chrome700

I've got a stock '99 XJ Sport 4WD that's my DD and just rolled over 200K. Bought in in FL 10 years ago, had in in AK for 8 years, now in NC.

I've not been very diligent at oil and other fluid changes, etc, but (knock on wood) the vehicle has been VERY reliable for me. Doesn't do a lot of off roading but I'm not afraid to drop it into 4L when I need to.

Considering taking it into a shop and replacing all the fluids (oil, trans, transfer case, diffs, coolant) and doing a coolant flush and injector clean. What's best practices for fluid intervals on all of the above for a high mileage vehicle like this? Any recommendations in the Charlotte area? Prefer to get it done while I wait.

Thanks

cruiser54

Just change them.

Engine oil is due every 7500 miles
Trans every 30K along with transfer case and diffs.
Trans is a drain and fill with Dex/Merc III fluid only. No filter to change and don't let them flush it.

How about brake fluid? I'd do it now.

investinwaffles

Check your owners manual for maintenance schedule (I am not 100% sure off the top of my head, I can check my 98's manual tomorrow)

Definitely just get new injectors instead of wasting time and money trying to clean the old one without a ultrasonic injection cleaning machine. Bosch 4-hole injectors should be more efficient than the stock 1-hole design and cost about the same anyways (google 4-hole injectors for the XJ and you should wind up with a tutorial with a parts list for different model years).

Change the oil every 6-7k miles

Quote:

Prefer to get it done while I wait.

That might take a few hours to be honest (a full fluid change + other maintenance). A full fluid change shouldn't take that long though (Diff fluid, transfer case fluid, trans fluid, engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, grease all suspension points). Getting all that done at a shop is probably going to be expensive @ $85-$100/hr labor plus parts.


Don't forget coolant hoses, heater hoses, belt, thermostat, water pump if its very old. All critical maintenance items that can strand you.

Ralph77

Own a '00. Don't drive much. Older, no life (LOL), and live a 1/2 mile from work. Because I drive the Jeep so little my maintenance is always time frames. Bought the '00 about 3 years ago with about 147K. Oil gets changed every April and October. 10W30 in the spring and 5W30 in the winter. Grease fittings all get a squirt at this time too. Probably only 2K on the Jeep when I do my oil changes. Anti-freeze, green, get dumped every 2 years. I swapped out my diff fluids for synthetic so I will never do that again in my lifetime. Just check the levels when doing an oil change. I rotate my tires, I have a full size matching spare that is rotated also, once a year. When I first got her I swapped out as much tranny fluid as I could and put in a new filter, for lack of a better word, and gasket. Every 2 years I dump the tranny fluid. I only do this because there is a drain plug. Don't even tap the ignition to push more out. Just drain and refill. I do the transfer case every 2 years too. Mostly because it takes so little and is a piece of cake. Check my plugs once a year. Regular Cheapo Champion Copper Tops. I know that the power steering fluid was flushed by the PO so I check the levels from time to time. Same with oil, air pressure in the tires, brake fluid, and coolant.

bryanintowson

If it gives you peace of mind then do it. Echo about the trans just drain and fill and just replace your injectors. Check out motorman injectors for rebuilt units.

cpttuna

big thing is to keep a written record when you do stuff so you remember what was done and what was not done.

chrome700

Thanks all for the feedback.
Just did some googling on the subject, looks like something I can easily accomplish myself.

Not every 3K? Worth it to go with high mileage oil or is that just a gimmick?


I hear ya. I need to get in a better situation where a lot of this is DIY, but not quite there yet. For as little as I've spent on mx through the life of the vehicle AND having no car payments the last decade I can't too much about a big bill every now and then.

Top radiator hose blew out on me about 4 years ago, replaced. Did the water pump myself about two years ago, did the thermostat and lower radiator hose at that time as well. Put a new AC compressor in about 4 years ago, new belt at that time.

I hear ya.

cruiser54

Factory interval is 7500 miles on oil change. 3000 is interval from oil change places like Jiffy Lube.

Fred/N0AZZ

Your use is "severe duty" if only driving a 1/2 mi. to work and shutting down the engine never really gets up to operating temps to remove all moisture from the oil. I would follow a more robust fluid change on them all where moisture builds up. Oil, filters and the other fluids are cheap in the long run.

CCKen

From '99 Owner's Manual.


Severe Duty = Schedule B.





Otherwise, Schedule A.

Ralph77

Yeah I know. That is why every morning on the way to work I go out of my way. Have this little route worked out where when I pull into the parking lot at work my thermostat just opened. Way home sometimes yes sometime no. Depends on how tired I am. In the winter I am a little more diligent about this. I also do take the Jeep for a good blast on the highway periodically too. What ya gonna do?

kgm

Change the oil more often if its not up to heat regularly. For you, not for me!

chrome700

Ended up with a high mileage oil change at Firestone. They also did a power steering flush, brake fluid exchange, coolant system flush, and cleaned and adjusted the rear brakes.

They recommended a new valve cover gasket and fuel system cleaning, but I'm opting for new injectors at some point in the not too distant future, and a valve cover gasket shouldn't be a huge deal.

They didn't want to touch the tranny, and in fact said they wouldn't be able to without proof that it had been done before. I honestly couldn't tell you what exactly I've done with the tranny since I bought it 95K ago. At the very least a drain and fill I'm pretty sure. So as it's running perfectly, what's the best approach to keeping it that way?

cruiser54

They're full of crap on the tranny fluid.

Do a drain and fill with Dex/Merc yourself.

Fred/N0AZZ

Ken I would be very uncomfortable using either of those for my Jeeps never for the XJ and half that for my DD the WJ and that's for oil only. I have always felt that fluids, oil and filters along with fuel were the cheapest part of owing anything with an internal combustion engine so I change them often.


About the only things I go by the book for are the diesel engine's in our trucks, tractors, and mowers we own, the Motor Home does not get as many miles but still changed every 6 mo.