priceless

Camera phone with 2 year contract $4000.

A pic of the transmission shifter from above=  $0.01

The shifter rail for the transfer case= $10.00

Twin stick shifters in the original floorboard hole =Priceless.

I've had several people coming up to me saying they "had a scout or bronco just like mine" when they were younger.

I just look at the Jeep embossed logo on the grill and the Commando logo on the side, smile and shake my head.

Transfer case shifters

The original shifter was on a long tube that came from the dana 20 case. The new shifter will have independant sticks
like below.

before: the new sticks.

After: With everything hooked up and the case able to shift, the sticks, in middle position, are too far forward. They almost lay on the floor pan in full forward position.
  Either the sticks need to be bent back towards the rear or the mount needs to be shortened.

Note the classy shift pattern diagram taped next to it. (below)




I need to stay out of the upper right and lower left boxes to keep from blowing up axles, transfer case, driveshafts, etc....

Update 12-16-11 - got them mounted and angled towards the back so I don't knock knuckles on the cover plate.  They are both straight instead of angled. The left stick shifts easily, the right hi n lo stick takes some coercing, just needs a good breaking in I bet.

Fixing and learning

I finally got off my keester and fixed the transmission crossmember so the rear isn't held up by a jack.

I initially dreaded fixing the crossmember because I'd have to weld a nut into the frame. Where the bolt in the picture is is the front original mounting position and the empty hole needed a nut.

When I got the wire wheel on the angle grinder to it, cleaned 38 years of grease, dirt, and undercoating,

 I found that Jeep was kind enough to put a threaded hole every 4 inches for a foot or so.  I guess this was for

the different configurations of the cj-6 and commando frame.  So it turned out to be a dirty job, but not a hard job.

I drilled a hole just behind the original one to make a slot.

The completed original crossmember cleaned and painted

Also got the 700R4 shifter to AMC adapter finished. The shiny part is newly created.
Now I don't have to crawl under anymore!

This,  THIS was giving me heartburn! I thought that the transmission was going to have to come out. 

I pulled the dana 300 (which I needed to do anyway) because there was a constant drip of tranny fluid coming out and dripping off the dana 300.

I called the guy that rebuilt it, and he said this area under the governor gear (green) is supposed to get some fluid into it to keep it lubed.  I hadn't put on a rear gasket to xfer case so that's why it leaked. whew!

While the transfer case was out I mapped the different shift positions since it doesn't have a shift interlock pill in it.
12&3 are the shaft positions, x= where the left and right shaft is respectively.
As you can see, the upper right and lower left  positions are BAD!
They would run one axle in low range and one in high range at the same time!

Can I get a WOOT!

The intake went on w/new gaskets, distributor only had to be stabbed twice thanks to marking locations on it. 
  The new heater hose fitting had its bottom 3 threads lightly ground down in a tapered fashion, and I cut a notch in the threads to clean out the old fitting before putting it on w some industrial teflon tape.  No cracks this time.  I marked it to be able to be screwed in 4X instead of the 5X that they did on the old one. Unfortunately chebby cant bolt down a completed manifold because of parts in the way. So some stuff went in after torquing down. 
  BTW on the front and rear valley pan
make a rtv gasket on the block and let it set for 20-40 minutes, then put on the manifold w a light smearing of rtv on it.

After sitting 2 days I re checked all bolts , filled it with the antifreeze that just went in. (It was strained thru a filter. )
The engine started but was rough.  It turns out that #5 &7 wires were put on backwards.  A tiny twist on the distributor and
She started purring.  The rpms sat at around 700 instead of 1300.  All because of a $3 gasket. No leaks, No drips.  It's a good day.

The transmission is filled to capacity and shifts through the gears.  Onto the driveshaft and an exhaust.  And brakes.  And seats. And seat belts.  And skidplates.  And and and....

A few "concerns"

  The engine runs great BUT

• There is a coolant leak where the rear heater hose adaptor was screwed too tight into the intake manifold, thus resulting in a crack.  **PIC BELOW**
• The thread holes for the distributor cap are stripped on one side also.  may be able to re thread
• There is an air leak on the back side of the throttle body that is making the engine run at 1300 rpms.  It drops to 800ish when sprayed down w/ wd40.  Either the MAP sensor tube or gasket area.
• The alternator isn't charging
• The starter croaked again too.
•  The transmission cooling hose fitting is dripping when running and the rear tranny seal near the governor is dripping.  
• This is starting to get expensive

On an upnote, I tried shifting the tranny manually and it seems willing though.
The guy down the street had a manifold , distributor, and tranny dust cap that I will use to fix the engine issues.
I have heard that 95-97 chevys had coolant leak issues back there from intake gaskets not sealing. So that will be a concern putting it back together.
I guess I need to work on shifting mechanism , rear driveshaft, and redoing brake lines so it can go on a trailer and get it back to the shop to replace the seal under warranty.

***Here is the cooling leak culprit. As soon as it was unscrewed, you hardly could tell there was a crack.

Here is the valley of the engine.  Really pretty clean considering the engine was supposed to have high double digit miles.

Every nut and bolt was put in place on the new intake so not to lose it.  This engine had intake work done before, the front and rear valley seals were replaced with rtv.  The white is paper towels to keep debris out of the heads.

Tomorrow, new intake!

And the moment of truth..

Drumroll please

The pink wire was rewired to come off the starter switch,  but the fuel pump is still active after the key is out though.
Will have to rewire that.

Run what ya brung

I purchased a 28 x 19 universal radiator for a chebby, installed it and used gates 22158 lower, and  21710 upper radiator hoses to hook it up. The lower one had to have some chopped off to fit.

for 170, not bad.  aluminum cross flow

Here is all the wiring from the stock chebby harness you dont need.

TA DA!  The running (but never finished) product  I'll try to load a video.