tarantulaterabytes

I just purchased a Jeep CHerokee and I got a great deal on it. It's a 1997 Cherokee SE, 2 door, 4wd, 4.0 with 158,000 miles. I got it for only $1,000. I know the previous owner and this jeep was used as a daily driver, etc. It was never taken off road and was told they could count on two hands the time the used the 4wd. They religiously changed the oil, but I'm not sure how well they kept up with some of kinds of longer team, routine maintenance.

I will add the disclaimer that I don't know much about auto repair and maintenance. I work on computers for a living, and I'm just not developing an interest in this kind of stuff.

What I want to solicit is opinions about what I should replace, check, etc. This vehicle was replaced about 2-3 years ago and wasn't driven very often between then and now.

With the backstory out of the way, this is what I've done so far:

oil change
new air filter
new spark plugs
new spark plug wires
new distributor cap and rotor
ran Lucas Upper Cylinder/fuel injector cleaner through tank of gas

Anyways, if you have any suggestions on what I should think about doing, let me know. It gets pretty decent HW mileage but city driving is rough. I just finished the tune-up tonight, so I'm not sure if the mileage has improved yet.

Thanks

EDIT: One last quick question. This jeep originally came with 215/75/15 tires and currently has this size. I had buy 225/75/15 and they will fit stock rims and wheel wells, correct? THanks!

ColoradoXJ88

never hurts to change the fuel filter, run some seafoam through the engine before the next oil change, change the transmission fluid, differential fuids, transfer case fluids, do a coolant flush, and take a look at the brakes, check pads and shoes for wear, and replace as needed. Just some stuff to consider!! Welcome to the Forum!!

OnlyInMyXJ22

I think you have a pretty good start on things. I do agree on the other fluids and brake stuff. Also, you can fit up to a 235/75/15, but if you want to keep the mileage up, I'd stick with the 215's or maybe the 225's.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, replacing the fuel filter will require dropping the gas tank.

tarantulaterabytes

Awesome, thanks for the replies, guys.

Ok, two more quick questiosn (I apologize, I really don't know much about automobiles.) When I pop the hood, the engine is really dirty. How do I go about cleaning this up in a safe manner? Lots of caked on grease and dirt mixture on certain areas. I would like to clean it up some but want to make sure I go about it in a safe manner.

My current tank has Lucas Upper Cylinder and Fuel Injector Cleaner in it, but I am thinking about a treatment of Seafoam in the next tank. I have used it with great success on four wheelers and dirt bikes in the past. Does Seafoam come recommended by the people on this forum? Anything else simple like Seafoam that I can do?

Thanks a lot everybody, this forum is great for clueless people like myself. Great community here!

djb383

U will be amazed at what a roll of paper towels, a can of WD40, an hour or two and lots of elbow grease will do under the hood. I'll bet it will start after it's clean......not drowned and dead.

cpttuna

keep a written record of what maintenance and repairs are done.