Beep Beep Imma Jeep

[2point5RS_Dan]

I bought a cheap Jeep. Post #2 will explain my recent vehicle woes.

The thing is a 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport. 4.0L inline 6, aw4 four speed auto, NV231 transfer case, D30 front, Chryco 8.25 rear. 3.55 gearing. 130k miles.

It's a pile, but I bought it for the drivetrain and options. The price was right too. All the cosmetic stuff I can fix easy by hitting the yards come spring.

I got it last Tuesday. Drove it to the meet Wednesday. All last week I drove it with no heat...

Got somewhat working heat again without replacing the heater core.

Ran radiator flush through it. Didn't do squat. Ran CLR through it. Didn't do squat.

Let CLR sit in it over night, then blasted it out with an air compressor. I now have working heat again. It's weak to medium, but good enough for the week. I'll let it sit with CLR again next weekend and flush it more, along with doing a full coolant system flush.

Also fixed the drivers side speaker. The door opening caused the wire to fray. Fixed it and put on some heavy duty loom. Swapped in my kenwood speakers out of our 95 XJ.

Also swapped the wheels/tires off our 95 onto my 99. Dunlop Radial Rover A/Ts which are infinitely better than the steal belted DONKEY tires that came on the thing.

Things left to fix/todo immediately:

• CLR douche the heater core again. Coolant flush.
  
• Figure out why my rear wiper washer works but my front doesn't.
  
• Sounds like DONKEY on startup, almost as if one cylinder isn't firing. Will throw a tuneup kit at it. Could just be fuel.
  
• Fix passenger door lock so it actually locks.
  
• Try and epoxy the aftermarket rear pioneer speaker it came with to get it to not sound like DONKEY. Otherwise leave it out.
  
• Figure out the loud wooshing sound above 60mph. Sounds like my windshield seal is bad.
  
• Wire wheel and rattle can those stealies at krazykarpenter's folks place in his heated garage. Less rust brown, more black.
  

Once all that crap is dealt with, I'll be junkyard hunting for upgrades and fixing up lower priority stuff.

• Install rear hitch and front tow hooks to use as recovery points.
  
• Weld new metal in floor boards + rockers in the spring. POR15 it's brains out.
  
• Fab up a rustys knock off front skid for armor + front strengthening.
  
• Try and find some heated seats out of a Grand Cherokee to throw in.
  
• Grand Cherokee beefy tie rods, maybe sways. Any other GC crap I can fit.
  
• ZJ gas tank skid.
  
• Misc trim pieces to replace my busted up ones.
  
• Grab some OEM XJ fogs and wiring out of a junker. (I like more buttons to push)
  
• Try and find an OEM overhead console.
  
• Ford 8.8 (LSD, disks) eventually.
  
• Fender trimming and two sets of TJ rear flares so I can steal my sisters tires while she's deployed.
  
• Part time light doesn't come on when in 4wd. Will research quick fixes online, but probably going to ignore.
  
• Swap exhausts with our 95 plow rig so I can pass sticker next year.
  
• Junk yard rear springs to replace my flat ones.
  

It's a pile of POOP but I love it.

I plan to keep it stock height with armor. It's just a DD/back up ride for when I break the RS. Dad will probably use it in snow storms instead of his open diff commuter mustang. Might be pulling out some stuck subarus or jeeps, maybe some mild offroad stuff.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Q&A:

Dan, what happened to your RS?

It barfed its second transmission. I'm looking for another one. The RS will resume daily hooner and rally slut duties once it's fixed.

You bought a Legacy GT to replace it, what happened to that?

The car had oiling issues. I barely had 300 miles on it before the oil light started coming on. It was back and forth to Evergreen.

A few weeks ago I was driving. Turbo let go, motor started slight knocking. I flat towed the car 1.5 miles to my house with sisters jeep then the next day dad and I borrowed a friends turbo dually diesel and rented a trailer to drive the thing back to CT. They took it apart. Everything was junked in it (no POOP). Some back and forth, they agreed to give me my money back. Mailed them the title, got my check.

So why the Jeep?

A few reasons actually. I had looked at Cherokee's in town before I got the legacy. This one was the best deal. I decided I needed an ultra reliable ride because I break the RS so much. The idea of the legacy was that it had lower miles so it should be good to go.... Upon that route failing, I decided to go back to the tried and true. The Jeep 4.0. You can run it on kerosene or goat piss and it'll still go till the apocalypse. I also needed something CHEAP right NOW. Money was still tied up in the legacy and I hadn't had reliable transportation for over a month.

With the money saved, I'll be buying a mig plus getting the RS running sooner. Also, not having a car loan is nice.

THIS THREAD IS NOT ABOUT THE LEGACY. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO DISCUSS ABOUT THE LEGACY. IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THE LEGACY, PM ME.

 

[IBratmanI]

Sweet dude!!

 

[Matt]

glad the compressed air trick sorta worked....good luck with it

 

[Ty Ty]

[*]Grab some OEM XJ fogs and wiring out of a junker. (I like more buttons to push)

Wiring should already be there, pull the bumper off and have a look. You should find it cable tied to the front crossmember. As for the factory fogs...meh. Find a factory switch, and then a set of fogs that actually might be useful.

 

[Carter]

If I want to bring up the Legacy...I will!

 

[Mark]

my NAXJA membership ran up a month ago. Sad Face.

I didn't even know you had a legacy, sounds like all's well that ends well though.

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

eww, Jeep. Like a hay baler with a wagon-ish body bolted on top.

Dan wha happent to dat nice Leggy? Call dlr in CT, make offer on the trans in that thing!

 

[boxer3main]

cheap jeep ..

what did you pay?

at 130k the routine is indeed fuel, and early injection gets dirty air mass related.

there is some fancy stuff to buy for them.. a simple headgasket change makes it a hot rod 6.(subaru is still having trouble in that category), and while out the valve seats if pulverized by the crazy fuel, get it all at once..and here comes 300k miles.

I spotted one local cheap, appeared to be sprung in the framework.. still tempting.

I grew up with an 87 from brand new, 3 years later, dead at 120k miles... when I learned the routine to fix it, it was too late, my family gave it back as repo upset at it (no help from the dealer). I never forgot the jeep...

the first 258 I ever drove was not even in a jeep... it was an amc concrode. Loved it.. the last year for thumpy compression and carbed. A bit of a dog, but if you treat it like an n/a boxer in the torque advatnage, it does very good.

I am glad to have babbled here about my jeep time (I got my license in an 87).

 

[Iboc_C64]

I got rid of my Cherokee a year an a half ago after buying the 09 WRX. It had 275,000 miles on it. From what I hear, it just got a new tune up, and new shocks and struts, some other stuff. I paid $500 for it at 260,000 miles and put about $1600 in it in repairs, it needed a windshield, ball joints, universals, radiator, heater core, thermostat, a fuel tank and a stereo. It also had some sensor issues early on. The most annoying part was cleaning out the coolant system. Took a while before finally replacing the heater core and radiator separately. Should have done em together. Also changed the thermostat. Cooling system seems to be a cronic corrosion issue on these things but it will still run forever. I also ran the BF Goodrich All Terrain TAs that came on it, they are still on it, they have been on it for 7 years from what I understand!

Dan, if you have the heater core out, just change the damn thing and be done with it. The part was less than $20 at napa 2 years ago. The radiator was also pretty cheap, I think it was about $80 new. If I were you I would change the Radiator, Heater Core and Thermostat. They are pretty simple, and it sounds like you have more mechanical expertise than you need to do it. I did the heater core and radiator myself on both my Jeep and my Pontiac. Both had over 200,000 miles on the original parts. They were pretty clogged.

 

[Ty Ty]

eww, Jeep. Like a hay baler with a wagon-ish body bolted on top.

You better not need a tug at NEFR this year, because Imma' just going to drive on by. Muahaha!

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

You better not need a tug at NEFR this year, because Imma' just going to drive on by. Muahaha!

spank spank, wash my mouth out

if we stuck at a rally, I will publicly kiss yer towstrap

peace love and long life to Jeeps n Jeepers out there, we

u all!!!

 

[MuddyWRX]

Nice jeep, pretty much the same as what mine was other than mine is a 98 and slightly modded now. Ive still got some stock parts, if you need something just ask never know what Ive got kicking around.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Thanks for the good word guys. It's been a crazy stretch of time recently for me and I'm glad things are finally starting to come together.

Wiring should already be there, pull the bumper off and have a look. You should find it cable tied to the front crossmember. As for the factory fogs...meh. Find a factory switch, and then a set of fogs that actually might be useful.

Good to know! I'm not a fan of wiring stuff up. I was just going to get OEMs because I could, but if I could have some useful ones that'd actually be worth it? Any fog recommendations? I also need some driving lights on it. The RS spoiled me. This thing doesn't go nearly as fast as the RS though, so cheapo lights will probably be fine.

eww, Jeep. Like a hay baler with a wagon-ish body bolted on top.

The handling difference between the RS and the XJ is.... interesting. I'm a hoon and can't help myself. Tossing the Jeep around is a lot less graceful.

Dan, if you have the heater core out, just change the damn thing and be done with it. The part was less than $20 at napa 2 years ago. The radiator was also pretty cheap, I think it was about $80 new. If I were you I would change the Radiator, Heater Core and Thermostat. They are pretty simple, and it sounds like you have more mechanical expertise than you need to do it. I did the heater core and radiator myself on both my Jeep and my Pontiac. Both had over 200,000 miles on the original parts. They were pretty clogged.

I didn't take the heater core out. I just pulled the hoses in the engine bay that go to it off and let CLR sit in it overnight, then hooked the air compressor up to the tubes in the morning. I didn't really want to take the dash apart and remove the hvac system, it's a retarded design and doing it this way was faster.

Nice jeep, pretty much the same as what mine was other than mine is a 98 and slightly modded now. Ive still got some stock parts, if you need something just ask never know what Ive got kicking around.

My rear leafs are flat, you got any in the pile? I'm interested in what else you may have. We've got too much subaru, mustang, and jeep POOP in our garage... I think we need more.

 

[boxer3main]

this jeep stuff gets me thinking.

a garage next door, mechanics jeep.. on a similar curve of nickel and diming to me and my sube...3 years now.

the day I put 205/70 on and got a look at the similar outcome with the jeep..also startng off plane jane, dented fender, seemed funny, my sube and I were going the same path. it occured to me what I was doing to my j-tin and took the tire right off.. barely fitting in the wells. The jeeps version is like 235/75 or 31x10 or what have you...no need t remove it there.

been plaguing my mind.

I went to pirate 4x4 with the dual range sube as my vehicle, no one gave it any crap.. but I do miss where it is really at, like now.

a parts source is in this video:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tv/live16.php

just one warehouse has 50million in 4 wheel parts, with jeep most likely written all over most of them.

 

[MuddyWRX]

Sorry, I have coils but I used my factory leafs springs and another set to make my current ~5" pack. I know theres an XJ on maine4x4.org that is being parted out that probably has a set.

 

[Ray]

Sorry, I have coils but I used my factory leafs springs and another set to make my current ~5" pack. I know theres an XJ on maine4x4.org that is being parted out that probably has a set.

you're on maine4x4.org also?

 

[K3rn]

i got to get my 93 Geo tracker to one of the meets and i had on of these jeeps before my mods walmart tint and a bud light tap for my shifter all they are fun as hell to play with

 

[MuddyWRX]

you're on maine4x4.org also?

Yup 98XJSport over there.

Reminds me I gotta get my dues sent in.