john.jackson9213
Top Post Dawg
My search for an original diesel Jeep Comanche started 6 or 7 years ago. After a couple of conversations with the California DMV and BAR about attempting to do a diesel conversion on my 1991 Jeep Comanche I quickly figured out that the best thing for me was to find a real 1986 or 87 original MJ diesel. It simply avoided a whole lot of issues in California.
Last June I finally located a real factory equipped 1986 Jeep Comanche with the Renaullt 2.1 Turbo Diesel engine for sale on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The truck was in very nice shape, but the Turbo Diesel engine was a total basket case. Literally the bed of the truck was filled with multiple failed parts from several Renault engines and transmission. The truck was listed as a parts truck and the price was right. After verifying this was a legitimate, factory diesel Comanche, and viewing a number of pictures, I purchased the truck.
Then I drove 1200 plus miles from San Diego to Victoria on Vancouver Island to pick up this truck and then towed it 2000 more miles to Matt Whitbread’s shop in northern Michigan to begin the TDI engine conversion over the winter.
After dropping the diesel at the shop, the plan was to drive to the airport in Chicago, park the `91` Comanche and fly home. The drive the 96 Passat engine doner to Chicago, pick up the Comanche and tow the Passat to the shop for the engine transplant.
Things did not go quite as planned. The Passat lost a head gasket 150 miles into the trip. So I rented a car to get home, then flew back to Chicago to pick up my Comanche at the airport.
From there, I went on to the TDI Club's annual convention in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin. While there I got a line on a 98 TDI engine at a good price. Best news was it was just an hour away from me. So Sunday I made a 3 hour side trip and purchased the engine. Here it is in the back of the Comanche:
In mid February, it was finally time to get the 86 MJ into the shop and out of the Michigan winter.
Renault engine ready to be pulled out:
It is out! 2.1 TD and AX-5 on the floor:
Cracked cylinder here and a crack in the cylinder head explain the problems with the 2.1 TD engine:
The now empty engine bay:
Last June I finally located a real factory equipped 1986 Jeep Comanche with the Renaullt 2.1 Turbo Diesel engine for sale on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. The truck was in very nice shape, but the Turbo Diesel engine was a total basket case. Literally the bed of the truck was filled with multiple failed parts from several Renault engines and transmission. The truck was listed as a parts truck and the price was right. After verifying this was a legitimate, factory diesel Comanche, and viewing a number of pictures, I purchased the truck.
Then I drove 1200 plus miles from San Diego to Victoria on Vancouver Island to pick up this truck and then towed it 2000 more miles to Matt Whitbread’s shop in northern Michigan to begin the TDI engine conversion over the winter.
After dropping the diesel at the shop, the plan was to drive to the airport in Chicago, park the `91` Comanche and fly home. The drive the 96 Passat engine doner to Chicago, pick up the Comanche and tow the Passat to the shop for the engine transplant.
Things did not go quite as planned. The Passat lost a head gasket 150 miles into the trip. So I rented a car to get home, then flew back to Chicago to pick up my Comanche at the airport.
From there, I went on to the TDI Club's annual convention in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin. While there I got a line on a 98 TDI engine at a good price. Best news was it was just an hour away from me. So Sunday I made a 3 hour side trip and purchased the engine. Here it is in the back of the Comanche:
In mid February, it was finally time to get the 86 MJ into the shop and out of the Michigan winter.
Renault engine ready to be pulled out:
It is out! 2.1 TD and AX-5 on the floor:
Cracked cylinder here and a crack in the cylinder head explain the problems with the 2.1 TD engine:
The now empty engine bay:
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