Just picked up an 01 Cherokee with very forthcoming owner. Bought it 10yrs ago with 50k, he put on 130k, with not too much work. He recalls having the following done:

• Replaced Radiator. Drove for about 2wks before it was replaced, refilling Coolant as it leaked...
• Never changed Shocks, Struts, or Rear Brakes in all years of ownership
• Kept up with Oil Changes, with the occasional 3k< x <6k in between changes
• A/C doesn't work, hasn't in about 5yrs
• Check Engine Light is on, reads a Spark Plug misfire code, but replaced them all about 2yrs ago and nothing changed
• Brake light is on. Had Front Brakes and Rotors changed 6months ago, and it was off for a while.

Seems to be running fine, no rattling or smoke, but Oil Pressure drops to 0 once warmed up at Idle. Read some threads on this site, going to try a few recommendations before panicking with that.


I'd like to use this as an everyday commuter ( less than 5miles to work each way) and occasionally tow a Pop-Up Camper.



I'm looking for recommendations on what to do to get another 50-100k outta this, as well as not have to worry on a 6hr trip while towing.


Thanks in advance for any and all help!

 

I hope that you didn't pay to much for it since the po never did any maintenance to it other then change the oil. Since you already bought it I would start buy doing all the maintenance that you can. Such as oil change with a good quality oil filter such as Mopar, Napa Gold or Wix. Also change out all the other fluids. Flush the cooling system. Change out the brakes, rotors, drums and all of the brake hardware. That should be a good start for now. I hope it all works out for you.

 

the bolded portion will most likely exceed the initial purchase cost of the vehicle. not sure i'd want to invest that much in a vehicle carrying 0 oil psi at idle...

first and foremost i'd address the oil pressure issue. no sense in repairing anything else when it needs something like a shortblock.

 

Thanks. Took it to mechanic friend of mine, didn't see any major mechanical issues with vehicle. Using Fram filter (I know...), gonna do oil change tomorrow, and flush all major fluids too. Front Brakes have atleast another 15k on them, and I may switch Rear to Disc, too.

Said he had a couple of other repairs, just never kept any docs, and over 10yrs, I'm not gonna fault him for lapse of memories of them. I'm sure he had to be doing something right, as it really seems to be running fine. Checked oil and coolant again, and they both have good coloration to them.

Tips on prep work for trailer hitch and towing?

 

If all he did is the plugs, maybe do ;cap, rotor, wires, and some Ngk plugs. It's a starting ground for that issue

 

It could just be your oil pressure sensor sending the wrong oil pressure. Mine did the same thing. At idle the oil pressure would go down to zero at idle. I replaced the oil pressure sender and it fixed it. It is in plain sight by the oil filter on the right side of the motor. It is easy to put on and doesn't cost much so that's what I would try first. Also another thing to keep in mind esp. if your going to be towing is to change the transmission fluid and filter.

 

Make sure to keep a log of all repairs and services.

 

I doubt that your oil pressure is really zero. That gauge will usually show zero with 5-7 psi. My GC has had only 4 psi for years...fairly common on 2000 & 2001 4.0s. Get a mechanical gauge to verify what your pressure really is. Don't freak out if it is low, it does not always mean the end is near. Look inside your valve cover through the oil fill cap, if you don't see any oil after engine has been running several minutes you HAVE a problem.

 

Keep an eye on the coolant level and possible coolant in the oil. Your vehicle is prone to having a cracked head- usually the reason someone is selling. Cracked head sometimes allows coolant to enter the oil and thereby damaging the bearings, causing low oil pressure

 

Your lifters will tick also if you have no oil pressure.

 

When I got mine, I changed everything from the serpentine belt to the rear wheel cylinders, just so I could have a starting point to my maintenance schedule. And I mean everything that is easily obtained from an autoparts store. Also changed every fluid, yes even the power steering and brake fluid. All of that work also gave me a chance to poke around the Jeep and look for any signs of future trouble. I ended up having to change the 0331 head after a short while, but saw that coming and saved my bearings...luckily.

Regular maintenance is key to any used vehicle purchase. As far as towing, if you don't mind a rough ride, throw some add-a-leafs in the back, otherwise I would change out the whole leaf pack, because it is probably going to sag with a load after so many miles. Mine came with the factory tow package, I'd see if you can locate one at a juck yard and pull a factory hitch off of one for cheap.

 

I saw some interesting stuff in a thread last week. You might have an "idiot gauge" It might only read in the middle, or nothing. At some point they decided we were too stupid to have a gauge that actually worked. That info came from a pretty solid source.