Hello Everyone,
i'm going to drive a 2001 xj for sale today. I went yesterday, b ut it wasnt on the lot. When the salesman checked, he was told the mech's couldnt figure out why the cel wasnt going off. so, today, its all good. ahem......anyway, the solution? his quote...." someone had installed this sort of " co2 or gas purge valve upside down.. we turned it around, and the light went off. the day before, he said the actual bulb was burnt out,when they got it, so im trying to figure some logic in this. anyone have any suggestions before i go drive this, what to look for?
also, could he have been talking about an 02 sensor? really want a good xj, this is a one owner car fax deal, but dont like the thought of buying this with problems. any help is appreciated, thanks!!

 

Dealership? How much are you paying for it?

 

6991.00 thanks

 

Any 12 year old vehicle needs a thorough "going over". Beware of the '00/'01 year model "0331" cylinder head cracking issue. Anybody will do/say just about anything to get a used car sold. Might be a good idea to have a independent mechanic give it a once over. Look further than the fresh wax job. Good luck.

 

if the cel is always on, sooner or later the bulb will burn out, and BTW I have seen the evap purge valve mounted upside down many times, and it will set a code for evap system P0442...small leak, because the valve will not close all the way when upside down

 

great advise, thanks!

 

any place i should look for rust? is there a thread on buying ?

 

This was the same problem my buddy's tj had.

 

I've got a 01' and every time my buddy shuts off my light, it turns back on within 20 or 30 miles. Be cautious, I've had my 01 for 2 years & it's a battle to get it inspected. My friend shuts it off long enough to pass my NYS inspection. I hate seeing that light on my dash!

Also, if you're looking to build it up, stay away from an 00 & 01 that has ABS, they also came with the D35 for the rear axle. I paid $4,800 for mine 2 years ago with 75,000 +/- miles.

Also, Power locks/windows are touchy, depends on what day of the week it is, if it was a full moon the night before & if the sky is blue, for them to work..... I think that is an issue with the 99, 00, & 01 XJ's. I can deal with it since my XJ is just a toy & not my DD.

Edit: Rust, My XJ looked really good all around & under, when i took my bumperetts off the rear bumper I had a rust hole the size of your fist in it. Run your hand on the under side of the bumperetts, the salt spray hits that & rots them out there.

Good Luck
Post Pictures

 

next time, before you turn the light off, have your buddy write the codes down..fix the problem code goes away......

 

Build it up? i was thinking of a 3 1/2 lift, nothing extreme. just an everyday driver. abs affects the ??? when lifted? thanks everyone, possible new jeep owner. 11 years with an h1, so im keeping the limits of the vehicle "in check". maybe i should just go with a nissan pathfinder 2000 and above, for my everyday, as i had one and had 0 complaints,wich is unusual for me.

 

Wish it was that easy, He owns his own shop & knows what he's doin, this thing's been a nightmare! Just sayin' if the lights on, there is a reason & just because it was sut off by a mechanic doesn't mean it's been fixed & will stay off....

 

Most common rust areas are rockers, floorboards, lower rear quarters, and cargo area. You can't really see much for the floorboards so just look underneath and make sure there are no holes. Rocker panels usually rust because something hit them and was either left like that or it was repaired and not recoated correctly. Can't do much for the cargo area unless you pull the carpet up since the gas tank is right beneath it. Also run your hands along the rocker panels and inspect it closely. They might have rust but was sanded down and painted over in haste. Check underneath the doors as well.

 

RUST. #1 enemy of Jeeps. Under the plastic bumper caps it can lurk. More fatal is the floor pans, rockers, and sub-frame. Rockers are a pretty common rust spot. Mine looked fine from the outside, but once I crawled underneath the interior part is rotten away (I think its called the rocket backing panel, it mates to the floor pan). The floor is also gone on the drivers side just pass the frame rail. The PO had put a new outer rocker ON TOP of the old one, which wad continuing to spread its rust disease internally. Floors had some sheet metal attached with self-tapping screws. Lot of work to fix this crap. watch for rust hiding brhind rust underneath - a hole covered up by another piece of metal.

Uh it is that easy actually. Find problem -> Fix problem -> Problem is fixed. If problem comes back then you aren't fixing it. Sounds like your friend is just clearing the code instead of addressing the cause.