I just found a nice looking 4 cylinder, 2WD Jeep Comanche on my local CL. Is the 4 cylinder in this truck similar/the same as the one still used in Wranglers?
Any advice/troublespots to look for on an '88 Comanche/Cherokee?
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/2270964466.html
It probably has the AMC straight 4 in it, which isn't the same as the newer 4 bangers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Straight-4_engine
Interesting that the seller stresses that it is a full size truck, which it is not. 25mpg may be a little of a stretch, maybe hyw only but I bet 20mpg combined is typical. Underpowered but a good little commuter or light duty truck.
Didn't some Jeep Cherokee/Comanches have the GM Iron Duke 4 in them at one point?
Yes they did. Then they went to the AMC engine. Some even had the 2.8 GM V6
Biggest issue with the Comanche/Cherokee is rust, Check the bottom of the tailgate, doors, bedsides, floors, and around the windshield.
I "think" I can identify an Iron Duke from it's semi-funky sliced off a V8 build, but otherwise, how do you tell who made the 4 cylinder in an '88 Jeep Product?
I didn't know the Comanche/Cherokee used a GM 4 cylinder, but now that I think about it, at some point, VW/Audi supplied a 4 cylinder to AMC, tho I think that engine was only used in Gremlins/Spirits....and maybe a few Hornets/Concords.
(Wish I could find my reference books.)
Wiki and jpmagazine say the 4 was the AMC unit. V6 was from GM, but no mention of a GM 4 cylinder.
I thought the Iron Duke was offered for a while in Cherokees/Comanches, too. I know it was in some early 80s CJs, but the more I look, the more it seems it was only the AMC 2.5s that were offered for Cherokees/Comanches.
I looked at the craigslist ad. That is the 2.5 AMC engine. I can tell by the intake, airbox, and valvecover.
Good engine. I had one in a wrangler and it was fairly solid. IIRC it should be TB injected.
Nice torquey little guy. The cooling system gave me alittle trouble on my YJ, but nothing serious. Just need a radiator and waterpump.
She always started and gave me no problems.
I had a '85 Cherokee Sport w/ the AMC 2.5, 5 speed and 3:73s. The 4 cyl. was just ok but the 5 speed rowed pretty good, thats why I bought it. There are no worthy performance parts for the 2.5, prolly not many parts at all... or JY engines as the great scrap drive crushed most '80s vehicles when scrap steel prices went up. At 155K I'd research engine parts availability and do compression tests etc. I kept the 5 speed, NP207 t-case and 3:73 axles.
My buddy had a cherokee with the AMC 2.5 when we were in high school. He got the jeep with 245,000 miles on it and we beat on that thing for the next few years.
The engine was awesome, the 4 speed manual it was attached to was not. It used to pop out of gear when the case would flex (really, think landing jumps.....). Gas mileage was pretty terrible, mid teen's, but we never drove it nice and gas was cheap.
put a clutch in it at 250,000 (original clutch), had a little trouble setting up the brake shoes to grab right and we killed a starter (probably had to do with river crossings). The vacuum disconnect front axle was a pita but we would just get out and lay on our back to engage 4wd.
I cringe when I think about the abuse we put that thing through and never did any proper maintenance.
Overall, I would love to have that thing back 
you need to buy that comachee
He's wanting to trade for a small car. Time before last at Whole Foods, there was an XJ parked next to a Fit, and they were alarmingly similar in size from that angle.
Amazingly, another '88 Comanche has popped up here (Jacksonville, Fl.) on CL. The latest one is equipped like the first, but has had a "recent paint" and has 185K miles on it versus the 155K miles of the first one. Due to the newer paint job(?) the seller is asking 50% more.
Everyone here gives me the impression the engines are nearly bulletproof, BUT parts may not be easy to find. Seller of the 2nd Comanche says he thinks these engines are good for upwards of 400K miles.
I just want something, perhaps a little different (it will be this, a Nissan Hardbody, or a Ranger) that won't be a money pit.
I wouldn't spend anywhere near $1700 for an MJ. I spent $600 on my XJ in Jacksonville that needed a freeze plug and a good deal of TLC. Outside of tax time, $1200 buys a really nice MJ or XJ.
I've owned both a Hardbody and an XJ. I loved both of them, but the HB can tow more than an XJ or MJ can. MJs are an odd design, with the cab being the front end of a unitbody XJ with stub frames mounting the bed to the cab.
I sent you an email.
I agree about not towing much with a cherokee/comanche, but i have no personal experience suggesting the nissan is much better.
I dont know where you find a nice comanche for $1200. Those things are harder to find and go for way more than a cherokee as far as i can tell, and ive been keeping track for many years in my local area (and only seen a handful in all that time).
The amc 2.5 is just a 4.0 with less cylinders. I.e., it's freakin great. Almost anything that bolts to it is the same as same-year 4.0. The power is good for a 4cyl. I would not doubt 25hwy mpg. Those trucks are light.
Overall, id say if you're going to get an older compact pickup and NOT work it into the ground or plan on super-major mods, a comanche is a great choice.
A college roommate had a Comanche with the 2.5 AMC & manual trans, 2WD with a slight lift kit and tires so it looked like a 4WD. Decent little truck, cab not real spacious, why they didn't do an extended cab version I do not know.
In reply to Vigo:
They're inexpensive here if you catch them out of tax season. There's an MJ on the local CL right now for $900. I PMed it to IntegraGuy to check out. I'm around an hour from him, so it's close to him, and I can check it out before he makes the hour drive this way.
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