89 MJ Totalled, the Resurrection!

[xjtrailrider]

^ you think it has to do with the top being grafted from another vehicle?

I don't think so. All of the plug welds were filled in and the corners were seam-sealed. The glass fits as it should. I really do not know what the issue is and the windshield installers don't seem to know either. I want this one company to give me my money back so I can take it to a more reputable company but they will not refund my money. Its getting ready to get ugly.

 

[sandsgg]

I've had my best luck with safelite

 

[xjtrailrider]

So Glassmasters is giving us a refund on Monday and I have a local glass guy (Kelly's Auto Glass) coming by Monday evening to fix it right. He has a rep of being able to fix glass leaks that others give up on. He also has excellent customer service and I have used him to put glass in my XJ's that had leaking issues. He found the leak in my 90XJ that I had tried to find for 3 years.

I told my son to use him but he went with Glassmasters to save $40. He is regretting that decision now 4 wind shields later!. Listen to Dad LOL!

 

[sandsgg]

Last time i used glassmasters they replaced my wing window and it was the wrong size, they bent my trim piece, and had leftover screws when they were done putting my door panel on. I went with safelite after that

 

[xjtrailrider]

Last time i used glassmasters they replaced my wing window and it was the wrong size, they bent my trim piece, and had leftover screws when they were done putting my door panel on. I went with safelite after that

How did they get the wrong size wing window? All XJ/MJ should be the same. I've switched mine out from the vent window to the solid window and no issues. I hate those vent windows, thieves love them.

 

[sandsgg]

That's what always confused me, the rubber seal around the window never say flash after they replaced it, like it was slightly smaller than it should have been

 

[xjtrailrider]

Well we got some snow today and......

No he didn't flip it again LOL!

But I was going to show the boy how to drive a light in the rear 4wd in some soft powdery snow today but i could not get the CAD to connect.

The T-case is mechanically engaging in both 4hi and 4low but no part time light?

I had a new CAD actuator assembly ready to install in it anyway so I did that and still no axle connect?

I'm thinking the vacuum switch at the T-case is bad and i think I can get a new one from Oriellys.

The lines look good and the vac reservoir is good.

Am I on the right track?

I do think this may have been the cause of his accident last year. He said that it was in 4wd and he was fine then the part time light went out and he sarted having troubles getting traction, slowed down his speed but lost it trying to go around a downed tree. He said he got too close to the edge of the road which drops 8' to the creek and when he tried to drive it out it lost traction and started the roll.

I have to get this fixed! If its more complicated than the vac switch then I'm just going to shim the actuator over and lock the axle in.

 

[Andy in Pa.]

I would just shim it over anyway. Its just one less failure mode to worry about when you shift it in 4WD.

 

[kastein]

agreed, or convert to the one piece shaft, or get a posi-lock for it.

Hell, a posi-lock would give you 2Lo ability. Tcase in 4Lo, posi-lock not engaged...

 

[xjtrailrider]

I agree but for some reason I just want to keep it original. I got the vacuum switch from Oriellys, $12

I'm picking it up tomorrow. I pulled the switch in there now and its stuck in the closed position. I could probably free it up and it would work for a while but the replacement is cheap so why bother.

If this doesn't work(it should) then i will shim the CAD over and be done with it.

 

[GSequoia]

The vacuum switches seize up. You can test it yourself by pulling it and looking, the ball on the end should push in (it will take some force).

Follow the vacuum lines. The big molded rubber connectors like to swell, that will cause you to lose vacuum at the any point they exist; vacuum switch, plastic line to hard line connections, PT switch (RH inner fender, blue in color), CAD.

The plastic lines get brittle, you may need to replace them with rubber hose, if you do so I suggest also deleting the stupid vacuum blocks.

If your CAD diaphragm is bad let me know, I may still have a good one in the garage and have no need for it.

 

[xjtrailrider]

The vacuum switches seize up. You can test it yourself by pulling it and looking, the ball on the end should push in (it will take some force).

Follow the vacuum lines. The big molded rubber connectors like to swell, that will cause you to lose vacuum at the any point they exist; vacuum switch, plastic line to hard line connections, PT switch (RH inner fender, blue in color), CAD.

The plastic lines get brittle, you may need to replace them with rubber hose, if you do so I suggest also deleting the stupid vacuum blocks.

If your CAD diaphragm is bad let me know, I may still have a good one in the garage and have no need for it.

My switch is stuck in the "closed" or up position. My hoses/lines/connectors look good.

I just put a new actuator/diaphragm on it tonight. The old one is still good so I'll clean it up and hold on to it. My vacuum blocks look good and I have zip tied the one that goes onto the CAD to keep it from slipping off.

 

[GSequoia]

Make sure everything holds vacuum. The ID of the vacuum blocks tends to expand creating leaks.

 

[xjtrailrider]

Well I dug into this issue further today and found some issues. My son had not told me that his cruise was not working or that he only had heat and could not get cold air at the vents.

I found that the vac reservoir was full of water. So I ditched the 4 connection bottle for a HO single connection, moved the bottle from the bumper to the engine bay and plumbed everything up.

He now has cold air and the cruise works but he still didn't have 4wd or even the indicator light.

I found a check valve on the red line going to the transfer case vacuum switch that seemed to be stopped up. I took that off and ran a straight connection between the two halves and now I have a indicator light but still no CAD operation. I'm replacing the switch tomorrow and see if that is the issue but I think something is blocked in the vacuum system to the CAD. I know the actuator I put in there is good.

This simple fix is starting to irritate me. If the switch doesn't work, I'm going to shim the actuator over and lock the front axle in and bypass the whole vacuum system to the front axle.

 

[shortxjdoug]

Shim it over.... I'm swapping a non disco housing into my 89. I have no love for my 4x4 usage being dictated by vacuum

 

[xjtrailrider]

I shimmed it over, I used a 1/2-13 lock nut which fit perfectly and put the fork in the perfect spot. He has 4wd now no matter what but the light has become intermittent. I think the blue vac switch is bad, I can mess with it and it works for a while. I jumped the connections at the UCA mount to allow the switch to work(like I did on my 90 after I swapped in the non CAD axle) so it should be working. Its on my list of stuff to pick up at the JY next time I'm there.

 

[GSequoia]

If you look at at early HO 231 you'll find an electric switch where the vacuum switch goes. If you're going to keep it shimmed I recommend using that, that's what I did on my '89 when I removed my CAD.

My '89 had wiring in the tunnel for the part time light (wiring for 242 equipped). I fished around a bit and there it was.

 

[xjtrailrider]

If you look at at early HO 231 you'll find an electric switch where the vacuum switch goes. If you're going to keep it shimmed I recommend using that, that's what I did on my '89 when I removed my CAD.

My '89 had wiring in the tunnel for the part time light (wiring for 242 equipped). I fished around a bit and there it was.

Your right, I found that two prong plug today when I was playing around with things. Its near the shifter linkage on the tranny.

I want the light to work since this is a 19 year olds Jeep. I'm fearing that he will forget its in and hit dry pavement. He can't afford a T-case on a college kids budget.

So if I add the T-case switch then all I have to do is jumper that plug beside the tranny to the switch and I will get the "part time" light? If so, thats an easy fix!

 

[GSequoia]

So if I add the T-case switch then all I have to do is jumper that plug beside the tranny to the switch and I will get the "part time" light? If so, thats an easy fix!

Totally easy. Then you can delete all that vacuum tubing.

I made mine work because I just like little features to work. I guess I'm OCD like that.

 

[xjtrailrider]

Totally easy. Then you can delete all that vacuum tubing.

I made mine work because I just like little features to work. I guess I'm OCD like that.

I'm OCD too. I found a couple of the non CAD switches out in my Jeep barn still on T-cases and I think I found part of a wire harness I can use to make this a quick clean job. I will just pull all of that old tubing and be done with it.

If anything good came out of all of this, he at least has cold and heat now and he has CC again. His front axle is locked in. The bottle is located under the hood and is now a single connection bottle and not the 4 connection mess. Simple is better!