Picked up a '96 Cherokee Sport 4x4 today for $1900. I've been seriously considering getting a dog and don't want the pooch to destroy my 850R's interior. I'm also going to try to tackle tossing in a 5 speed into the Volvo this summer, so it will be nice to have a beater during that time.

The Jeep has 187k and seemingly nothing majorly wrong with it mechanically that I can tell. It was the 2nd jeep a college kid owned who put a lot of highway miles going to and from college.











Besides the trunk struts being shot, the only thing that I want to address is the power steering. At idle or parking lot speeds there isn't any. Also, the PS reservoir looks disgusting. Is there anything I should try before just replacing the pump? It runs well, but wanders a bit on the highway. Then again, I'm used to a lowered car so I'm not sure what to compare it to.

What is a good source for jeep parts online?

What should a first time Jeep owner know?

 

Descent looking street jeep man. As for the PS pump, if the pump has clean fluid, you are kinda at the replace the pump stage. Online jeep parts; eBay. There were several million cherokees built, parts are readily available in junkyards.

As for what you need to know: Do not start modifying this jeep. It is like any other car hobby, it will control your life. Get a heat shroud around that air filter. Other than that change all the fluids, pay special attention to the radiator, in fact a flush and fill would be my first move. Keep the oil changed, and descent spark plugs in it, and the 4.0L in the jeep may out last that Volvo you are driving. Welcome to the social disease that is Jeep ownership

 

"the 4.0L in the jeep may out last that Volvo you are driving"

True dat. The Cherokee will dust that Volvo in a straight line, and probably just get outright clean lost in the twisties, have some fun with it.

 

I've never driven one that didn't.
This is an old front end design more akin to a HD truck than a car- solid axle with a locating bar, recirculating ball steering, lots of sidewall in the tires... unlike cars it was designed to hold up offroad. That comes at the expense of highway refinement.
Having to make minor corrections here and there is pretty normal. OTOH if it's pulling off to the side or requiring constant attention to keep it between the lines, something's worn.

At 187K it's still a baby. The engine and trans should hit 300K or more with simple maintenance. Don't expect much in the gas mileage department though, 15-19 or so.
Nice looking XJ and Volvo, BTW. Turbo I assume? I don't think you could get anything other than the 4-speed auto with the R turbo, a manual is a nice upgrade.

 

Thanks for the tips. Just picked up a PS pump and trunk struts and I'm gonna toss 'em in.

I hope you're joking. The Volvo is way faster in every aspect... kind of why I bought the Jeep:



Yeah, it's turbo'd from the factory but I tossed a more efficient turbo from a V70R (TD04-18T) on there along with some other things. Haven't had it dyno'd but it should be around 310hp at the crank, 275-280whp.

 

Going to bump this since I'm having a few problems.

1) Either the 190hp this thing is supposed to be making is hilariously overrated, or there's definitely something wrong with this thing. I'm thinking it's more than likely transmission related - I had 4 people and two small dogs in the jeep yesterday and heading east out of Seattle on i5 going up hills the thing could barely stay above 45-50, the whole time watching the temp guage slowly tick up to the tick before the red area. RPM's were around 2400-2500 - giving it any more gas and it will rev up but literally doesn't accelerate at all. Granted, that's the most I've had the Jeep loaded up, but it does the same "slipping" crap whenever it's just me. Anything above 2500 or so RPM's and it's basically in neutral. Should I start with a drain/refill of the tranny fluid? I'm going to drain, clean and refill the cooling system as well.

2) When I hit creases in the road at highway speeds, I get a good amount of wobble for about a second. Anything I should check?

3) Motor mount replacements are a no brainer, right?

4) The day of the purchase, the seller and I were both in a bit of a rush as we both had been carted to the meet location by people waiting to leave, and stupidly I left with the wrong portion of the title. He still has the title, and no longer returns calls/texts. What the **** do I do?

5) Oh, and is there some trick to putting the thing into 4 low? I've tried engaging it in neutral and park but it just physically won't move into 4 low. Don't really care as I bought the Jeep mainly as a beater and dog **** platform, which, by the way, worked out perfectly yesterday. My friend showed up to my house earlier than expected for a hike last night, and when I got home and walked my dog around the block, he was too worried about who my friend was to take a dump. He finally got the ***** to take a **** about 2 minutes from the trailhead.

 

1) Drain and refill with Dex/Merc III. DON'T have it pressure flushed. If it's overheating then a aux trans cooler is a very wise idea.

2) Search 'death wobble' on here. While yours isn't at the death wobble stage, the causes will be the same as the wobble when you hit the expansion joints in the highway.

3) Yes, if this will be used primarily on road factory replacements are fine. If you start modifying the jeep for offroad look into MORE or Brown Dog engine mounts.

4) You keep contacting the seller and you may have to physically go find him.

5) They don't like being put directly into 4 low. Put it in 4 hi and drive it for a few feet, then put the trans in neutral and pull it into 4 low. Sometimes they just haven't been used in awhile and need the kinks worked out.


BTW: Welcome to the addiction!

 

For 4 low, be moving 1-3 mph, shift tcase to neutral, then firmly pull back till it locks. Manual says you should be moving but keep it under 3mph.

 

Cool, thanks for the info. I think I read somewhere it takes about 2-3 quarts of ATF? Is there an exact number or should I toss 2 in, go for a drive and then check and add more accordingly?

 

Since there is a threaded drain plug on the transmission pan you can collect the old fluid in a container,measure it,and refill accordingly.

When you say "it will rev up but literally doesn't accelerate at all." do you mean rev up as in neutral or lots of throttle but going no where? Does the transmission downshift?

 

Yeah, it sounds like it downshifts, but any acceleration I had at 2-2.5k is lost. I will feel the jeep start to pull (although only a little) again once stop giving it so much gas. I've had two cars with automatic transmissions fail and start to buck and slip. This doesn't really feel the same. It's not so night-and-day. It's very subtle, but when accelerating at highway speeds - say, 30-60, the power comes on in a bit of a uneven way. Feels weird.

I should mention that the catalytic converter has been making a racket since I got it. If it's clogged, could I be seeing these types of problems?

 

My be plugged catalytic converter. Mine did exactly the same thing after I put bigger tires on it. It would run fine and drive around town fine, but get on the highway it would barely keep speed limit and wouldn't hardly make it up hills. Hit the gas and it would downshift but wouldn't pick up any speed. And the temp guage would slowly increase until it was overheated. Changed the cat and it runs great!

 

Don't know if your aware or not that you can test your C/C with a vacuum gauge connected to the brake booster(easiest manifold access). When a catalytic converter is restricted or plugged engine vacuum will be lower than normal (around 20mmHg) and fall off fast with higher RPMs.

 

Pull the O2 sensor on the downpipe and start it and see how it runs. If it runs good, it's your cat.

 

'96 has a lifetime recall on the OEM cat. Have the dealer run your VIN.
If it rattles inside when you smack it- it's bad. That one fails by breaking apart internally.(and occasionally those chunks obstruct the exhaust)