Hey folks,

I have 2000 XJ 4L automatic. It has the 0331 head. It has a leaky engine. It has a leaky transmission. It has plenty of other problems. I really love this car and don't want to see it junked/parted out. I would love to at least make it more safe to drive while it lives out its final years. I am not very mechanically minded, but I get by with a wrench and some instructions. Here are some issues with the Jeep (forgive me, some are observation, some are from a mechanic):

From Mechanic
- Driver side u-joint needs to be replaced
- Rust coming from front axle tubes (not sure what this indicates)
- Leaky PS pump
- Steering box should to be replaced

From my observations
- Driver side ball joint has a bit of play
- Kind of clunking noise when turn sometimes (sounds like front driver side wheel)
- Slightly choppy return to center (at slower speeds it seems)

I know this is kind of a broad/vague question, but assuming cost is not a factor, what would you go about fixing and in what order? Particularly as to avoid re-doing work like removing wheels, brakes, etc. The rust coming from the axle tube sounds to me like an entirely new axle may be needed. Are junkyard axles worth it, or is something new better?

Any thoughts or feedback is greatly appreciated!


Edit: 180K miles

 

Sounds like a normal Cherokee to me . how many miles on it ?

 

180K

 

My 2001 has 165K on it I did all the ball joints , tie rod upgrade , replaced the head with a Tupy one off a 2004 Grand Cherokee , and still have more work to do , but you can't get a new XJ so yes I would fix it . I would fix the engine 1st then the steering and front end , You never said if you can do any of the work your self .

 

The engine first, ball joint and u-joint then see if the clunk is gone, steering box and then see if you return to center is fixed.

 

If I have the tools and good set of instructions, I can (at least try) to do the work. Replacing the heater core is probably the most involved thing I have done, which I was able to do following the good write-up that has been passed around, but it was my daily driver for a while, so I was limited with what I could work on.

My reservation with taking care of the engine first is that I am guessing it will be the most work (especially if I don't have a helping hand), the most expensive, and I would say of the all the issues I mentioned, the least problematic at the moment. What about the engine would you fix? The head? Or like everything with the engine?

Since there is something wrong with the diff/axle to where there is rust coming out, I would think that replacement u-joint probably wouldnt last as long, but again, I not very mechanically minded, just okay with tools and following instructions.

 

With the engine if your oil pressure is good then I would change the head . Like I said I used a 2004 tupy head I got from a pick and pull and it only cost me about $80.00 . Then I cleaned it checked the valves , put in new seals and re seated the valves to make sure they sealed . You can look the job up on u tube to see if you want to do the job .

 

It would be very expensive to have a regular mechanic do all that work for you, more than the vehicle is worth, unless you can do it yourself, or with a paid or unpaid helper

It seems to me you need to source a spare vehicle (I did this), or hit the wreckers yard

swap over all the parts that are defective, like head, steering box & pump and entire front axle

The work required is of moderate difficulty, ideally, it should not be the first time you are swapping a head or suspension, but everyone has to start

 

When you say it has a leaky engine, does that mean it needs a new head or new rear main and oil pan gasket?

I wouldn't touch the steering box until everything suspension/drivetrain-wise is fixed. Could just be the ball joint making it feel loose. Take it from the guy who replaced his steering box 4 times... it ain't easy trying to find a quality one that doesn't cost you a few hundred bucks.