In 2012 I bought a super clean 94 S10, 4.3 4x4 for $1200. Guy said it was loosing coolant and the mechanic told him the engine was bad. When I got it home I figured out the radiator cap was bad causing the leak. Still driving it today, 13 years and 150k miles later.
Had a 2.2l 99 Camry with same deal, but I think they broke the inside of the cap off on purpose to prevent the water pump seal from leaking. Pressure went into the overflow. During the summer I smelled coolant and saw the temp gauge go to three quarters. A 750 mile trip caused me to stop at rest stops, refill with water, and squeeze the hoses. A new cap stopped the madness, but a week later the pump started dripping. Easy job on that iron 4cyl engine.
One time I bought a 1971 camero with a blown engine, after doing what you did listening to the sounds I pulled the valve covers and found a broken tapped stud, a little drilling threading & stud replacement, that thing ran like a charm...
my first car was a 75 Lincoln Mark4 that my Dad's friend had left sitting in his barn for like 9 years. We got it home and it ran OK until it didn't. Pulled the valve covers and turns out most of the valves siezed in the guides and it bent the pushrods on like 5 cylinders. We ended up doing a full valve job and putting it back together as a father-son project. I still remember having to hang my whole body weight off the torque wrench over the fenders to get 180 ft-lb on those damned 460 head bolts.
They're already collectible valuable. I bought one 12-14 years ago $500 running. Just needed a battery and couple non mechanical fixes. Road it hard a couple years, then it started randomly dumping coolant wherever it felt like it, $2000 trade in value at a dealership. Now you cant find even a poorly running one for $2000
Bought a ZJ last year for 250 that had piston slap, but still ran and actually drove it home. Played with it a few days, doughnuts and such, then sold it for 250. Even found a 20 dollar bill under the rear seat carpet so I made money lol Had fun with it and made my money back. If I had deep pockets I'd have an XJ right now. J.E.E.P. - Just Empty Every Pocket
I have 2. a 2000 with a window in the block and a 2001 that runs and drives great. I picked up a junk yard motor for the 2000 and and im rebuilding it. valve job is done, new rings, bearings....why not. they are cheap and easy to work on. I cant imagine not owning an xj :) Good luck with it !!!
Uncle T, just a couple XJ tips.... 1. Check both driver and passenger engine mount bolts. The bolt holes are known for not being drilled and tapped deep enough for the bolts. When you tighten them, they will bottom out and bust the threads off the engine, resulting in your engine using the distributor as a new engine mount (I know this from first hand experience) 2. 16" factory Dodge Caravan/Minivan wheels make a great replacement for the factory Jeep wheels.
Every group of enthusiasts need a rescue "truck". Stock it with tools, jacks, extra battery and fuel. Put on a winch and a cooler of beer and a flagon of coffee. Oh lights, got to have lights. Ready to go to the track or get a buddy out of trouble.
Quite the collection of XJs Tony. I had a clean 2 door 4x4 4.0/Ax15 XJ with a 6 inch lift and 35’s. I busted the front tire right off wheeling it and messed the fender and door up as a result. I was so mad I fixed the front axle and sold it cheap. I miss that jeep, shoulda kept it
Personally as Jeep owner of 4 Jeeps.. id be bired having multiple of the same Jeep.. Thats why i have an ZJ. SJ Grand Wagoneer and Original J10 series gladiator. Its more fun having diff Jeeps than all the same..
I'm watching this while I'm waiting for the junkyard to bring out the 4.0 for the XJ I just bought. As far as truck or jeep I affectionately refer to xjs as cherocars.
An ex-ladyfriend of mine bought a brand new '96 "Cherokee Sport" I think it was, 4x4 with that sweet 6-cylinder and 5SPD manual (I didn't know you could buy a 4x2). Loved that vehicle, wish I had one. I guess I treated the Jeep much better than I treated her.
@@BigBeavrSlayer The undercar portion of a typical unibody is correctly called 'the frame '. (Fox Body frame rail stiffeners). The K member is also part of the 'frame'.
It ain't a blown motor until it scatters itself all over the road! I've fixed "blown engines" by putting the coil wire back in the distributor cap, and other simple stuff. Sometimes you get lucky. And sometimes gotta run it a little longer to scatter it all over the road. 🤣
As a fellow car enthusiast who had many hotrods over the years, I too have become an XJ believer. Bought a 2001 XJ in 2020 and I'm still driving it today.
These XJ's are a lot of fun Tony, glad to see you giving them some love, I took my '90 XJ on a 1,700 mile round trip and collected a hard top for my '72 CJ5. I didn't have a single problem on the whole trip, granted, I am on my second engine after the first threw a con rod through the block.
Have a 97 with 375,000 miles. Paid 1500 for it with 222,000 miles. 6cyl ,5sod, 2 wheel drive. Was absolutely perfect. Stripper fleet vehicle, maybe N.C H.P. Surprising performance. Was looking for cheap transportation but now it is the best all. around vehicle I ha've ever owned.!
Yes! I just bought a '96 Cougar with the 4.6 and 95K for $2K. New tires, brakes and battery, It needs paint, 02 sensors and an evap solenoid, No body damage, no rust, interior good. 5th car. None of my car buddies get it, They all want pristine muscle cars but one of them wrench. I totally get what you are doing, I'm doing similar.......
These and the Commanches which Chrysler killed ASAP because they despised it , because they already had the Ram 50 mini truck . The JTtuck was ordered to be axed before the sale to Chrysler was even completed . That's why it took so long to get a Jeep pickup back , and why they went with a Wrangler based version rather than a proper design , that wasn't an insult to the original Gladiator / J Truck heritage . They wanted NO competition at all to their Ram line . For the ultimate finger to actual Jeep enthusiasts , they then made it an all upscale hyper price inflated fluff wagon , gloating about it even before it was released for sale . Stellantis is the AntiChrist as far as I'm concerned , and probably the perfect outfit to take DC's engineering and quality control to depths never before thought possible .
I love it. I have the same model with 201k miles. It's the Grocery Getter so she's been "bruised" a few times. Starts every time and runs good. Leaks more oil than it burns but as long as I keep oil and water in it she don't care.
had one,a 97, and a TJ the same year my wife drove the xj and I drove the TJ (will never have any thing to do with one again, absolute death trap) but the xj was a good rugged vehicle, stranded my wife, would not start, every one said the engine was shot and after messing around with it I changed the fuel pressure regulator and it was good, those inline sixes are dependable but they do suck down the gas
They are thirsty . Another common leave you stranded problem is the Crank sensor , which causes a crank no spark condition . The uninitiated then start chasing it from the distributor and inevitably replace the Cam sensor , coil , etc , and give up after failing to fix the issue in addition to reinstalling the distributor several teeth out of time . That's where you scoop em up cheap , throw a cheaper new Crank sensor in ( after buying enough socket extensions and u joints ) , retiming the engine properly , and have a great little machine . Probably picked up a bakers dozen over the years with this very misdiagnosed problem , all for under $500 each .
I also just bought a white xj, rust free, with a supposed blown motor. Engine was tore apart and parts in the rear hatch. Didn't want stuff gettin in the motor or lost parts so i put it all back together. Was going to park it aside for a future project until i put a batt in it to see what it was doing. A little distributor adjustment and some tinkering, and i now have almost a 1000 miles on it. Little rough idle but been running decent. All the best, be safe..
I puta Jeep 4.0 engine in my 1966 Rambler American. After seeing you video I thought about the crow’s foot distributor clamp and checked my car as I didn’t recall it. It was missing. I just got one and I will install it before my next drive. Thanks, UT!
Thats a late model paint issue. Post 96 mopar changed the formula for the clear coat. Without alot of waxing, they were notorious (seemed like white especially) for peeling. Looking forward to tomorrows video and seeing what you find out!!! Great project XJ though!!! Couldnt hear it in the video, but did the fuel pump prime when you turned the key on?
That thing aint dead. Check the basics for every ZJ or XJ. Fuel (cheap pumps die), spark (i mean duh) but specifically Crank Position Sensor, IAC. Compression might be a thing. but all I know is the braton striggs on my push mower is more picky about AFR/Comp than my '97 ZJ.
On off-road vehicles and race cars we don’t care too much about minor battle scares. On two wheelers we get more picky because usually only street use vehicle so their life’s should have been easier. Nice project Tony. Thanks for showing us how to judge engine without doing a full a wet and dry leak down test. On rotary engines if seals are worn we see them crank and crank before starting even if it has not got to the smoking stage. I’m going to listen to more engines crank over know. I past I knew old mechanics who could diagnosed just by the sound of it cranking over.
Loved my XJ! Police package with Selec-track transfer case. Had all 3 factor skid plates. I bought it with 175,000 miles and sold it with 270,00. It was reliable!
Hey Tony, I had a 2 door ‘84 XJ in gray. It looked awesome with Chrysler police steelies, dog dish caps, and 30x9 all terrains on it. I wheeled it like that, too.
@@0004612 it wasn’t much but enough to be a blast to drive . It made 304 hp and 325 lbs torque on pump gas . I used it more for off-road than on, but it could have been built for street too and more wild
There are lots of cheap rust free XJs in South Texas that need work or have 300,000 miles. Many daily them with little maintenance until they they don't trust them. Its temping to buy a straight XJ without a sun cracked interior and bring it back.
TRUCK!!! I have two, and one is a unicorn with no rust or damage. zget allot of complements. It's a 2001 2wd with a Sure-grip. I put a quality 3" lift on it. 4wd is lifted a little more as well, but is a 5spd manual. Bothe are Old Man Emu lifts.
XJ’s used for police, park ranger service have an oversized cooling system on them that remedies the overheating issues. Good to grab bolt on parts if you see one in a junkyard.
The junkyard is your friend. I’d get what you can for cheap there, get it running decent, do an alignment, clean it up really good, then sell it for thousands in profit. It could be a really good flip to fund a project that will make you more money.
The flamingo headliner is so you, that needs to stay. It is screaming high performance, 50 flamingo power under the hood. I am sure it will be real nice when you get done with it. Since the hood paint is screwed anyway a giant screaming flamingo breathing fire on the hood would be another excellent touch. A Mr. Horsepower Flamingo with a stub cigar hanging out of his beak would be great on both front fenders. Rust free and it looks decent, not a bad deal if you like those Jeeps. Good luck Tony, hopefully it is just a head gasket, if it is you scored big.
Well, Tony, it did not even try to fire, so there is more to it than just a head gasket. Now, let's fix that dizzy, set the static timing, and see what happens. My first instinct is the timing chain, gear, or what ever else Jeep uses to sync the cam to the crank.... ....RooDog....
Best thing about XJ is they are abundant cheap and easy to fix. I have a rust free 99 2wd Limited and a rusty 99 4wd sport but only 25k on rebuilt engine. The rusty 4wd is basically a future drivetrain for the rust free 2wd. The 2wd only has 204k do its gonna be a while before its needs an engine or a 4x4 conversion.
Im wanting to build my son an xj.. we put a 94 ranger together, v6 4x4 and really have trouble finding parts..i thought we would have alot of parts but not so much..hard to find transmissions,spindles and hard parts..i think maybe with an xj we can put one together and not be scared to break it cause we can buy engines and transmissions ect...
Yes , those little Rangers are hard to find parts for , especially the V6 versions . Even the S10 counterparts are getting scarce as far as parts are concerned .
Sounds like you stumbled on a really nice find, one that can perhaps turnaround fast and provide someone with a new vehicle for a moderate cost. Looking forward to the end of the story. Thanks!
Our 97 cracked a cooling passage in the block between 2-3.. was an awesome little truck, put a motor in it and my brother drove it a while before selling it
I'm not a Jeep fan myself but, I know many of them. At least one is BIG into XJs and also a UTG viewer so I asked him if he'd seen the first video. He'd recently purchased an(other) one as a project in nowhere near this condition for a much higher price. His reply to my question was "I don't want to talk about it! Since we live in the Salt Belt, pretty much any vehicle over 5 years old is nearly impossible to find in rust free condition.
I personally don't get the jeep thing. The xj's are coolish. I do understand unexpectedly falling in love with a rig. I bought a 90 ford ranger with a 4 banger/5speed/2wd. It had a broken head bolt and blown head gasket. It was cheap. I intended to fix it and resell it. I've been driving it for months now. Great little truck.
I miss my 98 ranger. Wasn't fast, but the bed was the perfect height and it was just a cool looking little truck. Drive an f150 now and the bed is so tall I gotta get up in it every time to get anything. I could lower it but yeah right what self respecting man would do that to a truck
I kinda fell in love with XJs in 1986. Looked like a Cherokee or Wagoneer, but modern. Came home on leave in '92 and talked my Dad into getting one. He drove it for the rest of his life. Said it was the best car he ever bought. My sister still drives it. I own two XJ's at the moment, a '98 that's my baby...but is parked while I build my garage, and '01 that I let my son drive. So...that white XJ is a '99, '00 or '01. I'm betting it had a cracked head. Since they say 'engine's bad', I will say that they kept driving it when it started overheating. Am I right? My '01 did that. No milkshake. But the exhaust was going into the cooling system. The 331 head casting is no good.
I once purchased a $750 XJ. It ran poorly, overheated, rear main leaked under load, too many cosmetic issues to list. But it was 4x4 and I took on a few trips. Ended up selling it because I bought a 4Runner.
Tom, It could be a timing chain issue. The passenger side front is pushed in from the accident. Jarring from the accident, could have knocked something loose with timing assembly.
Here in East Canada, there asking double that price and it's half gone from rust. There expensive. For a decent running one it's easy 5000$. 10k+ if there's a lift kit, big tires, snorkel pipe, etc. The outdoor survival kit kind of way to say it. Nice content again. White is my favorite car color, but here, it's replaced by brown quickly from rust. Lol
Tony, if you're looking for rust locations on those models; I almost guarantee you will find rust in the lower rear body panels behind the rear wheels. The rust was promoted by the use of little black bags of insulation stuffed down therein which kept moisture against the panel from evaporating. You can access these bags by removing the interior plastic panel behind the spare tire and equivalently the other side then go fishing. I bought an XJ from Arizona; no rust anywhere on or in it; except there where the panels were rusted through on both sides. You might remove the rear bumper plastic covers to see if it has rusted through from the inside. I highly suggest removing these bags. Good luck!
Hahahaha. Classic. Messed up front end and motor just started running bad for no reason when his kid was using it. I knew too many kids like that in high school that had the same coincidental thing happen. I shouldn’t make assumptions but my spidey senses are telling me bent rods. Hydro locked. Looking forward to seeing if my predictions are correct. Keep up the good videos. UTG.
I learned that Jeep sold a bunch of right hand drive XJs in Japan that are now legally being imported to the US. They have very low mileage because it’s a small country. Plus, there is no rust.
Miss diagnosis is a common problem. A buddy just bought a 2014 Kia Sportage for $1500 that would idle perfectly and have no power. The Kia dealer had told the owners it needed an engine at the cost of $10000. WTF. My buddy pulled the upstream O2 sensor out of it and it runs perfect, (makes a hell of a noise) but he could drive it around the subdivision at 40 mph. Plugged converter is the problem and the dealer thought it needed an engine. I don't know which is worse, $10000 for an engine or a wrong diag. Buddy just got a $12000 SUV for 1500
Gallon of lacquer thinners with half a tank of gas, and drive it. You would be amazed Watch Scott Kilmer. Tried it with 5 vehicles and all run better and cleaned the cats.
I love mine i have two of them robust easy to fix parts are cheap relaible. Flush the radiator they clog alot including the heater core. Water pumps last about 80k and buy a good one chinese and other cheap pumps will last 20k. Chinese alternators will also dont last. The heater hose at the front thermostat housing can get damaged from heat. Pistons skirts can crack but on two engines after 220k hardmiles the cylinderbores had little to no wear. These engines are very tough like the slant6. Front ends wear but parts are cheap iprefer moog if they are still usa made. Enjoy it tony glad its in good hands
As for auto youtube videos, I am stuck with VGG and UTG and a few others that are similar in scope. But on the notion of experience to start is from my father he is the one who got me started but I have learned alot outside of what I know from watching these videos now mind you I have my own preferences on certain tasks as do anyone; but experience is best shared even if we don't agree.
We purchased a Grand Cherokee once (1998 model?) and one day while driving it just slowed down and stopped. We found a hole had burned right through the top of one of the pistons. Weird. Ending up putting in a used engine (from recycler).
In 2012 I bought a super clean 94 S10, 4.3 4x4 for $1200. Guy said it was loosing coolant and the mechanic told him the engine was bad. When I got it home I figured out the radiator cap was bad causing the leak. Still driving it today, 13 years and 150k miles later.
Had a 2.2l 99 Camry with same deal, but I think they broke the inside of the cap off on purpose to prevent the water pump seal from leaking. Pressure went into the overflow. During the summer I smelled coolant and saw the temp gauge go to three quarters. A 750 mile trip caused me to stop at rest stops, refill with water, and squeeze the hoses. A new cap stopped the madness, but a week later the pump started dripping. Easy job on that iron 4cyl engine.
*Losing
@@jumpinjojoMaybe the guy he bought it from literally said "loosing."
That moment when you look at a vehicle and say "i'm just gonna do this".....and then curiosity takes over, it'll get you every time! LOL
One time I bought a 1971 camero with a blown engine, after doing what you did listening to the sounds I pulled the valve covers and found a broken tapped stud, a little drilling threading & stud replacement, that thing ran like a charm...
RIGHT ON 🤙🏻💯😎
my first car was a 75 Lincoln Mark4 that my Dad's friend had left sitting in his barn for like 9 years. We got it home and it ran OK until it didn't. Pulled the valve covers and turns out most of the valves siezed in the guides and it bent the pushrods on like 5 cylinders. We ended up doing a full valve job and putting it back together as a father-son project. I still remember having to hang my whole body weight off the torque wrench over the fenders to get 180 ft-lb on those damned 460 head bolts.
You did not buy a 1971 camero.
@mexicanspec yes it was! And that camEro was a 2 door!
Oh yea, the early days Right on...
I love you Tony. I swear if I lived by you I would work with you in your shop in my spare time for free, strictly for the education and entertainment
After watching matts off road recovery Im a fan of those XJ's. Scoop em up in a few years those are gonna be valuable.
They're already collectible valuable. I bought one 12-14 years ago $500 running. Just needed a battery and couple non mechanical fixes. Road it hard a couple years, then it started randomly dumping coolant wherever it felt like it, $2000 trade in value at a dealership. Now you cant find even a poorly running one for $2000
Bought a ZJ last year for 250 that had piston slap, but still ran and actually drove it home. Played with it a few days, doughnuts and such, then sold it for 250. Even found a 20 dollar bill under the rear seat carpet so I made money lol Had fun with it and made my money back. If I had deep pockets I'd have an XJ right now. J.E.E.P. - Just Empty Every Pocket
Pop the dome light down and look for a circuit board inside it. If it’s there, you have the keyless entry option. You can get replacement fobs.
Let’s see this tomorrow Uncle Tony.
XJ, to answer the question,"is it a car, is it a truck". It's technically a station wagon. You're welcome.
Sound wisdom, thanks Anthony.. 👍 I've wanted one since always
Its a jeep
SPORTS WAGGUN 🤪
According to the cops in The Goonies, it’s an RV.
@@sickcoy13 Done.. Like have you,, recreationaled today
I have 2. a 2000 with a window in the block and a 2001 that runs and drives great. I picked up a junk yard motor for the 2000 and and im rebuilding it. valve job is done, new rings, bearings....why not. they are cheap and easy to work on. I cant imagine not owning an xj :) Good luck with it !!!
Dean..., I've had 5, looking for a #6 now.
Uncle T, just a couple XJ tips....
1. Check both driver and passenger engine mount bolts. The bolt holes are known for not being drilled and tapped deep enough for the bolts. When you tighten them, they will bottom out and bust the threads off the engine, resulting in your engine using the distributor as a new engine mount (I know this from first hand experience)
2. 16" factory Dodge Caravan/Minivan wheels make a great replacement for the factory Jeep wheels.
Every group of enthusiasts need a rescue "truck". Stock it with tools, jacks, extra battery and fuel. Put on a winch and a cooler of beer and a flagon of coffee. Oh lights, got to have lights.
Ready to go to the track or get a buddy out of trouble.
The prices of new vehicles are absolutely insane. That truck is definitely worth giving some love. I would absolutely throw a motor in that thing.
Buy a rebuilt short block. Or wrecking yard motor. While engine is out,fix front end and bodywork.
Quite the collection of XJs Tony. I had a clean 2 door 4x4 4.0/Ax15 XJ with a 6 inch lift and 35’s. I busted the front tire right off wheeling it and messed the fender and door up as a result. I was so mad I fixed the front axle and sold it cheap. I miss that jeep, shoulda kept it
Personally as Jeep owner of 4 Jeeps.. id be bired having multiple of the same Jeep.. Thats why i have an ZJ. SJ Grand Wagoneer and Original J10 series gladiator. Its more fun having diff Jeeps than all the same..
i have a 94 xj with a 5 speed manual and i love it...238k and still going strong
I'm watching this while I'm waiting for the junkyard to bring out the 4.0 for the XJ I just bought. As far as truck or jeep I affectionately refer to xjs as cherocars.
An ex-ladyfriend of mine bought a brand new '96 "Cherokee Sport" I think it was, 4x4 with that sweet 6-cylinder and 5SPD manual (I didn't know you could buy a 4x2). Loved that vehicle, wish I had one. I guess I treated the Jeep much better than I treated her.
Sport only came 4x4 only the country and Bariwood came 2x4
Well, maybe the XJ
was a better ride ?🤷🏿♂️🤔
@@jeremyhanna3852not to sound like a know it all, but I do have 2- 2 wheel drive sport xjs in my driveway right now. 😅 I actually have 5 total!
@@jeremyhanna3852The Country also came in 4x4
They all came 2x4 OR 4x4
As long as it has a good frame it is buildable. These are getting rare so scoop 'em up.
We don't have salt in the NW, and these things are everywhere, and dirt cheap. They're mostly second cars, low-ish mileage, straight cars.
Frame? No it's a unibody and I could buy 50 of then in ten minutes in Washington they are absolutely everywhere
Jefro, it's a uni-body
@@BigBeavrSlayer I passed one parked for sale, a block away. They're all over Oregon, most in good condition. People don't seem to be modifying them
@@BigBeavrSlayer The undercar portion of a typical unibody is correctly called 'the frame '. (Fox Body frame rail stiffeners).
The K member is also part of the 'frame'.
One of us, one of us. Gooble-gobble, gooble-gobble!
It ain't a blown motor until it scatters itself all over the road!
I've fixed "blown engines" by putting the coil wire back in the distributor cap, and other simple stuff. Sometimes you get lucky.
And sometimes gotta run it a little longer to scatter it all over the road. 🤣
Landlord finally threw Tony out for peelin tires in the yard. LOL!
Best jeep ever made ! Pound for pound..perfectly balanced ,and good power and torque!
just run a quick compression test. You know you want to.
Right On, uncle Tony😊
As a fellow car enthusiast who had many hotrods over the years, I too have become an XJ believer. Bought a 2001 XJ in 2020 and I'm still driving it today.
These XJ's are a lot of fun Tony, glad to see you giving them some love, I took my '90 XJ on a 1,700 mile round trip and collected a hard top for my '72 CJ5. I didn't have a single problem on the whole trip, granted, I am on my second engine after the first threw a con rod through the block.
Have a 97 with 375,000 miles. Paid 1500 for it with 222,000 miles. 6cyl ,5sod, 2 wheel drive. Was absolutely perfect. Stripper fleet vehicle, maybe N.C H.P. Surprising performance. Was looking for cheap transportation but now it is the best all. around vehicle I ha've ever owned.!
Yes! I just bought a '96 Cougar with the 4.6 and 95K for $2K. New tires, brakes and battery, It needs paint, 02 sensors and an evap solenoid, No body damage, no rust, interior good. 5th car. None of my car buddies get it, They all want pristine muscle cars but one of them wrench. I totally get what you are doing, I'm doing similar.......
These were the last of the Jeeps that were made halfway decent.
These and the Commanches which Chrysler killed ASAP because they despised it , because they already had the Ram 50 mini truck .
The JTtuck was ordered to be axed before the sale to Chrysler was even completed .
That's why it took so long to get a Jeep pickup back , and why they went with a Wrangler based version rather than a proper design , that wasn't an insult to the original Gladiator / J Truck heritage .
They wanted NO competition at all to their Ram line .
For the ultimate finger to actual Jeep enthusiasts , they then made it an all upscale hyper price inflated fluff wagon , gloating about it even before it was released for sale .
Stellantis is the AntiChrist as far as I'm concerned , and probably the perfect outfit to take DC's engineering and quality control to depths never before thought possible .
My WJ has been ultra reliable. A 2004 with original everything except rear axle seals and 3 window regulators.
201k miles.
I love it. I have the same model with 201k miles. It's the Grocery Getter so she's been "bruised" a few times. Starts every time and runs good. Leaks more oil than it burns but as long as I keep oil and water in it she don't care.
had one,a 97, and a TJ the same year my wife drove the xj and I drove the TJ (will never have any thing to do with one again, absolute death trap) but the xj was a good rugged vehicle, stranded my wife, would not start, every one said the engine was shot and after messing around with it I changed the fuel pressure regulator and it was good, those inline sixes are dependable but they do suck down the gas
They are thirsty .
Another common leave you stranded problem is the Crank sensor , which causes a crank no spark condition .
The uninitiated then start chasing it from the distributor and inevitably replace the Cam sensor , coil , etc , and give up after failing to fix the issue in addition to reinstalling the distributor several teeth out of time .
That's where you scoop em up cheap , throw a cheaper new Crank sensor in ( after buying enough socket extensions and u joints ) , retiming the engine properly , and have a great little machine .
Probably picked up a bakers dozen over the years with this very misdiagnosed problem , all for under $500 each .
Mine must be an oddball cause it gets 20 overall City/highway. I do have synthetic oil in every section of the drivetrain and 3.55 gears.
I would absolutely keep that flamingo headliner! Talk about a car with a bit of personality!
Love my xj.
500 bucks ten years ago.
Just keeps on running.
98 no rust forest green.
I also just bought a white xj, rust free, with a supposed blown motor. Engine was tore apart and parts in the rear hatch. Didn't want stuff gettin in the motor or lost parts so i put it all back together. Was going to park it aside for a future project until i put a batt in it to see what it was doing. A little distributor adjustment and some tinkering, and i now have almost a 1000 miles on it. Little rough idle but been running decent. All the best, be safe..
I puta Jeep 4.0 engine in my 1966 Rambler American. After seeing you video I thought about the crow’s foot distributor clamp and checked my car as I didn’t recall it. It was missing. I just got one and I will install it before my next drive. Thanks, UT!
Thats a late model paint issue. Post 96 mopar changed the formula for the clear coat. Without alot of waxing, they were notorious (seemed like white especially) for peeling. Looking forward to tomorrows video and seeing what you find out!!! Great project XJ though!!! Couldnt hear it in the video, but did the fuel pump prime when you turned the key on?
looks like a job for cheap single stage to me.
Such a steal for $750! I would have been willing to pay twice that with the prices up here & how rare rust free XJs are!
I have an untouched 86 XJ Pioneer with the GM 2.8l v6, even the keys are GM, I love it.
That thing aint dead. Check the basics for every ZJ or XJ. Fuel (cheap pumps die), spark (i mean duh) but specifically Crank Position Sensor, IAC. Compression might be a thing. but all I know is the braton striggs on my push mower is more picky about AFR/Comp than my '97 ZJ.
On off-road vehicles and race cars we don’t care too much about minor battle scares. On two wheelers we get more picky because usually only street use vehicle so their life’s should have been easier. Nice project Tony. Thanks for showing us how to judge engine without doing a full a wet and dry leak down test. On rotary engines if seals are worn we see them crank and crank before starting even if it has not got to the smoking stage. I’m going to listen to more engines crank over know. I past I knew old mechanics who could diagnosed just by the sound of it cranking over.
Love those 4.0s. X wife had one and I had one. So easy to work on. Put a water pump on mine with last broken wrist in a splint.
Thanks
COOP
...
Those zJeeps at a premium in Denver .
Loved my XJ! Police package with Selec-track transfer case. Had all 3 factor skid plates. I bought it with 175,000 miles and sold it with 270,00. It was reliable!
Pro tip: Starting fluid.
Look into the open radiator neck for bubbles, when running or cranking. The engine is really a double sized GT6.
Vegas line says you’ll be jumping on the..vehicle..before Thanksgiving 😊👍🚗
Hey Tony, I had a 2 door ‘84 XJ in gray. It looked awesome with Chrysler police steelies, dog dish caps, and 30x9 all terrains on it. I wheeled it like that, too.
I had a 90 Sport that I stroked the straight 6 and Procharged. It was a blast!
That’s what Uncle Tony needs to do to one of his XJs. How much hp did yours get from the upgrades?
@@0004612 it wasn’t much but enough to be a blast to drive . It made 304 hp and 325 lbs torque on pump gas . I used it more for off-road than on, but it could have been built for street too and more wild
@@leehouston5436 nice, that’s a hundred ten more than factory on my 2004 WJ! That would be fun in the snow around these parts.
There are lots of cheap rust free XJs in South Texas that need work or have 300,000 miles. Many daily them with little maintenance until they they don't trust them. Its temping to buy a straight XJ without a sun cracked interior and bring it back.
TRUCK!!! I have two, and one is a unicorn with no rust or damage. zget allot of complements. It's a 2001 2wd with a Sure-grip. I put a quality 3" lift on it. 4wd is lifted a little more as well, but is a 5spd manual. Bothe are Old Man Emu lifts.
XJ’s used for police, park ranger service have an oversized cooling system on them that remedies the overheating issues. Good to grab bolt on parts if you see one in a junkyard.
The junkyard is your friend. I’d get what you can for cheap there, get it running decent, do an alignment, clean it up really good, then sell it for thousands in profit. It could be a really good flip to fund a project that will make you more money.
uncle vice grips garage here we come
The flamingo headliner is so you, that needs to stay. It is screaming high performance, 50 flamingo power under the hood. I am sure it will be real nice when you get done with it. Since the hood paint is screwed anyway a giant screaming flamingo breathing fire on the hood would be another excellent touch. A Mr. Horsepower Flamingo with a stub cigar hanging out of his beak would be great on both front fenders. Rust free and it looks decent, not a bad deal if you like those Jeeps. Good luck Tony, hopefully it is just a head gasket, if it is you scored big.
Well, Tony, it did not even try to fire, so there is more to it than just a head gasket.
Now, let's fix that dizzy, set the static timing, and see what happens. My first instinct is the timing chain, gear, or what ever else Jeep uses to sync the cam to the crank....
....RooDog....
Uncle Tony, it's a Cherocar! I used to have four and an MJ. Now I'm down to two.
Best thing about XJ is they are abundant cheap and easy to fix. I have a rust free 99 2wd Limited and a rusty 99 4wd sport but only 25k on rebuilt engine. The rusty 4wd is basically a future drivetrain for the rust free 2wd. The 2wd only has 204k do its gonna be a while before its needs an engine or a 4x4 conversion.
Next week on "This Old Keep"....💰💵🚙
*JEEP
my guess is you don't want them to end up in the scrap yard, i feel the same!
Swap the doors, hood and hatch between the black one and the white one!
Im wanting to build my son an xj.. we put a 94 ranger together, v6 4x4 and really have trouble finding parts..i thought we would have alot of parts but not so much..hard to find transmissions,spindles and hard parts..i think maybe with an xj we can put one together and not be scared to break it cause we can buy engines and transmissions ect...
Yes , those little Rangers are hard to find parts for , especially the V6 versions .
Even the S10 counterparts are getting scarce as far as parts are concerned .
I got 2 zj’s the same way , didn’t need em but I got em
Sounds like you stumbled on a really nice find, one that can perhaps turnaround fast and provide someone with a new vehicle for a moderate cost. Looking forward to the end of the story. Thanks!
In the NY area that’s a $3000 XJ running or not. $750 is a gift! Your a lottery winner.
Our 97 cracked a cooling passage in the block between 2-3.. was an awesome little truck, put a motor in it and my brother drove it a while before selling it
I'm not a Jeep fan myself but, I know many of them. At least one is BIG into XJs and also a UTG viewer so I asked him if he'd seen the first video. He'd recently purchased an(other) one as a project in nowhere near this condition for a much higher price. His reply to my question was "I don't want to talk about it!
Since we live in the Salt Belt, pretty much any vehicle over 5 years old is nearly impossible to find in rust free condition.
I personally don't get the jeep thing. The xj's are coolish. I do understand unexpectedly falling in love with a rig. I bought a 90 ford ranger with a 4 banger/5speed/2wd. It had a broken head bolt and blown head gasket. It was cheap. I intended to fix it and resell it. I've been driving it for months now. Great little truck.
I miss my 98 ranger. Wasn't fast, but the bed was the perfect height and it was just a cool looking little truck. Drive an f150 now and the bed is so tall I gotta get up in it every time to get anything. I could lower it but yeah right what self respecting man would do that to a truck
Here for support
I kinda fell in love with XJs in 1986. Looked like a Cherokee or Wagoneer, but modern. Came home on leave in '92 and talked my Dad into getting one. He drove it for the rest of his life. Said it was the best car he ever bought. My sister still drives it. I own two XJ's at the moment, a '98 that's my baby...but is parked while I build my garage, and '01 that I let my son drive. So...that white XJ is a '99, '00 or '01. I'm betting it had a cracked head. Since they say 'engine's bad', I will say that they kept driving it when it started overheating. Am I right? My '01 did that. No milkshake. But the exhaust was going into the cooling system. The 331 head casting is no good.
Good wheelin' dealin'
a very good deal .
Yeah I want one
Man that Jeep is a runner, lets go
Check the fuses and the fuel pump as well as the cylinders. It's always the small stuff that will kick you in the ass.
I once purchased a $750 XJ. It ran poorly, overheated, rear main leaked under load, too many cosmetic issues to list. But it was 4x4 and I took on a few trips. Ended up selling it because I bought a 4Runner.
Tony, I am loving your Jeep series... We have a similar problem. I have a 98 ZJ and I am torn between referring to her as a Jeep or a truck. 😃
I call mine a truck, but it's got a 6 inch lift and 33 inch tires.
Even if it needs a new head, a rust free XJ is worth it.
I think I've been in the XJ club for a long time. I got bitten back in college in the late 80s.
Tom, It could be a timing chain issue. The passenger side front is pushed in from the accident. Jarring from the accident, could have knocked something loose with timing assembly.
Great video
Uncle Tony: "I need to clean up and get rid of stuff before we move."
--then buys yet another project Jeep 😆😆
Here in East Canada, there asking double that price and it's half gone from rust. There expensive. For a decent running one it's easy 5000$. 10k+ if there's a lift kit, big tires, snorkel pipe, etc. The outdoor survival kit kind of way to say it. Nice content again.
White is my favorite car color, but here, it's replaced by brown quickly from rust. Lol
Love it! Miss my XJ. Going to have to purchase another before they go out the roof.
I have both left and right bumper ends for this Jeep you can have
I want to find something clean like that..up.here in Wisconsin its hard to do...maybe illl drag something home from down south
fuel or spark. Check the rotor in the distributor if it is a '97-'99.
Tony, Tony, Tony. If its got a blown motor and bald tires, the body and interior need to be mint
It's probably the crankshaft senor in the bellhousing, giving the mileage..will see..
Tony, if you're looking for rust locations on those models; I almost guarantee you will find rust in the lower rear body panels behind the rear wheels. The rust was promoted by the use of little black bags of insulation stuffed down therein which kept moisture against the panel from evaporating. You can access these bags by removing the interior plastic panel behind the spare tire and equivalently the other side then go fishing. I bought an XJ from Arizona; no rust anywhere on or in it; except there where the panels were rusted through on both sides. You might remove the rear bumper plastic covers to see if it has rusted through from the inside. I highly suggest removing these bags. Good luck!
Hahahaha. Classic. Messed up front end and motor just started running bad for no reason when his kid was using it. I knew too many kids like that in high school that had the same coincidental thing happen. I shouldn’t make assumptions but my spidey senses are telling me bent rods. Hydro locked. Looking forward to seeing if my predictions are correct. Keep up the good videos. UTG.
Inspiration accomplished…
And that's how a parts car turns into a project car. Been there done that way too many times.
Not to bad Uncle Tony!! I don't think you got a bad deal!!!
I learned that Jeep sold a bunch of right hand drive XJs in Japan that are now legally being imported to the US. They have very low mileage because it’s a small country. Plus, there is no rust.
Miss diagnosis is a common problem. A buddy just bought a 2014 Kia Sportage for $1500 that would idle perfectly and have no power. The Kia dealer had told the owners it needed an engine at the cost of $10000. WTF. My buddy pulled the upstream O2 sensor out of it and it runs perfect, (makes a hell of a noise) but he could drive it around the subdivision at 40 mph. Plugged converter is the problem and the dealer thought it needed an engine. I don't know which is worse, $10000 for an engine or a wrong diag.
Buddy just got a $12000 SUV for 1500
Gallon of lacquer thinners with half a tank of gas, and drive it.
You would be amazed
Watch Scott Kilmer.
Tried it with 5 vehicles and all run better and cleaned the cats.
Good content UT! If I remember correctly the 99-01 XJ's had head cracking issues.
I love mine i have two of them robust easy to fix parts are cheap relaible. Flush the radiator they clog alot including the heater core. Water pumps last about 80k and buy a good one chinese and other cheap pumps will last 20k. Chinese alternators will also dont last. The heater hose at the front thermostat housing can get damaged from heat. Pistons skirts can crack but on two engines after 220k hardmiles the cylinderbores had little to no wear. These engines are very tough like the slant6. Front ends wear but parts are cheap iprefer moog if they are still usa made. Enjoy it tony glad its in good hands
As for auto youtube videos, I am stuck with VGG and UTG and a few others that are similar in scope.
But on the notion of experience to start is from my father he is the one who got me started but I have learned alot outside of what I know from watching these videos now mind you I have my own preferences on certain tasks as do anyone; but experience is best shared even if we don't agree.
We purchased a Grand Cherokee once (1998 model?) and one day while driving it just slowed down and stopped. We found a hole had burned right through the top of one of the pistons. Weird. Ending up putting in a used engine (from recycler).