New Truck

MrNightly

Sorta...

I took my Ranger into the shop this week, and my trusty mech said that it was on it's last leg. I would probably have to drop 3K into ball joints and engine repair if I wanted to keep it running. I was like, Hell no. It's already a salvage title, and pretty worthless really.

So i jump onto Craigslist, post a description only of my truck ask for $1250. I get three calls in literally 6 minutes. First guy shows up, says he is leaving for "Mehico" in the morning and offers me cash. Doesn't want a bill of sale, (Whatever dude) so I jump all over it. $1100 in the pocket, and no truck in my drive way I better find something fast

I surf around a bit, and come across this fella. Nothing fancy, by any stretch but it runs killer, and is 4wd. 4.3L straight 6, it has some serious power!!! A slight vibrating noise when it's stopped at a light in drive, but I will have it inspected this week to see. Did an extremely thorough twice over with my pop's before purchasing, and everything else seems just peachy! Not gonna win a beauty price, but I like it

$1400 I talked them down to. So... new wheels for $300. Ya!

Slight down grade in comfort from the 1998 but it was really a piece of junk!

audiobliss

Very very nice! I'm almost envious! I'd love to have a Comanche someday. Good price, too! I demand more, larger, closer pics!!

4.3L I6?? I've never heard of that. My 1995 Cherokee has the bullet-proof 4.0L I6. And it really is bullet-proof. Hopefully yours will live up to that reputation as well. The Asin-Warner AW4 auto transmission is really tough, too, as long as you don't abuse it too much on the trail. Which transfer case do you have?

What year is it? Looks like the paint is in pretty decent condition, too. You're not talking about replacing THOSE wheels, are you?! I love those older wheels. They look great on a Comanche!

seeclear

I think he is talking about the difference in price-- $1400-$1100 = $300 for his "new wheels".

audiobliss

Hahaha. Upon re-reading it in a different environment, that's obviously what he was talking about! Doy. Haha, thanks for pointing that out.

Fireman32

Congrats man. You cant kill those straight 6 engines.

obieone

Nice score. The only 4.3L 6cyl. I've heard of is a Vortec, but I thought those were exclusive to GM products?

TNRabbit

Nice snage!

I'd be surprised if that isn't the 4.0 inline 6.

FYI: those trucks are KNOWN rust buckets....YMMV.

NotaSuv

TNRabbit wrote: »

Nice snage!

I'd be surprised if that isn't the 4.0 inline 6.

FYI: those trucks are KNOWN rust buckets....YMMV.

all Jeeps worth a damn were and are rust buckets
have owned then for over 25 years and love em

nice ride ....... enjoy it....... I think it is a 4.0 which will run forever......

zingo

Nice ride and I love those older Jeep engines. Plus, you can't beat those hood stripes!

Jstas

The 4.2L I6 was a carry over engine from AMC. When Chrysler bought out AMC, they canned everything but Jeep because Jeep was the only brand worth anything.

Jeep had quite a few platforms at the time with several different engines. The platforms were engineered for those engines and the cost to re-engineer the platforms to use Chrysler engines in existing AMC chassis would have made it not worth the cost to buy Jeep. So Chrysler let the model runs that they had with Jeep run out their life cycles and when it came time, they either axed the platform or redesigned it. Chrysler ran out a few of the smaller engine programs in that way too.

The thing is though that AMC never had a 4.3L I6 so the 4.3L that is mentioned might be a reman job with an overbore or MrNightly is mistaken about what is under the hood of his Comanche. Unless a previous owner dropped the 4.2L in to the Comanche. The Comanche never came with a 4.2L I6 either. It was only made from 1986-1992 and had the 4.0L I4 as an optional engine after 1987. The Renault electronics were axed in 1991 I think when Chrysler added their electronics to the 4.2L I6. It was dropped the following year and the chassis only supported the Cherokee after that which was dropped in 2001 for the Liberty.



Also, I gotta ask, what did you do to a Ranger that you killed it in 10 years? I have an '83, '87, '93, '97 and a 2001 between me and family and friends and they all run like tops and are far from their last leg. The only one with less than 100K miles on it is the 2001. We've tried to kill the 87 and 83 and they just won't die.

lunazul

MrNightly wrote: »

First guy shows up, says he is leaving for "Mehico" in the morning and offers me cash. Doesn't want a bill of sale, (Whatever dude) so I jump all over it.

Hope he doesn't take somebody out with it and you have no proof you sold it before he does.:eek:

Jstas

lunazul wrote: »

Hope he doesn't take somebody out with it and you have no proof you sold it before he does.:eek:

DING!

Or use it as getaway car. He did say he was going to Mexico. Didja ask why? Hope you at least signed and dated the title.

MrNightly

Jstas wrote: »

DING!

Or use it as getaway car. He did say he was going to Mexico. Didja ask why? Hope you at least signed and dated the title.

Thanks Genius. Yes, signed and dated the title, and it's off my insurance. He is in the USA on a work visa and time to go home he said. No biggie. Also, the VIN is registered thru Insurance and Tag, and if there are no Tags on it and it's off my insurance, there would be no way to come back on me, except as previous owner. (I hope )

Regarding the engine, I was mistaken! It is the 4.0 Straight 6. I must have been dreaming of the 4.3L for some reason. Glad we got all that worked out

Anyways, the engine was rebuilt about 80000 miles ago, and seems to be going pretty strong. If it will last me another 3-4 years, I'm all about that.

Rangers? Eh, the late 90 models all have major electrical problems that I have ever dealt with. Mine was a salvage title when I bought it, and it has never been right. More issues with it than any other truck I have owned. Glad it's off my hands, honestly.

Anyways, the Comanche should hold up nicely for travel to and from work and school. Not planning any off-road stuff yet, but I think it does have a little lift kit on it. Ya never know!!!

Jstas

MrNightly wrote: »

Anyways, the engine was rebuilt about 80000 miles ago, and seems to be going pretty strong. If it will last me another 3-4 years, I'm all about that.

Rangers? Eh, the late 90 models all have major electrical problems that I have ever dealt with. Mine was a salvage title when I bought it, and it has never been right. More issues with it than any other truck I have owned. Glad it's off my hands, honestly.

The old AMC 4.0L's are indestructible. Can't say so much for the newer ones although the newer Chrysler ones are torque monsters. The 4.2L could have it's displacement increased by over a liter of displacement and make it a beast of an engine. Alot of guys liked it 'cause it was fuel injected so it was awesome for rock climbing where extreme approach, departure and roll angles could starve a carb float bowl and stall out. But if it was rebuilt 80,000 miles ago, you probably have another 190,000 miles in it before it has to get torn down again. The only other straight 6's with similar indestructibility are Ford's 4.9L I6 and Chrysler's old Slant 6. Take care of it and the Comanche is gonna rust out from under that engine.


As far as the Rangers, I've had nothing but good experiences with mine so i don't share your sentiments. It might be that thee truck was a salvage title that is the root of alot of your problems. Otherwise, my experience has been that Rangers are unstoppable and one of my favorite off-roading vehicles. I prefer a standard cab, short bed 4x4 Ranger over a Jeep.




Oh and lift kits were easy to get for the Commache. The front end could either gain an inch or two by just changing to the Laredo or sport springs up front from the Cherokee and getting universal blocks for the rear leaf springs. Lift kits are cheap and plentiful though because the newer TJ Wranglers are based on the suspension that underpinned the Comanche/Cherokee so parts tooling didn't have to change for alot of it. The Comanche is quite easy to work on and it is capable chassis. IIRC, there was a 1 ton version called the "Big Ton" package for the long-bed versions which had a payload capacity of a "Metric Ton" which was slightly more than 2,000 pounds. About 2200 actually. To this day, no small pick-up on the market in the Comanche's competition can do that. Yeah, capable trucks, they just rust. Alot.

ohskigod

definitly a fan of that 4.0 here. I had a 96 jeep for 10 years......that engine is damn near bulletproof.

that vibration? that truck probably had that since it was built. while a tank, that 4.0 is not the most smooth, refined engine in the planet. for the most part, its practicaly a tractor motor.

from the pics, that truck actually looks pretty damn clean

MrNightly

Jstas wrote: »

Yeah, capable trucks, they just rust. Alot.

My '85 S-10... now THAT truck rusted. Whoa. Don't think I will every buy another Chevy after that one.

Ha. Well, I will still take it in to the Mechanic this week, have him do a professional once over and make sure everything is right. Other than that, it seems I got a pretty good deal! Lucky me! (For once... hehe)

disneyjoe7

I'm also a fan of the I6 engine and agree bulletproof. Nice score