Just bought a '99, few ?'s
01-11-2018, 12:47 PM
#1
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Model: Cherokee(SJ)
Just bought a '99, few ?'s
Just purchased a 1999 Cherokee Sport, 4.0l, AX15 manual trans, 2wd (yeah yeah).
Bought it from a guy who's parents owned it as their spare to pull behind their RV. Got it knowing that it had more miles on the suspension and bearings then the motor and trans.Shows 179,000 on the odometer. Don't know the maintenance, or lack of, so going through most everything. I drive 100 miles a day to and from work, so I need to make it dependable.
The good: No rust, everything's there, doesn't smell inside or out, valve "ping" is at a minimal for the mileage, gets 18mpg before tuneup, no codes after 1000 miles, alternator and starter tested and passed, receipts for new radiator in 2015, new electrical fan in 2012, windshield replaced in 2010,
The bad: tailshaft seal leaks (fixed), leaks oil from oil filter "area" (hopefully fixed), tires are too big but new (31s that rub when you turn too far), no spare tire, clunking noise under rear passnger side ( still tracking it down), heat doesn't work (blender door is hard to move and broke plastic piece between shaft and motor), trans is hard to shift into 2nd and 4th sometimes (guessing syncro's are worn), ac canister came loose at black condenser can at firewall leaking all refrigerant, nasty coolant, doesn't like to start on first key turn but does on the 2nd, little scary when in a turn and hit a hard bump and it jerks the wheel.
Fixed/replaced: tail shaft seal (all new gear oil in trans), u-joints, air filter, oil housing gasket, oil pressure sensor, topped off rear axle oil.
Plans to fix/replace: flush coolant system, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, shocks, brake pads and rotors/drums, radiator hoses, new serp. belt, looking into full suspension bushing set.
Any info on some of the issues I'm having would be great! Or advice!
Bought it from a guy who's parents owned it as their spare to pull behind their RV. Got it knowing that it had more miles on the suspension and bearings then the motor and trans.Shows 179,000 on the odometer. Don't know the maintenance, or lack of, so going through most everything. I drive 100 miles a day to and from work, so I need to make it dependable.
The good: No rust, everything's there, doesn't smell inside or out, valve "ping" is at a minimal for the mileage, gets 18mpg before tuneup, no codes after 1000 miles, alternator and starter tested and passed, receipts for new radiator in 2015, new electrical fan in 2012, windshield replaced in 2010,
The bad: tailshaft seal leaks (fixed), leaks oil from oil filter "area" (hopefully fixed), tires are too big but new (31s that rub when you turn too far), no spare tire, clunking noise under rear passnger side ( still tracking it down), heat doesn't work (blender door is hard to move and broke plastic piece between shaft and motor), trans is hard to shift into 2nd and 4th sometimes (guessing syncro's are worn), ac canister came loose at black condenser can at firewall leaking all refrigerant, nasty coolant, doesn't like to start on first key turn but does on the 2nd, little scary when in a turn and hit a hard bump and it jerks the wheel.
Fixed/replaced: tail shaft seal (all new gear oil in trans), u-joints, air filter, oil housing gasket, oil pressure sensor, topped off rear axle oil.
Plans to fix/replace: flush coolant system, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, shocks, brake pads and rotors/drums, radiator hoses, new serp. belt, looking into full suspension bushing set.
Any info on some of the issues I'm having would be great! Or advice!
01-11-2018, 01:00 PM
#2
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You'll find that you'll get better response if you post one problem at a time as you're trying to tackle it. I will comment on a few things.
The 179k miles would have been only registered when it was running, so you can count that those are the miles on the motor/transmission. While being flat towed behind the motorhome no miles would have registered on the electronic odometer. 18 MPG combined is about right for a mostly stock XJ that is tuned well especially with 31" tires, so a new tune up likely won't make any difference. When you say you replaced the "oil housing gasket" I'm not sure exactly what you mean. The oil filter adapter uses three o-rings and can be a PITA to replace, but nearly every XJ with enough miles will leak there. Here's the part information for the o-ring kit: Oil Filter Adapter O-Rings, Set of 3 $6.40 Mopar P/N 04720363 and a good thread here: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/oil...r-o-ring-9625/
Good luck with your XJ and be sure to search the site for tons of good information.
The 179k miles would have been only registered when it was running, so you can count that those are the miles on the motor/transmission. While being flat towed behind the motorhome no miles would have registered on the electronic odometer. 18 MPG combined is about right for a mostly stock XJ that is tuned well especially with 31" tires, so a new tune up likely won't make any difference. When you say you replaced the "oil housing gasket" I'm not sure exactly what you mean. The oil filter adapter uses three o-rings and can be a PITA to replace, but nearly every XJ with enough miles will leak there. Here's the part information for the o-ring kit: Oil Filter Adapter O-Rings, Set of 3 $6.40 Mopar P/N 04720363 and a good thread here: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/oil...r-o-ring-9625/
Good luck with your XJ and be sure to search the site for tons of good information.
Last edited by robertj; 01-11-2018 at 01:03 PM.
01-11-2018, 01:32 PM
#3
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Bump under rear passenger side is almost certainly your exhaust. There's an exhaust bracket that fits right on your transmission mount. That's probably the culprit.
That's all I got.
That's all I got.
01-11-2018, 03:20 PM
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Sorry, it was the oil filter adapter I changed the gaskets out on. Mine turned out super easy compared to some of the stories I read on here. Didn't even need a cheater bar to get it broke loose.
I've checked the exhaust hangers and moved everything around the best I could but that doesn't seem to be it. I can only get it to make the noise when it's moving, but it isn't something with the axel as the clunk doesn't change with speed.
I've checked the exhaust hangers and moved everything around the best I could but that doesn't seem to be it. I can only get it to make the noise when it's moving, but it isn't something with the axel as the clunk doesn't change with speed.
01-11-2018, 05:33 PM
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Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
I bet it's the exhaust clanging somewhere.
Have the fuel pressure tested. The fuel pump could have a bad check valve (a possible culprit why the jeep doesn't start until the second crank.).
Plug the pressure gauge to the Schrader valve on the fuel rail and start the engine. It should register 49 lbs (plus or minus 5 psi, so between 44 to 54 lbs is good.) Shut the engine down, and if the check valve is bad, the fuel pressure will drop rapidly within half an hour.
If the pressure stay the same, then the culprit is somewhere else.
Have the fuel pressure tested. The fuel pump could have a bad check valve (a possible culprit why the jeep doesn't start until the second crank.).
Plug the pressure gauge to the Schrader valve on the fuel rail and start the engine. It should register 49 lbs (plus or minus 5 psi, so between 44 to 54 lbs is good.) Shut the engine down, and if the check valve is bad, the fuel pressure will drop rapidly within half an hour.
If the pressure stay the same, then the culprit is somewhere else.
01-11-2018, 09:19 PM
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Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: I6 4.0L
x2 on exhaust being the culprit. Is the hanger snug in the tranny mount bracket? Is the rubber dry/cracked?
Take a big screwdriver or prybar and wedge it between the tranny and crossmember and se if you can move the tranny by hand. If so you could have the exhaust being tight on the mount, but the mount is moving enough to whack the floor or crossmember when engine torque causes the tranny to shift around on the bad mount. Or the tranny could be banging on something when it shifts around on the bad mount.
Take a big screwdriver or prybar and wedge it between the tranny and crossmember and se if you can move the tranny by hand. If so you could have the exhaust being tight on the mount, but the mount is moving enough to whack the floor or crossmember when engine torque causes the tranny to shift around on the bad mount. Or the tranny could be banging on something when it shifts around on the bad mount.
01-11-2018, 09:33 PM
#7
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Year: 99
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Just purchased a 1999 Cherokee Sport, 4.0l, AX15 manual trans, 2wd (yeah yeah).
Bought it from a guy who's parents owned it as their spare to pull behind their RV. Got it knowing that it had more miles on the suspension and bearings then the motor and trans.Shows 179,000 on the odometer. Don't know the maintenance, or lack of, so going through most everything. I drive 100 miles a day to and from work, so I need to make it dependable.
The good: No rust, everything's there, doesn't smell inside or out, valve "ping" is at a minimal for the mileage, gets 18mpg before tuneup, no codes after 1000 miles, alternator and starter tested and passed, receipts for new radiator in 2015, new electrical fan in 2012, windshield replaced in 2010,
The bad: tailshaft seal leaks (fixed), leaks oil from oil filter "area" (hopefully fixed), tires are too big but new (31s that rub when you turn too far), no spare tire, clunking noise under rear passnger side ( still tracking it down), heat doesn't work (blender door is hard to move and broke plastic piece between shaft and motor), trans is hard to shift into 2nd and 4th sometimes (guessing syncro's are worn), ac canister came loose at black condenser can at firewall leaking all refrigerant, nasty coolant, doesn't like to start on first key turn but does on the 2nd, little scary when in a turn and hit a hard bump and it jerks the wheel.
Fixed/replaced: tail shaft seal (all new gear oil in trans), u-joints, air filter, oil housing gasket, oil pressure sensor, topped off rear axle oil.
Plans to fix/replace: flush coolant system, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, shocks, brake pads and rotors/drums, radiator hoses, new serp. belt, looking into full suspension bushing set.
starting- check fuel pressure ( try poor mans prime), spark and battery.
Any info on some of the issues I'm having would be great! Or advice!
Bought it from a guy who's parents owned it as their spare to pull behind their RV. Got it knowing that it had more miles on the suspension and bearings then the motor and trans.Shows 179,000 on the odometer. Don't know the maintenance, or lack of, so going through most everything. I drive 100 miles a day to and from work, so I need to make it dependable.
The good: No rust, everything's there, doesn't smell inside or out, valve "ping" is at a minimal for the mileage, gets 18mpg before tuneup, no codes after 1000 miles, alternator and starter tested and passed, receipts for new radiator in 2015, new electrical fan in 2012, windshield replaced in 2010,
The bad: tailshaft seal leaks (fixed), leaks oil from oil filter "area" (hopefully fixed), tires are too big but new (31s that rub when you turn too far), no spare tire, clunking noise under rear passnger side ( still tracking it down), heat doesn't work (blender door is hard to move and broke plastic piece between shaft and motor), trans is hard to shift into 2nd and 4th sometimes (guessing syncro's are worn), ac canister came loose at black condenser can at firewall leaking all refrigerant, nasty coolant, doesn't like to start on first key turn but does on the 2nd, little scary when in a turn and hit a hard bump and it jerks the wheel.
Fixed/replaced: tail shaft seal (all new gear oil in trans), u-joints, air filter, oil housing gasket, oil pressure sensor, topped off rear axle oil.
Plans to fix/replace: flush coolant system, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, shocks, brake pads and rotors/drums, radiator hoses, new serp. belt, looking into full suspension bushing set.
starting- check fuel pressure ( try poor mans prime), spark and battery.
Any info on some of the issues I'm having would be great! Or advice!
"clunking noise under rear passnger side"
- check your exhaust hangers, check for leaf spring bushings
hvac- research, itll require some work getting through the dash to fix it
"little scary when in a turn and hit a hard bump and it jerks the wheel"
- so many things this could be:
- check the steering components for play, i.e. track bar, drag link, control arms, sway bars!(bushings) if stock, tie rod.... check the stabilizer also, remove it completely and verify if there's compression and rebound.
best of luck!
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