Patrick_G

double_0_7

I got no advice, but this guy is kinda funny with his eleventy different old jeeps.

https://jalopnik.com/heres-what-it-w...ove-1766546671

PatHenry

Why are folks saying the Jeep won't make it? Simply high mileage?

My Dad got over 400k on his 94 and only retired it due to rust. Engine, transmission and transfer case all worked perfectly throughout the 400k.

I'd make sure the cooling system is sound, make sure all the fluids are clean and full and not worry what others say about your Jeep.

gat

If you have 2+ weeks before your trip, then I'd change the motor oil and it's filter, the air filter, the spark plugs, the wires for the spark plugs, the transmission oil (& filter - automatic), the coolant, and the differential fluid. If the 1996 has a distributor cap and rotor, then those, too. Basically, replace all of the wearable things that should be replaced at intervals.

If you have less than two weeks prior to a large trek, then you don't want to change fluids and things in case of leaks basically.

Red1992XJ

Basically just go over the car and see what needs to be replaced. How are the hoses and lines (coolant, brake, power steering)? An ignition tune up is probably not a bad idea if it hasn't been done in a long time. Get the fuel pump fixed asap. How are the tires?

You can prepare for the trip all you want, but don't forget to bring tools and supplies with you for whatever happens on the road. Maybe either have a set of jumper cables or jump box in case the battery goes. Bring extra oil, coolant, ps fluid, brake fluid. Make sure you have a good set of tools with you as well. Maybe even a spare belt.

Also, what do you mean about being underpowered? That's probably the most important thing to sort out.

gat

Or just join AAA.

PatHenry

Agree completely.

No matter what vehicle you take on a road trip, you are always at risk of having a problem and being far from home. In my case I blew a pretty recently replaced water pump in MD which in turn caused my radiator to burst a seam and was not a fun time replacing stuff on the side of the highway. Even a brand new car can have something go wrong.
In most cases these things are inevitable failures that would have occurred eventually anyway, just the strain of extended driving flushes them out at the most inopportune time.

You might consider making sure you have a AAA or other "roadside emergency" service if you can.

Don't forget emergency blankets, first aid kit, extra snacks and water, etc.

The advice from Red1992, myself and others here is good advice for any road trip in any vehicle. The nice thing with the XJ is that you have plenty of space to have all this stuff, plus whatever you're already planning on bringing. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

DFlintstone

Tires and break fluid. I assume it's not knocking and using a bunch of oil. I got more relaxed on 300 mile trips I took often, realizing I go 5 or 600 miles a month anyway. I hope the weather is better in two weeks, it's no joke here in the NW lately.

PatHenry

Patrick, if I were in your shoes here's what I would do:

1 - Deal with the "underpowered" issue. This may be as simple as a symptom of the fuel pump issue you already know about. It may also be as simple as a worn out 02 sensor. Therefore:
A - Replace the fuel pump ASAP. The fuel pump is a one-off for 96 - this has been addressed in several threads, Bosch is the recommended brand generally, but considering the one-off nature of the 96... Jordan96XJ's advice on the pump is sounds, I'd do as he recommends.
B - Replace the O2 sensor (I believe it's still only 1 on a 96) with an NTK brand sensor. The brand is important, get the NTK.
Do the 02 sensor regardless since it's cheap, easy and a maintenance item.
2 - Do not do the 4wd conversion until after the trip unless there's a very good reason to do so. Assuming this trip is slated for around June and you're traveling in the southern U.S., you shouldn't need 4wd and 2wd is better on gas.
3 - Tires. Make sure the ones you have are good and make sure you have a good spare tire.
4 - Cooling system. The biggest difference between a road trip and "regular" driving is the sustained level of heat. Also water pumps can start to disintegrate over time. I would just get a new quality water pump, new hoses (radiator AND heater hoses) a new radiator cap and a new Mopar thermostat. If you have any question about the reliability of your radiator, replace it as well. Replace the parts and while you're at it, flush your system thoroughly. Again, brand is important - spend the extra couple bucks for the Mopar t-stat. Don't neglect the radiator cap. It's an important part of the system. If you've recently replaced all of the parts mentioned and are confident things are working well, then don't do the replacement, but do flush the system and put new coolant in and make sure it's the right mix. Check the fan clutch as well - if it's at all in question, replace it as it's pretty cheap and easy.
5 - Belt. I would just get a new continental elite "gatorback" style belt and replace it when you do the cooling system parts. If you aren't doing cooling system parts, replace the belt anyway and keep the old one as a spare. The gatorback belts are amazing and don't cost any more than any other belt. I swear by them. Make sure the tension is correct.
6 - Steering/suspension - Do a thorough check of all the steering/suspension parts as well as your driveshaft u-joints and make sure they are all in good shape. Replace as necessary. It may be a good idea to get your tires balanced and an alignment before the trip. If you need to replace any steering parts, make sure you do that BEFORE the alignment since obviously new parts can throw off the alignment.
7 - Brakes. Make sure the brakes are in good condition. Pull the rear tires and drums off and blow out any brake dust and make sure everything is functional and there's plenty of friction material on the pads/shoes.
8 - CPS. If you have an automatic and you can spare the cash, I'd pick up a new Mopar CPS (again, brand is super important here - Mopar only!) and keep it in the vehicle or replace it. Make sure the wires are not going to contact the exhaust. The CPS is one of the major failure points on automatics and it fails typically due to HEAT. This goes back to the sustained heat thing. If you have a manual transmission you can skip this. I've never seen a manual CPS failure in the combined 33 years / 710k miles of manual Jeeps in my family.
9 - Battery. The XJ is notoriously picky about the condition of the battery. If yours is questionable or more than 5 years old, you might want to replace the battery. If nothing else, test it at your local parts retailer.
10 - Tune up, fluids and grounds cleaning. As others have mentioned, fluids, a good tune up and make sure all your engine grounds (including the one behind the driver's side panel in the trunk) are clean and tight. Same goes for battery cables. Standard maintenance stuff.

As gat mentioned, do all this stuff and have it done with at least 2 weeks or so of regular driving before the trip to let any oversight or what-not come out before you leave.

Keep us posted on things and let us know how everything goes.

lawsoncl

If you're more than 50-miles from home, that just gets you towed for free to a local shop. You're still not at home with all your tools and you're at the mercy of whatever shop they towed you to.

PatHenry

Well, towing isn't cheap, so getting a free tow is always helpful. Also AAA provides other services, batteries, lock-outs etc. and there may be discounts on hotels or whatever that might be useful.

Obviously you don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're stuck on the side of the road with something wrong that you cannot correct with the tools you have, but if you do find yourself there, you really can't avoid being at the mercy of a local shop - and it's worse if you have to pay a hefty tow bill just to get your vehicle there.

DFlintstone

AAA "premier" get's you one 200, 1 or two 100, and one 50 mile tow, (IIRC). To get my ElCo 308 miles home last summer I needed to "overnight" at a hotel after 200mi, then get another 100 the next day. (got me within 8 miles!) Fyi. If you are stranded it only takes 24 hrs, (or maybe less), to get a tow right after signing up, they don't care if you use it right away. First year of Premier is $135 IIRC, then it's a bit less to renew.