried to post a similar pic. I love those wheels.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:49 pm

John, yes I love that truck... 97+ front end, olive drab, Soft 8 style wheels, Bushwacker flares... looks mean

FAC3L3SS wrote:How much for the bottle of brake fluid?

it's 3/4 empty.... $35 shipped maybe? I can dump the rest out to save on shipping if you want.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:49 pm

Wow! Helluva a project you got there!

r/tguy02 · Post by **r/tguy02** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:37 pm

Not trying to be a killjoy Ryan I just never liked the light duty trucks jeep made. CJs, gladiators, willys, j series trucks I all like. If I had money I would def get back into it. Good luck to you sir

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:17 am

I put a Gladiator cab on the Ramcharger chassis I had. 400 cid Gladiator.

It was a blast while it lasted.

r/tguy02 · Post by **r/tguy02** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 10:20 pm

Ha nice bill, any pics?

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:51 pm

Sadly, no.

Fuzzyneon · Post by **Fuzzyneon** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:16 pm

i am so jealious .......

Adam G · Post by **Adam G** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:35 am

whats the gear ratio in the rears